I noticed that, too. I think this is an American thing but some younger people use "sus" in place of "suspect", as in that person's ___________ is suspect. I think Clive will get a quick chuckle out of that if he reads this comment (he is in the Isle of Man which is a island country just south of the UK so he may not be aware of this).
@@nemesis2264 lol I wouldn't be able to tell the difference, to be frank. Though trying to imagine a place just south from the whole of the UK made me chuckle just a bit. Sorry! 🤭
@@mharris5047 Maybe you are thinking of the Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey etc.), which have the same status as Isle of Man - Crown possessions not countries in their own right.
@@KeritechElectronics I don't know about the future of the pink one, the blue one is still in working order. The one we have also has a switch underneath that switches between 220-240 and 110-120 Volt. It is branded Navaris with an address in Berlin. Made in PRC, how surprising!
My little kink pettle also folds in like a turtle and me wife has proclaimed "not too bad", "a little tick but, not too bad". She does a check every Saturday night to make sure I'm properly grounded. I hear that the French manufacture a special 'tickler' sheath for pettles - that is supposed to really heat things up. 😊Shall I go on?
The flat EU plugs are rated for about 600W maximum, the prongs were not sleeved and it ends in an IEC plug that is meant for grounded cables. V E R Y N A U G H T Y.
@@PunakiviAddikti If it's anything other than natural rubber, boiling water will leach the plasticizers into the water. IMHO whole thing is equally sketchy
@@cheyannei5983 It is most likely silicone. It's cheap and easy to make. It's probably cheaper than other types of rubber, not including the potatoes served in school.
Campsites are usually 16A here in the UK, supplied via 16A CEEFORM connectors, though some statics will have 32A CEEFORM connectors. What this would be useful fir is when running off a battery and inverter in a caravan/motorhome/canal boat where the supply is much more restricted.
I'd be more suspicious of the silicone-to-metal joint than of the silicone itself, but that looked pretty sturdy. I'd like to see the jig they use to press that all together.
I would assume that the thermal switch is a safety feature for when you accidentally run it without water or leave it long enough for the water to boil away. Otherwise the boiling water regulates temperature without any help. As a safety feature it works the same at high altitudes.
Well water boils at 72°c on top of Mt Everest, so it’s hard for a kettle to regulate that without complex electronics to monitor boiling point vs atmosphere.
It is probably silicon rubber - which can stand up to 200°C. While silicon rubber does degrade over time, at 100°C you are far below its limit. So assuming no abuse, this should last years.
My silicone mats, trivet, spatula, pot cover, cookie sheet, etc all can handle 600F / 315C. I'd avoid calling it "rubber" since that implies something that will melt, even burn, at relatively low temperatures, and also isn't foodsafe.
You could test the cord by measuring its resistance, with a very sensitive ohmmeter, or you could just clip the wire, as Clive does. I approve of his method. Testing Chinese products should always be destructive. Often you don't get a choice. 6:35 - Its a "virtual ground". Well that's what they'll claim. Goes along with the cordless antistatic wrist band.
I did see a video somewhere of someone who did this with a transparent-sheathed cable. The resistance was very weird and was not an easily identifiable metal --- probably some ultracheap alloy mix. They then tried putting the rated current through it, and the whole thing lit up like a lightbulb. Briefly...
Considering the power draw, that cable would not meet regulations, as the two pin Euro plug is only rated for a maxium of 2.5 Amps. It should also have partially plastic coated pins to be a Euro plug, so that's another fail for the cable.
I had one many years ago (midt 90s) made in Japan, and made of 100% silicone. It was multi volt capable, it could run on 12V, 110V and 230V (you got one cable, but with different attachments to Euro sockets, car lighter and a US socket, all with earth wire) It was also 500ML and about 500 Watt. I bought it on Thule Air Base (American Air Base in Northern Greenland) where I was stationed for a short while. I used when I traveled between the small villages in Greenland, fixing stuff for Greenland Contractors as a mechanic. I loved that little kettle, but unfortunately it got stolen from my storage room while I was home in Denmark on vacation. 😒
Im glad you mentioned that cable. I work in IT so reuse C13 cables all the time for project plugs. I have seen some truely awful wires under all that rubber. My favorite was a supposedly heavy duty cable that was over a cm thick but had 20 guage AL wires inside. It was all rubber and rope filler.
