Who do I do if my window unit air conditioner is causing the electrical plug and extension cord to overheat?
Question:We have a large, vertical window-type air conditioner which keeps shorting out because the electrical plug prong is heating up and causing the head of the plug to be VERY hot and is making the extension cord overheat. Help!
Answers:
Be thankful it is shutting down. If it didn't and the extention cord continued to overheat you would set your house on fire. Like the others have said - never use an extention cord on an appliance like an air conditioner. Most home extention cords are not made to carry that load.
Do as everyone is advising and get a plug installed close enough to the unit so you don't need an extention cord or move the unit to another window with a plug closer to it.
Your unit SHOULD NOT BE ON A EXTENSION CORD. If it is hot unplug it and leave the cord outside. They are not designed to be on cords, the cord it came with is most likly larger then the cord you are tiring to use.
If you do not have a plug with in reach have an electrician wire in a plug for you before you burn down the house tiring to stay cool.
Never use an extension cord with an air conditioner or any other thing that draws a lot of power (toaster, iron). It's shorting because it's overheating. It's very dangerous, it could start an electrical fire.
Get an electrician to install an outlet made especially for the ac - and don't use it for any other fixture while the ac is going.
your extension cord is WAY to small that will cause the over heating and will burn out the plug itself if it not allready has
Need more info. Is this a new AC ? Is it a 220v AC ? Is the receptacle you are plugging into 220v or regular 120v ? If the AC is 220v and you have a 220v outlet then check to see if you have 2 breakers for the same outlet and is one tripped? If one is tripped then your AC is trying to run on 120vac vs 220vac and will heat up. If you have a 120 vac AC and a 120vac outlet the circuit may be 15 amps and you are drawing more and the breaker is a 20 amp which would the wire to heat up. Remember 14 awg wire for 15amp outlet and 12awg wire for 20amp outlet.what is your AC rated for? You mentioned it was a big AC...might be 220v and someone has doctored the plug to fit into a 120v outlet or vice versa..bad news. Also does the plug heat up when the AC is on low also? Or only high? If you are unfamiliar with knowing how the symptoms relate to a probable cause then do as the others have suggested.call a experienced electrician. Good luck!
It sounds like you have a faulty receptacle, and a dirty air conditioner. Unplug the A/C and go outside and wash out the coil with a sharp stream of water. Not so sharp a stream as to bend over the fins on the coil, but sharp enough to wash out all the stuff that is packed into the coil. Allow the unit to dry for about an hour while you are down at the hardware store buying a new receptacle. Be sure to turn off power to receptacle when replacing. If this does not help, you might consider buying a new unit as repairs are often more $$$ than a new unit.
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