Electric kettles failing

[Barry White]

Hi,

I nearly posted this a while ago but changed my mind. At my dad's place, Warden assisted Bungalow he has issues with kettles boiling over. Fill a kettle, allow it to boil and then it overflows with boiling water. This is on a number of different kettles and I have been unable to find any problems with the wiring! The local Authority Electrician has also checked out everything and neither of us can find anything untoward. The kettles are not overfilled, it can quite happily boil 10 times then cause a fountain of hot water. Cheap kettles? I don't know, but the kettle should switch off with it's temp sensor, are these cheap and nasty? Anyone else had a problem?

Regards.

I believe they switch off with steam pressure (kettles boil at different temperatures depending on the purity of the water and the altertude your at) I suspect the kettle has been overfilled or the lid not shut correctly.
There is a temperature sensor (bimetalic strip) to protect it if it boils dry

 

[PEG]

...Just an after thought,but did your testing,include looking for a high resistance on the neutral,under load? A kettle,may be the highest load in the kitchen,depending on other factors,and could be the only item pushing the fault to an outcome...

 

[shanky887614]

How often are they brewing up?

Power issues would be much more likely to trash electronics rather than a kettle. Firstly exactly what went wrong with each kettle? Was it the same problem with each one? I would suspect coincidence,or if the kettles are of the type with the plug in base they are spilling water into it.
I rarely get a year out of a kettle,and I don't buy cheap ones....they are all junk. But you need to establish what the problem was with each failed kettle to reach a conclusion.

how?

we have at least 8-10 mugs a day and had the same kettle for over 3 years

 

[Deleted member 9648]

how?

we have at least 8-10 mugs a day and had the same kettle for over 3 years

They don't normally fail electrically....it's usually plastic parts breaking. either that or the base plate failing.

 

[Spoon]

You forgot also. If the missus all of a sudden takes a dislike to it's colour or style then it's time for a new one....

 

[ruston]

They don't normally fail electrically....it's usually plastic parts breaking. either that or the base plate failing.

Usually carelessness and water in the baseplate , corrosion then poor connections.................

 

[Clive P]

Hi,

Going back to my kettle problem, thanks Richard for your explanation. When the kettle boils it is as you describe the water itself boils and exits the kettle like mount Vesuvius, it's as if all the contents have all boiled at the same time. it's not like an overflow ( kettle is only half filled and lid shut tight ) more like a fountain of water. Never come across it before anywhere except at the old mans place.

Regards.

 

[LeeH]

I believe they switch off with steam pressure (kettles boil at different temperatures depending on the purity of the water and the altertude your at) I suspect the kettle has been overfilled or the lid not shut correctly.
There is a temperature sensor (bimetalic strip) to protect it if it boils dry

I always believed this, that's why kettles don't switch off with the top off!!

This was 1st year physics class IIRC.