We have an Aldi version of this, brilliant in the caravan as it collapses down to take up naff all space. We typically camp out bush with only a bit of solar/battery for lights but on the odd occasion we have access to mains electricity it does it’s job properly to make a brew :-)
A pink rubber thing....hmm! Who would have guessed? I bet the contents taste a bit...shall we say not natural. Thanks Clive, you once again saved me money😉
When you look at it though, when it's collapsed, you've saved about 2 rolled-up pairs of socks in space. Which you could have put INSIDE the kettle anyway. Got to admire the inventiveness though. And the fact that it's "earth-ready" and the lead isn't captive. Luxury !
I've never had much of a problem with Copper-Clad Aluminum. As long as you size it right, it behaves well (unlike pure aluminum). I actually wish they'd use more of it, especially for cheap 'throw away' devices. Copper costs too much as it is.
True, but there can be quality differences with CCA.. While i prefer actual copper wires when doing projects, CCA can be fine when dealing with low current or a higher current with enough strands.
CCA wire should never be used for mains hookup. Or anything else really. The problem is they use "CCA" as a buzzword along with "OFC", trying to make dumb people buy it thinking it's as good as copper wire or maybe even better. Copper cost more than aluminum, but the cost difference is nearly nothing unless you're wiring a house with 4/0.
Just NO. Here in the tropics, exposed CCA strands become powder after a few years. I've seen a couple of Chinese computer SMPS' which failed because the wires came right off the PCB if you pulled lightly. The exposed ends were completely gone, while the rest of the wire had become stiff and crunchy. I unknowingly used some CCA in my projects, all of which I had to replace a year or so later. I didn't know the flame test, but I know now.
Yeah, aluminum wire actually sounds like a great idea considering it's less than half the price of copper by weight and only needs half the weight to match copper conductivity. It's often misused in things that could benefit from higher density like a motor or transformer, unless it's just not meant for high performance at all. Copper coating is a must to get a good connection as aluminum oxide is a very tough insulating enamel. (edit) I've had the browser tab open for a while before watching and didn't see the other comments. The copper de-laminating from the aluminum core seems like a probable risk, but it doesn't explain why the whole wire disintegrates. One possibility is the metals diffusing into each other, which I've seen first hand from a "silver" penny experiment way back in high-school where the silver penny i took home spontaneously turned gold colored without heating. I've seen online that aluminum-bronze is absolutely terrible if the ratio is off.
hey up clive, i have that kettle for my camper(but in white!) that work well but you have to be carful when you pour water out because the rubber tends to fold under so your best to also hold the base and handle as you pour
I am not into heating plastics, even silicone, but the fully enclosed heating element and the stainless steel bottom seem decent. Little niggle on the side: always test heating time with lid closed, it can make a difference.
@@kutter_ttl6786 Your assumption is correct, and so was mine. Based on the context I understood the general usage and meaning of the word, it just sounds a bit suspect lol.
CCA and plain aluminum also won't twist properly, making splices using it very dodgy. Also, soldering the splice creates enough heat that the CCA does the same thing as it did to Clive when he tried to light it up. I haven't tried CCA in crimp splices.
It's a miracle!!! They actually connected the Earth wire internally!!! But then falls over on the CCA 2-core flex negating that points-winner, and goodness knows what blend of chemicals they put in that "silicone" material... :P
My wife and i bought one of these off Amazon a few months ago - figured burning the place down was worth her getting her morning coffee! Ours did come with a grounded NEMA 15-P lead. Worked well, didn't fail the first time we used it, and didn't trip the GFCI outlet, either! (Haven't tried it on an AFCI-protected circuit yet.)
