I require help repairing a Kitchenaid Water Kettle

[Martaine2005]

Wow, you are superb..
I wish everybody was like you.

We need to stay on the AC side of the circuit board.
I notice on the under-side is four black small components.
These are called diodes and make up a bridge rectifier. This turns AC to DC and gives DC voltage to the other boards.

Next check...
Can you please check for continuity across each diode?
UNPLUGGED, meter in continuity and probe both sides of each diode like the fuse!.
One way will make your meter act similar to the fuse. Reverse the probes and nothing should happen.
This should be the case for all four diodes.

Martin

 

[Chrotesque]

Alright,
here's a picture of that section that you mean:
http://imgur.com/DigmZ4g (blurry as shit, sorry but D4, D1, D2, D3 in that order from top to bottom)

On my multimeter red is + and black is -

Here's again the picture of my multimeter for reference:
http://imgur.com/YzgydEP
Used X1K not X10 (X10 was incredibly weak for those I marked weak below, almost not noticable)

Test #1 - positive on the side of the description (D4, D1, etc.) and negative on the other end
-> D4 strong contuinity (stops at 2 on the green scale)
-> D1 strong (2)
-> D2 weak (starts at 20 usually, had it at 5 once but goes continually down without much movement, stops around 40)
-> D3 weak (starts at 10 usually, had it at 5 as well once but goes down just the same, like a battery is drained or something)

I can cross them as well, so negative at D2 (weak) but positive at D4 and it jumps directly to 2 again and stays there like a champ!

Test #2 - negative on description side, positive other end
-> D4 weak (just like D2, D3 in Test #1)
-> D1 weak (same here)
-> D2 strong (just like D4, D1 in Test #1)
-> D3 strong (same again)

 

[Martaine2005]

Thanks again, you are superb.
I do have to say that all our findings so far are preliminary.
We may have to go back and do finer checks.

So far your initial checks are fantastic.

You only have two more components to visuably check. The capacitors.
The black cylindrical items, they are called electrolytic capacitors. You cannot check them with your meter but can do a visual!! Are they bulging at the top or flat?

After this it's back to square one!! But you are getting so fast fast at doing the required checks and tests that we can find the problem in minutes.

Are you feeling a little more comfy checking with the power on?
Carefully of course!!!!

Martin

 

[Chrotesque]

Stop thanking me, makes me feel bad!
In any case though, I feel fine with checking with power on, what can possibly go wrong! (I know I know, I am always quite careful)

All the capacitors are totally fine, completely flat on the top side. I can make pictures of that if required of course.
What would I have to check with power on?

 

[Martaine2005]

Stop thanking me, makes me feel bad!

It can be quite shocking too.

OK I have advice not to carry on with this BUT, be very careful.
Lets first try the big blue and brown wires voltage. in the centre of the base there is blue and brown. can you check first that there is voltage? Change your meter settings.
Then flick the base switch on and check voltages again.
Be careful
Martin

 

[Chrotesque]

I'll need advice first as it appears.
I powered it up and tried to get a reading but nothing so far.

http://imgur.com/B6ZKEBk
I marked the big middle connecting blue/brown ones with red and the "original" wires from the power cord with orange (bad choice of color really) - while I can check the connectors in the middle without an issue, the orange marked ones have no "open" parts where I could put the probes to.
Check this out next:
http://imgur.com/zKu0RGg

I probed the usual suspect (green wire directly from the power cord) marked red here and tried the connectors in the middle with the other probe but nothing happened on my multimeter.

Just to be clear since my terminology is most likely horrible : connectors = copper colored (therefore copper? ) metal pieces in the middle of the device

Last edit: did that with clicking the switch but still nothing

 

[Martaine2005]

Trust me, your explanations are perfect.
You should be proud, and we need more people on this forum who can explain things like you...
The BIG blue and BROWN wire are more than likely the heater elements power.
Put meter on V and check these CAREFULLY while switching the kettle on!!

