How to directly connect a kettle. How to repair an electric kettle at home. Repair of the contact group of an electric kettle with a stand

The electric kettle has become an indispensable attribute of any kitchen and is a top seller in comparison with other household appliances. This device is widely used both at home, in the kitchen, and in the office. But unfortunately, like any electrical appliance, the kettle breaks down after some time of use. Since the price of this water heater is not too high, it is easier to buy a new one than to repair it. But if you consider yourself a home craftsman, or the apparatus for boiling water is dear to you as a memory, you can try to repair the electric kettle yourself.

The electric kettle works well enough simple principle, regardless of whether it is an expensive model or a budget one. At the bottom of the device there is a heating element connected to a thermostat, consisting of bimetallic strip. A tubular heater, when an electric current is applied to it, heats the liquid to a boil. When steam is generated during the boiling process, it passes through a special channel to the thermostat, as a result of which the latter turns off the power supply.

If you look at the operating diagram of the device, you will notice that it works on the principle of an iron, and is not distinguished by the complexity of its design. But before you repair an electric kettle, difficulties always arise when disassembling the case, since for different models of units the latches (holding the handle) are located differently, in addition, the mounting screws may have a head for a special screwdriver.

Typical faults

An electric kettle is a simple device that contains few elements that can fail. But there are still common problems, among which are the following:

slow heating of the liquid;
the device turns off prematurely;
the kettle does not turn off;
the device does not turn on;
heating element burnout;
Water is leaking from the housing.

Slow heating of liquid

If you notice that the kettle does not heat the water quickly, then pay attention to the condition of the heating element. Thick layer of scale on it, formed due to insufficiently good maintenance of the unit, has poor thermal conductivity, which is why it takes more time to heat the water. If the scale is not removed, the heating element may burn out.

In addition, the entire contact group of the device suffers from overheating, as a result of which the contacts melt or burn.

To get rid of scale, you can use a regular citric acid, sold in stores. It is enough to pour 1-2 sachets of citric acid (20 grams each) into the tank, bring it to a boil and leave the heated solution in the container for 30 minutes. After this, the container must be rinsed thoroughly. running water to remove remaining scale. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated.

The device turns off prematurely

This behavior electric water heater is explained by the fact that the device shutdown may be due to scale formed on the heating element. Since the heating element has a fuse against overheating, it trips and breaks electrical network. To eliminate the problem, it is necessary to descale the heaters.

The kettle does not turn off

When water boils in the apparatus’s container, steam should be collected under the lid and directed through a special channel to the thermostat. If the lid is not closed tightly, this will not happen and the appliance will operate without shutting down. If everything is in order with the lid, check that the steam hole, which is located on the side of the handle, is not contaminated with scale. If everything is fine with the hole, we can assume that the kettle does not turn off due to thermostat failure.

The thermostat of the electric kettle is located at the bottom of the body, and to get to it to replace it, you will have to completely disassemble the device.

For example, we took an ordinary budget device, which does not differ in design from more expensive models - electric kettle Vitek, Tefal, Polaris, Scarlett and others. By the way, in this model, as in the Vitek VT-7009(TR), the container is made of heat resistant glass. So, let's analyze the unit using the following algorithm.

Repairing a kettle should begin with disconnect it from the power supply. Next, remove the device from the stand (base) and unscrew all the screws located on its bottom panel.
After this, it is necessary to pry off the plastic cover located on the handle with special care using a thin screwdriver. This should be done carefully because different models devices, the latches may be located in different places and can be easily broken.
After removing the cover, you can see the mounting screws. They also need to be removed.
After unscrewing all the fasteners, using a little force, disconnect the handle with the cover from the body.
Next, disconnect the housing from the bottom of the unit.
At the bottom of the case you will see all the main elements of the device: contact group, thermal relay and heating element.
Please note bimetallic strip(on the right in the picture). If damage is visible on it or it has a worn-out appearance, then this may be the reason why the electrical appliance has stopped turning off. The plate is not repaired, but replaced with a new one.

But how to disassemble a Bosch kettle if, when you unscrew all the screws on the bottom, it does not come off? Those who disassembled such a device encountered difficulties, which often ended in the breakdown of the device. Since the process is quite difficult to describe, it is better to watch a video on this topic.

The device does not turn on

There may be different reasons why your boiler won't turn on.

Faulty electrical cord and plug. To do this, you will need to “ring” the cord using a tester, touching the probes to the contacts of the plug and the contacts on the stand (base). If a break is detected, the cord should be replaced with a new one.
Poor contact in the stand(base). Long-term operation can cause the contacts to burn, which impairs their conductivity. If burns have formed on the contacts, they can be cleaned using fine sandpaper. But if they melt, they will need to be completely replaced.
Internal switch faulty in the device. Since the switch has to experience quite heavy loads (from 1500 to 2000 W), its contacts may melt over time. This may cause the device to not work. The switch is located at the bottom of the handle, and if there is a malfunction, it looks as shown in the figure below.

In this case, the button must be replaced. But there is a malfunction of the button, in which you can fix the kettle yourself without replacing it. If you look at the button from the side, you can see 2 contacts that close in the “on” position. If on them carbon deposits form, the device will not turn on.

