How to use the Tesco Value kettle heating element - mark II

[BigYin]

Following on from my original How To on the Tesco Value kettle (http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=9899) the design of the value kettle sold by Tesco has changed.

I recently had to replace the elements in my boiler and so that seemed like the perfect opportunity to revamp the How To.

If you read the first guide there was a bit of wiring required, but the good news with the new kettle is the wiring is restricted to the power supply - thankyou Tesco!!

So, this guide is all about how to butcher a perfectly good and cheap (£6 at the time of writing) kettle and use the kettle element and power lead in your home brew boiler.

Tools :

Phillips screw driver
Needle nose pliers
Wire cutters
Hack saw
Soldering Iron & Solder
electrical insulating tape

** DISCLAIMER ** Electricity and water are a DANGEROUS mix - Please understand a few important points - I - and the Homebrew Forum - will NOT be held responsible if you electrocute yourself!!!

Take your time, take care, never leave your boiler unattended when it's on - if it boils over it could create a dangerous short!!!!

Now, onto the build :mrgreen:

First, remove the two screws at the base of the handle :

Then remove the two screws at the top of the handle :

Then pull the base of the handle away from the body of the kettle, and it should unclip, removing the outer part of the handle and the lid.

Undo the two screws securing the switch:

Then insert a screwdriver between the switch and the housing, give a little twist and remove the switch.

The wires for the little light pass through the switch base, I just cut through the easiest part of the switch base with some wire cutters, being careful not to catch the wire

then manoeuvre the wires through the cuts - this took a little bit of bending of the plastic rather than placing any stress on the thin wires.

With the switch assembly all out of the way, remove the 3 screws holding the element to its socket

pop the silicone seal out of the kettle body, and that's all the useful bits removed from the carcass of the kettle.

The frame that held the switch (and has a bi-metalic disc that is meant to switch the kettle off once it reaches the boil) can be removed with a hacksaw.

Now, onto the base

Lever the plastic cover off - it's just held on by two little clips - it snaps off pretty easy

Pull off the wires

Open up the connectors and get them on to the element socket

Now, it's up to you how to connect the power cable to the element socket.

1. - solder the wires directly to the pins on the socket
2. - use locking crimp connectors to connect the wires directly to the pins
3. - use a suitable euro plug that will push onto the pins (make sure it's suitable for both the current draw and the heat)


I prefer option 1 - solder them on - it's the cheapest (assuming you already have a suitable soldering iron!) and it's pretty permanent.

and insulate them with electrical insulating tape - or better still, use proper heat shrink insulation

Bend up the little plate so it'll still be touching the back of the element - this needs to be bent out of shape, or it will 'pop' back at boiling point and turn the element off.

Now, to the boiler....

You will need to drill a neat 38mm hole centred approx 6cm above the base of the boiler - Note that the height is up to you! I put mine at this height to allow the hop filter to fit underneath, and to keep a little distance between a hot element and the plastic base of the boiler...

Fit the silicon seal into the element hole, offer up the element from inside the boiler and attach the socket to it with the 3 screws.

Fill the boiler with cold water and check for leaks. If you see any leaks, empty the boiler, check the hole is smooth, and make sure you tighten up the element properly.

Time to test the element -

Cover up the electrics with something - I've used bits of tube from an old silicon bathroom sealant - fits nicely and it's free :mrgreen:

And finally, test! - Make sure not only that it will reach the boil, but also that it'll maintain it - if it cuts out it's most likely that pesky little metal disc not bent up enough.

Appendix

Looking after your kettle elements


After a brew day, and an hour and a half of boiling sweet sticky wort, the elements will have lost all their gleam and look all furry

I give them a generous dose of citric acid and fill up with hot water to just above the elements

I get the citric acid in 1kg amounts, usually through ebay or amazon - search for Citric Acid 1kg, I'd recommend getting food grade - e.g http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AP09SSK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Leave 10 mins or more, swift brush over with a nylon kitchen brush, and nice clean elements again :mrgreen:

 

[bobsbeer]

Well done. :thumb: :clap: Should be a great help.

 

[Vossy1]

Another great 'how to' BY

 

[wilsoa1111]

great update! saves the worry if i need new ones of getting the right ones

if anyones interested the argos ones are the exact same ( or were when i did mine)

tbh though i was lazy and anything that didnt come off easy i left

as such everything but the metal disc(which i just plain removed and chucked) is as standard for ease.

i also went for option 3 -of getting some hot condition sockets from maplins and using the kettle leads (have melted a bit now but still work ok (just dont cover them with insulation) :lol:

option 3 is good as saves them bending while stored

also nice tip about the citric acid- i find starsan also does the job then i use a wire scourer

 

[WelshPaul]

Nice. As an aside, could I not use standard kettle descaler to clean the elements?

 

[supercooper]

The little disc in the centre is a boil dry safety cut out. It will not turn off the element at boiling point, so it's worth leaving it in there. It certainly does no harm.
The other disc is the one that controls the element, and you've quite rightly removed it with the rest of the moulding, including the little white pin that will more than likely fall out when the switch lever is removed.
A great how-to.

