Cheap kettles

[Jim Blockley]

Hi folks,

I've gone and blown one of the kettle elements in my home made boiler. I used tesco value kettles last time, but it doesn't seem to do them anymore. Has anyone found anything cheap recently that will work with the standard 'hot condition euro sockets' or similar?

I bought one from Morrison's the other day, but the three pins are too short to engage with the socket on the lead.

Thanks in advance.

Jim.

[Fil]

I found the same with my tesco sourced elements too, was for a sit on base jug jobby so i used a couple of £shop snaplock food containers as backing to fix a switch and cable gland for a permanent lead to each element, reusing the budget kettle flex and plug, reshaping the crimped on ends with pliers so they pinch tight on the stubby element prongs..

[Jim Blockley]

Thanks Fil. I'll look into that. Any issues with polarity - I can't work out which pin on the element is +ve / - ve...

I'm not sure I'm up to wiring a switch, so will probably just unplug as necessary!

[Fil]

afaik (and its not a lot as im not qualified in any way to give electrical advice) elements are like light bulbs and which pin is live or neutral isnt important. the earth is the central pin. and any switching is done on the live (brown) wire.

before u go any further tho are u sure the original element is dead? mine got fitted without pulling any of the overboil protection, and worked a treat for a while, then one died, 1/2 hour later it came back on!! i then pulled the metal ring and white pin from the elements and never had the problem again..

[Jim Blockley]

Thanks, I'll give it a try. The old one's definitely gone...

[hophit]

Argos do £5 kettles.

[naturals]

Argos do £5 kettles.

I got mine from Asda - £5 a go and the elements accept a kettle socket. The pins are a little on the short side so the plug has a tendency to sag, but nothing too bad.

[Jim Blockley]

So I went to a big tesco in the next big town, and they had kettles for a fiver. Looks like the pins are long enough. Perhaps they rebranded the box because of some negative reviews. Hopefully I'll get a decent vigorous boil on my next brew, I ended up with too much thin wort when one element gave up half way through last time. If anyone needs it I'll post a picture of the mod. I can't believe I still love making beer but I do!

Jim.