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Post by kate on Sept 15, 2024 11:36:27 GMT
My kettle lead warms up when I boil a kettle.
I'm currently using a 2200w kettle so not even a 3kw one.
I've just ordered a 750w kettle and though I appreciate the total power used will be the same, do you think this will stop the lead warming up? I'm asking before two kettles are destined for the recycle site (which will mean a taxi there and back!) to get rid of them.
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Post by peterob on Sept 15, 2024 12:28:17 GMT
My kettle lead warms up when I boil a kettle. I'm currently using a 2200w kettle so not even a 3kw one. I've just ordered a 750w kettle and though I appreciate the total power used will be the same, do you think this will stop the lead warming up? I'm asking before two kettles are destined for the recycle site (which will mean a taxi there and back!) to get rid of them. All leads warm up to some extent. How much depends on their internal resistance. They'll warm up more if coiled* up or damaged by repeated bending. These days the cables tend to be fairly thick and inflexible so fatiguing the wires by bending isn't so common as it used to be with old red/black wires in a woven sheath. The cable will also warm at the kettle end by conduction. I'd worry if it was hot to touch, that would suggest that the resistance was very high due to damage or age. I took the fuse out of the plug to our immersion heater because the last time I tried to see if it were working it got very hot for no obvious reason. That cable must be over 50 years old! The element is only 10 years old, the plumber just reused the existing cable. Your new kettle will take about three times longer to boil the same amount of water. It is about 1/3 the power of your existing one so will take three times longer to supply the energy needed to boil the water. *which is why extension cables should be fully extended before use, especially if used toward their capacity. |
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Post by kate on Sept 15, 2024 12:44:38 GMT
My kettle lead warms up when I boil a kettle. I'm currently using a 2200w kettle so not even a 3kw one. I've just ordered a 750w kettle and though I appreciate the total power used will be the same, do you think this will stop the lead warming up? I'm asking before two kettles are destined for the recycle site (which will mean a taxi there and back!) to get rid of them. All leads warm up to some extent. How much depends on their internal resistance. They'll warm up more if coiled* up or damaged by repeated bending. These days the cables tend to be fairly thick and inflexible so fatiguing the wires by bending isn't so common as it used to be with old red/black wires in a woven sheath. The cable will also warm at the kettle end by conduction. I'd worry if it was hot to touch, that would suggest that the resistance was very high due to damage or age. I took the fuse out of the plug to our immersion heater because the last time I tried to see if it were working it got very hot for no obvious reason. That cable must be over 50 years old! The element is only 10 years old, the plumber just reused the existing cable. Your new kettle will take about three times longer to boil the same amount of water. It is about 1/3 the power of your existing one so will take three times longer to supply the energy needed to boil the water. *which is why extension cables should be fully extended before use, especially if used toward their capacity. Thank you for that explanation. Yes, the cable is just warm at the plug/socket end, but not what I would say, hot. Maybe I'm OK with the 2200w kettles then. Thank you. |
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Post by peterob on Sept 15, 2024 12:49:41 GMT
All leads warm up to some extent. How much depends on their internal resistance. They'll warm up more if coiled* up or damaged by repeated bending. These days the cables tend to be fairly thick and inflexible so fatiguing the wires by bending isn't so common as it used to be with old red/black wires in a woven sheath. The cable will also warm at the kettle end by conduction. I'd worry if it was hot to touch, that would suggest that the resistance was very high due to damage or age. I took the fuse out of the plug to our immersion heater because the last time I tried to see if it were working it got very hot for no obvious reason. That cable must be over 50 years old! The element is only 10 years old, the plumber just reused the existing cable. Your new kettle will take about three times longer to boil the same amount of water. It is about 1/3 the power of your existing one so will take three times longer to supply the energy needed to boil the water. *which is why extension cables should be fully extended before use, especially if used toward their capacity. Thank you for that explanation. Yes, the cable is just warm at the plug/socket end, but not what I would say, hot. Maybe I'm OK with the 2200w kettles then. Thank you. In the interests of science I made a cup of tea. I'd say the lead was warmer (no longer as cold to touch) after than before, more noticeably under the plug. |
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Post by andy on Sept 15, 2024 14:27:23 GMT
Thank you for that explanation. Yes, the cable is just warm at the plug/socket end, but not what I would say, hot. Maybe I'm OK with the 2200w kettles then. Thank you. In the interests of science I made a cup of tea. I'd say the lead was warmer (no longer as cold to touch) after than before, more noticeably under the plug. Same here. Not hot enough to be concerned about, just slightly warm. Under the kettle it says 2550-3000w and it's a Tesco one. |
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Post by geoffr on Sept 15, 2024 15:50:22 GMT
For future reference, power = current squared x resistance.
