Weird kettle shenanigans

[Lee]

Older multi temp kettle was cutting out at 50C, further investigation showed out it was the relay coil going open circuit when it got hot. As it cooled down it worked again. Not that uncommon a failure mode for a relay but what surprised me was that the tiny sub miniature type they've fitted in the kettle itself can switch 3KW and deal with the inrush current, but obviously it can ;)

This design has all the 'lectronics in the kettle itself, I see the new ones have them in the base, maybe they have a larger relay :)

[Harry Bloomfield]

Lee pretended :

The inrush current will be minimal, a kettle element is resistive rather than inductive.

[Lee]

Yes, but I was thinking the cold resistance would be much lower than hot. But it seems that these printed elements don't have a huge difference so you are right anyway :)

Lee

[Chris Green]

I doubt it, it's not like an incandescent lamp. I'd expect the resistance to be the same within a couple of percent from cold to hot.

[Caecilius]

AC resistive loads are the easiest types to switch.

[tabbypurr]

even easier if you only want it to last a year. OP you replaced the relay?

NT

[Lee]

I replaced the original (Chinese) 17A with the closest Omron I could find, which is 16A @250VAC

The original lasted 5yrs in daily use. Wonder if this one will outlast old age getting to the rest of the kettle :) :)