Electric Kettle Stopped Working

[Boris_yo]

This is the kettle in question which was bought over a year ago:



The charging stand seem to be conducting electricity as I have checked with cheap voltage testing pen. After I placed kettle on its charging stand with rocker being off and tested with voltage pen by placing it in close proximity with kettle, it showed as kettle conducting electricity. As I raised voltage tester a little, it ceased sensing electricity. However, after switching rocker on, voltage tester sensed conduction but of course kettle wasn't functioning. This is why I recon that the problem is within a kettle and not in charging stand.

Can kettle be fixed by rookie like me, because I am curious if I can do it and getting experience woul be good also.

[ju1ce]

Philips kettles are real pieces of shit. If you fix it now, it will soon start leaking.

Mine (although a fancier model with adjustable temperature) died at 2.5 years of age (warranty is 2 years), the one my parents had started leaking in about three years. These are design flaws if Amazon reviews are to be believed.

[Monkeh]

Can kettle be fixed by rookie like me

No.

[ejeffrey]

Electric kettles are (electrically) incredibly simple.   I don't doubt you have the skills to repair one.  However, in practice I doubt it is a good idea for a couple of reasons. First, they are designed as disposable consumer electronics. It will likely be quite difficult to disassemble, find the fault, fix it, and reassemble.  Second, these kettles have a fairly high power density.  Despite the simplicity, a botched job is a serious fire hazard, and it isn't necessarily clear what the penny pinching manufacturers are relying on for thermal safety.

My suggestion is to try to take it apart and diagnose the fault.  Repair it if possible, but after carefully testing it, chuck it and buy a new one.  If you don't have the willpower to throw out an apparently working kettle, then I say don't attempt the repair.

[Monkeh]

I don't doubt you have the skills to repair one.

You believe he has the skill set to remove a welded-in element and fabricate a replacement element in a ceramic housing himself?

[asbokid]

my limited experience of repairing (cordless) kettles is that:

1) the plastic kettle base is retained by special screws which require the destruction of a screwdriver blade (filed notch)
2) the on-off switch - the most handled component in the kettle is intentionally of the flimsiest design (as ju1ce already noted)

[Monkeh]

1) the plastic kettle base is retained by special screws which require the destruction of a screwdriver blade (filed notch)

You can actually buy those, y'know. As bits and full length screwdrivers.

2) the on-off switch - the most handled component in the kettle is intentionally of the flimsiest design (as ju1ce already noted)

Quite. Also the element is cheap, and will break from thermal shock in short order. Either way it's not reasonably repairable.

[Mechatrommer]

first dismantle it find the heating coil, probe its both lead, if they are still connected (indicated by a short using multimeter connectivity tested), then you are good for the next repair attempt, find the other broken component, fasten or clean up any lossen or rusted contact etc, as ejjeff said, its the simplest circuit you can get, pretty much power to a light bulb and switch type of circuit. but if the heating coil is broken, you can kiss your kettle good bye.

[SeanB]

I just buy the cheapest one on the shelf, and make a copy of the slip to keep in the box ( thermal print will fade to blank in under a year) to bring with when it dies in 6-9 months. First time round the element was actually changed, very surprising on a $10 kettle, but the repaired one only lasted 9 months again. Bought a new one, and with the replacements under warranty I got 5 years out of it, though that was 7 kettles.  No7 lasted 12 months 1 week. Never buy an expensive kettle or iron, they last just as long as the cheap one. Not too surprising as the elements and interior are basically the same, made by the same OHJ groups.

[M0BSW]

They were selling these in ASDA for £3.00p think that's around $6.00, buy another .

[Boris_yo]

Never buy an expensive kettle or iron, they last just as long as the cheap one. Not too surprising as the elements and interior are basically the same, made by the same OHJ groups.

But usually cheap kettles emit plasticity smell, not to mention plasticity taste which not always disappear after a few weeks but stay permanent while more expensive ones don't have these at all. There are also stainless steel kettles which seem to be durable and claimed by some to be better for health compared to ones made of plastic.

[IanB]

Never buy an expensive kettle or iron, they last just as long as the cheap one.

I bought a Tefal stainless kettle that worked fine for 8 years of daily use. It was still working electrically when I replaced it, but some of the plastic retaining clips on the lid had come loose. I have a Black & Decker iron also that is still working like new after 9 years and shows no signs of deterioration. So YMMV.

