Repair Heating Element in Russell Hobbs Toaster 18098

Meu Problema

The toaster was completely dead. Visual inspection using a torch/flash-light of the element wires showed there were some broken ones.

Minha Solução

The problem with many toasters is getting them apart and not cutting fingers (wear gloves).

First remove screws in base. Here they were hidden in round recesses plugged with rubber feet which need removing. (Sometimes long screwdrivers are required with specialised ends). After the base is pulled off it's possible to clean out the crumbs which sometimes block the electromagnet so the toast doesn't stay down. In this case it's necessary to take the top cover completely off, so it's necessary to pull the plastic handle off the down lever. Pull hard after checking there isn't a screw or clip holding it on. Remove earthing wire and any other connections. Most toasters (not Dualit) don't make it easy to gain access to the nichrome heating elements but by bending lots metal tags it is possible, if fiddly, to dismantle the inner frame to get them out without cutting or unsoldering. The element wire (normally nichrome alloy) is wound on mica sheet which is quite fragile.

If there is just one break in the wire, you have to make some slack so that the two ends can be securely wound together. To make slack, carefully enlarge the cuts in the mica sheet with a pair of scissors (as said, the mica is very fragile).

If there is a damaged area of wire, then take some wire from junked toaster with approximately the same cross section, and wind it onto the mica sheet, again twisting the ends together. Important: make sure the element wire cannot touch the surrounding grill, or it will trip the rcd fuse or worse.

Meu Conselho

After reassembly and turning on, a spark across the wound together ends seems to weld the two wires together. and the toaster works again.

We have been using ours everyday for about a month now, but I don't know how long it will last.

This repair was more of a challenge because new toasters are quite cheap to replace.