Vacuum plugs getting so hot they’re warping/melting! **HELP**

[aeruslux99]

Hi guys. I have 7 vacuums, 4 are Dirt Devil. I need to preface by saying Dirt Devil since those are the only vacuums I’m having the issue with. Two models in particular…

The issue is with the newest model bagged Dirt Devil FeatherLite’s, right before they were discontinued in the mid-2010’s. One is a 2009 model in black & one is a 2012 model in red. Both are bypass-air as all Dirt Devil uprights had been bypass-air for some time starting around 2005/6…

Anyways onto the issue. Most vacuums I’ve had, if you run them long enough, the cords & plugs will get warm. But only warm. Not hot. This has happened at a brand new house I lived in, houses built in the 70’s, etc. so I don’t think the wiring or fuse boxes have anything to do with the issues. The current house I’m living in was built in 1994 & having the house fully inspected before I moved in by an electrician, again I highly doubt a wiring issue.

The problem is when I run these vacuums (bypass air bagged FeatherLite’s) if I'm doing multiple rooms, regardless of using on bare floor or carpeting, the plugs will get so hot by about 15 minutes of use that the plastic part of the plugs are actually able to be stretched around like rubber in your hands as they’re THAT HOT. So I find myself always giving the vacuums 5-10 minute breaks with large cleaning jobs which gets annoying. I rarely vacuum the entire house for hours or do a “deep clean” but sometimes it must be done.

I’ll also note that these vacuums are pretty much brand new. This has also happened at more than one outlet, on more than one circuit. I’ve only used them maybe 10 times each so far, and this happens almost every time. Both were sold to me new-in-box. The black model had been sitting in an old man’s basement unused in the box until the family was cleaning & sold it.
I know these Dirt Devil FeatherLite’s have 12 AMP motors but the only conclusion I can come to is that they, for some reason, are drawing more than 12 amps. I know they sometimes struggle on carpets because of the non-existent height adjustment. So the motor works harder then. But on bare floors, the plugs still get crazy hot after 15-20 minutes.

The part that’s even more concerning to me is that the heavy-duty extension cord I use to plug into the wall so that I can go farther without having to keep unplugging & re-plugging the vacuum cord, is getting just as melting hot as the vacuum plug itself on the end where the vacuum cord plugs into the extension. The wall outlet also gets quite hot but not nearly as hot as the plugs.

What makes this so odd is that my sage-green direct-air Dirt Devil FeatherLite (also 12 AMPS) doesn’t get nearly this hot, under any circumstances. And the plug appears to be exactly the same type used on the other newer models. It’s only the newer bypass-air models that have this overheating at the plug issue. My Aerus/Electrolux vacuums don’t do this, they do get warm at the plug, but nothing alarming, and the canister is 11.5 AMPS I believe.

So my question is, why would they be doing this? Are they drawing more power than they should be as I suspect? & why? Is the load too much for the OEM cords? Would cutting off the original plugs & re-wiring them with heavy-duty hard plastic plugs possibly solve the problem?
To clarify I have checked for clogs, bad brush-roll bearings, etc. & nothing is adding extra strain to the motors.
All the old FeatherLite uprights do naturally work a bit harder on carpeting due to the lack of height adjustment but as I said, the overheating is an issue on both carpet & bare floors. Maybe it heats up faster on carpets but either way, my earlier model sage green direct-air FeatherLite has the same slight struggle on certain carpeting but does not get the plug anywhere near as hot as these otherwise identical models, even after several minutes of use on carpet. I can’t for the life of me understand why the bypass-air models would be generating this much extra heat at the plug, when they’re 12 AMP just like the older sage green model. Possibly bypass-air vacuum motors require more power than direct-air? If you didn’t look closely at the hoses, you wouldn’t even know they were any different aside from one being black & one being green! But the overheating issue certainly is exclusive to my bypass-air’s. Both the black 2009 model & the red 2012 model. Exact same motors on both.