I live in a campervan and bought a "Quest Leisure Products" version of this kettle from "go outdoors". I love it, it's great. Boils fast and stows away nice and small.
I have one of these that I use for brewing coffee through a pourover coffee filter at work. It's always worked very well for me, to the point where I ended up buying an "upgraded" version with a thermostat that will let you control the cutoff temperature.
I was thinking the same thing for camping. I have jump/pump with a line jack on it, and I could plug it in outside. Another choice is a travel inverter for cars, but that's kind of a pain.
I did a bit of research on copper clad aluminum wiring and every reasonable reference I could find said that if, for example, you have CCA wiring in a home, it is safe to leave it in place provided the gauge is sized up appropriately; in most cases this would mean 12ga for a 15 amp circuit. Apparently it was once used quite a bit in houses and apartments as a compromise between aluminum wiring - which is definitely *not safe* on domestic circuits - and 14ga copper, which is considerably more expensive. This wiring is no longer commonly available but was manufactured to fairly well regulated standards and tested by the appropriate -scumbags- agencies. No telling if the CCA wiring in these cheap appliance cables is made to any kind of standard. I think CCA started to get its bad rep due to Cat5 cables failing because the wires are so brittle.
That is if I am not mistaken a C13/C14 coupler on the wire that is grounded but there is a non-grounded euro plug on the other end I doubt that is allowed. You need a nongrounded connector like a common C7 for a euro plug. C13 connectors are only rated to 70°C temperature, a kettle needs a C15/C16 coupler that is rated to 120°C. The connectors are keyed so a higher temperature cable can be used in a device with a lower temperature intent but not the other way around. So there is there two ways the cable fails before you even start to look at the internals.
If you forgot about this, it will continue to cycle on and off (when the thermal cutout cools) and probably do so until dry. I wonder how exciting things get when it tries to run dry. The cutout is there, sure, but with the lack of thermal sink of water, and the lag - can we melt this thing? Clive, you need to try this ... probably outside
Been using something similar on a very regular basis (but I think it is silicone) for about three years and its brilliant ! No degradation, no problems and brilliant for travelling = )
5:11 Basically ANY wholesale or shop in the UK will do genuine cable n bits in the UK. I get pretty much everything from TLC as it's the cheapest wholesaler n more importantly. It's less than a 5min drive from my house, even though it's in a industrial estate. But if I can't get what I want from them, then right behind it is Newlec (even though it's not called that anymore, it's Rexel. But I still call it Newey's).
I miss a non resettable thermal fuse there. If the thermostate switch fails and this runs unattended, then it will evaporate all water, first, and then eventually burst into flames.
It looks like the force frim the 3 screwbolts are clamping the outer ring onto the rubber . Given the proximity to the heating element. that socket should've been the kettle variant with superior heat resistance and a ridge to only accept actual kettle cords .
I have one of those, not pink. Works like a champ for a couple years now in my home office. I needed something with relatively low current draw since I don't have a lot of margin below tripping the overcurrent in said home office sometimes.
That is identical inside to an electric saucepan/hot pot I bought from China. Also rated at 600W but with a switch to reduce to 300W. It also has a boiling point cut off but in practice for heating anything other than water this is useless as most things, like soup for example, burn before they reach that point so you need to constantly stir and keep an eye on it. Interestingly though mine had provision for an earth connection, but it wasn't used. I added my own earth connection, replaced the cable with a good quality British kettle cable and now feel much happier using it. Great bit of kit for travelling in hotels and cost me £8 shipped direct from China with a load of accessories too.
I have a small cute kettle too but it's full metal of course and according the manual it has a second safety feature independant from the thermal protection. There is a strange metal tube inside the water compartment and it looks as if it is supposed to catch the steam from the top of the water compartment. The manual is a bit vague about it, and your video made le curious so i will try to lookup how it works. Maybe my little kettle is designed to be safe at high altitude 😮
It'd be interesting to see equal lengths of the aluminium and copper cables tested next to each other, while carrying the same current, and viewed through a thermal camera - to see whether the aluminium one gets hotter under load.