To remove carbon deposits, you can use fine-grained sandpaper, a nail file or a thin file. To make cleaning more convenient, you will need to slightly “rework” the button, namely, remove the edges using pliers.

Another reason why the device does not want to work is mechanical power button malfunction. This breakdown most often occurs in the Tefal vitesse model, since plastic slats are built into the handle of the electrical appliance, which transmit translational movement from the outer button to the inner one, located at the bottom of the unit.

Once this part breaks, turning on the Tefal kettle becomes impossible. To understand in more detail how to repair an element that has broken, you can watch the video, which discusses one original way to correct the defect.

Heating element burnout

When repairing electric kettles, both older models and newer ones, the most common breakdown is the burning out of the heating element. The problem with heating elements arises, first of all, due to their overheating due to untimely descaling.

Before repairing a kettle with a disk heater or a heating element in the form of a spiral, it is necessary to disassemble the unit in the manner described above. After this, take the tester and connect the probes of the device to the output contacts of the heater. If the light on the device lights up or it makes a sound, then the heating element can be considered working.

How to check the heating element if No measuring instrument ? It turns out to be very simple. It is necessary to connect the zero from the electrical network to one contact of the heater, and the phase to the other. Next, insert a 220 light bulb into the socket from which 2 insulated wires come out. Touch one stripped end of the wire to one contact of the heater, and the other to the opposite one. If the light comes on, it means the heating element is working.

If it turns out that the disk heater has burned out, it cannot be replaced, since it is one piece with the bottom of the electrical appliance, such as in the Scarlett kettle or Vitek VT-7009(TR). Therefore, you will have to buy a new unit. Only the heating element can be replaced open type.

Water is leaking

If you notice that water is flowing (leaking) from the device’s reservoir, it is recommended to use such a device for a while until scale forms in the microcracks, which can block the seepage of liquid. If this does not help, you will have to buy a new “boiler” if the warranty period has expired.

Another reason that the tank is leaking could be loose connection between the electric heater and the device body(if the heating element is open type). In this case, you can tighten the fasteners holding it. If this does not help, then you will have to remove the heating element and change the rubber sealing gasket, which is worn out.

Thus, we can summarize: in some cases it is quite possible to repair a boiling water unit on your own. But if you lack certain skills in repairing household appliances, then the best option Will be buying a new kettle. Repair in service center, from a financial point of view, does not justify itself, and there is no guarantee that the breakdown will not happen again.

Drinking a cup of hot tea or coffee is always pleasant and healthy, especially when it’s cold or raining outside. Some people simply cannot imagine starting the day without a cup of invigorating coffee.
Well, heating the water for these drinks will help electric kettle, and can’t do without it. Unless, of course, you have a gas stove or an expensive coffee maker at hand.
Therefore, the breakdown of an electric kettle can negatively affect both the productivity of work and the quality of life of such people.
It is worth noting that electric kettles occupy the main, leading place as devices for heating water in the workplace.
Therefore, it would be useful to know the main possible breakdowns of teapots and methods for eliminating them.
One such kettle will be discussed in this article.

One fine day, this device stopped heating the water, and the power lever stubbornly refused to go to the “on” position.

When I tried to do this, it was simply thrown into the “off” position, that is, it acted like a return spring. Also, when I forcibly held the lever in the on position, nothing happened. The heater did not heat up, the device operation indicator did not light up. The indicator in this type of kettle is blue LED backlight glass bowl.
Testing the cord and stand did not yield anything; they turned out to be in good order.

But this was not so important, because it was clear that the problem was 90% in the shutdown lever and its parts. After all, it is its contacts that take the main “blow” of the electric arc when the device is turned off.
So, you can start disassembling. To do this, it is enough to have a Phillips screwdriver.

Place the kettle on its side or bottom up and unscrew all the screws around the perimeter of the base.

These are three screws inside the circle and four outside.

We put the screws separately by type so that during assembly we do not spoil the threads they have already cut in the body of the kettle by using the wrong screw.
Next, to get to the side screws, which also hold the bottom of the kettle, you need to use something sharp (screwdriver, knife) to pry up the cover from below and slightly pull it towards you, thereby releasing the latches.

So, free access to these screws will be possible.
Move the cover slightly to the side and unscrew the hidden fastening screws.
Then, clasping the lower part of the kettle with your hand, carefully remove it by threading it through the “foot” of the switch.

There are no elements on the sole itself that require detachment, so it is removed and set aside.

Now, you can see all the “stuffing” of our kettle, as well as get to the necessary components for diagnosis and repair.

There are two pairs of thin wires coming from the electrical module with which you should be as careful as possible. They power the two LED lights in the glass bowl and can be significantly damaged if subjected to frequent bending. Therefore, when removing and inspecting this module, it is advisable to try not to bend these places again.

Next, look at the switch control knob. Several levers extend from it, which act on the contacts, thereby turning them on and off.

In any case, to get even further and perform a thorough inspection of the contacts, you need to unscrew the screws securing the module and remove it.

At the bottom of the module there are bimetallic plates, which, in contact with the heating element, automatically disconnect the device from the network when it boils or overheats.

A ceramic rod extends from the plates, and it then presses on the contacts when the bimetal bends, thereby breaking the circuit.

The first plate turns off the contact when it boils, the second - when the base is very overheated, for example, when there is no water in the kettle, or when the first plate breaks.

