Electrical fire from heated waterer

[Al Gerhart]

Please,please, please, mention that the product was used on an extension cord and violated the manufacturers instructions. Better yet, don't review the product as this wasn't their fault.

 

[Dim2000]

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.

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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.

This could happen due to several reasons: The manufacturer's faulty design or assembly, such as bad electrical connection inside. The waterer overheated: lack of water / mulfunctional thermostat (manufacturer's fault). The wire gauge is not sufficient (manufacturer's fault). If other folks has no problems - I would bet on manufacturer's bad assembly of electrical connections inside - it looks like a shortcut, especially if you say the wires were fused. Or overheating that also is a manufacturer's fault. Lucky there was no fire. In any case when you get the new one - I would recommend set it on a metal plate - like those ones for the house water boilers, which will eliminate the straw to lit in fire. And smoke detector just in case