For some reason, the disc in the centre(or more importantly, the tiny pin behind it) needs to be removed on stainless set-ups. I have just found this out by having the elements cycle on and off on my new stainless boiler. I had to drain it, remove the elements and the annoying disc and pin, reassemble and get boiling. PITA. it never happened on my plastic setup. Must be due to heat transfer.
:wha:

 

[Daveg]

Hi,
Where are you getting your power from?
I built a HLT and boiler last year exactly like this but the cables are getting hot. Ruined one socket and one plug over about 9 brews. I only use 2 elements at a time on different circuits with proper unwound extension cable ( before anyone asks) Apparently they aren't meant to be on for 90 minutes drawing 10 amps. I've been advised to get an electrician in to wire up two new circuits which defeats the object somewhat!

 

[BigYin]

I use two different circuits - one is the normal mains ring, the other used to be the circuit for the immersion heater, but it went when we changed central heating boiler, so that circuit provides a socket downstairs (and more upstairs where the hot water tank used to be)

I've done 30+ brews in this way and never had a problem - I'm lucky though (and not by design!) - most folk probably don't have a handy 2nd mains circuit to hand :whistle:

 

[Daveg]

I've got the same thing, an unused immersion heater circuit but it's upstairs so I'll have to get an extension and up to now I'm going to use the cooker circuit I reckon. So I've upgraded my cables to thick electric hook-up cable and I'm just waiting for some Maplins heat resistant kettle plugs, hopefully this'll do the trick without the need for an electrician.

 

[gl0ckage]

Thanks for this guide, just made one. Made everything smooth with my dremel, soldered and used heat shrink for the full wire as i dont want any water reaching them bad boys.


Seriously amazing guide!

 

[Jeff Brewjubbly]

Hi guys,

Any concerns over plastic seepage from the container into the boil?

I want to attempt the build but am a little worried about 120 degree seepage that the food grade plastics usually begin experiencing.

regards,
Jeff

 

[Vossy1]

Hi Jeff, never heard that but if that's heat related you're never going to get much more than a degree or so past boiling* so it doesn't apply :thumb:

*assumes you live in a normal place :lol:

 

[stevander74]

Cheers Mike :
One of my elements packed in during a brew at the weekend so I need to replace mine too and bought 2 of these kettles (£5 each ) and was going to do a how to and link it to your original boiler build one but you've beat me to it lol.

 

[JonnyD]

This is an odd request, but: can you mearure how much the element and wires pertrude from the outside of the boiler. Instead of using a cut silicone tube I want to make it slightly more safe and use an IP67 plastic box (as i know what im like and will end up tripping the house and or frying myself). Thanks in advace. I just want to make sure i order the correct depth of the enclosure.

JD

 

[bobsbeer]

Mine measures about 32mm to the end of the earth connector. The longest one.

 

[JonnyD]

Mine measures about 32mm to the end of the earth connector. The longest one.

Cheers bob youre a star

 

[BrewBilly]

Great how to

I plan to put in two Tesco elements this weekend.

Any advice on the wiring? I don't have a soldering iron, is it ok to just crimp them on and the use insulation tape to cover. I was thinking of getting two heat resistant leads that would just plug on. Are just std leads ok or is heat resistant advisable?

Cheers
BrewBilly

 

[LeithR]

@BrewBilly,
Crimping them is safer than soldering as the heat generated may melt the solder but it wont affect the crimped connections.

 

[BigYin]

Great how to

I plan to put in two Tesco elements this weekend.

Any advice on the wiring? I don't have a soldering iron, is it ok to just crimp them on and the use insulation tape to cover. I was thinking of getting two heat resistant leads that would just plug on. Are just std leads ok or is heat resistant advisable?

Cheers
BrewBilly

Cheers :

Regarding the leads to plug on, you can 'hot condition' socket (e.g Maplin http://www.maplin.co.uk/hot-condition-euro-line-socket-42706 ) - they're rated to 80c (get the 10amp version) which is just about OK, given they shouldn't ever get as hot on the outside of the boiler as the internals of the boiler will get - and I've heard of plenty of people using them without problem :thumb:

As regards crimping and not soldering - because the pins on the back of the element are absolutely solid, crimping doesn't work very well, and if you only end up with a partial connection it WILL heat up - whereas with a good soldered connection there's no restriction in the electricity flow, so no heating caused

If you can't solder, I'd go with the hot socket :drink:

Or if you prefer, you can get a basic 30 watt soldering iron for under a tenner - http://www.maplin.co.uk/30w-soldering-iron-mains-powered-32909

 

[BrewBilly]

Thanks LeithR and BigYin, what I will do is put in the elements today, crimp for the test run and order the 10A kettle plugs as I think they would be safer, look nicer and would be more convenient than having attached leads getting in the way while cleaning etc. Thanks for the advice.

My AG cherry is itching to be popped!