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Leaking kettle spout

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Triffid

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Mar 19, 2011, 6:44:22 AM3/19/11
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Our Russell Hobbs kettle which is similar to this one here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russell-Hobbs-18152-Kettle-Stainless/dp/B0040KYNXG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1300531195&sr=1-3

has started to leak from the joint between the spout and the body of the
kettle. As you pour, water runs down the outside of the kettle from the seam
and drips everywhere.

Any suggestions on how to reseal the joint with something that will
withstand the heat?

--
Triff

Message has been deleted

GB

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Mar 19, 2011, 8:01:29 AM3/19/11
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>>
>> Any suggestions on how to reseal the joint with something that will
>> withstand the heat?
>
> They all do this eventually. The only permanent cure I've ever seen is
> silver solder.
>

Would a dab of silicone shower sealant not work?

Triffid

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Mar 19, 2011, 9:21:30 AM3/19/11
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I can give it a try - but whether it would withstand the heat of a boiling
kettle I don't know.

JB Weld Coldweld appears to probably be the best bet - but by the time
you've spent £5.25 plus postage on a *possible* repair - the simplest thing
would probably be to buy a new kettle!

It's annoying, however, when it's still working perfectly apart from the
leaking spout.

--
Triff

Skipweasel

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Mar 19, 2011, 10:42:56 AM3/19/11
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In article <8ujhpe...@mid.individual.net>, Hu...@nowhere.much.invalid
says...

> They all do this eventually. The only permanent cure I've ever seen is
> silver solder.
>

Mum's K2 did it after nearly thirty years - I did the decent thing and
bought her a new one.

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

Triffid

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Mar 19, 2011, 10:43:02 AM3/19/11
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I seem to have achieved a result using super-glue. I just ran some SG around
the seam, let it dry and gave it a try. No leak. How long it will last I
don't know - but I thought it was worth a try.

--
Triff

Mr Pounder

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Mar 19, 2011, 11:10:48 AM3/19/11
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"Skipweasel" <skipweas...@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.27eed03ab...@85.214.73.210...

18 months is our average for a kettle. The last one did not switch itself
off and turned the kitchen into a sauna.
>


Graham.

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Mar 19, 2011, 11:15:42 AM3/19/11
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"Skipweasel" <skipweas...@googlemail.com> wrote in message news:MPG.27eed03ab...@85.214.73.210...
> In article <8ujhpe...@mid.individual.net>, Hu...@nowhere.much.invalid
> says...
>> They all do this eventually. The only permanent cure I've ever seen is
>> silver solder.
>>
>
> Mum's K2 did it after nearly thirty years - I did the decent thing and
> bought her a new one.

That kettle, for me, marks the begining of an anoying anti DIY trend that continues to this day. The "security screw".


--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%


SS

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Mar 19, 2011, 1:33:06 PM3/19/11
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"Graham." <m...@privicy.com> wrote in message
news:im2hbp$ogg$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
If your super glue fails try silicone it should stand the heat as many
bikers use silicon to seal the exhaust gasket and thats gotta be more than
100C.


Skipweasel

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Mar 19, 2011, 1:40:49 PM3/19/11
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In article <kI3hp.128295$9b3.1...@newsfe23.ams2>,
MrPo...@RationalThought.com says...

> 18 months is our average for a kettle. The last one did not switch itself
> off and turned the kitchen into a sauna.

Ours died at Christmas after about 15 years of stalwart service - and it
was only a cheap one to start with. I was rather miffed that I couldn't
find a suitable spare, and even more miffed that in this era of alleged
"choice" I can't find a yellow kettle anywhere.

I have a neighbour who reckons her kettles last about 6 months before
they're scaled up and useless. I asked her if she ever descales them and
she just looked blank. I descale ours about once a week when I do the
coffee maker - the not-quite-spent formic acid goes from one to the
other - which is OK until you forget it's in there overnight and make a
cup of coffee with it.

Skipweasel

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Mar 19, 2011, 1:43:23 PM3/19/11
to
In article <im2hbp$ogg$1...@news.eternal-september.org>, m...@privicy.com
says...

> > Mum's K2 did it after nearly thirty years - I did the decent thing and
> > bought her a new one.
>
> That kettle, for me, marks the begining of an anoying anti DIY trend that continues to this day. The "security screw".

The only security screw that's ever caused me much grief[1] are those
triangular things that McDeadthings use on the toys that accompany their
McDespair kids meals.

