How to repair electric kettles at home

Electric kettle device

There are two types of electric kettles - detachable, with a base and a separate “jug”, and non-detachable. In the second case, the cord does not separate from the kettle. These models are somewhat cheaper and more reliable (there is no detachable contact), but they are not so convenient to use - you have to carry a cord behind the kettle. Therefore, they usually choose an electric kettle with a separate stand, which is also sometimes called a “base”.

Types of electric kettle stands

The stand comes in mainly two forms. With a cylindrical block in the center of the round stand and with a protruding connector on one of the edges of the oblong stands. The second type is now rare. Both types are problematic when made from poor plastic. The contact plates oxidize and begin to heat up, the plastic melts and becomes deformed. This worsens the contact and so on until the kettle stops heating at all.

This type of breakdown is typical for teapots with the second type of contact

Round stands are more reliable in this regard.

General structure of an electric kettle with stand

What else could cause an electric kettle to break down? Yes, any electrical part. This is a response contact of the input group in the tank itself, a heating element, an overheat protection system, a power button (also called an overheat sensor or thermal switch), wires that connect it all, contacts. It seems that there is a whole range of possible causes of failure for simpler models.

What could cause an electric kettle to break down? Yes, any electrical part. Look at the electric kettle diagram below:

Electric kettle circuit

These are contacts of the input group XP1, a heating element, an overheat protection system (St2), a power button St1 (also called an overheat sensor or a thermal switch), wires that connect it all, connections.

Operating principle and electrical diagram

Before you begin diagnosing or repairing a household kettle, you will need to find out what components it consists of and how it works. Despite the abundance of offers under different brands, all electrical devices in this category have a similar design. They include the following parts:

• frame;
• power indicator;
• a heating element;
• control system (power button, thermostat);
• stand with power cord and contact group.

Connections in the internal communication circuit are made using plug-in terminals, or, less commonly, soldering. After placing the kettle filled with water on the stand and pressing the key, the supply circuits of the device are closed. This is accompanied by a light indication indicating that everything is working. If at this stage there is no contact between the stand and the bottom of the device, the switch is faulty, nothing will work.

Next, a heating element (spiral or disk) installed at the bottom gradually brings the water in the tank to a boil. After boiling, the automatic switches off the power to the heater (the light goes out with a characteristic click). If there is not enough water in the kettle or it is accidentally turned on empty, the protection system should also work, de-energizing the power circuits.

Arrangement of electric kettle components

Both the old models with spiral heating elements and the new ones with disk-shaped heating elements remain similar in principle of operation and the presence of main components. They will definitely contain a heating element, a power button and a protection unit. Without them, the kettle will not work.

Overheat protection system

This unit is necessary to meet fire safety requirements. If it were not there, then if the water level was insufficient and an empty kettle was turned on, a fire would certainly have occurred. And so a special contact group will de-energize the heating element.

As a working tool, it uses a special plate made of 2 metals that reacts to heat. The normal position is closed; when overheated, the bimetal is deformed, breaking the power circuit, turning off the heating element. Manufacturers of household appliances use a number of standard solutions for this unit. And all use bimetallic sensors, which are reliable and efficient.

The only drawback of thermal protection is the need to wait until the working part cools down and returns to its original position. After this, the kettle is ready for use again.

Automatic shutdown system when water boils

Another critical unit, without which normal operation of the kettle is impossible. A procedure that we are so accustomed to that we don’t pay attention is the automatic switching off of the device after heating the water. It is no coincidence that manufacturers in their operating instructions focus on pouring liquid into the flask to a clearly marked level (corresponding to the nominal capacity). The operation of the circuit breaker under the influence of a jet of steam depends on this.

The protection is based on another bimetallic group, which, when heated, breaks the power supply circuit of the kettle's heating element.

Power indicator and backlight

Each model has a power indicator light: without it it is difficult to determine the status of the device. This is a light bulb interlocked with the contacts of the “main” button. Backlighting is an optional feature. Some manufacturers include it as an additional option. It works synchronously with turning on (off) the kettle.

Electric kettle repair

An electric kettle is not such a complicated electrical appliance that you can’t figure it out on your own. And even the simplest repair in a workshop will be comparable in cost to buying a new device. So, it makes sense to try to repair the kettle yourself.

We measure the resistance of the heating element of the kettle

It’s worth saying right away that if the heating element (heating element) burns out, it’s more rational to buy a new kettle. The disc heating element cannot be replaced. If the heating element is open (spiral or twisted in some other way), theoretically it can be changed. They can be found commercially or found in repair shops. But in terms of price, the heating element itself can be even more expensive than a new kettle. So, alas. If the heating element in the kettle burns out, do not waste time and energy.

