Electrical fire from heated waterer

[rosemarythyme]

I have one of these. There's a sticker on the bottom that says you can not plug it into an extension cord.

It should be plugged directly into an outlet on a GFCI circuit.

I don't look at the stickers.

I also don't have an outlet within reach, we have to extension cord everything.

 

[doughouse]

I have one of these. There's a sticker on the bottom that says you can not plug it into an extension cord.

It should be plugged directly into an outlet on a GFCI circuit.

Before today I would have said those stickers are just legal ass covering. My coop isn't electrified, so it was plugged into a long outdoor-rated extension cord.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I have one of these. There's a sticker on the bottom that says you can not plug it into an extension cord.

It should be plugged directly into an outlet on a GFCI circuit.

A lot of these things do say not to use an extension cord, even though plugging them into an extension cord is usually the only way they're going to be plugged in. I think they have to say that as part of the normal warning system. (It's kinda like how majority of toys say 3+, despite the fact it most likely will be a kid younger than 3 playing with it.)

 

[alinas2010]

I don't look at the stickers.

I also don't have an outlet within reach, we have to extension cord everything.

Same here. Extension cord is our only option. I often wonder about the safety of things plugged into it. We use a wireless camera that sends motion alerts to my watch/phone for monitoring the girls/anything plugged in at night, idk if that truly would save us, heaven forbid any emergencies in the coop…but it’s something.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Depends on the length and wire size of the extension cord but you could easily drop 15 volts on 15 amp load on a 100' extension cord. Now here is the thing on electrical stuff be it a motor or a resistance load like a heater, it will draw the current it needs to run and overload the wiring/insulation. You can see the scorching/melting on the wiring. Electrical circuits need to be sized with wires and the breaker or fuses being small enough to protect the wiring if the load starts to get higher due to damage or a higher load due to a motor trying to keep up the RPM due to wear, damage, or things like voltage drop. The electric will find the weakest point or choke point and either will trip the breaker, burn the wire, or in this case scorch the insulation as too much current is flowing for the wiring.

Run some romex wire out to the chicken coop put no more than 15 amp breaker so it will trip and protect the wiring. A 12 gauge wire will carry 120 volts @ 25 amps around 41 feet before the voltage drop causes you problems at 25 mps. I believe that is around 2400 watts. If you use 10 gauge romex you can run 55 feet carrying around 30 amps @120 volt, around 3600 watts.

However, that heater is only 100 watts and even a 14 gauge heavy duty extension cord can hand around 1500 to 1600 watts if you keep the length down. I would rough guess that less than one amp is needed. Based on that I wouldn't be afraid to run 12 gauge romex a hundred feet or even 150 feet as long as the load is just that electric water heater of 100 watts.

Remember, the wire will carry the wattage needed to run the resistant load but it will also destroy the insulation if the extension cord is too light of a gauge. If in doubt, feel the cord and the cord ends, if they are warm you need a larger size wire

 

[alinas2010]

Depends on the length and wire size of the extension cord but you could easily drop 15 volts on 15 amp load on a 100' extension cord. Now here is the thing on electrical stuff be it a motor or a resistance load like a heater, it will draw the current it needs to run and overload the wiring/insulation. You can see the scorching/melting on the wiring. Electrical circuits need to be sized with wires and the breaker or fuses being small enough to protect the wiring if the load starts to get higher due to damage or a higher load due to a motor trying to keep up the RPM due to wear, damage, or things like voltage drop. The electric will find the weakest point or choke point and either will trip the breaker, burn the wire, or in this case scorch the insulation as too much current is flowing for the wiring.

Run some romex wire out to the chicken coop put no more than 15 amp breaker so it will trip and protect the wiring. A 12 gauge wire will carry 120 volts @ 25 amps around 41 feet before the voltage drop causes you problems at 25 mps. I believe that is around 2400 watts. If you use 10 gauge romex you can run 55 feet carrying around 30 amps @120 volt, around 3600 watts.

However, that heater is only 100 watts and even a 14 gauge heavy duty extension cord can hand around 1500 to 1600 watts if you keep the length down. I would rough guess that less than one amp is needed. Based on that I wouldn't be afraid to run 12 gauge romex a hundred feet or even 150 feet as long as the load is just that electric water heater of 100 watts.

Remember, the wire will carry the wattage needed to run the resistant load but it will also destroy the insulation if the extension cord is too light of a gauge. If in doubt, feel the cord and the cord ends, if they are warm you need a larger size wire

This is just the kind of scientific/engineering reply I was hoping someone would post here, thank you. I don’t entirely understand all of it, but I am planning on investigating all amps/wattage/wire we are using. Probably will look into the Romex wire you suggested. Is it safer than a typical outdoor extension cord?

 

[Al Gerhart]

Romex will be safer, look for the underground variety, some times it is grey colored. Bury it couple inches under the grass if you want to do it on the cheap. The Romex gives you hard connections, solid wire screwed under terminals which conduct the electricity much better than a plug on an extension cord. If you have the budget some pvc conduit is a good idea. Hard wire it directly into an existing outlet or better if you can go to a breaker box or a distribution box (smaller version of the main breaker box) and put an outlet in your coop. Then whatever cord the new heater comes with will be fine plugged into the outlet. I wouldn't re use the scorched heater if it were me.

 

[Sefirothe]

Romex will be safer, look for the underground variety, some times it is grey colored. Bury it couple inches under the grass if you want to do it on the cheap. The Romex gives you hard connections, solid wire screwed under terminals which conduct the electricity much better than a plug on an extension cord. If you have the budget some pvc conduit is a good idea. Hard wire it directly into an existing outlet or better if you can go to a breaker box or a distribution box (smaller version of the main breaker box) and put an outlet in your coop. Then whatever cord the new heater comes with will be fine plugged into the outlet. I wouldn't re use the scorched heater if it were me.

Underground romex + conduit on a GFCI circuit if you ask Dad.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Absolutely the way to do it if you have the budget. GFI breaker or outlet, breaker is the best.

Plain old 12/2 with ground Romex is what I used, buried directly in the soil and that was back in 2010 with zero issues since. Wouldn't do that for a customer due to liability but good enough for my coop.

 

[Jenbirdee]

We bought a Premier 1 three-gallon heated waterer right before the winter of 2020-21, and I've been nothing but happy with it until today. I went out to check the flock's food and water this afternoon and was surprised when I lifted the waterer that it felt much heavier than I expected. I reached around back to unplug it and was almost shocked by some sparks. It was then that I noticed that there was likely an electrical fire at some point recently.

View attachment 3729274

The cord, which unscrews from the waterer, was completely fused on, parts of the cord were melted away, and of course there was the black scorching up the side of the waterer itself. Our henhouse is raised off the ground and the waterer hangs from the bottom of the henhouse, so I'm so so so incredibly grateful that this didn't catch my henhouse on fire.

I did a bunch of research on heated waterers when I first bought this and Premier 1 was one of the best-reviewed. Does anyone have any thoughts as to what might have happened? Equipment malfunction? Did I do something wrong? I need to get another heated waterer pronto, but I want to make sure I don't inadvertently make the same mistake if this was the result of something I did.

Hey it would be great if you can post this as a review here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/se...e_reviews]=1&c[include_updates]=1&o=relevance