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.

Operating principle of an electric kettle

Before you take on 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 the 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 the 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. Next, electricity from the copper rings goes directly to the heating element, which is installed at the base of the kettle body. As a result of the circuit closing, the water heats up.

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.

How to repair a kettle?

We have looked at the main technical features, and now we will 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.):

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. The switch or overheat protection does not work. When considering the question of how to repair an electric kettle, most often in practice they 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 a strong deposit 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.
4. 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.

Good afternoon dear readers! Electric kettles have become a part of our lives and are one of the main appliances in the kitchen. Modern electric kettles come in a variety of shapes. Their body can be made of either stainless steel or heat-resistant plastic.

Most electric kettles turn off automatically when the water boils; there are also outdated models with manual shutdown. Let's look at the principle of operation and repair of electric kettles with our own hands.

And so the water is heated in the kettle using a heating element. It is attached to the housing using a threaded sleeve, or metal nuts, or screws that press it to a waterproof base. In different models they are washers, gaskets or bushings. Due to their damage, water leaks often occur.

The most common are kettles with a disk heating element. When water boils, steam passes through a small hole onto a bimetallic plate, which bends and acts on the electric kettle switch.

Many kettles have special protection that will turn it off if the water boils over or if they forget to pour water into it before turning it on. In order to control the water level in kettles, special water level indicators are provided.

The heating element is connected to the network using a flexible cord or wire equipped with a connector block and another plug. In cordless kettles, the power connector block is located on a stand, which is connected to the network using a cord. You can take such a kettle without unplugging it from the network.

For long-term operation of the kettle and safe operation, it must be filled with water correctly. Before filling it with water, first unplug it from the mains. Be sure to remove the cordless kettle from the stand.

If you don’t want to fill the kettle full, pour water into it so that the water completely covers the heating element. Pour at least a glass of water into a kettle with a disc heater. If there is not enough water, the heating element may burn out or the overheating protection will trip.

Overfilling the kettle is also strictly prohibited. This may cause burns when the water boils as water will splash out. Now let’s directly look at the malfunctions of our favorite electric kettles.

There are foreign particles in boiling water.

The appearance of foreign particles in boiling water is caused by damage to the mesh filter. It is installed in the vast majority of kettles and is designed to filter water from scale particles. Remove and inspect the filter. If it is damaged or clogged with scale, replace it with a new one.

The kettle heats up slowly.

The reason for this is most likely the formation of scale on the heating element. If scale is not removed in a timely manner, it may cause the heater to burn out. Therefore, it is necessary to remove scale from it as quickly as possible. There is one good descaling solution. To do this, purchase sachets of citric acid in the store. Pour water into the kettle, pour two bags of citric acid into it and let the water boil. If one boiling cycle is not enough to remove scale, boil the kettle several times in a row, allowing the water to cool slightly. Then drain the water, fill with clean water, and rinse well.

The kettle does not turn off.

1. The kettle lid is not closed properly. As a result, the steam does not fully affect the bimetallic plate. As a result, the plate cannot turn off the switch. Always close the lid tightly after filling the kettle.

2. The steam outlet is blocked. As a result of the formation of lime deposits, the steam outlet may become blocked and steam will not reach the bimetallic plate. This is especially true for older models of electric kettles, since they have a small hole. On modern ones it is larger, so it is much more difficult to clog it. Descale the kettle and clean the steam outlet.

3. The switch is faulty. Perhaps the switch itself is damaged or the bimetallic plate is not able to act on the switch. If the plate or pusher of the switch is damaged, it is ignited. The contacts of the switch may also become soldered and it will be constantly on. On classic-type kettles, it will be difficult to check the switch paired with a bimetallic plate, since they are structurally integral with the heater (heating element).

The switch on the kettle-jug is made as a separate part. It is mounted in the handle of the kettle. To check it, remove the casing from the handle and carefully inspect it. Check the status of its contacts. If they are burnt or the switch housing is tampered with, replace it with a new one. Using a tester, check the operation of the switch. If you find out that the switch is faulty, replace it and reassemble the kettle. Install all wires and parts in their places.