 

[cheesewonton]

The vacuums have to be drawing more than 12 amps to get the outlet and extension cord as hot as you describe. If it was just the vacuum cord getting hot I would be tempted to write it off to an inadequately speced cord by a cost cutting manufacturer. But if you are also overheating an extension cord, assuming it is rated for 15 amps because you say it is heavy duty and not a 10 amp cord, I have to suspect the vacuum itself is pulling too many amps. Strange it doesn't trip the breaker though. I am trying to think how you can get a volt-ohm meter between the wall outlet and plug to measure the current draw while the vacuum is running.

 

[cheesewonton]

Obtw, I think you mean these newer Dirt Devil's have through flow motors. Bypass motors are what you find on shop vacs or carpet shampooers. The suction air is either blown out ports on the upper fan housing, peripheral bypass, or like you see on central vacuums the suction air is expelled out a big round hole on the side, called tangential bypass. The salient feature is suction air never touches the electrical parts. They have a separate cooling fan on top. A through flow motor, what is in pretty much all "Clean Air" uprights blows the suction air through the motor to cool it. Acceptable as long as the air is dry and filtered.

 

[aeruslux99]

Well, I found an old review page for the black model (M085570) with two people stating that their plugs caught on fire *clenched teeth*… so maybe there should have been a recall on these vacuums.
I know the motors in all hard-shell bagged Dirt Devil FeatherLite’s (1999-2015?) like to spark out rather dramatically if people continue to use them with bad motor bearings or if something jams the brush roll & isn’t removed promptly. Never had it happen to one of mine as I’ve always taken good care of them though.
However I was unaware the plugs themselves could start a fire under normal use. Up until now I’ve only had the older direct/dirty-air models & the plugs don’t heat up like that.
Both reviews I read for the black model say the plugs sparked & were “melted”. One saying it ruined the entire outlet. Couldn’t find any reviews for the red model but since it has the same motor, I’m assuming it’s happened to people with that model as well. I think I’ll be cutting the OEM plugs off & re-wiring them to a heavy-duty 15 AMP plug. Or something.
& yes thats what I meant. I had always heard people refer to them as “bypass air” or “clean air”. The design is superior for reducing risk of fan damage but in this case, it seems Dirt Devil replaced risk of a shattered fan with risk of electrical fire.

 

[cheesewonton]

Well, I found an old review page for the black model (M085570) with two people stating that their plugs caught on fire *clenched teeth*… so maybe there should have been a recall on these vacuums.
I know the motors in all hard-shell bagged Dirt Devil FeatherLite’s (1999-2015?) like to spark out rather dramatically if people continue to use them with bad motor bearings or if something jams the brush roll & isn’t removed promptly. Never had it happen to one of mine as I’ve always taken good care of them though.
However I was unaware the plugs themselves could start a fire under normal use. Up until now I’ve only had the older direct/dirty-air models & the plugs don’t heat up like that.
Both reviews I read for the black model say the plugs sparked & were “melted”. One saying it ruined the entire outlet. Couldn’t find any reviews for the red model but since it has the same motor, I’m assuming it’s happened to people with that model as well. I think I’ll be cutting the OEM plugs off & re-wiring them to a heavy-duty 15 AMP plug. Or something.
& yes thats what I meant. I had always heard people refer to them as “bypass air” or “clean air”. The design is superior for reducing risk of fan damage but in this case, it seems Dirt Devil replaced risk of a shattered fan with risk of electrical fire.

I would investigate a way to measure the amp draw of these vacuums before wasting money on a new cord. They might just be pulling too many amps. The reason I say that it the vacuum heated up your heavy duty extension cord. That tends to indicate it is pulling a lot of amps. There are plug in amp meters at Walmart for around $12. You plug the meter into the outlet and then plug your appliance into the meter.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/HBN-Elec...UUos9qpT7gW9dpBH8LLIncF5ewBBbXahoCleQQAvD_BwE

 

[huskyvacs]

I guess nobody on here is electricians? You mentioned you are using an extension cord. Stop doing that. That is the source of your problem. You are exceeding the power limits of the extension cord and drawing more power than it is rated for. You are creating your own fire hazard.

You never use a vacuum cleaner on an extension cord to begin with. You plug the vacuum in to each room you are working in, that is how you use a vacuum cleaner and how everyone has used them for over 100 years. There is no need for this nonsense.