I have one of these! I bought it for 2 reasons, firstly, it uses a low enough wattage that my inverter will boil water with it if my electricity goes out, and secondly (this being the main reason) it has "ebullition" written on it. Mine has a variable temperature control.
We've got a Kmpa branded one of these in our campa van approx had it for 5 years, absolutly brilliant as its 900watts. it has a temperature sensor so will re boil if you don't switch it off. Ours has a fixed cable not a plug. it did taste a little bit funny for the first few boils but it's tastless now. plenty for 2 cups of your favourite hot tiple.
Pretty cute little design! Surprised it was grounded internally. Which... is kind of sad that being surprised that something being grounded is unexpected.
I've got one like this as well as a non powered one which you use over a gas flame (both with blue silicone rubber). The thing that worries me is that the failing component will probably be the rubber after being folded and unfolded however many times. They are handy for camping, I just keep them in the car since they're good and compact. Probably 3 years for the unpowered one and about 2 for the corded one so far. I got both cheap, some places try and sell them for 3 times or more what I paid. Extra note - the one I have has the switch that will pop out once boiled, so won't start up again if it cools and is still turned on.
That cable is very problematic even before cutting it open, as it has a C13 plug on one end, but doesn't have Ground/Earth pin on the plug on the other end. You could use it to plug in a device that requires PE without connecting that.
@@Shadowdncer If the wire is copper and appropriately sized the cord should not get anywhere near 70 C. I use the American version of an electric kettle, the cord doesn't even get warm. Of course it is permanently attached to the kettle and, ironically, is double insulated so there isn't a ground/earth.
@@mharris5047 It's just that the plug sits in a cavity with the heating element with little inbetween; if you used that kettle for a while, I could imagine that heating up quite a bit. As long as you only use it sparingly, it's probably totally fine. The kettle also seems to have appropriate internal earth wiring, so if you use a proper cord made from real wire, it's really fine.
Heh, yeah. I just picked up from a yard sale a naughty little steam cleaner unit with an extremely naughty one of these cables. It has the C13 plug, being run RIGHT UP AGAINST 13A according to my analog meter, in a device intended for relatively continuous use, through a dreadful US lead that ends in a TWO PRONG connector. I sincerely forget if it's even polarized. Oh, and the wire lead got warm during use.
Nothing is designed to last nowadays, unfortunately. Meanwhile I have a stainless steel travel kettle/coffee maker that's nearly 40 yrs old that still boils water, no problem.
A friend of mine bought one for her holiday in Spain, the first time she used it, it collapsed while full of boiling water, she was badly burned, and had to return home.
I have one of these kettles for travel use. While the kettle has merits about collapsing into a tiny size, the water turns conductive when the kettle is powered. Put the tip of a neon tester in the water when the kettle is powered, and the neon would light up! Under no circumstances, should the user insert a conductive item like tongs (or one's fingers) in the water if the kettle is plugged in, even if the rocker switch or even the wall switch is off - some of the dodgy installations may have the wall switch in the neutral circuit. I feel that if we use a proper cable with the earth connected with the kettle, the ELCB/RCD will trip instantly or the MCB will violently trip due the phase shorting with earth. A very dangerous appliance, especially for a user who doesn't understand the fundamentals of electricity.
I use a small 600 watt camping kettle so to minimise the power input from the grid when my solar PV system is not delivering its full output (i.e. pretty well anytime except June direct sunshine). This would work well for that sort of use pattern, and not take up much room either. I have some concerns about the longevity of the folding rubber though.
4:31 Shrivels up and gone limp that is a big problem 😂 I wonder if it will start tasting like the smell from a hot water bottle? Thanks Clive great video
@@antaslis3229 Must have missed that. But it would still be not enough for a decently fast kettle. There's a reason why they are usually rated for 2000 watts (or even more).
@@life_with_bernie Food grade silicone is safe to use for this, its probably not food grade silicone. Even outside of china we have problems with people not using food grade silicone for things.