Carefully examining the first plates with contacts, it was noticed that they were burnt.

Also, when trying to connect the contacts by turning on the control lever, it was noticed that this did not happen due to insufficient bending of the contact plates.
Doing this directly with a screwdriver, it became clear that the movable plates had become motionless due to the melted plastic, which flowed down and formed a bulge between the lower and upper contacts, preventing their connection.

Using a thin screwdriver, the bulge was removed and the contacts were cleaned with a thin knife.

To make cleaning easier, you can use pliers to bite off the plastic edge opposite the contacts. This will make it possible to continue cleaning without much effort or interference.

If the moving contact still does not connect to the fixed one when turned on, you need to lower the second one slightly. It will be convenient to do this by first removing the bimetallic plate, moving it slightly to the side.

Next, we place the module on a flat surface and, placing the tip of a screwdriver on top of the contact, make several short blows with our hand on its handle.

After that, we check the short circuit with a tester when turned on.
By the way, this can be done by connecting the ends of the tester to two ring contacts on the connecting socket. The center pin is the "ground" or body of the kettle. When the switch is on and the heater is working, these contacts should be short-circuited.

If the device does not show the connection, repeat the bending procedure again until the contacts are securely closed.
Do not hit the handle of the screwdriver with a hammer, otherwise you may simply break the plate and lose your last hope of bringing the kettle back to life.
At the moment of bending, you can pull out the ceramic rod so as not to accidentally break it. Afterwards, you need to insert it back and install the plate.
Now, screw the module to the base of the heater and place the kettle on the stand. Having filled the kettle with some water, plug the plug into the socket and turn the switch to the “on” position.

If everything is done correctly, the water begins to boil under blue decorative lighting.

Next, we disconnect the plug and thread the glass lever through the cutout in the case, putting the plastic sole in its place.

When installed, very important point is the correct joining of these two parts. As shown in the photo, when the lower part is supposedly inserted, you need to press the notch at the top of the lever with your finger.

A click occurs and the two parts are joined correctly and completely. If this is not done, when assembly is completed, the power button will not turn on again, because the lever system will rest against the sole and prevent it from moving. You will have to disassemble the entire kettle again, which is very undesirable.
Now, let's install the handle.
The photo shows that the device is working and the water is boiling.

Also, the kettle should turn itself off. This is what happens.

We can assume that the repair was successful and this wonderful device will again and again please its owners with an invigorating, warming drink.

An electric kettle is simple and inexpensive household appliance, which in case of breakdown is most often thrown away, purchasing a new one instead of the old model.

However, if the owner belongs to the category of “home craftsmen” who can independently repair small household appliances, then he can try to restore the functionality of the kettle.

After familiarizing yourself with the design and principle of its operation, repairing the electric kettle with your own hands will not be difficult.

Design and principle of operation

Modern electric kettles are assembled on the basis of one electrical diagram and differ from each other original design, power or volume. Moreover, all of them structurally consist of two parts - the teapot itself and the stand.

Design

The body parts of the electric kettle are made of various materials:

stainless steel (Saturn, etc.);
heat-resistant plastic (Maxwell mw -1028 b, etc.);
heat-resistant glass (Vitek VT-7008 TR).

The electric kettle is connected to the mains when installed on a plastic stand, to which a power cord with a plug is connected. The connection is made through a 3-pin group located inside the stand in such a way as to prevent damage to the user electric shock. In this case, the device removed from the stand is completely de-energized.

In the body of the kettle, which is closed on top with a lid, the following are installed:

contact group for connection with the mating part of the stand;
disc heater or open coil (S or U-shaped);
switch (thermostat);
LED indicator (can be built into the switch);
automatic shutdown device with bimetallic contacts.

In addition, a number of models are equipped with:

additional filters that clean water from scale - made of stainless steel (Siemens TW60101) or nylon (Tefal BF2632 Vitesse);
an internal flask that does not come into contact with the body of the kettle, which is made of heat-resistant glass or stainless steel and plays the role of a thermos;
a thermal relay capable of maintaining a given water temperature in the range from 60 to 98°C for at least 4 hours (thermopot mode).

Important! Structurally, all parts that are energized during operation of the kettle are reliably protected from contact with water and exclude the possibility of accidental contact with them by the user.

Operating principle

Mains supply voltage AC is supplied to the kettle when it is placed on the stand through spring-loaded contacts, which are located in the center of its bottom. In the lower part of the body there is a heating element that heats the water when you press the switch, which can be located either in the upper or lower part of the kettle.

The connection diagram provides for the presence of a blocking device that protects the device from overheating. It consists of two contact pairs that are connected to the heating element. Each such pair consists of a contact and a bimetallic plate (glued together from two thin plates with different linear expansion coefficients), capable of bending in different directions when the temperature changes.

The bimetallic plate of one pair contacts directly with the housing and ensures that the connection opens when it overheats. In the normal position, this pair is constantly closed. It only works when a kettle without water is connected to the network.

The second pair of contacts ensures that the device is disconnected from the power supply when the water boils. This happens under the influence of hot steam acting on the bimetallic plate.

At the same time hot air is supplied through a special channel, which is most often used as the cavity of the handle.

However, in some models, a separate round or square tube is installed to supply steam.