 

[cheesewonton]

I guess nobody on here is electricians? You mentioned you are using an extension cord. Stop doing that. That is the source of your problem. You are exceeding the power limits of the extension cord and drawing more power than it is rated for. You are creating your own fire hazard.

You never use a vacuum cleaner on an extension cord to begin with. You plug the vacuum in to each room you are working in, that is how you use a vacuum cleaner and how everyone has used them for over 100 years. There is no need for this nonsense.

No. That's not true. You should be able to safely plug any 12 amp power tool into a properly rated extension cord plugged into a 15 amp outlet. Contractors plug big concrete saws and compressors into extension cords and run these to a generator or to an outlet on the side of the house.

I use an 11.5 amp vacuum on a 50 foot long extension cord all the time to clean cars in our driveway. The cord on the vacuum isn't even close to being long enough to reach an outlet in the garage. Neither the extension cord nor the vacuum's own cord ever get hot. At our offices the custodial crew always runs their Windsors on extension cords because we don't have nearly enough outlets in our cubicles ( there is kind of a built in power strip for your computer and monitors and that's it ) and there aren't may outlets on the walls of the office space. So they have to use long extension cords.

 

[ronreeland]

Hi:
The plug getting very hot may be due to a less than ideal connection of the plug prongs into the wall socket. The plug should fit very snugly. And the plug prongs should be clean and slightly shiny. The prongs can be cleaned up with light sandpaper or a 3M green abrasive scouring pad.

If the above is not the fault, then I would replace the plug with a type whereas the bare wires from the cord wrap around screws to insure a good connection. It is possible that the wires inside the present plug are loose and not making a good connection inside the plug. Might be the result of a faulty proceess when it was manufactured or damage caused by pulling the cord from the wall socket instead of gripping the plug itself to remove from the socket.

Also, the copper wire inside the vacuum cord should be at least size #16. Nowadays cords are marked with English (AWG) and Metric sizes. Inspect for markings on the vacuum cord. Look carefully as often the markings are quite faint. So for #16 size you should see AWG 16 and 1.5mm2 (the 2 will be smaller and raised to indicate "squared". If you see #18 and 0.075mm2, the wire size is insufficient as it is rated for 10 amps (1200 watts) at the max.

What does the vacuum nameplate specify in terms of amperes (Amps) or watts? #16 wire is rated for a maximum of 12 amps or approx. 1440 watts) while a larger wire #14 is good for 15 amps or 1800 watts.

So check the above to see if anyof the suggestions steps will reveal the fault. Your situation is a hazard that must be remedied. If your home is wired for a desired 20 amperage rating, then the circuit breaker would not trip unless the current draw exceeds 20 amps or 2400 watts, so if the vacuum is using more than what is shown on the nameplate, but less that the circuit breaker rating, it will not trip.

A partially shorted motor in the vacuum cleaner will cause it to draw more amps that that on nameplate. Is there any "burning odor from the vacuum?

A $12.00 wattmeter from Walmart would be a good investment. Here is a link: https://www.walmart.com/ip/HBN-Elec...RRiZN6puBf01aqGyjeJbugOX8nMqGGvxoCZMwQAvD_BwE

A preferred size extension cord is #14 but they are more costly than the more common #16, so more #16 are sold and used. The #16 cord may not always overheat, but there is a loss of power along its length so the device being used may run at less than optimal deign.

#12 extension cord is often required for devices that use between 15 and 20 amps, but most homeowners will get along with a #14 size very well.

Again do not fail to resolve the cord or plug overheating fault. Please inspect the vacuum nameplate and post your findings on this Forum thread. Let us know about the plug and wall socket as outlined above. And purchase the Walmart wattmeter to resovle the fault.

Ron Reeland

 

[huskyvacs]

https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/5032.pdf

 

[cheesewonton]

https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/5032.pdf

If you use a cord not rated for the wattage the appliance draw, yes. But a heavy duty extension cord isn't a problem. Our custodial crew uses long extension cords with their Windsor uprights as a matter of routine, but they use a heavy duty grounded cord, not that little thing in the pdf. Same when I use a long extension cord to power the garage vacuum out on the driveway. If the cord is rated for the wattage of the load there is no safety problem.