[1] Apart from dozens and dozens of the sort that have a ramped slot.
Someone fitted several dozen skylight domes to a handbag factory in
Crawley some time in the late 70s but didn't think to put the clear ones
where the clear ones were supposed to be and the frosted ones likewise.
So I had to go and take the damned things off and refit 'em. That was a
miserable time on a cold wet roof doing fiddly jobs with numb fingers.

geoff

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Mar 19, 2011, 2:11:21 PM3/19/11
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In message <4d849b20$0$2502$db0f...@news.zen.co.uk>, GB
<NOTso...@microsoft.com> writes
No, that's low modulus silicone

High modulus silicone (e.g. Hylomar, as sold in halfords as a gasketing
compound) would be better


--
geoff

Mr Pounder

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Mar 19, 2011, 2:59:13 PM3/19/11
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"Skipweasel" <skipweas...@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.27eefadfa...@85.214.73.210...

> In article <kI3hp.128295$9b3.1...@newsfe23.ams2>,
> MrPo...@RationalThought.com says...
>> 18 months is our average for a kettle. The last one did not switch itself
>> off and turned the kitchen into a sauna.
>
> Ours died at Christmas after about 15 years of stalwart service - and it
> was only a cheap one to start with. I was rather miffed that I couldn't
> find a suitable spare, and even more miffed that in this era of alleged
> "choice" I can't find a yellow kettle anywhere.

Electric?
Yellow kettle???????????????


>
> I have a neighbour who reckons her kettles last about 6 months before
> they're scaled up and useless. I asked her if she ever descales them and
> she just looked blank. I descale ours about once a week when I do the
> coffee maker - the not-quite-spent formic acid goes from one to the
> other - which is OK until you forget it's in there overnight and make a
> cup of coffee with it.

Well, we live in the superior north, no need to descale.

Mr Pounder


Mr Pounder

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Mar 19, 2011, 3:27:12 PM3/19/11
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"geoff" <tr...@uk-diy.org> wrote in message
news:jKagqUVJ...@virginmedia.com...


http://direct.asda.com/ASDA-Stainless-Steel-Jug-Kettle/001547712,default,pd.html
>


PeterC

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Mar 19, 2011, 3:39:37 PM3/19/11
to

We had two RH st. st. kettles that did the same - no longer even consider
RH.
Did solder one around the outside of the seam - prolly not a really good
idea, but it worked.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

Ian Jackson

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Mar 19, 2011, 3:47:44 PM3/19/11
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In message <MPG.27eefadfa...@85.214.73.210>, Skipweasel
<skipweas...@googlemail.com> writes
A tip for preventing kettles from scaling up....

My water is unbelievably hard (Chiltern chalk). I've found that one of
those scale collectors (balls of stainless steel 'wire wool') dropped
into the kettle EXTREMELY effective in preventing scale. The element is
virtually untouched, and the scale collector scales up instead. For
example:

<http://www.auravita.com/product/Steel-Mesh-Kettle-Fur-Collector.KTHC1151
5.html?RefId=220&adid=KTHC11515>

They only cost about £1-80 in DIY shops.

Before the collector gets to much scale on it, you just roll it between
your hands under a running tap. Almost all the scale detaches, and
you're left with a shiny ball of wool again. It will last for years. The
kettle will go for months and months before you feel the urge to maybe
give it a quick de-scale. And, of course, you can also de-scale the
collector if you have let it get too caked up.
--
ian

Skipweasel

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Mar 19, 2011, 4:01:59 PM3/19/11
to
In article <n27hp.191755$up7....@newsfe04.ams2>,
MrPo...@RationalThought.com says...

> > Ours died at Christmas after about 15 years of stalwart service - and it
> > was only a cheap one to start with. I was rather miffed that I couldn't
> > find a suitable spare, and even more miffed that in this era of alleged
> > "choice" I can't find a yellow kettle anywhere.
>
> Electric?

Yes - made by Alba.

> Yellow kettle???????????????

The old one was yellow, and it went rather nicely with the kitchen
decor. I thought it'd be nice to replace it with another yellow one -
but couldn't find one. I didn't try /that/ hard, 'cos it really wasn't
that important - but I'd have liked one if I could have found one at a
reasonable price without too much effort.

Skipweasel

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Mar 19, 2011, 4:02:55 PM3/19/11
to
In article <bz8WnfEg...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk>,
ianREMOVET...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk says...