Electric kettle repair

Despite the apparent simplicity of the design, the service life of an electric kettle is not eternal. Sooner or later there comes a time when, having turned it on, the user discovers that the device has stopped working.

Common faults

A list of common malfunctions and the causes that cause them are given in the table.

Malfunction	Faulty element	Possible reason
The kettle is turned on and does not heat the water.	heating element	Scale formation; contact burnout; heating element has failed.
The kettle does not turn on	Power button	Oxidation of contacts; breakdown of button parts.
Stand	Oxidation of contacts; burnout of contact pads; failure of the power plug.
Water leaks from the kettle	Frame	The glass with the scale of the water level indicator is damaged; the sealing elements have become unusable (if there is an open type heating element).
The kettle does not turn off for a long time when the water boils.	Body parts	The top cover is not adjusted; the steam channel is clogged with scale.
Thermostat	Damaged parts of the switch (thermostat)
The kettle turns off before the water boils.	heating element	Scale formation

Advice: parts and components that have become unusable, as a rule, cannot be repaired, but must be replaced.

When starting repairs, the kettle must be disassembled, which is sometimes more difficult than repairing.

How to disassemble an electric kettle

The operations to disassemble the electric kettle and/or its stand are not particularly difficult. To do this, it is enough to prepare only a set of screwdrivers: Phillips, flat and possibly Spanne (two-pronged fork).

Attention! Before you begin disassembling the electric kettle, you must unplug the power cord from the power outlet.

Removing the bottom cover of the electric kettle.
Disassembling the electric kettle begins by removing the bottom cover (bottom). To do this, you need to unscrew all the screws there. Typically, the bottom cover is secured with self-tapping screws (self-tapping screws) with a cross-shaped head. However, you can sometimes find screws with a Spanne head. This is how electric kettle manufacturers try to protect the device from self-repair. If you do not have such a screwdriver, such screws can be carefully unscrewed with tweezers or side cutters.
In addition, the screw heads can be covered with decorative plugs, which can be easily removed using a sharp object. Once all the screws are removed, the bottom cover should come off easily.

If this does not happen, then it is additionally secured with plastic latches. They need to be carefully pressed out using a flat-head screwdriver. The bottom cover of the stand is removed in a similar way.
Removing the switch.
This is one of the most difficult operations that have to be performed when repairing an electric kettle. It is placed at the top of the handle (key) or at its base (plate or lever). To dismantle the switch, you need to carefully remove the plastic cover and unscrew the screws that open underneath it. This will allow you to separate the handle with the lid from the body and remove the part. In addition, this allows access to thermal protection elements.

Tip: remove the plastic parts of the handle very carefully. They are fragile and can break easily.

The sequence of operations to eliminate the reasons why the kettle stopped working is almost the same for everyone modern models. The order is as follows:

make sure that the power cord is in good condition and that the stand is working;
check whether the heating element is working;
start checking the switch (thermostat).

The work at each stage must be completed by eliminating the defects found, some of which are described below.

The kettle does not turn on

The fact that the electric kettle does not turn on is indicated by the LED indicator, which does not light up when the corresponding key (lever) is pressed. There may be several reasons that can cause this defect.

A malfunction of the power plug or power cord is determined by checking with a tester, for which it is enough to remove the bottom cover of the stand. If a break is found in the cord, it is replaced.
Carbon deposits on the contacts of the connecting device of the stand and the kettle can be eliminated by cleaning the contacts with fine-grained sandpaper until they shine. If the contacts and union terminals are completely burnt, then they are replaced. However, this is quite painstaking work that requires skills electrical installation work. In addition, you will have to remove the bottom lids of the kettle and stands.

The kettle is on, but the water is not heating

The fact that the kettle is turned on is indicated by the LED lighting up after pressing the key (lever). The defect associated with the fact that the light is on and the kettle does not heat the water can be caused by two reasons:

poor contact with the heating element;
heating element burnout.

To gain access to the heating element, the electric kettle must be disassembled. First, check the functionality of the contact connections. If they are charred and the wires from the slip-on terminals have fallen off, then it is necessary to restore the connections (replace the terminals, clean the contacts, etc.

). In addition, on the Internet you can find quite a lot of video materials devoted to the modification and restoration of contacts welded to the heating element. Only after the electrical connection has been completely restored can you begin to check the integrity of the heating element (continuity test).

They check the heating element by measuring the resistance between its output contacts with a tester. If the device shows the presence of resistance, then the heating element is working. Otherwise, the heating element's coil will burn out.

Important! Only the open type heating element can be replaced. Replacing the disk heating element is impossible, since it is mounted into the bottom of the housing.

The kettle is leaking

There can be several reasons for water leakage. For example, if the kettle is equipped with an open heating element, then water leakage can be caused by:

loosening the heater fastening - the defect can be eliminated by carefully tightening the existing fasteners;
violation of the tightness of the seal - the leak is eliminated by replacing the sealing rings.

If the electric kettle leaks through microcracks in the body parts, it is recommended to wait a few days, hoping that they will be covered with lime deposits and the water will stop oozing. If this does not happen, then it is better to purchase a new kettle.

The water is boiling, but the kettle won't turn off

The cause of this defect most often lies in a faulty switch (thermostat). It is he who is responsible for the timely shutdown of the heating element when the water boils. The reasons for this are:

burnt contacts;
oxidation of bimetallic plates;
wear or breakage of plastic parts, etc.

