Cord heats up electric percolator when it makes coffee. What is the problem?

It is not unusual for this to happen - particularly near the ends (the plug end and the coffee pot end). This happens due to one or more of the following: at the coffee pot end the heating element inside the pot is actually transferring to the cord connector and the cord, where it is exposed to room temperature air and is cooled down. The cord shouldn't be warm more than a couple inches from the end. At the outlet end and the pot end: can be caused by weakened contacts inside the outlet itself. Repeated plugging and unplugging cords during an outlet's normal service eventually causes the spring of the contact metal to fatigue. The weakened contacts do not "grip" the prongs of the plug, so the power needed by the pot has less area to pass between the outlet and the prongs of the plug. You only notice it on the high power devices such as toasters, hair dryers, etc.

You might consider replacing the outlet and seeing if the problem is reduced or goes away. In the case of the pot, the spring metal contacts are usually in the cord connector. Replacement of the cord should solve the heat problem in this case.

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