Lament

[Frank W]

My kettle has exploded, it went off with a BANG!
The lid shot off, The water sprayed.
And I could see inside.

T'was like a small volcano, erupting 'neath the Sea,
Bright light around the element - it fascinated me.

The seconds passed, until at last, I knew that I must choose,
To switch it off, (and quickly), before it blew a fuse.

I now have a new kettle, the model is the same.
A Russell-Hobbs from A---s, so that's a famous Name.

A kettle made of stainless steel in classical design.
It looks all neat and shiny - you'd think it would be fine.

But when I saw the mains lead, It caused me some dismay.
The length is quite inadequate - I don't care what they say -
In some things size DOES matter -If it won't reach the mains,
I'll never get my kettle boiled, thus adding to life's strains.

Regards.........Frank W

[Mythology]

Nice poem.

I have a suspicion, from what I've seen, that either 60cm or 2ft has probably been decreed by some moronic industry body as the "standard" for kettle leads these days, thus providing work for their electrician colleagues who get called in to re-site sockets at worktop level when people with old-fashioned sockets down at skirting board level find that they now have to sit on the floor to make the tea.

I found exactly the same when I last bought one and, as it's a "cordless" (a strange definition, when you think about it, for something that *does* have a cord, just that it goes into the base instead of the jug bit, but this is the marketing world we are talking about, where everything is an illusion), you can't simply replace the new lead with the old one that you saved "in case it comes in handy".

Not that it stopped me, of course, I probably have more electrical stuff lying around here than the local B&Q, so I just unscrewed the base, ripped out the existing pathetic offering and stuck a decent length on instead, with a suitable plug (!!! Oh dear - it's an ordinary plug, not one of those moulded sealed plugs! Gasp, shock, horror, you can't have that on a kettle in this day and age! "Get lost" says Myth.) so it sits somewhere more convenient than on an upturned waste bin.

But not everyone would be comfortable doing that, so I expect the electricians are doing all right out of it.

[Rod Neep]

Frank.... take a deep breath.... go make a cup of tea .... and relax.

[Frank W]

Hi Myth

Hope your own solution was satisfactory.

I tried a workaround using another mains lead of adequate length, with the identical connectors at kettle and mains ends.
The "before use" instructions call for boiling-up 3 times and flushing with cold water, to remove any manufacturing residues. First two boil-ups seemed to go OK, but when about to start the third, it was apparent that the cable was seriously hot. Not surprising, considering I'd 'borrowed' it from a low-power mains adapter. Does make me wonder why the mains fuse rating was wrong.

Moral: Just because it looks OK and fits OK does not mean it is safe to use.

Reckon my HNC in Electrical Engineering must have passed its 'Use By' date (perhaps even its 'Resurrect By' date.)
========================================

Rod
If Deep breathing includes Heavy Breathing I've been doing that for some time (don't tell the Cops). Item 2 is my current ambition, and item 3 will follow on from that.

Regards.........Frank W

[Mythology]

"Not surprising, considering I'd 'borrowed' it from a low-power mains adapter."
No comment - because it wouldn't get past the profanity filter!

"Does make me wonder why the mains fuse rating was wrong."
I have a theory that somewhere in China there is a factory turning out stuff for distribution all over the world, working to a "Never mind what the equipment is or what cable is attached, if for UK, fit three-pin square plug with 13 amp fuse" instruction. Having spent years trying to get the message into the heads of various thick friends that replacing a 3 amp or 5 amp fuse which went bang when they switched the radio on by a 13 amp fuse "so that it doesn't blow again" is the last thing you want to do, I now find myself cursing manufacturers as well - I don't know what kind of theoretical checks there are on this stuff, but it seems that if it's imported you can get away with anything.

[Frank W]

I have a theory that somewhere in China there is a factory turning out stuff for distribution all over the world, working to a "Never mind what the equipment is or what cable is attached, if for UK, fit three-pin square plug with 13 amp fuse" instruction. ....................... I don't know what kind of theoretical checks there are on this stuff, but it seems that if it's imported you can get away with anything.

I reckon that's about right except that I'd replace somewhere by everywhere, and as for import controls etc you need only read about recent withdrawals of toys from the shops.

Perhaps we'll see Beijing air in tins under a "Fumigant" label before the Olympics. [Rubbery! as Benny Hill might have said]

I have heard that there is an old Chinese curse which says: "May you live in interesting times"

Ah well, must see if I can find the tobacco tin with 3 & 5 amp fuses, and then do a local survey of mains power connectors.

Regards..........Frank W

[joette]

Better than the rolled up silver paper my Granny used to use if her fuses had run out-only a temp solution you understand.!!???

[Frank W]

Better than the rolled up silver paper my Granny used to use if her fuses had run out-only a temp solution you understand.!!???

Sounds more like the 'final' solution to me! though I've heard that metal hairpins were favoured by other ladies, probably with even more spectacular results.

Regards.........Frank W

[busyglen]

Ouch! When I was younger and I brushed my hair (which was long) and then picked up a metal comb, I got a shock!! In fact sometimes I still get a shock when I put my hand on the door handle. I can't produce enough electricity to light a bulb though.:

Glenys

[Frank W]

I can't produce enough electricity to light a bulb though.:

You won't need to, now that you are a Star Member. Just keep on twinkling at us from above.

Regards.........Frank W