- If you need clarification, ask it in the comment box above.
- Better answers use proper spelling and grammar.
- Provide details, support with references or personal experience.
Tell us some more! Your answer needs to include more details to help people.You can't post answers that contain an email address.Please enter a valid email address.The email address entered is already associated to an account.Login to postPlease use English characters only.
Tip: The max point reward for answering a question is 15.
Heating elements can internally short out and the electronic components would not allow to proceed with larger impending power draw.
It is a common failure and these devices can almost never be opened to check them and for repair. Almost every electric device has capacitors (current regulators) and those can be replaced (heating elements are exchanged on larger devices only) but in this matter a repair is soon inadvisable.
I had the same issue with all lights blinking, but nothing else working (buttons would not respond or beep). I took the base off and used a small pair of pliers to bend the contact as Scott Cowen mentioned. Worked like a charm.
I have the same problem. It started about a week ago and I have to keep flicking the on switch to get it finally working. I think there's a problem with the contact with the base. Not sure if it's worth getting a replacement part for it. It worked well for 4+ yrs!
I had a similar failure with my Braun WK600. Switch it on and the lights flicker and go out
before it boils. Took it apart (Tamper Proof TORX, available from
Snap-On, Canadian Tire, probably most auto parts places that also sell
tools). The On-Off switch has a mechanical lock out for the lid being
open and also for when it is not mounted on the base. The kettle also
has three bi-metallic temperature switches. One shuts off the kettle
after it has boiled long enough. The other two sit up against the
element assembly adjacent to each end of the heating element.They
protect against boiling an empty kettle by sensing the higher element
temperture when there is no water to conduct away the heat. In the case
where the lights flicker and go out, but the switch stays 'On' these
are the likely culprit. In my kettle the contacts did not line up
correctly. Instead of making good contact they were only partially
overlapping like a couple of the olympic rings or a couple of rings
from the Audi logo. This resulted in a localized increased resistance
and high heat in one of the contact holders which eventually melted the
surrounding plastic. At that point the wires going to the element
behaved a bit like springs which forced the contact holder further out
of alignment until it all became hot enough to trigger the thermal
switch. I fixed it by bending the contact holder, which is fused
into the now hardened plastic, to the optimal position and hopefully it
will not generate enough heat to remelt the plastic or trip the thermal
switch. I have boiled a couple of kettleful's; so far so good!
Oh, and if you take your kettle apart and your house burns down it is not my fault.
I had a similar failure. Switch it on and the lights flicker and go out before it boils. Took it apart (Tamper Proof TORX, available from Snap-On, Canadian Tire, probably most auto parts places that also sell tools). The On-Off switch has a mechanical lock out for the lid being open and also for when it is not mounted on the base. The kettle also has three bi-metallic temperature switches. One shuts off the kettle after it has boiled long enough. The other two sit up against the element assembly adjacent to each end of the heating element.They protect against boiling an empty kettle by sensing the higher element temperture when there is no water to conduct away the heat. In the case where the lights flicker and go out, but the switch stays 'On' these are the likely culprit. In my kettle the contacts did not line up correctly. Instead of making good contact they were only partially overlapping like a couple of the olympic rings or a couple of rings from the Audi logo. This resulted in a localized increased resistance and high heat in one of the contact holders which eventually melted the surrounding plastic. At that point the wires going to the element behaved a bit like springs which forced the contact holder further out of alignment until it all became hot enough to trigger the thermal switch. I fixed it by bending the contact holder, which is fused into the now hardened plastic, to the optimal position and hopefully it will not generate enough heat to remelt the plastic or trip the thermal switch. I have boiled a couple of kettlefuls; so far so good!
What ticks me off about this is that I don't mind getting 'Made In China' ****; everything comes from China anyway. But don't charge me a ridiculous amount of money and try to pretend that I am getting a superiour product. If I had paid twenty dollars or less for it I would just chuck it and get the same one again because it looks nice, pours well, doesn't burn the hands, worked OK for couple of years, etc. Instead I walk away from this feeling really ripped off. I have a house full of Braun products(shaver, kettle multiple tooth brushes) but now I won't buy any more.
Oh and if you take your kettle apart and your house burns down it is not my fault. There, now I feel better.
×