Pelonis Heater Error Codes: E1, E2, E3, FF and P4

By Ray Bennett · Updated 24 October 2026 · 8 min read · Checked against the maker’s manual

Pelonis Heater Error Codes: E1, E2, E3, FF and P4

Short answer

On Pelonis digital space heaters, E1 or E2 means the temperature sensor has a short or open circuit. FF is the over temperature protection: the room went above 122°F (131°F on the PSH23FT4DBB), and only cutting the power clears it. P4, or E3 on the HC-1010, means the heater was knocked over: stand it upright and switch it back on.

Pelonis heater error codes appear on the digital display of its tower, ceramic and fan heaters. E1 or E2 means the temperature sensor has a short circuit or an open circuit. FF is the over temperature protection. P4, or E3 in the HC-1010 manual, means the heater was knocked over.

Not every Pelonis model shows every code, so check yours against its own manual. Everything below comes from the owner’s manuals Pelonis posts on its US product support pages.

Before you start

What to carry: nothing, just the heater’s model number. It is printed on the front of its manual, and Pelonis lists its support pages by model.

Gas or electric? Electric. Pelonis’s PHT23D7ABB manual says that heater draws 12.5 amps, so it should not share a circuit with other appliances or electronics that are working.

Is the screen just asleep? Some Pelonis heaters turn the display off on their own while they keep running: the HC-1010 manual says after 1 minute with no button pressed, and the FZ15RDBPW after 60 seconds. The PSHC30DW6ABB shuts itself down after 24 hours with no button pressed. None of those is a fault.

Off at once if the heater alarms or gets too hot.
What Pelonis says: if the heater’s alarm sounds or flashes to warn that parts are getting too hot, turn the heater off at once and look for anything on or next to it that may be causing high temperatures. Do not run the heater with the alarm sounding or flashing.

Plug it straight into the wall. Always plug the heater directly into a wall outlet, never into an extension cord or a power strip. To unplug it, turn the controls off first, then pull the plug, never the cord. Keep furniture, pillows, bedding, papers, clothes and curtains at least 3 feet (0.9 m) from the front, and away from the sides and rear.

Hyperthermia. Pelonis warns that it can kill. Do not leave the heater running unattended in a confined space around infants or people with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities. If someone has symptoms such as a high body temperature, headache, nausea or dizziness, turn the heater off and get medical attention.

After a fall or damage: Pelonis says not to run any heater with a damaged cord or plug, or after it malfunctions, has been dropped or is damaged in any way.

What each code means

Code	What Pelonis’s manuals say	What clears it
E1 or E2	The temperature sensor has a short circuit or an open circuit. In every manual but the PSHC30DW6ABB’s, the display flashes, the buttons stop working and the buzzer sounds 10 times	No owner fix in the manuals
FF	The room temperature went above 122°F (131°F on the PSH23FT4DBB). All outputs shut down and FF flashes	Only cutting the power; the PSHC30DW6ABB says unplug, then plug in again
P4	Tip-over protection on the PSHC30DW6ABB and FZ15RDBPW: the heater was knocked over	Stand it upright and power it back on
E3	The HC-1010 manual: the heater tipped over and all heating components turned off; the buttons stop working	Not stated in that manual; the others say stand it upright

Pelonis lists the E1 and E2 sensor fault in the manuals for the PHT23D7ABB, PHT30D7BBB, PHTPU1501, PHF15RSAPH30, PCW15-17BR, PFH15A2BGB, HC-1010, PSH23FT4DBB and PSHC30DW6ABB. The PSH23FT4DBB manual swaps the order and writes “E2” or “E1”.

The Pelonis heater codes from its owner's manuals. A: E1 or E2, the temperature sensor has a short or open circuit; the manuals give no owner fix, so call Pelonis customer service. B: FF, the room went above 122°F (131°F on the PSH23FT4DBB); cut the power, and only that clears it. C: P4, or E3 on the HC-1010, the heater was knocked over; Pelonis's tip-over steps are to stand it upright and switch it back on.

What you can check

Check 1Free, nothing to buy

P4 or E3: stand it back up

Pelonis’s steps for a heater that has tipped over, in manuals such as the PHT23D7ABB: turn the heater off, stand it back up in its normal upright position, then switch it back on. The PSHC30DW6ABB manual says to place the heater upright and power it back on, and the FZ15RDBPW manual says it returns to normal once lifted back onto its base. Pelonis warns that the heater is hot when in use: do not let bare skin touch hot surfaces, and use its handles, if it has them, when you move it.

If it was dropped, or the cord, plug or heater is damaged, do not switch it back on. Pelonis says not to run a heater that has been dropped or damaged in any way, and to return it to an authorized service facility for examination or repair.

Check 2Free; time for the room to cool

FF: cut the power and look around the heater

FF means the room temperature reading went above 122°F, or 131°F on the PSH23FT4DBB, and the heater shut down all its outputs. The buttons do nothing; Pelonis says the only way out of FF is to cut the power. On the PSHC30DW6ABB, unplug it, then plug it in again to reset; on the PSH23FT4DBB, power it down and unplug it.

