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Old 3rd May 2019, 9:43 am   #20
Herald1360
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,526
Default 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.
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Last edited by Herald1360; 3rd May 2019 at 9:54 am.
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