The cord on my Hoover Hushtone is literally a 40 foot long extension cord. It has a plug on each end. There is a short pig tail from the vacuum with a grounded plug that fits into the female end of the cord. If you wear out or jack up the cord you unplug it, buy an extension cord at Homely Despot and plug it in.

In any event the cord in question was getting hot enough to melt when plugged into a wall outlet with no extension cord used.

 

[ronreeland]

Here is a little trick to tighten up a plug that does not seem to fit tightly in a wall outlet or into an extension cord connector.

Notice in the photo that each straight blade prong is actual made of two thinner strips of metal. Slip a pocket knife blade or a small screwdriver blade between the two strips and pry them apart just a bit. Now the plug will fit snugly.

But many plug prongs are thicker single strips, so the suggestion will not work on them. However some plugs that seem to be a single strip are actually a pair. You need to look very closely to find the divide between the two strips.

Ron Reeland

 

[Hatsuwr]

You are generating heat because of a high-resistance area. If the only heating of concern happens to the vacuum plug regardless of where you plug it in, then the vacuum plug is the cause of the high resistance.

Whether the high resistance is the issue or excessive current is another question, but any decent plug interface should be able to handle the currents that would kill your vacuum, so I'd start with that.

If you had a thermal camera, that makes diagnosis pretty easy. Otherwise you could use a multimeter to test the the resistance from the plug to the vacuum on both live and neutral. If you have high resistance here, the issue is the connection between the wires and the plug. Also do the same from the plug (male) end of the extension cord to the vacuum end of the vacuum's cord. If you have high resistance here, the issue is the plug's interface with the socket.

Got a picture of the vacuum's plug?


Also, extension cords are perfectly fine with vacuums. What matters is the length and gauge of the wires. You just need to determine a max acceptable level of voltage drop and make sure that your load (12A) doesn't exceed that drop on whatever combination of supply lines you use. There are plenty of online calculators for this, like here: https://www.southwire.com/calculator-vdrop
Just make sure you factor in the wires in the vacuum's cord as well, not just the extension cords.

 

[aeruslux99]

Read my original post again. I said a **heavy-duty** extension cord. People use those for power tools, electric lawn mowers, etc. as others have commented. I’ve used extension cords on vacuums for 15 years. Not sure what the nonsense is, makes perfect sense to me. Saves people time & prevents the plugs from getting bent, getting stretched past their limit at the wall plug & being yanked out of the wall. Of course I’d use a plug rated for the voltage needed, or above. The one I use now is rated for 15 amps. A fire hazard would be using a power strip or small two-prong type extension cord.
This overheating happens whether plugged in at the wall or into the extension cord. And the plug is snug on both. Not loose. I had most of my outlets replaced when I moved into this house 5 years ago as some were loose.
Anyhow I borrowed a meter from a friend who is a contractor & it isn’t drawing much more than bang on 12 AMPS/1440 watts, sometimes just slightly over when on thick carpeting, but less than .4 amps. Did spike to 12.3 something on heavy carpeting just for a second, fluctuated up & down a few times, but never above that as I went back & forth. Stayed around 12.2 on that carpet. Not sure if that much is a big deal. I would think half an amp, or a whole amp would start to be a big deal but not .2-.3 of an amp for short periods.
Either way I don’t think there’s much I can do about it, it’s going to draw a little bit more regardless of what I do I think, just because it’s on thick carpeting, with the crappy automatic height adjustment, it will always struggle & need a bit more power for those types of flooring. Everyone knows how Dirt Devil’s with automatic height adjustment go through belts…
The data plate says 12 AMPS just like on the front. Other than that just 120 volts, 60 hertz. Basic information.
The vacuum is near brand new, brushroll bearings & motor bearings are both quiet & spin freely. I will be re-wiring/replacing the plug (which I’ve done before—not for this reason though) with one that has a 15 AMP rating. The cord itself doesn’t get hot so I’m assuming all is good there.
I tend to think this is a design flaw as clearly, according to ancient reviews I dug through online, others stated they had plugs sparking & melting as I mentioned above. It could be from the vacuum drawing that teensy bit more power from the motor, I’m not sure. It is a Dirt Devil after all.
Thanks everyone for your input, it was helpful in trying to figure this out I will continue to check replies when I can.