Experts recommend replacing a faulty switch, but some of its faults can be eliminated yourself. In this case, the part must be dismantled and disassembled. This must be done carefully, since each manufacturer uses switches of its own design, and there will be nothing to replace a broken plastic part with.

Advice: you need to be especially careful when handling switches installed in Tefal vitesse electric kettles. They use plastic slats that transmit translational motion from the outer button to the inner one, which is located in the lower part of the case. If even one rack breaks, the entire kettle will need to be replaced.

Such well-known companies as Bosch, Philips, Scarlett, Polaris and others often use switches (thermostats) of a modular design, assembled using the elastic properties of plastic. To remove the block with contacts, you must carefully press out the existing latches. Only after this can conductive parts be cleaned of carbon deposits or traces of oxidation.

Premature shutdown of the kettle

If the kettle turns off before the water boils, there is no need to disassemble it. Just take a packet of citric acid, add it to 0.5 liters of water and boil the resulting solution in a kettle with the lid open. If it is not possible to get rid of scale the first time, then the operation is repeated.

Prevention of breakdowns

To avoid malfunctions, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

comply with all requirements of the operating instructions;
clean regularly internal surfaces kettle from lime deposits (scale);
Do not bend the electrical cord that connects the device to the AC mains.

Attention! Do not try to revive the kettle by connecting the heating element directly to the power supply. This is life-threatening!

Repairing an electric kettle that is not working is within the capabilities of any user. However, experts believe that the right decision is to purchase a new device.

Source: https://hitech-online.ru/tehnika-dlya-kuhni/elektrochajnik/remont-svoimi-rukami.html

How does automatic shut-off work in a kettle?

You can literally break your head over the thought of how the automatic shutdown in a kettle works. Has progress really gotten to the point where electrical appliances somehow know when to stop? Knowledge of physics does not provide any elementary answer, and one’s own strength is usually not enough to disassemble the device and understand the principle of operation.

The history of the teapot

Archaeological excavations have shown that the first teapots appeared long before our era, in China. Apparently, the eastern neighbors loved tea very much, since they invented a new type of tableware especially for it.

Later, thanks to migration and mixing of cultures, the device spread throughout the world, quickly winning the love of our ancestors.

It is quite possible that in fact there is no single “homeland” of the teapot. The idea for creating a device could have visited different nations at a distance of thousands of kilometers from each other, at approximately the same time. An error of even a couple of centuries is not taken into account.

For a person this is a whole life and even more, but for history it is only a short-term moment.

The first teapots were made made of clay, able to withstand heat and high temperatures. With the advent of high-quality metal processing technologies, our ancestors were able to move on to the production of metal teapots.

Copper products were popular for a long time, then they were replaced by iron and, ultimately, aluminum.

The first electric kettles

If in the 17th-18th centuries it was necessary to heat water over a fire, then after a couple of hundred years the situation changed radically:

Usage natural gas opened a new era for the needs of the population.
To make tea, it was not necessary to light a stove or light a fire, just turn on the burner and ignite the gas.
The service life of cookware has increased and cooking time has been reduced. After all, there was no need to worry about starting a fire.

And already in the 19th century the Germans made another breakthrough - the first kettles appeared, the heating of which was carried out using electrical energy. Of course, they only vaguely resembled modern models and were not as reliable. Rather, they were a newfangled toy for the aristocracy, but it was precisely this discovery contributed to the development of household electrical appliances.

New electric kettles:

They worked using electricity.
There was no need for a fire source at all.
They heated up much faster than their conventional counterparts.
They failed more often.
They were much more expensive, especially at first.

If it were not for the fashion for these devices, they would have been abandoned at the very beginning of the journey, citing low profitability. So sometimes fashion trends are beneficial.

Automatic kettle switch-off system

To avoid overheating or even fire, every modern electric kettle has a built-in simple system:

There is a bimetallic plate inside the kettle.
It consists of two metals, each of which changes its shape under the influence of temperature.
But changes begin to occur at different indicators, so when the boiling temperature is reached, the shape of the plate changes.
It bends inward, touches the contacts and ensures that the automatic system operates.
In manual mode, you can turn off the kettle by pressing the button and using the same principle, but with minimal effort on the part of the person.

Now you can remember your school physics course and say that The boiling point may vary depending on pressure indicators.

It turns out that V mountainous areas such a system would be absolutely useless? But no, regulation occurs due to the effect of steam on the plate, not water. This also explains the fact that the heating device does not turn off immediately when it reaches a hundred degrees, but continues to work for some time, boiling water.

Comparison of metal and electric kettles

Are new technologies always that useful? The simplicity that our ancestors used for thousands of years has not disappeared from modern life. Until now, in every apartment on gas stove There is an ordinary kettle, although it is not always used often.

Below table of differences between a regular gas kettle and an electric one:

An ordinary metal kettle, although unpretentious in everyday life, is not as convenient as its electric counterpart. You can pour 1.5-2 liters of water into the electrical appliance, place it on the stand and press the button. That’s it, after a few minutes the water will boil and you can start drinking tea or using it for another purpose.

