Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

I've been asked to repair a vintage Morphy Richards toaster, model type TA/B in which one side is not toasting.

The element has failed but is seems so has the mica underneath.

How do I repair it or better still where do I get a replacement element?

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

Sorry can’t help you with obtaining spares etc, but that certainly brings back memories, repairing Toasters etc was part of my “ learning curve” as an apprentice back in the mid 50s.
John

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

The only practical way i know of repairing that kind of element (in the absence of a spare) is to separate the element ends next to the break and twist them tightly together. Surprisingly, that typically makes a good connection, thought of course the element will be a little shorter and hence of slightly higher power.

I recall that we once owned a similar toaster which suffered a similar failure. A twisted repair lasted a year or two, but then the element failed again and I did a similar repair.

After a few such repairs, the shortened element made toast really quickly!

Martin

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

I have a box of Morphy Richard toasters but will not be able to get to them till the corona has gone.

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

Bin it.

The Mica supports the live, un-insulated elements and holds them away from the metal sides, which might be earthed, or might not be...

I know we're all for repairing old stuff rather than replacing, but I think that's your only sensible option here, as there is no knowing how much further those panels will deteriorate over time. They certainly won't improve with age!

Definitely not worth the risk in this case.

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

Please don't bin it , they are a very fine toaster and far better than any toasters built today , please ignore previous post , I am sure element panels are available if you know where to ask , dont get paranoid , when I was a student we used to run toasters like that of the light with a BC adapter and I am still here to tell the tale

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

I used to repair large numbers of the MR appliance range. The TA/B and the original 1948 model originally employed 240v elements but they did not last long. MR supplied 120V elements as replacements that had to be wired in series parallel. These gave a much extended life and were fitted as new to all later models.
MR products can be dated from the serial number. It starts with two letters before the number. One letter stands for the year of production, the other the month but I can't remember which way round! Should be easy to work out. The code started in 1948 with A.
Yes these toasters were brought in with lamp adapters, 2 and 5 amp two pin plugs and it was no good telling the customer it was dangerous. 'It's been like that for years' was the usual answer.
I had a grand old lady, a bit like Margaret Rutherford. She brought a CA75 iron in for repair with the wires jammed in to a tiny 2 amp 2pin plug. No earth of course. I explained that it was a bit dangerous and should really be earthed.
She looked rather surprised and gave me a classic answer I will never forget. 'Look here young man, I've done far more dangerous things in the back of a car in 1936 than this unearthed iron could ever do..' I was 18 at the time and I had my answer. I can still remember her address. Time passes quickly. John.

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

For the minute they are going to be put aside by the owner, I might try and replace the mica and get some heater resistance wire. I believe RS sells it.

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

You can get large mica sheets intended to be cut to size for microwave oven waveguide covers.

Re: Morphy Richards Toaster circa 1950
 

Morphy Richard toaster elements.
Some years ago I used to get replacement elements on mica panels for toasters from a domestic appliance repair shop.
They apparently are all made now in China, and had to be adapted to fit, in MR or other make toasters.
If the element has broken, usually I suspect due to some poking wildly with a knife, then I have used say 1" of nichrome wire from a scrap bar fire to join it.
But you have to braze the joint, with silver solder. A normal plumbers blow torch is quite hot enough and a very small flame keeps it under control. Use borax as the flux. It is a easy as normal soft soldering. The flat wire often used for the element is quite brittle. I would be nervous of just a twisted joint, maybe it arcs enough to "weld together".
I have used this method also to repair elements of electric convector or fan heaters.

Silver soldering was used anyway by MR in production for the ends of the heater element of the bi-metal strip in the timer, to braze them to a flexible copper braid. (From the outer of a scrap of co-axial cable). Modern toasters use a CMOS counting circuit for the timer, much less interesting, except where the oscillator speeds up as the timing capacitor dries up, and the toasting time becomes too short.
wme_bill