 

[Hatsuwr]

The extra current isn't your problem then. 12.3 A will generate 5% more heating than 12 A and will generate less than a 5% increase in the difference between the conductors and ambient temperature. For the type of cables/connectors that these types of devices *should* have, a properly sized and functioning breaker should trip before you get the heating you described anyway (if the heating were from overcurrent), and that's assuming the device doesn't die first.

Replacing the plug should fix the issue, but keep in mind that just because a plug feels snug in a receptacle, that doesn't mean it's making a good electrical connection on both conductors.

 

[cheesewonton]

I'm coming to the conclusion the plug is the problem. But gawd I hate scabbed on hardware store plugs. How hard would it be to replace the cord with something from another brand of upright vacuum?

 

[Hatsuwr]

I'm coming to the conclusion the plug is the problem. But gawd I hate scabbed on hardware store plugs. How hard would it be to replace the cord with something from another brand of upright vacuum?

It's hard to find an plug that doesn't look terrible, although it does give you the option to put a 90° plug on, which is almost always better imo, and lasts longer.

I also prefer NEMA 5-15P receptacles to be installed with ground on top, but the selection of 90° plugs that work with this is relatively limited.

 

[cheesewonton]

It's hard to find an plug that doesn't look terrible, although it does give you the option to put a 90° plug on, which is almost always better imo, and lasts longer.

I also prefer NEMA 5-15P receptacles to be installed with ground on top, but the selection of 90° plugs that work with this is relatively limited.

Just put a whole new cord on it from a different brand of upright, or even a generic upright cord.

When we built our home we had all the outlets installed with the ground on top.

 

[huskyvacs]

". I’ve used extension cords on vacuums for 15 years. Not sure what the nonsense is, makes perfect sense to me. Saves people time & prevents the plugs from getting bent, getting stretched past their limit at the wall plug & being yanked out of the wall."

Saves you time how? Having to roll up 150 feet of cord and not 20? Plugs getting bent an stretched past their limits? That's owner carelessness. I've never had that happen to any of my vacuums. Do you live in a house from 1866 that only has one electrical outlet that Thomas Edison himself personally installed? Do you lack the ability to not watch your cor tension an know when you're out of cord length?

People are not "getting you" because you are speaking stupid and everything you are doing is insanely senseless an makes zero logic. You are creating your own problems from doing things wrong and then trying to diagnose the problem caused by doing it wrong while failing to see the hubris caused from your own actions. Plug the vacuum cord into the wall like a normal person and live your life.

 

[cheesewonton]

". I’ve used extension cords on vacuums for 15 years. Not sure what the nonsense is, makes perfect sense to me. Saves people time & prevents the plugs from getting bent, getting stretched past their limit at the wall plug & being yanked out of the wall."

Saves you time how? Having to roll up 150 feet of cord and not 20? Plugs getting bent an stretched past their limits? That's owner carelessness. I've never had that happen to any of my vacuums. Do you live in a house from 1866 that only has one electrical outlet that Thomas Edison himself personally installed? Do you lack the ability to not watch your cor tension an know when you're out of cord length?

People are not "getting you" because you are speaking stupid and everything you are doing is insanely senseless an makes zero logic. You are creating your own problems from doing things wrong and then trying to diagnose the problem caused by doing it wrong while failing to see the hubris caused from your own actions. Plug the vacuum cord into the wall like a normal person and live your life.

Our custodians use extension cords with their vacuums as a matter of routine. 120 outlets outside the ones in our cubicles are few and far between and usually every outlet in the cubicle has something plugged in it.

 

[human]

It sounds like you've already isolated the problem to the existing plug; it's dangerous and it needs to go, so you have nothing to lose by replacing it. A replacement plug from a hardware store will likely cost you around $5, so it's worth a try, especially compared with $30 or $40 to replace the entire cord. Yes, it will be obvious the plug was replaced, but so what? I'll take that over an electrical fire any day.

As a precaution, when you cut the old plug off, look carefully at the wires to see if there's any damage or discoloration to the individual leads. Regardless, it would probably be prudent to cut a few inches of cord off with the old plug anyway, just to be safe.

 

[royalfan103]

You’re gonna need this video.