[Boris_yo]

I bought a Tefal stainless kettle that worked fine for 8 years of daily use. It was still working electrically when I replaced it, but some of the plastic retaining clips on the lid had come loose.

Can these clips be fixed or replaced? Did you notice any improvement in taste of water compared to the taste of water boiled in plastic kettle?

[sacherjj]

The plastic taste eventually goes away.  But I'll never buy another that isn't stainless.  We have one that was reasonable with an adjustable temp set for various teas, etc.  Works great and I don't have to worry about what plastic chemicals we ingest.

[SeanB]

I buy them for work, where they are boiled around 50 times a day. No smell after a day, and black inside after a week. Descale every month or three with vinegar, and it makes a year.

At home I did the same, the cheap kettle there did 15 years plus. My clothes iron is 25 years old, bought when I left school, and it travelled the country with me.

[Boris_yo]

The plastic taste eventually goes away.  But I'll never buy another that isn't stainless.  We have one that was reasonable with an adjustable temp set for various teas, etc.  Works great and I don't have to worry about what plastic chemicals we ingest.

Stainless bottom only or whole kettle?

[sacherjj]

The plastic taste eventually goes away.  But I'll never buy another that isn't stainless.  We have one that was reasonable with an adjustable temp set for various teas, etc.  Works great and I don't have to worry about what plastic chemicals we ingest.

Stainless bottom only or whole kettle?

I have entire stainless kettle.  I have yet to see one leak with age if cared at all.  I've seen many of the plastic kettles leak.  I would assume "high temp" plastic still goes through more stress than steel and eventually fail.

[SeanB]

Normally the window leaks after a while. Braze it up or use Sikaflex construction epoxy to fix it.

[asbokid]

We had the spout fall off a nearly brand new stainless steel kettle!   The spot welds broke almost on the first day.  We complained to the manufacturer (one of the big ones, probably MR or RH), they were so horrified, they immediately sent out an engineer to inspect it, and gave us a free replacement

cheers, a

[Boris_yo]

We had the spout fall off a nearly brand new stainless steel kettle!   The spot welds broke almost on the first day.  We complained to the manufacturer (one of the big ones, probably MR or RH), they were so horrified, they immediately sent out an engineer to inspect it, and gave us a free replacement

cheers, a

They sent engineer right to your home? A brand that cherishes its reputation. Usually this is what DELL does to its laptops provided customer has on-site warranty. But on-site warranty for electric stainless kettle? As far as I know kitchen appliances are to be brought to nearby service center.

[asbokid]

Yup, he came to the home within 24 hours. Probably a liability thing.. Crucially, he removed the kettle from our ownership..  Perhaps that was the real priority.  Would have been vital for making an injuries claim. But since noone was burnt who cares.   The same happened with an oil-filled electric radiator which leaked a filthy mess over the carpet.  That was collected by the manufacturer/distributor, too.

EDIT: I just checked and it wasn't an engineer who came out to recover the kettle - it was just the retailer. Sorry!

[Boris_yo]

I just buy the cheapest one on the shelf, and make a copy of the slip to keep in the box ( thermal print will fade to blank in under a year) to bring with when it dies in 6-9 months. First time round the element was actually changed, very surprising on a $10 kettle, but the repaired one only lasted 9 months again. Bought a new one, and with the replacements under warranty I got 5 years out of it, though that was 7 kettles.  No7 lasted 12 months 1 week. Never buy an expensive kettle or iron, they last just as long as the cheap one. Not too surprising as the elements and interior are basically the same, made by the same OHJ groups.

@SeanB Hi. What slip are you talking about that you make a copy of in the sentence I have bolded out?

[SeanB]

The slip from your retailer that will invariably be printed on thermal paper. This will fade with time, and will go fast if exposed to a plastic slip or bag. Laser toner does not fade as fast. The slip is the warranty period from the retailer.

[G7PSK]

It is not electrical skills required to fix a kettle but mechanical ones. The real answer to the life of kettles is to buy one of those old fashioned types made by Swann the element is fitted with a simple ring nut and is easily replaced.

[Monkeh]

The slip from your retailer that will invariably be printed on thermal paper. This will fade with time, and will go fast if exposed to a plastic slip or bag. Laser toner does not fade as fast. The slip is the warranty period from the retailer.

Usually called a receipt.