I think you are correct this time clive, although my suggestion is always to do the magnet test first...even before you strip the cable you could tell if its iron not copper ...it happens a lot sadly
Wouldn't you be spending more for a better quality cord than what the whole unit cost? Once again, a very informative video. I have been watching you now for a few years. Thanks for what you do.
I am not biting on this one but I have several known good computer style electrical cords in my cord bags, all grounded/earthed. I would swap the cord that came with this silicone cancer factory for one of those if I were looking to get cancer from boiling water in the silicone and having all of those nasty silicone chemicals leach out into my morning coffee. Considering my mother died from cancer I am not looking to press my luck with one of these.
Curious if those holes in the base are functional or manufacturing artifact. Also, whether anything fun happens if its operated in the collapsed in the collapsed position. Appreciate the thorough video description!
I have similar one of these bought from a reputable UK camping supplier but I suspect it’s also from China. It has a UK plug so it’s encouraging to know it’s earthed. Trust BC to find a pink one 👍🤣
Great thing about cheep kettles is they make great high power resistor loads. The ordinary standard "2 kW kettle" is also great for testing Marshall guitar amps etc at full power as the ohmage is near 16. Edit: keep filled up with water and better still link out the cutoff switch to stop it opening otherwise you'll blow the output transformer
SUS 304 is just the Japanese equivalent as the American AISI 304/SAE 304/SS 304 Both can be called 18/8 and both can be used for the same purposes, like for the manufacture of A2 stainles steel fasteners.
@@wtmayhew That is a good one. The term "sus" is not common outside of the States. It is short for "suspect", usually for something like "Susie's new BF is sus". I usually don't use that term but younger people do.
I know almost nothing about electrical components, but I've subscribed for years and love watching you test things. I've learned some stuff too along the way and it's always fun to watch. 😊
Saw one of these at a camping shop recently. I didn't notice if it came with a proper kettle lead (with the notch) or just an IEC60320 lead and a fairly crap one at that.
Looks like the Kink Pettle should be earthed because the metal ring around the join appears to be part of the element. This ring could go live Clive. Also does the metal ring get hot?
The idea is very good. I only wonder if some chemical, dangerous, substances are released when the water is boiling? I wish this would be tested. If it's natural black rubber, only sulfur would be released in the worst case.
Rubber is terrible with temperature and it might be worth testing the taste. MDPE which is used for washers is quite sturdy, not as happy to be bend too much. It does not look like silicone rubber to me. So would wonder if this rubber is food safe especially as higher temperature increases chemical release. Most are NOT.
Im not sure of the regulations for something like this, but should it have a "hot condition" power lead? Certainly leads for normal kettles should be, despite places like B&Q calling their 10A leads with standard C13 connectors "kettle leads".
The base is of this kettle is made from plastic. A high temperature connector C15 / C16 would make more sense when the housing is made of metal. The plastic base will probably melt / deform before the connector.
@@chrishartley1210 Fact is that the British are very strict when it comes to regulations regarding fire safety. And still every year Britain has a lot of residential fires. Sometimes the product is at fault, but the behaviour of the person who operates the product is also part of the equation.
It depends on the kettle's design (how much heat gets to the inlet); I have numerous C13 cords of the right length (0.5m to 1m) to be from kettles, and one even has an original tag confirming that it came with one. Of greater concern to me is that at least in Australia, plenty of C15 cords were/are made with PVC insulation even though IEC 60320 requires rubber cords with the hot/very hot sockets. So if you use those with any C16 inlet on a *really* hot appliance, beware of melting them.
I wonder what material is used for the internal wiring? Is it fake copper as the mains lead? 🤔 I have a red version that is for use on a gas stove. Ideal for camping and has made many trips to the Isle of Man. There is a slight weep from the crimp joint but does not affect it's use. The rubber seems to be a silicon-based compound.
Hey there big Clive can you do a load test on the insulation of the power lead of the kettle. And do the volts x amps x watts to figure out if the cable could handle the current or not cheers dale Nangus, New South Wales, Australia🇦🇺.