Checking the performance of the heating element

Therefore, when repairing an electric kettle, the first thing we do is check the heating element. First, we disassemble the kettle. To do this, turn it upside down. There should be screws on the bottom of the jug that hold the plastic protective bottom in place. We unscrew them all and remove the protective cover. The conclusions of the heating element are opened. It's hard to get confused. In addition to the heating element contacts, there may only be a fuse here. By the way, if it is there, it doesn’t hurt to check it either. We check it in resistance measurement mode. There should be a little resistance. If a break or short circuit is measured, we look for a replacement.

First of all, when repairing an electric kettle, we check the heating element

Therefore, when repairing an electric kettle, the first thing we do is check the heating element. First, we disassemble the kettle. To do this, turn it upside down. There should be screws on the bottom of the jug that hold the plastic protective bottom in place. We unscrew them all and remove the protective cover. The conclusions of the heating element are opened. In addition to the heating element contacts, there may only be a fuse here. By the way, if it is there, it doesn’t hurt to check it either. We check it in resistance measurement mode. The resistance should be zero. If there is a break, we look for a replacement.

How to check the heating element in a kettle? Using the same tester, and also in resistance measurement mode. If the heating element burns out, the multimeter will show a break (infinitely more resistance). If the heating element is intact, you can continue troubleshooting the electric kettle. This means that the kettle does not turn on for some other reason.

A “whole heating element” is if, when measuring its resistance, the multimeter shows not a short circuit or an infinitely large resistance, but numbers ranging from several tens of Ohms to hundreds.

It all depends on the power, the more power, the less resistance. Here are some current consumption values ​​from power:

The kettle does not turn on

If the electric kettle does not turn on, you must first check whether the cord and plug with the socket are in order. Oddly enough, the cord and plug are one of the most common causes. The cord breaks in places that often bend, and the wires “bounce off” in the plug.

Checking the electric kettle cord

So, we start repairing an electric kettle with the simplest things. First of all, we inspect the plug and cord. The cord most often breaks near the plug or where it connects to the stand. In this case, the operation of the kettle will be unstable. We inspect and “crumple” the cord. If there is no external damage, you can verify its integrity using a multimeter. We put it in the “dialing” mode, short-circuit the contacts of the plug with a wire and check for the presence of a short on the contacts of the stand.

What are the contacts in the kettle stand and the most likely places for problems with the cord?

To short-circuit is to connect together using metal. If we talk about an electrical plug, then as a result the terminals of the plug will be short-circuited.

The easiest way to make a short one is to connect the contacts with a metal wire. If the wire is insulated, you first need to strip a few centimeters at the ends, and then wind the cleaned copper (can be aluminum) onto one and the other terminal of the plug. It turns out that the pins of the plug are electrically connected by a wire. This is what “short-circuit” is.

If there are no external problems with the cord, you can skip this step.

Next, take the multimeter in the “dial” mode, touch the central contact with one probe, and the circular contact with the other. If the cord and plug are intact, you should hear a characteristic sound.

You can do without connecting the plug with a wire. It is enough to touch one contact on the plug with one probe, and the central and circular contacts with the second one in turn. The appearance of a signal will indicate the serviceability of one wire of the cord. Similarly, we check the second contact on the plug.

The absence of a signal indicates a break in the cord and needs to be replaced. It's inexpensive.

How to check the cord connection to the stand

You can also check the quality of the contacts at the point where the cord is connected to the connector. If one of the probes is applied to the central pin, it should “ring” with one of the contacts through which the cord is connected. The cylindrical plate should then “ring” with the second contact. To be sure, you can hold the probes in the desired position and give the cord a good shake. The contact should not be lost.

Checking the contact between the connector and the power cord connection points

Checking the serviceability of the power supply

You can do it differently. Plug the stand into a power outlet and set the multimeter to voltage measurement mode, selecting a measurement limit of more than 250 volts. Using probes, we touch the contacts on the stand - central and circular. The multimeter should display line voltage.

If there is no voltage at the contacts of the stand or it is much lower than the mains voltage, then the cause of the malfunction is in the stand. It is worth saying that this type of breakdown is very rare.

But when connecting to the network, you need to check it very carefully. Do not touch the metal parts of the probes with your fingers, do not touch the stand and contacts. You are working under voltage, and this is always dangerous.

