Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

A friend has asked me to take a look at this vintage SWAN brand percolator, which is marked CAT. No.580 (see attached). He tells me this is treasured family heirloom, but it has not been used for sometime, and when he attempted to use it, it tripped the RCD.

Using a DMM, I measured the resistance between the N and L connections at 140R (it's rated at 400W), and from either of those across to E about 40k. I’ve not yet tried to get inside the lower half of the vessel where the element is.

There is some kind of a push button switch in the base (second picture) but it does not latch - not sure if it's supposed to.

I wonder if anyone knows much about SWAN appliances for this era and whether or not it is still possible to find spares for them?

Any help appreciated.

B

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

The push button pops out more than that when the overheat protection mechanism operates. I haven't seen any spares on eBay over the last couple of years. Virtually unused complete percolators often show up, though. The leakage may well improve if it is warmed. Could try filling with boiling water a couple of times.

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

Thanks for that info Martin. It seems like the bottom section is removable, but not sure whether there's a thread or it's just a push fit? It's presently quite tight.

B

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

Underneath, there's a central tiny nut that has to be removed, then the rubber footring, then the bottom plate jiggles free (may be a bit stuck with corrosion.)

The two parts of the body are held together by the element, which has a threaded body.

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

Ah, I removed that nut and the plate was free, but it seemed bigger than the hole. From what you say, it just needs a little encouragement?

B

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

Yes, try to "unwind" it through the hole, starting at the slightly flattened edge of the plate.

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

I would apply 24 volts to the element for a few hours and check the leakage again.
It should be all right if it is used about once a week to keep the moisture out of the element.

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

40K on a multimeter is way too low, probably much lower at mains voltages. Insulation should be ideally in the meg range.

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

I have it open and running 24V overnight. Yes, 40k is pretty low, but I'll see how it does after it's had some volts on it. While connected to the DMM, R slowly increases as time passes, so it is polarising as you might expect with damp.

It belonged to a parent who recently passed away, hence the interest in saving it. The heater is unlike anything I've seen before, as is the over-temp trip!

Thanks guys.

B

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

The 40k leakage has improved to 110k (DMM) overnight. I've now pushed the volts up to ~32, and it's now running quite warm to the touch. Time to dig out my PAT tester?

B

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

I wouldn't be giving this back to a non-technical person for everyday use; it's an electrocution waiting to happen.

Strongly suggest they use it for display purposes only.

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

A very high quality well built product. This one is dated May 1958 [stamped on bottom 5-58] It gets semi regular use.

Kitchen appliances can be death traps if certain faults develop. Take great care with this and don't take any chances with elements that are breaking down and leaking to earth. John.

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

For sure, I'm not inclined to hand it back as "OK to use" at this stage, even if I get it past the PAT tester. When they tried it, it immediately tripped their RCD.

But, is it really "an electrocution waiting to happen"?

B

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

Probably not. Even without an RCD, there would need to be an earthing fault as well before it would actually be hazardous.

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

What sort of element is it? Can we have a shufty?

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

It's like nothing I ever seen before and a photograph wouldn't be clear, as it's inside the body of the percolator; I'll try do you a drawing!

So, now running at 37V and ..... we're at 1.7MOhm. Interesting little 'experiment', even if it does eventually lead nowhere.

B

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

One drawing; not quite up to G4EBT standards, but adequate for purpose ;)

B

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

Sounds like it's improving anyway, could just be lack of use, my parents' hostess trolley (tubular heater) was brought out of retirement after years of idleness only to trip the RCD, I suspect a similar problem, it happens.

Fingers crossed no pinhole or water leakage causing moisture ingress.

Personally in my workshop I would run it up on a variac with no earth connected to 'bake it' but this method requires careful supervision as the casing will be live for the procedure and we don't want it overheating either. :devil:

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

Re: Vintage SWAN brand percolator
 

That unfortunate event sounds very much like the result both no RCD and an earthing fault. Clearly not impossible, but still unlikely. I wonder if the death rate from this type of scenario is high enough to be statistically significant?

Back with the percolator, if the element bakes out OK, a dollop of silicon grease on the connection exit points followed by a bit of regular use under controlled conditions to see whether it deteriorates again would establish whether it might be statistically OK to use in an RCD and earth protected environment. A dedicated RCD type plug on its mains lead would add yet another level of protection.

Ultimately, though, it's a matter of risk assessment- what may be legally acceptable might fall short of one's personal assessment of the morally acceptable!

FWIW I scrapped a rather nice Dualit coffee maker that came through a local repair cafe suffering from a similar fault in its boiler rather than accept the risk........ replacement elements were unavailable.