4. Kettle switch switches off too early . The cause of this malfunction is too sensitive protection or a faulty switch. This occurs as a result of the natural aging properties of the bimetallic strip. Replace the switch block with a new one. If you want to experiment, you can try changing the sensitivity of the bimetallic strip by bending it.

Also pay attention to the protection against overheating of the kettle. It is possible for contacts to open at temperatures below the boiling point of water. Opening of contacts must occur at a temperature of at least 110 degrees Celsius. In disk heaters it is pressed against the plate on the reverse side. You can completely remove it from the circuit and check the operation of the kettle. If the kettle turns off normally, then you can operate the kettle as is. But the main thing here is to remember that when the water boils, the kettle will not turn off and the heater will burn out! This could cause a fire!

Water is leaking from the kettle.

1. Water level indicator is faulty . Most likely the indicator has cracks or connections are leaking. Replace the indicator if it is removable.

2. The heating element is loose . Carefully tighten the nut and screws securing the heating element. Then fill the kettle with water and see if there is any leakage again.

3. The sealing gasket is damaged . By tightening the heating element, the leak will not be eliminated. Replace damaged gasket.

4. Damage to the kettle body. Dropping a plastic kettle on the floor or corroding a metal kettle can cause a leak. In this case, the kettle can no longer be restored. You'll have to buy a new one.

The kettle doesn't heat up at all.

1. The plug is faulty. Check the condition of the plug.

2. Break in the power cord. Using a tester, check the serviceability of the cord. If the wires are broken, replace them with a new one.

3. No power supply. Check the operation of other household appliances. If they do not work, perhaps the protection on the power panel has tripped (the circuit breaker has turned off, the fuses have blown).

4. The switch on the kettle does not stay in the on position. If the wear is severe, the switch will not turn on. Replace it.

5. The kettle's overheating protection has tripped. This can happen if the kettle continues to work after the water has boiled away. In this case, wait about 10 minutes. During this time it will cool down and turn on again.

6. The heating element is faulty. The formation of scale on the heating element significantly shortens its service life. Therefore, periodically clean it as it accumulates scale. Check it with a tester by applying probes to its terminals. It should indicate the presence of a circuit. The resistance of a working element should be about 20-30 Ohms. Replace the faulty element with a new one or buy a new kettle.

7. The kettle base is faulty. Remove the lid from the kettle stand and carefully inspect the wires and contact connections. If they are damaged or burnt, try cleaning and bending them. Carry out the same check of the contacts on the kettle itself, after first removing the cover on the bottom of the device. Reassemble the kettle and check its operation. Do-it-yourself electric kettle repair.

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, an electric kettle will help to heat the water for these drinks, and you 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 the blue LED backlight of the 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 installing, a 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.

Electric kettles - thermoses, or thermopots, serve regularly for 2 - 3 years, then they usually fail. The main reasons for this are: they stop boiling water, they don’t pour boiling water and because of water leakage. There is a lot of material on the Internet about repairing thermopots, but there are almost no diagrams. The article briefly describes models of thermopots, the diagrams of which are copied from products whose malfunctions the author encountered during repairs. The article provides examples of circuit solutions used in most models of modern thermopots, despite the large number of clones produced by various companies.

In the above diagrams, the designations of most parts correspond to those indicated on the boards. For different models of thermopots, the secondary power supply circuits and control units are very different. All thermopots have a container for boiling water made of stainless steel. Thermal electric heaters, heating elements, usually two of them, are fixed in its lower part for boiling and heating water, in this case they are located in one block, which has three outputs. At the bottom of the container there is a thermal switch for a temperature of 88 - 96 degrees C or a temperature sensor, which gives a signal to turn off the heating element of the boiler when the desired water temperature is reached. On the side wall of the container there are mounted a thermal switch connected in series for a temperature of 102 - 110 degrees C and an FU fuse for 125 degrees C/10A, placed in a silicone tube. They turn off the power supply to the thermopot when the temperature of the boiling container increases due to lack of water or in the event of a short circuit. To supply hot water in thermopots, the same type of 12 V DC electric motors with a centrifugal pump are used.

