Looking to replace the heat plug receptacle on my Grainfather Connect controller. Any advice?

TheDopeGodfather

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I've got a GF Connect that has suffered the common 'heat plug melting to the controller' issue. It was minor, so I was able to remove the plug, but the problem persists. It still trips the reset switch every time I try to use it.

I'm expecting at least a new controller and heating unit to be sent to me. (Fingers crossed for a whole entire new GF). If they ship a whole new Grainfather, I'd like to repair this older controller by replacing the receptacle plug with a new one. Supposedly the one they used originally was not the best.

I've removed the old receptacle from the controller housing, but it's still attached by the wires that appear to be soldered to the old receptacle. That's about the extent of my electrician skills, but I'm relatively handy and I think this is something I can do myself. Can someone take it from here and let me know what the next steps are?

And I suppose this is important, but am I likely to experience the same problem as before even with a new receptacle? I know the new controllers are shipping with 20A receptacles and plugs instead of the 15A the original units shipped with.

Thanks!
 
What was the cause of the melting? Were the conductors sized too small? If so, replacing the conductors with the same size conductors will result in the same problem.
 
What was the cause of the melting? Were the conductors sized too small? If so, replacing the conductors with the same size conductors will result in the same problem.
That's a good question, and I haven't really gotten a straight answer, but given that the new units are shipping with 20a plugs and receptacles, I assume that's the case.

That being said, couldn't I just replace the receptacle with a 20A receptacle, and re-wire a 20A plug to the heating element?
 
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@TheDopeGodfather are you a member of the Grainfather users group on Facebook? Tons of good information there. I'd recommend it. I've not had this issue with my connect controller.
 
@TheDopeGodfather are you a member of the Grainfather users group on Facebook? Tons of good information there. I'd recommend it. I've not had this issue with my connect controller.
I'm not because I don't have a Facebook account. Is there a way to get in there without having FB? Or could you link me to the info I need?
 
That's a good question, and I haven't really gotten a straight answer, but given that the new units are shipping with 20a plugs and receptacles, I assume that's the case.

That being said, couldn't I just replace the receptacle with a 20A receptacle, and re-wire a 20A plug to the heating element?

Yes, if the cause is that the conductors and the receptacle are too small, changing out to a 20A recptacle and changing out the wiring would help. Typically, you would use #12 AWG for a 20A circuit, although there are exceptions that allow you to use a smaller conductor under certain circumstances.

If the cause of the melting is due to something other than the conductors and receptacle overheating, you will probably have the same result.

What is the wattage of the heater? And the circuit voltage? This might help to clarify things.
 
Maybe someone else can chime in with an answer to this? I really have no idea.
Your best bet is to continue searching online. There's all kinds of stuff on this subject from the little searching I did, including YouTube videos and Reddit postings.
I'm sure it could be something that could be repaired with the right diagnosis of what exactly happened to yours. I've seen different meltdowns issues. Something as simple as a poor crimping job is enough to cause the problem.
If it was me, I'd replace the plug and most likely the wiring.
Here's just one sample vid
 
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