Why Did Wires to Rocker Switch Melt When Installing Heating Pad

Published 09/30/2019

Products Featured in This Question

ThermaHeat RV Holding Tank or Step Heater Pad w/ Thermostat - 25" Long x 7-1/4" Wide

(157)

$41.49

10 Gauge Wire - Blue Primary - Per Foot

(108)

$1.65

Universal-Design Rocker Switch - SPST - On-Off - 12 Volt - 20 Amp - 3-Blade - Red Pilot Light

(14)

$11.58

Question:

Wired heater with switch pk34360 and wires melted. I wired the heating pad and switch as shown in your diagrams and picture of switch pk34360 when I turned on the switch the wires melted both red and white. Wires on the pad side do not appear to have melted but the red from battery to switch and the white from switch grounded to frame melted immediately. Help! Obviously I did something wrong. I used all 14 ga wire as used on the pad and have only one heat pad

asked by: Eric B

Expert Reply:

If the wire from the battery to the Universal-Design Rocker Switch # PK34360 melted when installing the ThermaHeat RV Holding Tank or Step Heater Pad w/ Thermostat # 277-000163 it may have been that you simply need to use thicker wire, and I recommend 10 gauge # 10-1-1.

A lot of things may have come into play to cause this short, particularly the length that the wire needed to be run. It could also have been something as simple as damaged wiring or a loose connection which caused the short and the wires to melt but I do recommend using the thicker 10 gauge wire as well.

expert reply by: Kyle S