 

[Chrotesque]

On my multimeter (http://imgur.com/YzgydEP) I had AC on the right side and DC on the left, used 500 to start with and went down to 250 with each as I've heard in some random youtube video to always start with the highest possible setting. So I tried AC as well as DC.

I had a probe (positive negative doesn't matter, tried everything) on the middle copper connector (blue) and the other one on the "usual suspect" (http://imgur.com/zKu0RGg marked red) as well as the middle copper connector (brown) and a dozen other parts that I could find to see somehing happen on the multimeter while I was constantly clicking the button to turn it on but nothing happened.

Same with middle copper connector (brown) as first probe choice and then going with the other probe onto everything I could find. Checked the multimeter a few times to see if it still works on the fuse and it does.

Edit: could this require the actual kettle to be on top of the station to close a circuit of some kind? Since it's upside down this would be quite hard but not impossible to do if that's actually required. However I suppose in order for that to make sense I'd actually see a spike on the multimeter when the button is pressed.

 

[Martaine2005]

I personally find it fascinating.
I also find you checking willy nilly . You are playing with mains voltage and very dangerous. This is not a led christmas light.
You are playing with possibly 13Amps.
Please don't take it in your stride.

 

[Chrotesque]

Fair enough, I'll stick to what you suggest from now on - better be safe than sorry as they say!
Apart from it being late, whenever you come back online - what should I try next?
However I'd require more detailed instructions in this case, I literally don't know where to put what.
For instance:

The BIG blue and BROWN wire are more than likely the heater elements power.
Put meter on V and check these CAREFULLY while switching the kettle on!!

Checking these carefully would mean one probe on the brown and one on the blue and that's it, right?

No criticism here but simply to point out that I am completely clueless (I do however assume that my previous answers did show this, especially the last one )

 

[Martaine2005]

Ok, jokes a-sides.
lets get some kip.
Get on with this tomorrow..
Don't worry. a A £ replacement will fix it..

Martin

 

[Arouse1973]

Can you check the output of the brown transformer, it's on the left of all of your pictures. Use the A.C voltage setting of your meter. It's the two white wires not the black and red wires.
Thanks
Adam

 

[Chrotesque]

Not sure how to measure that correctly though - I removed the cable from the socket and checked the pins within the socket on the first board itself, not getting anything. I used the usual method however (1 probe on http://imgur.com/zKu0RGg <- red spot) and the other probe on the socket pins - nothing so far.
I also did a contuinity check on one of the diodes with one probe and the other probe on the socket pins, that worked just fine.

 

[Arouse1973]

I think either the feed to the transformer is missing, the crimps and or wiring to and from the transformer are faulty or the transformer itself is faulty.
Thanks
Adam

 

[Martaine2005]

Hi chrotesque,
Have you had time to check what Adam suggested?
Only now, test the input to the transformer. The Red and Black.
If you get voltage to the transformer and nothing out of it, Adam has done it again....
He is always ten steps ahead of us mere mortals.

Martin

 

[Arouse1973]

Hi chrotesque,
Have you had time to check what Adam suggested?
Only now, test the input to the transformer. The Red and Black.
If you get voltage to the transformer and nothing out of it, Adam has done it again....
He is always ten steps ahead of us mere mortals.

Martin

I got long legs and run fast that's all Let's see what he or she comes back with. Seems an interesting thread, I might stick around.
Adam

 

[Martaine2005]

Flattery gets you nowhere Adam
Hmm, or she!!!

 

[Martaine2005]

Please do stick around.
You might work out how my warped mind works!!!!
I am not that experienced in electronics repair per se, but can fault find in my special way.

Martin

 

[Arouse1973]

I have always thought you were special Martin

 

[Martaine2005]

I have always thought you were special Martin

I am....
My mum told me 'Martin' means special!!
My teacher in primary school said 'Martin has special requirements'
I knew they meant the same thing.