Before you switch it back on, look for what Pelonis says to look for when a heater gets too hot: anything on or next to it that may cause high temperatures. Pelonis also says never to block its air intakes or exhaust, and not to use it on a soft surface, like a bed, where its openings may become blocked.

Check 3Free; time for it to cool

It stopped and the screen went dark: let it cool

On the PSH23FT4DBB, Pelonis says that if the inside of the heater gets hotter than its thermal cut-off, it stops working, the screen and lamp go off, and no button does anything. Unplug it and wait for it to cool, then plug it back in.

The troubleshooting table in its oil-filled PSHO07JR4AGB manual gives the same cause for a heater that suddenly stops heating: the temperature passed the limit switch’s threshold, so wait for it to cool before using it again. For the same internal overheat on the FZ15RDBPW, Pelonis says to turn it off, unplug it, and look for and remove anything on or next to the heater, then let it cool for a few minutes before you plug it back in.

WHERE A SPACE HEATER SHOULD SIT

at least 3 ft (0.9 m)

A B C D

A Straight into a wall outlet never an extension cord or power strip

B 3 feet from the front furniture, bedding, papers, curtains; away from the sides and rear too

C Off soft surfaces like a bed: openings may be blocked

D Upright with tip-over protection, it shuts off

Where Pelonis says a space heater should sit. A: plugged straight into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip. B: furniture, bedding, papers, clothes and curtains at least 3 feet (0.9 m) from the front, and away from the sides and rear. C: never on a soft surface, like a bed, where its openings may become blocked. D: upright; on models with tip-over protection, being knocked over shuts it off.

Check 4Free to call; a repair or a new heater

E1 or E2: call Pelonis

The manuals describe E1 and E2 as a temperature sensor fault and give no step for the owner. In every manual but the PSHC30DW6ABB’s, the buttons stop working while it shows. Pelonis’s manuals say not to operate a heater after it malfunctions, and to return it to an authorized service facility for examination or repair.

Pelonis’s manuals give customer service at 1-866-646-4332. Have the model number ready.

Check 5Free to check; an electrician for a worn outlet

A hot plug or a burning smell

Pelonis says it is normal for the plug to feel warm, but a loose fit between the outlet and the plug can make the plug overheat and distort. Have a qualified electrician replace a loose or worn outlet, and do not use the heater while its plug is distorted: Pelonis says not to run any heater with a damaged cord or plug.

Its PSHO07JR4AGB troubleshooting table puts a burnt smell with the heater not working down to dust built up inside, from a room with a lot of dust or hair, and recommends a clean, well-ventilated place for the heater. To clean it, Pelonis says to turn it off, unplug it and let it cool, then wipe only the outside with a dry cloth, with no cleaning agents, and never put it in water.

What each one takes

What you see	What the work involves
P4 or E3	Standing it upright; an authorized service facility if it was dropped or damaged
FF	Cutting the power, then clearing anything around the heater
Dark screen and no heat on the PSH23FT4DBB	Unplugging it until it cools
E1 or E2	A call to Pelonis customer service
Hot or distorted plug	An electrician for a loose or worn outlet; a service facility for a distorted plug
Dark screen while it still heats	Nothing; the display has gone to sleep

Questions people ask

What does E2 mean on a Pelonis heater?

E1 or E2 means the temperature sensor has a short circuit or an open circuit. In every manual but the PSHC30DW6ABB’s, the display flashes, the buttons stop working and the buzzer sounds 10 times. The manuals give no owner fix, so contact Pelonis customer service.

What does E3 mean on a Pelonis heater?

In the HC-1010 manual, E3 means the heater tipped over and turned off all its heating components. That manual gives no step; Pelonis’s other manuals say to turn the heater off, stand it upright and switch it back on. On the PSHC30DW6ABB and FZ15RDBPW, the tip-over code is P4.

What does FF mean on a Pelonis heater?

The over temperature protection: the room went above 122°F (131°F on the PSH23FT4DBB). The heater shuts everything off and only cutting the power clears it.

How do I reset a Pelonis heater?

For FF, cut the power: unplug it and plug it in again. For P4 or a tip-over, stand it upright and switch it back on. For a heater that stopped and went dark, unplug it and let it cool. E1 and E2 have no reset in the manuals.

Why does my Pelonis screen go dark while it is running?

Some models turn the display off on their own: after 1 minute with no button pressed in the HC-1010 manual, and after 60 seconds on the FZ15RDBPW. The heater keeps running.

The other space heater guides: space heater not working, electric heater smells like burning, Dreo heater error codes and Honeywell heater error codes.

Sources: Pelonis owner's manuals from its US product support pages: PHT23D7ABB, PHT30D7BBB, PHTPU1501, PHF15RSAPH30, PSHC30DW6ABB, PSH23FT4DBB, FZ15RDBPW, PCW15-17BR, PFH15A2BGB, HC-1010 and PSHO07JR4AGB