Thus a 2.2Kw kettle will draw around 9A, square that and multiply that by the resistance of the cable which should be under 0.1 ohms and you get something like 8W. In practice the cable will have a lower resistance than 0.1 ohms but you get the idea. Any current flowing through a conductor will make the conductor heat up to some extent.
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Post by Chester PB on Sept 17, 2024 21:00:26 GMT
My kettle lead warms up when I boil a kettle. I'm currently using a 2200w kettle so not even a 3kw one. I've just ordered a 750w kettle and though I appreciate the total power used will be the same, do you think this will stop the lead warming up? I'm asking before two kettles are destined for the recycle site (which will mean a taxi there and back!) to get rid of them. I believe that kettles made for domestic purposes are assumed to not be in constant use, so it is acceptable for the mains cables to warm to a little when the kettle is turned on. Devices made for use in businesses where they will be in constant use used to be made with heavier cables (less resistance so less heating). Edit to the above, after further thought. My comment about 'less resistance so less heating' is probably (as my school Physics teacher might have observed) 'complete bollocks'. In my defence, I did this stuff at school over 50 years ago. The point is that thicker cables will have more resistance than thin cables if the metal conductor is the same in both, but will have a greater surface area for heat dissipation. Over time, thin cables might reach a temperature at which they become dangerous, whereas thick cables would not. Hopefully I've got it right this time.
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Post by Ivor E Tower on Sept 20, 2024 20:30:12 GMT
Taking me back to my days of school Physics lessons.... Power = I squared x R and Power = V x I At 230 volts, 2200W is just over 9 amps. Domestic kettle and iron leads do heat up a little, nothing to be concerned about unless thgey are unpleasantly hot to touch after boiling just once. As has been said, a 750W kettle will take so long to boil that your thirst may have gone by the time it boils. Have you thought of a water boiling device instead? www.argos.co.uk/product/7287280?clickSR=slp:term:water%20boiler:4:10:2although you need to keep the "head" descaled else it starts to drip? Saves having to lift a heavy kettle of boiling water, you only need a jug to keep refilling it, but the water is cold so no risk of burns if you spill any. I bought one last year when my wife had an operation that left her unable to lift "anything" for a couple of weeks and we both continue to use it in preference to the kettle when we neeed just one cup of something hot. I still use the kettle when I want to make a pot of tea though |
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Post by don on Sept 24, 2024 20:20:56 GMT
In my defense I’m thick and don’t know but experience through life has taught me that kettle leads warm up , I don’t know but assume a 750 watt will take longer to boil so will also warm up because of the extended use age (use useage one word or two?) one word gets red squiggly line under it What is too late at night? Google the answer .
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Post by Ivor E Tower on Sept 24, 2024 21:13:16 GMT
If the mains lead for the 750W kettle has high resistance, it will also heat up.......
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Post by geoffr on Sept 25, 2024 6:21:02 GMT
If the mains lead for the 750W kettle has high resistance, it will also heat up....... I refer the honourable gentleman to my previous answer. I squared x R wins every time.
Current flowing through resistance = heat
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Post by Ivor E Tower on Sept 25, 2024 20:14:05 GMT
I was trying to point out to the original poster (Katriona) that just because she goes for a 750W kettle, it won't automatically mean that the mains lead will not heat up. A "poor quality" lead to a 750W kettle could still get warm to the touch.
It could be that just changing the mains lead on the existing kettle will sort the problem out
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Post by andy on Sept 25, 2024 22:31:30 GMT
This afternoon I was cutting melted insulation off the connectors for a 1500w ebike wheel motor. You can't tell some kids cheap kits some bloke in Glasgow gets off the likes of aliexpress and resells is a bad idea. Couldn't convince him a higher voltage battery was a bad idea even after showing him the melted wires but thankfully his mum said no. In brighter news I've got 30 years on the kid and my bike goes faster  |
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Post by gray1720 on Sept 26, 2024 6:19:50 GMT
Coincidentally, our kettle carked it yesterday. Just stopped working. Frustrating as it's not much over a year old and would have been under warranty... had we kept the paperwork! The last two were both Bosch, so we've gone Russell Hobbs this time, see if that lasts any longer.
In other news I replaced the fronts on two double sockets yesterday. They were very elderly, and were not reliably clicking on and off any more. Looking at the backs, I reckon they were the original fittings, so could go back to 1946. No wonder they were worn!
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Post by John Farrell on Sept 26, 2024 7:47:29 GMT
It seems to be the week for it - our bathrom heater gave up the ghost yesterday. Luckily, the model is still sold (it was 8 years old) so I was able to unclip the old one from the bracket, and slide a new one on. It's powered through a socket on the bracket.
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