A gas stove will take longer to heat water, let alone an electric stove. If for some reason long time live without a kettle and get used to the boiling speed of a Turk or a metal equivalent, The speed of the electric kettle for the first week will be simply amazing. Once you get used to good things, you won’t want to go back.

Protecting electric kettles from overheating

To turn off the electric kettle:

Due to the activation of a special automatic system.
A bimetallic strip is used as a boiling indicator.
Curving under the influence of temperature, it acts on the switch, opening the contact.
The condition of the plate itself is affected by the temperature of the steam formed during the evaporation of boiling water.
After boiling, the device does not turn off immediately, allowing the water to boil for 5-10 seconds. This is not a clever idea, the delay is explained by the fact that the steam takes time to reach the plate and heat it to the desired temperature.

This is such a simple system, the kettle doesn’t have any artificial intelligence, so you don’t have to worry about this for now. But it remains to be seen what the near future will give us; equipment has already gone on sale that can turn on and off after sending an SMS from the phone.

Convenient when you can heat tea and warm up food in microwave oven, just approaching the house.

There is no need to disassemble the electrical appliance to understand how the automatic shutdown in the kettle works. Even without ruining the equipment, you can get hurt yourself. Especially if you forget about basic safety rules. Still, this is working with electricity.

about the design and operation of an electric kettle

Below, specialist and heating appliance repairman Elena Amalova will tell you how an electric kettle works, how it turns off after boiling, and how to choose a good device:

Source: http://1-kak.ru/remont-i-interer/83-pereplanirovka-kvartiry.html

Do-it-yourself electric kettle repair: instructions and video

Household electrical appliances are widely used all over the world and one of the most common electrical appliances is the electric kettle.

Despite the reliability of many models and manufacturers, the service life of electric kettles, like other electrical appliances, is limited, so kettles, sooner or later, break.

And in this case, it is not necessary to send the kettle in for repair or purchase a new one - you can repair the electric kettle yourself. In this article, we will discuss with our readers how to repair the most common breakdowns in electric kettles.

Before you undertake the repair of any electrical appliance, you need to understand its operating principle - this rule also applies to the kettle. From the electrical diagram it is easy to understand the operating principle of this electrical appliance. Note that almost all models operate according to the operating principle below.

The principle of operation is as follows: after connecting the plug to the power source, the current passes through the wire to the contacts of the stand, on which all kettles are installed when heating water.

At the base of the kettle itself there are special contacts that are connected together with contacts located on the stand - this way the circuit is closed and the heating element is heated.

The electricity then passes through a thermal switch, a device that allows the kettle to turn off when it reaches a certain temperature (usually the boiling point).

Also in the standard circuit there is a thermal protection switch, which is constantly on and is activated only if the user turns on an empty kettle. From the designated switches, electricity passes directly to the electric heating element (which is also called the heating element).

We have looked at the basic principle of operation of an electric kettle - now we will consider separately the operation of some of its circuits and sections.

Electrical diagram of components

Carefully examine the teapot stand and its contact point with the teapot itself. Inside the circular grooves you can find an electrical contact located on a small spring.

It is through this contact that voltage from the general network is supplied to the electric kettle itself. In the center of the stand there is another contact, which, when in contact with the electric kettle, grounds its body.

In fact, this contact does not play any role and is intended only to protect the user in the event of a violation of the insulation integrity.

The power cord that fits the electric kettle stand, inside this stand, branches into three wires, to which terminals are connected.

One wire is intended for grounding, the other two contacts go to concentric copper rings, which are used to transfer electricity from the stand to the electric kettle itself.

Overheat protection

Heating elements have high power and get very hot during operation, so each electric kettle is additionally equipped with a special protection system. The basis of the operation of this system is bimetallic plates, which, when heated to a certain temperature, unbend and open the circuit, thereby preventing further overheating of the kettle.

Automatic shutdown

Almost all modern electric kettles have a special system that disconnects the heating element from the voltage when the water reaches boiling temperature.

The principle of operation of such a machine is simple - when heated, steam is supplied through a special channel to a bimetallic plate, which in turn is connected to a switch.

When the kettle boils and the steam pressure increases, the bimetallic plate heats up and presses on the switch lever, thereby disconnecting the electric kettle from the network.

We looked at the main technical features, and now let’s look at how to repair an electric kettle. For the convenience of readers, we will consider specific examples that most often arise with kettles from various companies (Tefal, Philips, etc.):

The kettle stopped heating water. In this case, the malfunction is very minor - there is a break in a section on the heating element itself or there is no contact between some terminals and the terminals on the heating element. The connection is restored very easily - to do this, you need to disassemble the kettle and determine the location of the contacts. When determining where there is no contact, it is necessary to restore the connection of the terminal with the terminals on the heating element using pliers.
The kettle has stopped heating water and the indicator does not show that the kettle is on. First of all, we check the voltage in the network. If there is one, the reason is poor contact between the current collectors at the base of the electric kettle body and the stand. In this case, it is necessary to check how the spring-loaded contacts, which we discussed above, are holding. To do this, the stand is disassembled and a ring with a suitable contact is taken out. It is necessary to check how tightly they are fixed - as a rule, they become loose over time and you simply need to tighten them more tightly so that electricity passes through the contacts.
The switch or overheat protection does not work. When considering the question of how to repair an electric kettle, most often in practice you are faced with a non-working switch. It may be broken due to wear of plastic parts, rust on the surface of the bimetallic plate. To check the condition, it is necessary to remove the switch from the housing and check the integrity of the parts. After this, it is necessary to inspect the condition of the plates. If there is heavy deposits of steam or rust on them, it must be removed and the operation of the switch must be checked again. These measures are also taken if the overheating protection stops working (in other words, the kettle stops turning off) - it is necessary to check the condition of the bimetallic plates and, if necessary, clean them.
The kettle is leaking. In this case, it is necessary to check the integrity of the kettle body and see exactly where the leak is coming from. As a rule, if there is a strong leak, there may be no talk of repairing the kettle, especially if its body is made of low-quality plastic or the internal surface is severely damaged as a result of damage.