How does an electric kettle work?

Before you begin self-repair, you must first understand the principles of operation of the equipment. Despite the fact that today there are a huge number of different models of kettles, they almost all work according to the same scheme.

The equipment is connected to the power supply via a wire. The electric kettle receives power from the outlet. The kettle itself is placed on a massive platform on which there are special XP1 contacts. At the bottom of the kettle there is a special connector through which interaction with the contact group of the thermostat is carried out.

Electric kettle plugged in

Each electric kettle is also equipped with a thermal switch SA1. It can turn off the device manually or automatically after the water boils. In order to ensure the safety of the device, a special switch for thermal protection is installed in it. It must always be in working condition, and if the kettle is turned on without water, the device must be automatically turned off to prevent it from overheating.

After the kettle is connected to the power supply, the current will move towards the tubular heating element. A special light indicator will indicate that the equipment is in operating mode. On different equipment models it may be on the body of the kettle or on the platform.

Indicator light

Important: as soon as the water boils, the light turns off. This occurs as a result of the fact that steam begins to collect between the water and the lid of the kettle, that is, in the free space.

Then it flows through a special channel to the bimetallic plate. It is made from 2 different types of metal, so after heating occurs, the plate with the contacts begins to bend, which leads to the contacts opening. As a result, the electric kettle turns off. This is the correct operation of technology.

Electric kettle button

The reason that the electric kettle does not turn on may be the power button. It is on the handle. To check it, you need to remove the protective plastic. It is usually held in place by one or two screws, which are usually located somewhere at the bottom. We unscrew all the screws that we found, remove the plastic and examine the button.

Checking the button

This button is also called a thermal switch or thermal fuse. She turns off the kettle when it boils. There is a bimetallic plate that changes shape when heated. Having increased, the plate presses on the button and turns it off. And since a considerable current flows through the contacts of this device (up to 10 amperes or more), the contacts often burn or oxidize. Because of this, the device does not turn on at all, or turning it on again helps. But sometimes you have to hold the button until the kettle boils. If this is your case, the button is the reason.

For the most part, such a button needs to be replaced, but it will be difficult to find. So let's try to repair it.

Having pulled out the button, you need to ring it. We take a multimeter, press the button and measure the resistance by attaching the probes to the two terminals. It should be equal to zero. If a break or very high resistance is measured, the problem is in the contacts.

Checking the thermal switch of an electric kettle

Electric kettle button repair

If you discover a button malfunction, you can try to repair it. The contacts are hidden under a plastic cap and must be removed. Often the lid moves to the side, and then it can be pulled up and removed. Sometimes there are plastic latches. In general, we act carefully and remove the plastic part.

If the button on the kettle does not work, the contacts are most likely burnt

When we see oxidized or burnt contacts, we clean the metal until it shines. You can do this with fine-grit sandpaper, a needle file, or a metal nail file, but be careful not to scratch the plates too much. They should be smooth. It is better to remove the oxide film with a strip of felt.

After this operation, we again check the resistance of the switched on button. If it appears, you can try to assemble and turn on the kettle. If it helps, we consider ourselves lucky. If not, you will have to disassemble the kettle further.

It happens that the contact group has melted, then the button must be replaced completely. Finding exactly the right size is difficult. So, most likely, you will have to “collectively farm” something.

How does an electric kettle work?

Why doesn't the electric kettle boil indefinitely and turns off only after heating the water? To answer this question, you need to understand how an electric kettle works. This knowledge will help you quickly determine why the device is not working and how to fix it.

How it all began?

The first electric kettles appeared in Germany. The heating element was presented in the form of an electric stove, which was hidden under the body of the device. Copper and metal were used as materials for the body. Then they began to improve the device, adding automatic shutdown. They also began producing electric kettles made of plastic, glass and ceramics.

How does an electric kettle work?

In modern kettles, the heating element is presented in the form of an open spiral or disk. The latter option is better because it is hidden under the body of the device. The principle of operation of an electric kettle is as follows. First, it is filled with water, then connected to power. Water is heated from the bottom of the device. The heated layers begin to rise upward.

The water reaches boiling point and begins to release steam. This, in turn, acts on the bimetallic plates, which help complete the operation of the electric kettle. In other words, the device automatically turns off. By the way, if your kettle has turned your kitchen into a steam room and won’t turn off, check how tightly its lid is closed.

The water in the electric kettle stays hot for a long time. The device is installed on a stand. It turns a regular kettle into an electric one. A cord is connected to the stand. It can be removable, which makes using the kettle more comfortable. Also on the stand there is an element that activates the heating element of the device.

