Plugs HOT in outlet after an hour

Why would a plug get hot after an hour or so when whatever is plugged in is working for an hour or so?

Should I change the outlet & see if the plug gets hot in a new outlet?

PS: It seems to be just 3 wire plugs that are getting hot. Also, the plastic outlet itself stays cool. It's just the plug of whatever I plug in.

 

When a plug gets hot, it's more likely the fault of the plug than the receptacle. But if the receptacle is loose, that could contribute too. If you have several plugs and several receptacles, swapping things around can usually identify the culprit. Are you really saying that all of your plugs get hot in all of your receptacles?

You might consider buying heavy duty plugs at your hardware store and replacing the cheap plugs that came with your appliances.

 

The plugs DO seem to be pretty heavy duty already. One is on a dehumidifier. It's 3 wire plugs that get hot. 2 wire ones are OK. I tried a couple diff devices on 2 diff outlets. I'm concerned that if I try to change an outlet that I may be masking some other problem that could exist. Should I have that concern?

 

seasideheights,

What I have found is that a lot of factory molded plugs will heat up.
This happens with pretty much every plug in portable heater I've ever owned. I now automatically just cut off the plug and install a heavy duty one if I buy a new heater.

I recently discovered and have on my tool wish list a receptacle tester that is like a sort of torque wrench affair.
It looks like a male plug and is inserted into a receptacle. As you withdraw it there is a scale that measures the grip of the recepticle on the blades of the plug and has a go/no go scale to tell if the receptacle is good or not.

 

Should I be concerned of a fire? I unplug it after a while. If I don't it gets so hot I can barely touch it.

...and just so I have confidence, it definitely has nothing to do with the house wiring, the integrity of the ground or anything else?

 

for my window ac, i found that using a thicker gage wire correct the same problem you have. its now 12g instead of 14g. just my 2 cents.

tile guy not an eletriction

 

seasideheights,

Yes, I would be concerned if the plug was getting hot to the touch.

My first advice would still apply.
Cut off the plug end on the appliance cord and replace it with a heavy duty one and your problem will likely be solved..