In addition to the above information, we recommend watching a video where you can see detailed instructions for repairing electric kettles.

Although there is now quite a large selection of household electrical appliances, repairing an electric kettle with your own hands can be useful for those who have temporary financial difficulties or the old kettle is very convenient for you, you are used to it. It may also be that someone asked you to fix the device or you are just an inquisitive person and you want to do everything yourself.

Operating principle of an electric kettle

The operating principle of an electric kettle is quite simple, and its design, even in expensive models, is not original. The heating element in the lower part heats up the water when electricity is supplied. The heating element is connected to a thermostat (bimetallic plates), and as soon as the temperature reaches the set value, the kettle is disconnected from the network.

For ease of use, I include an LED light bulb with a load in the external circuit of the circuit. When the circuit is closed, the light is on, otherwise it is not. The electric heating device must include a thermal fuse that opens the circuit when overheated. It is needed in case you, for example, forgot to pour water into the kettle.

As you can see, circuit diagram The electric kettle circuit is similar to the iron circuit, and is not very complex in itself. In fact, there are quite a few parts in the device that can break. The most complex part is the thermostat, the design of which depends on the specific model. But when it breaks down, it is not repaired, but replaced with a new one.

Sequence of repair actions

If the electric kettle breaks down, you first need to check the cord with the stand, making sure that voltage is supplied to the kettle. They do this by ringing the contacts with a multimeter. Try to disassemble a burnt-out stand and solder the contacts, but if the contact group has melted, then it will no longer be possible to repair it.
If everything is in order with the cord and stand, then the next step is to check the ring contacts on the kettle itself, after first pressing the on button. Most likely, there will be no signal, so you need to unscrew the bottom part and check all the contacts inside to find out what exactly is not working. A non-working spiral or temperature sensor must be replaced.
Next, check the automatic shutdown button located on the handle. It fails quite often because the contacts oxidize. They need to be cleaned with sandpaper, and the device will work normally.

The design of a modern kettle is such that it is most difficult to get to the on-off button in order to repair it. To do this, you will have to remove the cover and unscrew the bolts at the top and bottom of the handle. This must be done carefully, since plastic parts break easily. If it doesn't light up led light bulb, then they change it too.

Is it possible to repair a kettle if it is leaking?

Many people are interested in the question of what to do if the electric kettle leaks. Should I throw it away or can I still repair it? The cause of the leak may be a cracked housing or a deteriorating seal. In the first case, it is best to go buy a new kettle, and in the second case, you can try to repair it by replacing the O-ring on the heating element. There is no point in sealing the leak in the area of the measuring scale using various sealants.

If the new kettle leaks just a little, you can wait a while (a week or two). It is possible that scale will form, which will heal microcracks. A kettle whose warranty has not yet expired and is leaking must be taken to a service center.

To prevent the electric kettle from leaking for as long as possible, it is recommended to descale it regularly and, if possible, use soft, filtered water. In this case, the heating element will work better and the sealing rubber will last longer.

Premature shutdown

It happens that the kettle turns off prematurely - it has not yet boiled, but has already turned off. In this case, there is no point in disassembling the device completely. You just need to descale it. This can be done, as you probably know, with citric acid. A small bag of lemon juice is dissolved in half a liter of water and the kettle is turned on with the lid open. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated.

An electric kettle is a simple and inexpensive household appliance, which, if it breaks down, is most often thrown away and a new one is purchased to replace the old model. However, if the owner belongs to the category of “home craftsmen” who are able to independently repair small household appliances, then he can try to restore the functionality of the kettle. After familiarizing yourself with the design and principle of its operation, repairing the electric kettle with your own hands will not be difficult.

Design and principle of operation

Modern electric kettles are assembled on the basis of one electrical circuit and differ from each other in original design, power or volume. Moreover, all of them structurally consist of two parts - the teapot itself and the stand.

Design

The body parts of the electric kettle are made from various materials:

stainless steel (Saturn, etc.);
heat-resistant plastic (Maxwell mw -1028 b, etc.);
heat-resistant glass (Vitek VT-7008 TR).

The electric kettle is connected to the mains when installed on a plastic stand, to which a power cord with a plug is connected. The connection is made through a 3-pin group located inside the stand in such a way as to prevent electric shock to the user. In this case, the device removed from the stand is completely de-energized.

In the body of the kettle, which is closed on top with a lid, installed:

contact group for connection with the mating part of the stand;
disc heater or open coil (S or U-shaped);
switch (thermostat);
LED indicator (can be built into the switch);
automatic shutdown device with bimetallic contacts.