Most of the thermopot parts are located on two boards. The control board, on which the control buttons and LEDs are located, is located in the upper part of the case. The main board, on which most of the power connectors, control units, relays, sources and secondary voltage stabilizers are located, is located in the lower part of the case under the boiling water container. Both boards are connected to each other by wire harnesses with connectors.

The diagram of the Elenberg TN-6030 thermopot is shown in Fig. 1. Earlier, in 2014, the author posted it on the go-radio website, so a link to this site is provided. The TN-6030 circuit is quite simple and completely analog. Constantly, a pulsating current flows through the water heating element EK1 and the diode VD9 in only one direction, so the resistance of this heating element is two times less than a similar heating element of the same power in other models, where it is powered by alternating current. When the electric motor is turned on, a constant pulsating current of a different polarity, up to 150 mA, begins to flow through it and the VD10 diode, and alternating current flows through the EK1 heating element. Automatic switching on and off of the heating element for boiling water EK2 is carried out by thermal switch SF1. Forced switching on of the heating element EK2 for up to 2 minutes is carried out by contacts K1.1 of relay K1. To transistors VT1 - VT2 of the control stage of relay K1, a constant voltage of 14 V, stabilized by the chain R3 and VD6, is supplied from the diode bridge VD1 - VD4. A common malfunction of this thermopot model is the burnout of the contacts of the thermal switch SF1, because all the current of the heating element EK2 passes through it. Replacing the thermal switch is not difficult; you just need to unscrew two screws on the flange and rearrange the two power connectors. Detailed videos of this replacement are available on the Internet.

Another malfunction is poor operation of the hot water supply pump. Its reason is an increase in friction on the rotor axis of an electric motor operating at elevated temperatures due to deterioration in the quality of the lubricant. The magnetic clutch of the pump consists of a magnetic disk mounted on the rotor shaft of the electric motor and a pump impeller mounted on the axle shaft in the cover of the pump housing. A magnetic disk is also fixed at the base of the impeller. A sealed gasket is installed between the two magnetic disks. Rice. 2.

The author lubricated the rotor support points at the ends of the electric motor housing with ordinary spindle oil. It helped for a couple of months. It is difficult to get to the front support point, I had to disassemble the pump and pour oil under the magnetic disk, and turn it with my finger, at this moment the electric motor is in a vertical position so that the oil flows into the right place. The remaining oil is poured over the edge. There is no need to remove the disk from the rotor axis; a couple of removals and it will not stay on the rotor axis. It’s easier to immediately replace the engine with the pump.

Water leaks in thermopots rarely occur, usually due to mechanical damage. One day, the cause of water appearing under the kettle turned out to be a barely noticeable crack in the upper part of the plastic case, under the lid, running along the rim of the container for boiling water. Steam penetrated into this crack, which then condensed on the inner surface of the case walls, and the plastic crumbled along the crack. That kettle was beyond repair.

The diagram of the Vitek VT-1188 thermopot is shown in Fig. 3. In this model, a secondary voltage of 12 - 14 V is supplied to the control units from transformer T1, installed at the bottom of the housing under the water tank, and from the rectifier bridge VD1 - VD4. A voltage of 5 V from the ic2 stabilizer is supplied to power the ic1 processor, which controls the entire operation of the thermopot. At the command of optocoupler ic3, processor ic1 should signal the activation of protection, SF1 or FU1, although it is not clear how - a buzzer is not installed in this model. At the bottom of the boiling tank there is an RT temperature sensor installed from two MF58 thermistors connected in parallel with a negative TKS in KD-3 housings. The boiler shutdown temperature is set manually using the sw2 button. Thermopots VT-1188 and VT-1187 do not have a heating element for heating water, which is why turning on and off the heating element for boiling, EK1 occurs more often than in other models. Therefore, in the VT-1188, the relay contacts burn out more often and the heating element burns out. The case of burnout of the relay mounting pin on the board is described in. If all these malfunctions occur, the kettle's display and pump motor work normally, but the water does not boil. If the relay contacts burn and stick, or transistor Q1 breaks down, the boiling mode may not turn off. When repairing these breakdowns, faulty parts are replaced.

