# Heater current draw



## Yod12 (Mar 1, 2017)

I have a heater that seems to have low and high settings and a dial apparently that I think functions as a thermostat.
The max wattage is 1500. I would think that the low setting switch is 750 watts and the high 1500.
I just got a smart plug which shows energy usage. No matter which setting or how I turn the dial on the heater, it shows current power of 500 watts.
How do I understand this.


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## nealtw (Mar 1, 2017)

Just guessing, that the second heating element isn't working or the switch isn't working.

As well as it was never 700 and 1500, probably 500 and 1000


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## slownsteady (Mar 9, 2017)

Have you tested the smart plug somewhere else - to know it is working properly (calibrated)?


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## Wuzzat? (Jul 4, 2017)

Yod12 said:


> I have a heater that seems to have low and high settings and a dial apparently that I think functions as a thermostat.
> The max wattage is 1500. I would think that the low setting switch is 750 watts and the high 1500.
> I just got a smart plug which shows energy usage. No matter which setting or how I turn the dial on the heater, it shows current power of 500 watts.
> How do I understand this.


With the unit unpowered, check for 9.6 ohms for the 1500w setting and 19 for the other setting.
Does kinda' sound like one element has failed to an open circuit and the 750/1500w is puffery.


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## Yod12 (Jul 9, 2017)

Wuzzat? said:


> With the unit unpowered, check for 9.6 ohms for the 1500w setting and 19 for the other setting.
> Does kinda' sound like one element has failed to an open circuit and the 750/1500w is puffery.


Thanks!  They both are at 18 ohms.
I have an oil filled radiator that is at 18 ohms on the low setting and I got it to show 9.6 for a second or two and 1500w...they all jumped around wildly from 3 to 25 ohms; very difficult to get it stabilized - why is that?


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