I've had one of these for several years and take it with me on business trips so I can have a proper cup of tea. One thing of note (which may be obvious now that you took it apart) is that if you leave it switched on, it will start boiling again once it cools down a bit and the thermal switch resets.
@@mharris5047 I live in the states now and I installed a dedicated 240v UK spec socket in my kitchen so I can use a much faster UK kettle. I'm serious about my tea.
@@mharris5047 One of my coworkers in the US was from China. He always bought Japanese tea here (he didn't trust China imports either!) and used a ceramic tea ball.
@@TheRealBobHickman Finally someone does it right instead of complaining about it! Enjoy your proper UK kettle in the US on 240 volts. Apartment dwellers and travelers are probably out of luck though and will have to wait for their tea.
I have a problem with the white plastic base. It looks like crappy styrene thermoplastic or something similar. It looks like China, Inc. is relying on those small rubber insulators on the screws to prevent the plastic base from melting. It would be interesting to check the screws - they may be stainless to help prevent heat conduction from the heater plate. The lack of a backup thermal fuse is not good. I have had experience with thermostat switches becoming stuck in the conducting condition.
I am glad that it’s not too bad as I have one on my boat that is within the capabilities of my inverter. Does yours have a continuing simmer functionality. Mine came with a uk moulded plug lead that I will now check!😳
Hey Clive. Why don't you 3D print bungs to go into those lamp sockets onto your tester? Wouldn't want you to accidentally drop something metal in the hole, well, actually the bang and sparks would be good!
Was it fused? Couldn't see a clear shot of the IEC socket. In all, looks like a nice little product that someone has grabbed, bundled with the cheapest IEC cable they could find, and shipped.
You could tell before cutting the cord that it was 2 wires inside because of the plug itself. Yes if you get one of these kettles, change the cord to a 3 cord version.
I'm a bit surprised you didn't use the Hopi with this! Maybe even test how much current it would take to melt that miserable cord... I actually like this thing. Great for people in tiny homes or RVs...
My computer's PSU says in the manual not to use a plug other than the one that comes with it or it would void my warranty. Wondered why (but did as it said since I had no reason not to), Now I know.
This is one of a small number of 240V kettles available on the US Amazon site. I’ve considered buying one to use when camping with my 120V rechargeable power station which can only output 300 watts max. However, I worry it would be unbearably slow at 1/4 power.
@@Frankhe78 The 120V version would draw more than the 300W that my battery can provide. And not surprisingly, nobody makes a 300W kettle. That’s why I want a 240V version, so I can “underdrive” it. I just need to find one that uses about 1000-1200W at 240V.
i don't know why RU-vid recommended me this video. i haven't been Googling kettles or anything like that. this video feels surreal to me. like a fever dream. i'm not sure why. i'm not unhappy that RU-vid suggested this video to me, to be clear!
From the very beginning I was wondering what the smell of the water boiled in this contraption is like... Cheap kettles tend to stink the water up badly, and while coffee covers up the stench quite readily, tea tastes and smells awful. I was sincerely hoping Clive would taste the water before pouring it down the drain and comment on the smell and taste, especially given the combination of cheap stainless steel and cheap silicone.
Isn't the cable a standard-violation pretty much at first sight? Europlug (not earthed) to C13 (earthed) fits into a device which is meant to be earthed, which it can't do. It should be Euro to C17 (EDIT: and even then the maximum amperage is mismatched). This kettle actually being earthed makes a proper cable even more beneficial.
My concern on this one would be around the chemistry of the kettle body, and in particular, what leaches out it as the water heats up. Given its dubious origins, I wouldn't set much store by the stability of the chemistry.
I think the kettle would have a secondary high-temp. shutoff device. Relying on just the water temp. safety device is not right since it will fail after about 100 on/off states-- so you also need a high-temp backup device ---like all American coffee makers have. Maybe internal to the water temp. shutoff is also another high-temp safety contacts?? My Chinese kettle has started to shut-off after boiling away all the water (2 years usage)--but somehow it doesn't go keep heating.