Photo of the main board VT-1188. Rice. 4.

The VT-1191 thermopot diagram is shown in Fig. 5. The secondary voltage source for the control units is pulsed, made on the VIPer 12A microcircuit using a transformerless circuit. The constant voltage of 18 V at its output is filtered by capacitors EL3, C3 and inductor L2, then reduced by the zener diode ZD2 to 12 V. The control circuit operates on the ic1 processor, there are no markings on its body, there is only a label indicating the model of the thermopot. A voltage of 5 V is supplied to ic1 from the stabilizer on transistor Q4 and zener diode ZD3. The VT-1191 thermopot has two heating elements: EK1 for boiling and EK2 for heating water. Contacts K1,1 of relay K1 alternately connect the terminals of one of them to the network, depending on the voltage at pin No. 5 of ic1, which is supplied to the base of transistor Q1 through connector CN1, LED HL2 and R7. A small base current of transistor Q2 flows through thermal switch SF2, so SF2 is connected to the board and pin No. 4 of ic1 with a low-current connector. The electric motor is turned on by transistor Q3 when “+” appears at pin No. 3 of ic1. The malfunction of the thermopot was manifested in the fact that it did not boil or pour water, only the green HL3 indicator was on. The cause of the breakdown was the failure of the ic1 processor.

Fig.6 Photo of the main board VT-1191, fixed in the thermopot housing.

A lot of advice on repairing thermopots has already been given, but I’ll add two more:

1) Take photographs of the entire process of disassembling and repairing the kettle. This will then facilitate its subsequent assembly and especially the installation of power connectors. (Fig. 6).

2) If the housings of low-current connectors installed on boards wobble even slightly in their places, these housings must be glued to the board and the contacts must be soldered. Failure of connector contacts after repair and assembly of the thermopot can lead to new malfunctions.

Bibliography

• “Repair of electric kettle relay Vitek VT-1188”
• Radio magazine 2016-8-35.

An electric kettle is the most common household appliance that every family probably has today. Its popularity is due to its speed of boiling water, which is superior to other heating methods. Therefore, these simple devices have won a special place not only in the home, but also in offices and other workplaces, where you can enjoy hot tea or coffee during a break. But, like any other equipment, an electric kettle can also fail, and its owners will probably have a question: is it possible to fix this device with your own hands, without going to a repair shop?

Design and principle of operation of electric kettles

An electric kettle is a household appliance, the design and operating principle of which can be understood even by a person who knows little about technology. All kettles are designed the same way, regardless of the model, and work according to the same scheme. They consist of the following main components and elements:

• the body, which is also a flask for water (some models of electric kettles have a separate bowl placed in the body);
• a heating element in the form of an open spiral, similar to a boiler, located directly at the bottom of the water container or (like most modern electric kettles) in the form of a disk heating element;

  This heating element is located at the bottom of the water flask

  The disc has a smooth surface on the inside

• a stand (base), on which there is a connector for connecting the kettle and a power cord for connecting to a household electrical outlet (all modern electric kettles that are cordless have it);

  The base is only available in cordless models

• power connector pads on the bottom of the kettle base, which can have a central (like most models) or side location;
• a thermostat that serves to turn off the kettle when it boils;

  This type of thermostat is installed under the button

• power buttons.

Today on sale you can find electric kettles with a thermostat, with which you can heat water not only to 100°C, but also to any desired temperature, and even maintain this temperature for a certain time. This property is necessary for proper brewing of various types of tea (black, green, white, red), each of which requires water at different temperatures from 60 to 90°C. An electric kettle with a thermostat is an ideal purchase if there is a small child in the family. After all, preparing baby food formulas does not require boiling water, and with the help of such a device you can set the desired temperature. And for adults, repeated boiling of water is highly undesirable if they adhere to a healthy diet.

In this model, the control panel is located on a stand

Naturally, each model of electric kettles has its own design features, but they are not fundamentally different in design.

The operating principle of the electric kettle is also quite simple. When heated, the heating element heats the water in the flask until it boils. Steam is supplied through special channels to the bimetallic plate of the thermostat, made of metals with different coefficients of thermal expansion; when it bends, it presses on the button lever or opens the contact terminals, disconnecting the device from the network.

