Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    greyhound59's Avatar
    greyhound59 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    May 2, 2012, 04:50 PM
    Thermostat smells like burnt plastic
    I replaced my thermostat with a line voltage thermostat. A week or so later it smelled like burning plastic. I shut off the breker and removed it and the one wire nut was actually melted. I had an electrician at my house and asked him to check it out. He felt it was a loose connection and recapped it. It's been about 3 months and it smells like burning plastic again. It seems to me like the wire coming into the thermostat is warmer than the ones going to two 10Ft. Electric baseboard heaters. Any help appreciated. Greg [email protected]
    hfcarson's Avatar
    hfcarson Posts: 1,003, Reputation: 49
    Ultra Member
    		  
    #2

    May 3, 2012, 04:10 AM
    Greyhound,
    Can you tell us:
    What is the power rating of the heater? There is a nameplate somewhere
    With the power of the heater in watts...
    What size are the conductors that are connected to the thermostat? #14 awg romex?
    What size is the circuit breaker this is connected to?
    The more you can us the better the advice...
    Stratmando's Avatar
    Stratmando Posts: 11,188, Reputation: 508
    Uber Member
    		  
    #3

    May 3, 2012, 07:07 AM
    Loose connections will generate heat, If that 1 conductor is hot, it is a bad connection.
    You may need to replace the thermostat if a cgood connection cannot be made, and connect a good clean copper wire, firmly and you should be OK.
    You could use a low voltage thermostat and use a contactor so the load of the heater doesn't go through the Thermostat.

    "Loose connections generate heat"
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Hot water heater smells like burning plastic [ 2 Answers ]

Hello my hot water heater smells like burning plastic what do I need to do

Rheem air handler troubleshooting burnt wire & hot plastic smell? [ 0 Answers ]

Our Rheem RHSLHM3017JA air handler is making a "burnt wire or hot plastic" smell again. The first time it was on heating and we smelled it just before the transformer blew. It blew the transformer on the primary side of the wiring - not the low voltage. We've replaced the control board, replaced...

I burnt eggs in a non stick pan and burnt the bottom how do I clean it [ 3 Answers ]

I burnt the inside botton of a non stick teflon pan while cooking eggs.what can I do to clean the pan

Sink smells like sulfer, my husband says it smells like bleach [ 4 Answers ]

Our downstairs bathroom sink smells like sulfer to me... my husband says it smells like bleach. :confused: It seems to have the more of an odor in the morning. This is the only sink that smells this way. We are on county water. I just want to brush my teeth with clean smelling water.:D ...

Kenmore washer smells like burnt rubber and won't spin [ 1 Answers ]

I have a Kenmore heavyduty 80 series washer that will not do the spin cycle as of two days ago. I can still wash but it will drain leaving the clothes still wet. When it is supposed to be spinning I can hear the clicks and I can also hear the motor as if it should be spinning. The odd thing is I...

View more questions Search