If you do not add water to the electric kettle and turn it on, the automatic shutdown will work. This function saves forgetful owners from damage to the device and fire. True, you won’t be able to use the kettle right away. The security program needs to be reset. In older models, this process is carried out manually.

The power button can be located under the handle of the device. Then, if it breaks, you will have to disassemble the handle itself. It can also be located on the lid of the kettle or above the handle.

The average user does not need to know how an electric kettle works. But, if you are planning to carry out home repairs and want to understand how water turns into boiling water, then the information provided will help you gain the necessary knowledge.

Electric kettle stand repair

The reason for a non-working electric kettle may also be hidden in the stand. There's nothing special to break there. There is only a contact group and leads from it, to which the electrical cord is connected. All this can break here - the wire falls off or the contact point oxidizes.

There is nothing particularly broken in the stand of an electric kettle

In most kettles, the wires from the cord are not soldered. Contact is achieved using copper contact connectors, which are placed on the terminals of the contact group. We carefully examine it and give it a good tug. If there is an oxide film (it is dark) or burnt areas, remove everything and clean it to clean and smooth metal.

If the contacts are clean but “moving”, remove it, press it with pliers and insert it into place. If the kettle is no longer under warranty, you can solder the contacts for reliability.

Although outwardly similar, cylindrical contacts may be different. Available with movable contacts between plastic protrusions

And also, it is worth taking a close look at the contact group. Despite the fact that they are similar, their structure may be different. There are those like in the right photo - with movable contacts that are located between cylindrical plastic protrusions. When pressed (with a toothpick, the end of a screwdriver, etc.), the contacts should move smoothly down. After the force is removed, they should return to their original position. Perhaps an oxide film or other contaminants are preventing the contact from moving, which is why the kettle does not work.

The second type of contact is with a pin in the center. There are usually fewer problems with it, but we look here too. You never know what could happen.

We remove even minor traces of dirt

In any case, we check for the presence of a dark film. This is an oxide deposit that acts as a dielectric, worsening contact. We remove dirt and plaque during repairs.

Repair of power indicator and backlight

For ease of use, the kettles are equipped with a power indicator. It can be made on the basis of a neon light bulb or LED. It can also be equipped with backlighting. In this case, the indicator can be combined with the backlight.

Electric kettle with light Polaris PWK 1767CGL

The indicator allows you to determine whether the kettle is properly installed on the stand or whether it is plugged into the outlet. It also performs some diagnostics. After all, if the light is on, but the water is not heated, this indicates a poor contact or a malfunction of the heater.

Electric kettle power indicator

The power indicator may be a neon light bulb or an LED connected to the terminals of the heating element. The light bulb is usually connected through a current-limiting resistor of about 200 kOhm. Malfunctions are extremely rare and usually breakage of conductors. The light bulb is checked by replacement, and the resistor is checked by a tester.

When using an LED, a rectifier (diode) and a current-limiting resistor are used. All together they form the so-called driver. The parts are checked by a tester.

LED lights

LEDs are chosen for illumination, as they have a high brightness. Neon is not suitable in this case. As in the case of indication, power is provided by the driver. The diagram is simple and is given below:

Simple LED Driver

Failures are rare and the weak link here is the LED.

Backlight and power indicator

Most electric kettles have a power indicator. It starts working simultaneously with the start button being turned on. Therefore, if the indicator does not light up, you should check that the plug is plugged into the socket or try putting the kettle on the stand again. It may well be that the device was installed crookedly and the connection to the network did not occur.

Such lighting is most often presented in the form of a neon light in the power button. More expensive models have LED water lighting.

Simple cleaning and switching on only when there is water will help the kettle last much longer and delight its owners with a tasty and fragrant drink without additional impurities.

Household appliances Kettle

Leak repair

Here, each case is individual, for example, you cannot repair a crack in the case and repair is impractical. The leak will appear again. But at the junction of the metal bottom of the disk with the flask, you can seal it.

It will only be possible to seal leaks with silicone superficially and the leak may appear in a new place.

In this case, it is best to disassemble the kettle completely and separate the flask. Clean everything thoroughly and apply silicone sealant to seal it. You can use a special, safe sealant such as RTV118Q or domestic VGO-1. They can withstand temperatures up to 260°C, but they are expensive. An ordinary inexpensive one that can withstand temperatures up to 180°C will do the job.

Just in case, after repairs, boil the kettle a couple of times to remove possible harmful substances.