The diagram shows the movement of steam through the channels in the handle, but the tube in the kettle itself can also be used for this purpose

The most common faults

The following malfunctions are typical for electric kettles:

Failure of the heating element. The cause of the defect is scale formed on the heating element, which makes it difficult to transfer heat to water, and the coil itself heats up. Heating elements of the spiral type are more susceptible to such damage than disk heating elements, which require more time to form a critical layer of scale. The reason for the burnout of the heating element can also be a violation of the operating rules, for example, if the kettle was plugged in, forgetting to pour water into it.

The electric kettle power button is broken. There are two possible reasons for this - the formation of carbon deposits and oxidation on the contacts of the button, or a break in the rod connecting it to the power supply terminals.

1. Leakage in the housing of an electrical appliance. This malfunction is more typical for kettles with a plastic body, as well as those equipped with a disk heating element. In the first case, the breakdown may be a consequence of deformation of the kettle due to overheating at the place where the heating element is attached, and with disk heaters, the cause is corrosion along the seam connecting the disk to the body of the electric kettle. Often the cause of such a breakdown is a deteriorated seal or cracked glass of the water level indicator.

Premature shutdown of an electrical appliance. This malfunction is a consequence of scale. The water does not have time to boil, but the heating element has already overheated and the thermostat disconnects the device from the network.

Failure of the thermostat. The design of electric kettles with a thermostat contains additional components and parts - a thermometer, temperature sensors, a memory unit, an electronic board and a control panel. The more parts a device has, the lower its reliability and the higher the likelihood of any of them breaking. In kettles with thermostats, the regulator itself most often fails, in which the contacts oxidize or burn.

Breakdowns that allow you to return the electric kettle to the store

You can return a faulty electric kettle to the store during the warranty period if during this period its significant shortcomings have appeared, namely the following faults:

• irreparable damage;
• periodically repeated breakdown of the same unit;
• a breakdown that cannot be repaired without disproportionate costs close to the cost of the kettle itself;
• a malfunction that requires a long time to eliminate, as a result of which the device cannot be used for more than 30 days throughout the year.

There can be a variety of malfunctions here, but the most serious of them are leaks not associated with mechanical damage and leaky gaskets, but arising due to deformation of the housing or damage as a result of corrosion processes.

Significant breakdowns include the failure of the heating element, provided that the kettle was used correctly and there is no scale on the heating element.

Electric kettles are household appliances that are included in the list of technically complex goods. Therefore, you can return them back to the store with a refund of the money paid only if they are of inadequate quality. When contacting the store with a written complaint, you need to indicate a breakdown that is often repeated or requires costs. comparable to the cost of an electric kettle.

The seller has the right to offer the buyer to contact the service center, but if the breakdown has not been fixed within 20 days, the store is obliged to return the money or exchange the device for a new one. The seller also has the right to appoint, at his own expense, an examination of the product, which will determine whether the breakdown was caused by the user or whether it is caused by a manufacturing defect. In the first case, the buyer must reimburse all costs for the examination. In the event of a defect due to the fault of the manufacturer, you can demand not only a refund, but also compensation for moral damages. Moral damage can only be claimed by a court decision.

Diagnosis of electric kettle malfunctions

To determine the reasons for the breakdown of the electric kettle, you only need a screwdriver needed to disassemble it, and an electrical measuring instrument - a multimeter or avometer. The diagnostic procedure for this device is quite simple. It consists of sequential ringing of the electric circuit of the kettle, starting from the plug connecting it to the electrical connector, and to the heating element.

Checking with a tester

If the electric kettle does not turn on, does not heat up, and the operation indicator light does not even light up, diagnosing the device, no matter how strange it may sound, should begin by checking the presence of voltage in the electrical outlet into which the device is connected. To do this, you can connect any other electrical household appliance that is known to work, or measure the voltage with a tester.

