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Thread ID: 71407 2006-08-05 00:47:00 Sandwich toaster wiring sam m (517) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
476175 2006-08-05 11:51:00 Seen many earthed double insulated appliances..

K
Kelem (10339)
476176 2006-08-06 02:14:00 " . . . between the toaster and say, the neutral bar", kelem?

I'd feel fine . The person doing that would look a bit odd reaching between the toaster and the switchboard .

That toaster element has a solid (cast on) earth terminal , and the earth wires looked fine . It actually failed open circuit, rather than by shorting to earth .
Graham L (2)
476177 2006-08-06 02:44:00 Well the toasted sandwhiches tasted fine :)
We actually have 2 toasted sandwhich makers (xmas pressie came to the rescue) so it was not a matter of penny pinching. I was going to throw it out anyway but the curiosity got the better of me.
I am going to take it to family member who has qualification in the electrical industry to check it out and I will probably get some sleeving to protect wiring a little better than what it came out with.

I was curious as to the cause of the wire coming off due to heat - I would have thought the manufacturers would have designed it a little better.
sam m (517)
476178 2006-08-06 03:59:00 "It actually failed open circuit, rather than by shorting to earth"
Best case scenario it faults to earth IMHO
Kelem (10339)
476179 2006-08-06 04:08:00 Why? That would blow a fuse or pop a breaker . It just stopped working . No danger or other nuisance .

Best case scenario is that it never fails .

If the crimped on QC connector failed, I'd guess that it was never fitted correctly to the element lug, or wasn't tight enough . Some arcing would have cooked it rather than the toast, and it finally burned away . With the replacement, the toaster will probably go for ever .
Graham L (2)
476180 2006-08-06 04:34:00 "Why?"
If either the supply or return conductor are open circuit somewhere inside or just outside the appliance (and not touching an earth) there is a possiblity of a person getting a shock.

Not all houses are on RCD's, They wont help if someone gets between the red and black or Blue & Brown or white & black or white & white.

K
Kelem (10339)
476181 2006-08-06 04:50:00 . . . If either the supply or return conductor are open circuit somewhere inside or just outside the appliance (and not touching an earth) there is a possiblity of a person getting a shock .

If there isn't an earth connection .

"The sky is falling" is not a good philosophy .

This particular appliance failed internally . It appears to have a properly connected earth conductor . A short of phase to earth would have tested that . Since it didn't fail like that, it didn't test the earth conductor . It just stopped working . The earth conductor kept the case at earth potential . Noone got a shock .
Graham L (2)
476182 2006-08-06 05:02:00 Graham L,
I think you do not understand what i am getting at - sorry my bad!

Sam,
IF you want to know more about appliance testing do a google nz search for NZECP 50
Kelem (10339)
476183 2006-08-06 18:32:00 If there isn't an earth connection .

"The sky is falling" is not a good philosophy .

This particular appliance failed internally . It appears to have a properly connected earth conductor . A short of phase to earth would have tested that . Since it didn't fail like that, it didn't test the earth conductor . It just stopped working . The earth conductor kept the case at earth potential . Noone got a shock .

Graham: I agree with you, totally!

Many people do not understand the difference between an OPEN- and a SHORT-circuit! They assume that any device that fails is somehow shorted out and unsafe .

OPEN means that there is NO CONNECTION . . and therefor is probably very safe, although non-operative .

SHORTED-OUT means that somewhere there is a connection that was not designed to happen . . . the electricity took a SHORT-cut to ground! This may be from a wire falling onto a grounded portion of a device or across another wire or bare spot on a hot (electrically charged) portion .

What I do see in various posts here on F1 . . . is a devoted fear of electricity! I put it off to the use of 240v systems and the resultant distress it must cause people who get themselves in the circuit somehow . I do not like being bitten by 240; 120 is bad enough!

Appliances are meant to be home-repaired and I don't hesitate doing so . This post about a heater element is rather interesting . . . IT's JUST ELECTRICITY!

Electricity is your friend!

Just make it do what it is supposed to do and all is well .

Connections are simple . . . the cause of a broken connection can wax prosaically . . . but in the end . . . just fix the connection and turn the device on . It is doubly-grounded as I can see . . . . if that ground is the yellow with green tracer . (We use just green . . . no other colors for ground, although the comon leg is always white! These two colors may NEVER be changed or crossed! Hot legs may be any other color . . . . . just not green or white!) :groan:

The device (the bulge-part) appears to be a fuseable link that is meant to sacrifice and open the circuit if the current gets too high, making a hot sandwich press into a cold sandwich press . It will still have purpose after it stops heating . :D
SurferJoe46 (51)
476184 2006-08-06 20:32:00 Thanks Surfer Joe, reminds me of a an electrician I worked with years ago . I was a mechanic at the time and he wanted me to look at some wiring on his car . Despite the fact he would work with live voltage in the thousands he would not touch a 12v car system as he was scared of it .

We both knew of course that a few milliamps could kill .
sam m (517)
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