On Jan 18, 6:19*pm, Jim Yanik wrote:
Fred McKenzie wrote :









In article

,
*j barnes wrote:

Would it be safe for me to replace the 4AMPTCOwith a 10amp 152C and
simply add a 4ampfuseimmediately before or after theTCO?

JB-

I can't imagine the tea kettle cost much over $30, so it is not cost
effective to buy the exact part. *The price appears to be calculated
to encourage you to buy a new samovar instead of repairing yours.

From where did you obtain the specifications for the original part? *
What are the samovar's electrical ratings for voltage and power? *They
may be on the bottom or next to the electrical wire.

Several coffee makers I checked all use power in the 600 to 800 watt
range. *If the samovar operates close to 480 watts (4 Amperes at 120
Volts), you would not want thefuseto blow at 4 Amperes. *I suspect
the function of the original part was to protect against a fire when
the pot was operated after all the liquid had boiled away. *So the 4
Ampere rating is a maximum operating current, not necessarily the
current at which it blows.

How were you going to install the replacement? *Soldering is not a
good idea. *Solder could melt under normal operating conditions, and
soldering might damage theTCOif you aren't careful. *Crimping is the
better approach, but it is difficult to get a good crimp with solid
wires. *Some TCOs come with a "crimping ferrule". *It is a small metal
tube (brass?) that you insert two wires into and crimp them together.

Fred

I have a Presto Fry Granddaddy deep fryer that theTCOblew when the
bimetal thermostat contacts welded together. AFAIK,they don't make the
Grandaddy anymore,so I unstuck and filed the contacts,then bought a newTCO
at Radio Shack !! that was a few deg C lower than the original,but same
current rating.It's been working fine ever since. I bought new crimp
ferrules at Skycraft Surplus.(local store,Orlando,FL.!)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice and suggestions! I'm
glad everyone reminded me to crimp rather than solder. I can be a
real space case when I get caught up in repairs so it was a great
reminder.

For the curious, the $30 part is for a $170+ Samovar so I don't think
they are trying to force a new sale. It is hoity-toity expensive
German made samovar used for shi-shi-fu-fu parties. Looking at the
thing, I would have never guessed somebody would pay so much for it.
I'm certain it cost a fraction of what it sold for to make it and
there were dozens of happy people along the chain of sale between
Germany and here who tacked on a nice healthy profit for themselves.

Personally, I'm the kind of dude who would bust out with my trusty
decades old plastic coffee-stained Mr. Coffee or my newer Proctor
Silex tea kettle if I need quick boiling water, if my friends don't
respect me because of that they aren't my friends. However, this is
the female species I am dealing with here. Such uncouthness as mine
displayed by the hostess who is requesting the repair would bring many
years of shame and embarrassment on her family for generations to
come.

Of course I'm just kidding about the shame and embarrassment lasting
for generations, but this repair is bound up in culture and psuedo-
sophistication rather than pure utility.

Thanks again!