If there is voltage in the network, you need to diagnose the kettle itself. To do this you will need:

1. Check the serviceability of the appliance plug, connecting cord and contact group on the stand to which the electric kettle is connected. In the dialing mode, having finished one probe of the multimeter with the pin of the plug, with the second probe we alternately touch the contacts on the base connector. As a rule, there are three of them, and they correspond to two current-carrying conductors and a grounding contact connected to the device body. On the stand they can be located in the middle in the form of circles or on the side in the form of a three-fingered connector. At which contact the device signal sounds corresponds to the pin of the plug, which indicates the integrity of this cable core and contact groups. We repeat a similar operation for the second pin on the plug and the ground contact. If the ringing occurs along all three lines, it means that the base is working and can be put aside and begin diagnosing the kettle.
2. Since the fault lies in the electrical appliance itself, you need to remove its bottom cover. To do this, you will need to unscrew three screws (sometimes there are more - 4 or 6).
3. The next step is to ring the power connector terminal block at the base of the kettle. Usually it is combined with a thermostat and mounted on thermal paste. Before unscrewing it, you should disconnect the cable that goes with it. The left and right contacts of the block, when they are closed to the corresponding elements of the device connector, must ring, respectively, each on its own ring - internal or external. If this does not happen, you need to disassemble the block by removing the bottom plate of the thermostat and clean the contacts with sandpaper or a file, removing carbon deposits and oxidation from them. Along the way, you need to check the availability of contact

   After cleaning the contacts, the block must be reassembled and ringed again. If the defect is eliminated, screw it into place.

4. Next, the functionality of the kettle's power button is checked. To do this, touch one probe of the multimeter to the contact of the wire going to the button, and with the second, touch the wire coming from the button to the heating element. When the switch is in the off position, there should be no reaction, and when the button is turned on, the device will give a sound signal, symbolizing that there is a circuit, which means the button is working. Otherwise, you need to replace it or try to repair it.
5. At the last stage of diagnostics, the serviceability of the heating element is checked. To do this, you need to ring the output contacts of the spiral, to which the wires from the central connector of the stand and from the button are connected. If the ringing occurs, it means that the spiral is not broken. By completing one of the leads of the heating element with its body, you can check whether the broken spiral is shorted to the body of the heating element. If the device gives a signal, a breakdown occurs on the housing, and the heating element is considered faulty.

Video: Diagnostics of an electric kettle with a multimeter

Diagnostics of a kettle with a thermostat

The presence of additional structural elements in electric kettles with a thermostat, compared to conventional devices that can only boil water, somewhat complicates the diagnosis of devices that are more saturated with details. But difficulty here can only arise when determining the health of the electronic board and memory unit. However, it is quite simple to determine that the cause of the kettle breakdown lies precisely in the thermostat.

When diagnosing kettles that heat water to a certain temperature, there are two possible options for placing the control panel:

• in a teapot stand

• on the electrical appliance itself (usually on its handle).

Typically, electric kettles with adjustable heating temperatures have not three contacts in the connector of the base-device connection, but five. Two more contacts for the thermistor are added to the power circuit for the heating element (two cable cores) and the grounding contact.

The ringing of a kettle with a thermostat is carried out in the same sequence as for a conventional electric kettle:

1. First of all, you need to determine which of the contacts on the device’s stand correspond to grounding and the two wires of the power cable. To do this, in the dialing mode, having finished one multimeter probe with a pin on the plug, with the second we touch the contacts on the stand connector one by one. We repeat a similar operation for the second cable core and grounding.
2. The remaining two contact rings included in the thermistor circuit must be checked for resistance. The device should show a certain resistance of approximately 100 kOhm. With other readings (1 or infinity), we can conclude that there is a malfunction in the thermostat circuit.
3. If everything is in order with the stand, you need to ring the kettle itself, as was already described earlier. When ringing individual elements of the circuit (power button, heating element, terminal block, with which the thermostat is usually combined), you must first disconnect the electronic part of the thermostat and temperature sensors.

Checking the heating element coil

Knowing the power for which an electric kettle is designed, you can easily calculate what resistance the spiral of its heating element should have. To do this, you should first calculate the current strength, which can be found by dividing the power in watts by the network voltage (220 V). Next, according to Ohm's law, well known to everyone from the school physics curriculum, to find the resistance, we divide the voltage in the network by the current. For example, for an electrical appliance with a heating element power of 2000 W, the current will be 2000 W / 220 V = 9.09 A, and the resistance of the nichrome spiral will be 220 V / 9.09 A = 24.20 Ohm.