Besides, a number of models are equipped:

additional filters, purifying water from scale - made of stainless steel (Siemens TW60101) or nylon (Tefal BF2632 Vitesse);
inner flask, not in contact with the body of the kettle, which is made of heat-resistant glass or stainless steel and plays the role of a thermos;
thermal relay, capable of maintaining a given water temperature in the range from 60 to 98°C for at least 4 hours (thermopot mode).

Important! Structurally, all parts that are energized during operation of the kettle are reliably protected from contact with water and exclude the possibility of accidental contact with them by the user.

Operating principle

The supply voltage from the AC mains is supplied to the kettle when installing it on a stand through spring-loaded contacts, which are located in the center of its bottom. In the lower part of the body there is a heating element that heats the water when you press the switch, which can be located either in the upper or lower part of the kettle.

Connection diagram provides for the presence of a blocking device that protects the device from overheating. It consists of two contact pairs that are connected to the heating element. Each such pair consists of a contact and a bimetallic plate (glued together from two thin plates with different coefficients of linear expansion), capable of bending in different directions when the temperature changes.

Bimetallic strip of one pair contacts directly with the housing and ensures that the connection opens when it overheats. In the normal position, this pair is constantly closed. It only works when a kettle without water is connected to the network.

Second pair of contacts ensures that the device is disconnected from the power supply when the water boils. This happens under the influence of hot steam acting on the bimetallic plate. In this case, hot air is supplied through a special channel, which is most often used as the cavity of the handle. However, in some models, a separate round or square tube is installed to supply steam.

Electric kettle repair

Common faults

A list of common malfunctions and the causes that cause them are given in the table.

Malfunction	Faulty element	Possible reason
The kettle is turned on and does not heat the water.	heating element	Scale formation; burnout of contacts; The heating element has failed.
The kettle does not turn on	Power button	Contact oxidation; damage to button parts.
The kettle does not turn on		Contact oxidation; burnout of contact pads; failure of the power plug.
Water leaks from the kettle	Frame	The glass with the water level indicator scale is damaged; the sealing elements have become unusable (in the presence of an open-type heating element).
The kettle does not turn off for a long time when the water boils.	Body parts	The top cover is not adjusted; The steam channel is clogged with scale.
	Thermostat	Damaged parts of the switch (thermostat)
The kettle turns off before the water boils.	heating element	Scale formation

Advice: parts and components that have become unusable, as a rule, cannot be repaired, but must be replaced.

When starting repairs, the kettle must be disassembled, which is sometimes more difficult than repairing.

How to disassemble an electric kettle

Attention! Before you begin disassembling the electric kettle, you must unplug the power cord from the power outlet.

Tip: remove the plastic parts of the handle very carefully. They are fragile and can break easily.

Repair scheme

The sequence of operations to eliminate the reasons why the kettle stopped working is almost the same for all modern models. The order is as follows:

make sure that the power cord is in good condition and that the stand is working;
check whether the heating element is working;
start checking the switch (thermostat).

The work at each stage must be completed by eliminating the defects found, some of which are described below.

The kettle does not turn on

The fact that the electric kettle does not turn on is indicated by the LED indicator, which does not light up when the corresponding key (lever) is pressed. Reasons There may be several that can cause this defect.

The kettle is on, but the water is not heating

poor contact with the heating element;
heating element burnout.

To gain access to the heating element, the electric kettle must be disassembled. At first check the functionality of contact connections. If they are charred and the wires from the slip-on terminals have fallen off, then it is necessary to restore the connections (replace the terminals, clean the contacts, etc.). In addition, on the Internet you can find quite a lot of video materials devoted to the modification and restoration of contacts welded to the heating element. Only after the electrical connection has been completely restored can you begin to check the integrity of the heating element (continuity test).

Checking the heating element, measuring the resistance between its output contacts with a tester. If the device shows the presence of resistance, then the heating element is working. Otherwise, the heating element's coil will burn out.

Important! Only the open type heating element can be replaced. Replacing the disk heating element is impossible, since it is mounted into the bottom of the housing.

The kettle is leaking

There can be several reasons for water leakage. For example, if the kettle equipped with an open-type heating element, water leakage may be caused by:

loosening the heater fastening - the defect can be eliminated by carefully tightening the existing fasteners;
violation of the tightness of the seal - the leak is eliminated by replacing the sealing rings.

In case electric kettle leaks through microcracks in case parts, it is recommended to wait a few days, hoping that they will become covered with lime deposits and the water will stop oozing. If this does not happen, then it is better to purchase a new kettle.

The water is boiling, but the kettle won't turn off

The cause of this defect most often lies in a faulty switch (thermostat). It is he who is responsible for the timely shutdown of the heating element when the water boils. Reasons for this such:

burnt contacts;
oxidation of bimetallic plates;
wear or breakage of plastic parts, etc.

Premature shutdown of the kettle

Prevention of breakdowns

To avoid malfunctions, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

comply with all requirements of the operating instructions;
regularly clean the internal surfaces of the kettle from lime deposits (scale);
Do not bend the electrical cord that connects the device to the AC mains.

Attention! Do not try to revive the kettle by connecting the heating element directly to the power supply. This is life-threatening!

Repairing an electric kettle that is not working is within the capabilities of any user. However, experts believe that the right decision is to purchase a new device.

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