KRUPS FDE3 Panini Maker Needs New Thermostat

[Peter Mui]

Hi Global Fixers:

I was ready to present this this today: I can present it at an upcoming Zoom if people are interested.

Electric Griddle Krups FDE3 Keeps blowing thermal fuses - thermostat bad? replaced thermal fuses 2X

I found this YouTube video helpful, the panini maker shown is very similar to the KRUPS FDE3 https://youtu.be/qptOv9fK3Vk

One nit: the video says there’s nothing but wiring in the lower heating assembly. The lower heating element assembly has the one-time thermal fuse inside the white insulation sleeve. if the thermostat had failed in the closed position and overheated the heating elements the thermal fuse would’ve blown and needs to be replaced too. This happened to me with the KRUPS and I replaced the thermal fuse twice before determining it was the thermostat.

I've ordered a new 180°C NC (normally closed) thermostat from eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-5pcs-KSD301-NO-NC-Thermostat-Temperature-Thermal-Control-Switch-20-C-180-C/321923086206

Nice seeing and meeting everyone earlier today, -Peter

[a nonni mouse]

hi peter,i just saw this for the first time today. what is the status of this item? i have a couple diagnostic suggestions.

1 - maybe you just got some defective thermal cutouts?  (unlikely)

2 - what have you done to determine whether the thermostat actually is cycling on & off?

    -   check griddle temp with a infra-red thermometer (i can loan you one, they are not very accurate but will give you a ballpark)

  -  plug into kill-a-watt or similar and watch display to see if current draw drops to zero when you expect thermostat to cycle off

      --   etc

[a nonni mouse]

oh, wait, on re reading your post it sounds like you have actually made a final determination. did the thermostat fix it?

[fixitclinic]

Hi Chris: Yes, the KRUPS FDE3 seems to be working now. I have a couple of those infra-red thermometers and use them to measure the temperature of griddles, etc. -Peter