The calculated resistance of the heating element spiral should not differ significantly from the actual one. To measure it, you need to remove the bottom cover of the kettle and measure it with a multimeter, setting it to resistance measurement mode.

How to fix an electric kettle with your own hands

The fairly simple design of electric kettles allows you to fix many of their malfunctions yourself, without contacting service workshops. But you can start repairing it yourself only if the warranty period for the electrical device has already expired. Let's look at some of the most common problems that can be easily solved if you have a simple tool at home and, without fail, an electrical measuring device.

If the kettle begins to leak, you must first of all identify the place where its seal is broken. It could be:

• leakage along the gasket installed at the junction of the disk heating element with the inner walls of the housing;
• water leakage in the place where the open-type heating element is attached;
• flow along the glass of the level gauge, which shows to what level the water in the kettle is filled.
• presence of a crack in the body of the electric kettle.

In the first case, the cause of depressurization of the flask may be a leaky gasket, or scale getting under the gasket. For any of these options you must:

1. Remove the bottom lid of the kettle.
2. Disconnect the top cover, which is usually held on by latches and can be easily removed.
3. Remove the heating element along with the gasket by pushing it out by hand.
4. After removing the rubber gasket from the disk heating element, thoroughly rinse the kettle itself, its heating element and the sealing ring. If the latter has abrasions, tears or excessive wear, the gasket must be replaced with a new one.
5. It is good to dry the heating element with all the parts attached to it with a hairdryer.
6. Reassemble in the reverse order, and after filling the kettle with water, place it on a dry cloth for 15 - 20 minutes. If leaks no longer appear, we can assume that the defect has been eliminated.

This process can be seen more clearly in the following video.

Video: Fixing leaks in an electric kettle with a disk heating element

If an electric kettle with a heating element in the form of an open spiral has a leak at the place where the heating element is attached, you must:

1. Remove the bottom cover of the electrical device housing, as well as the cover on its handle to provide access to the heating element mounting nuts.
2. If the fastener is loose, you need to tighten it and check if the problem is resolved.
3. If the tightness is not restored by tightening the fasteners, you need to dismantle the top cover of the kettle and, unscrewing the fastening screws, remove the spiral along with the gasket.
4. Thoroughly clean the surface of the heating element adjacent to the gasket and the sealing ring itself from scale. If necessary, replace the gasket.

How to disassemble a kettle with an open spiral heater and remove the heating element along with the gasket can be seen in detail in the following video.

Video: How to remove a spiral heating element with a gasket from an electric kettle

Leakage of the kettle along the glass of the level gauge may be the result of wear of the silicone gaskets or the appearance of microcracks in the plexiglass itself. And if the problem with the gaskets is solved quite simply (by replacing them), then to get rid of the cracks you will have to resort to using glue.

For gluing plexiglass (or plexiglass), professional adhesive Acrifix 116 or 117, vinegar essence, moment glue “Moment”, as well as adhesive compositions Cosmofen or Colakril can be used.

If there are cracks in the body, it is better to purchase a new kettle, since any glue that you try will be in contact with water, which is undesirable for health. The process of eliminating a leak on the glass of the level gauge can be seen in the following video.

Video: Eliminating leakage of a kettle on the glass of a level gauge

The reason that the electric kettle does not turn off when boiling may be:

• unclosed or loosely closed top cover;
• clogging of the hole for supplying steam to the bimetallic plate of the thermostat;
• faulty button or thermostat.

After checking whether the lid is tightly closed, use a toothpick to clean the steam outlet hole, which is located under the lid at the junction of the handle and the body. If the problem is not resolved, you need to remove the bottom cover of the kettle, and then proceed according to the following algorithm:

1. Remove the bottom cover of the electric kettle body and the cover on its handle. A bimetallic plate, which should, when arched, turn off the button or electricity access to it, is available both on the button and under the terminal box of the kettle, where the thermostat is usually located.
2. Make sure that the contacts are intact and that they can open under the action of the bimetallic strip. If the contacts are stuck to each other, or the pin that should open them has melted, you need to restore the functionality of this system, and if it is impossible to eliminate the breakdown, replace the problematic part - a button or thermostat.
3. Reassemble the device in reverse order and check if this problem is resolved.

Another problem that may arise when using electric kettles is when the water has not yet boiled, but the device is already turned off. This defect can occur due to scale formed on the heating element, which prevents the transfer of heat to the water and heats the coil itself. If the coil overheats, the thermal fuse or thermostat at the base of the kettle is triggered. In this case, you need to descale the kettle, for which you can use:

• special household chemicals “Antinakipin” or Major Domus;
• Coca-Cola, which contains phosphoric acid;
• citric acid at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon for 500 ml of water;
• baking soda 3 - 4 tbsp. spoons per 1 liter. water.

These solutions need to be boiled in a kettle and held for 15 - 20 minutes, after which boil clean water in it 3 - 4 times for rinsing.

If there is no scale on the heating element, you need to check the thermostat contact. It may be too close to the bimetal pusher and just needs to be bent back a little, as demonstrated in the following video.

Video: What to do if the kettle turns off without boiling

There are times when the kettle does not turn on, this means that there is a break in its electrical circuit somewhere. It may be associated with burning and oxidation of contacts. To eliminate the malfunction, you need to find the location of the rupture, as was already described earlier about fault diagnosis.

If the electric kettle does not heat water, but its light is on, this may indicate a break in the nichrome spiral of the heating element or burnout of its leads. In the first case, the heating element will need to be replaced, and in the second, the contacts will need to be cleaned.

A situation may arise when the electric kettle button does not lock. The cause of such a breakdown is a slipped or burst spring. To eliminate the defect you must:

1. Remove the lid from the handle by unscrewing the screws under the top lid of the kettle and prying it with a screwdriver to release its latches from the grooves.
2. Remove the button by disconnecting the wires from it and unscrewing the screw.
3. After disassembling the button, replace the spring that came off.
4. If the spring is broken, the easiest way is to replace the button with a new one, because it is unlikely that you will be able to find a similar spare part.
5. Reassemble the kettle in reverse order.

Replacing the disc heater

Electric kettles with a disk heater are especially vulnerable to the formation of rust, which corrodes the metal, damaging their surface and compromising the seal of the electrical appliance. With such a defect, the device is not operational. The only way out is to replace the disk, which requires:

1. Remove the bottom of the kettle by unscrewing the screws (in some models it is also held in place by latches).
2. Remove the top cover.
3. Putting your hand into the kettle, squeeze out the heating element along with the silicone gasket.
4. Disconnect all components and parts installed on it from the disk.
5. Connect the terminal block, thermostat and other elements to the new heating element and assemble the kettle in the reverse order.

How to replace the spiral

To check the serviceability of a spiral heating element, you need to measure its resistance. If the multimeter shows one or infinity, the heating element needs to be replaced. To do this you need:

1. Remove the bottom, lid of the kettle and the cover on the handle to get to the screws securing the heating element.
2. Disconnect the supply wires from the spiral terminals.
3. Unscrew the three screws securing the heating element and remove it from the kettle.
4. Place a silicone gasket on the new heating element (can be removed from a burnt-out coil if it is not scuffed or damaged) and, installing it in the mounting hole, tighten it with screws.
5. Reassemble the device in reverse order.

The process of replacing the spiral is clearly shown in the following video.

Video: Replacing the spiral heating element of an electric kettle

How to connect an electric kettle directly

Connecting the electric kettle directly is carried out as a temporary measure if the power button fails. If it cannot be repaired, and at the moment there is nothing to replace it with, you just need to disconnect the wiring that goes to the button and connect them together with a twist. When connected directly, the device will no longer turn off automatically, and you need to ensure that it is turned off so that the heating element does not burn out.

An electric kettle today is available to people with different incomes, who can simply buy a new device if the old one breaks down. But if this is not possible at the moment, you can easily fix it yourself without spending money on paying for the services of a repairman.