> My water is unbelievably hard (Chiltern chalk). I've found that one of
> those scale collectors (balls of stainless steel 'wire wool') dropped
> into the kettle EXTREMELY effective in preventing scale. The element is
> virtually untouched, and the scale collector scales up instead. For
> example:
>

Yup, they're very good, and we had one in the old kettle before it died.
I put them somewhere safe....

Triffid

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Mar 19, 2011, 4:23:44 PM3/19/11
to

We're fortunate in living in a soft water area (Cheshire). Our kettles never
require de-scaling. We did live in Sussex for a few years and I can remember
the 'fur' inside the kettles there.

--
Triff

Mr Pounder

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Mar 19, 2011, 5:04:47 PM3/19/11
to

"Skipweasel" <skipweas...@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.27ef1c10...@85.214.73.210...

You could have bought a new one in a similar colour, given it a rub down
with some wet and dry, paid for some stove enamel yellow spray and there you
are!


>


Mr Pounder

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Mar 19, 2011, 5:09:21 PM3/19/11
to

"Triffid" <nos...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4d8510d0$0$4916$a826...@postbox2.readnews.com...

Do you realise how fortunate you are to live in the north?
Sussex is a shi...... I have to stop here.

>
>


PeterC

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Mar 19, 2011, 6:45:03 PM3/19/11
to
On Sat, 19 Mar 2011 19:47:44 +0000, Ian Jackson wrote:

> A tip for preventing kettles from scaling up....
>
> My water is unbelievably hard (Chiltern chalk). I've found that one of
> those scale collectors (balls of stainless steel 'wire wool') dropped
> into the kettle EXTREMELY effective in preventing scale. The element is
> virtually untouched, and the scale collector scales up instead. For
> example:
>
> <http://www.auravita.com/product/Steel-Mesh-Kettle-Fur-Collector.KTHC1151
> 5.html?RefId=220&adid=KTHC11515>
>
> They only cost about £1-80 in DIY shops.

Now, I could be wrong about this, but I did read somewhere that this
stainless steel 'wire wool' for cleaning is made from 'free-cutting'
stainless. Thing is, as we all know, stainless does nothing that easily, so
lead is added to the stainless to help the cutting - then boiling it in a
kettle...!

Might be worth checking, just in case. I did find that the stuff 'writes' to
ceramic surfaces (many years ago - haven't tried since) which suggests
something softer in there.

Skipweasel

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Mar 19, 2011, 6:56:09 PM3/19/11
to
In article <4d8510d0$0$4916$a826...@postbox2.readnews.com>,
nos...@yahoo.co.uk says...

> We're fortunate in living in a soft water area (Cheshire). Our kettles never
> require de-scaling. We did live in Sussex for a few years and I can remember
> the 'fur' inside the kettles there.
>

I grew up on the North Downs - you could cut your teeth on the water
there.

Skipweasel

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Mar 19, 2011, 6:56:21 PM3/19/11
to
In article <9U8hp.131845$OU.1...@newsfe02.ams2>,
MrPo...@RationalThought.com says...

> You could have bought a new one in a similar colour, given it a rub down
> with some wet and dry, paid for some stove enamel yellow spray and there you
> are!
>

Like I said - I really wasn't /that/ bothered.

Grimly Curmudgeon

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Mar 19, 2011, 9:51:05 PM3/19/11
to
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Ian Jackson
<ianREMOVET...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk> saying something like:

>My water is unbelievably hard (Chiltern chalk). I've found that one of
>those scale collectors (balls of stainless steel 'wire wool') dropped
>into the kettle EXTREMELY effective in preventing scale. The element is
>virtually untouched, and the scale collector scales up instead. For
>example:

I've been buying flat-bottom kettles for years and no longer have a
problem with scale. They die for other cheapskate reasons, like dodgy
switches and leaks. Even a decent kettle (by price) is a cheap and nasty
product these days.

Ian Jackson

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Mar 20, 2011, 4:12:23 AM3/20/11
to
In message <r9nao6t7vm130rsbv...@4ax.com>, Grimly
Curmudgeon <grimly...@REMOVEgmail.com> writes

A lot of kettles seem to be prone to leaking (usually a tiny bit of
weeping along one of the seams). One possible advantage of living in a
hard water is that the lime scale might help to seal the leak.
Unfortunately, de-scaling then undoes the good work.
--
Ian

pete

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Mar 20, 2011, 6:09:24 AM3/20/11
to

Not just kettles, coffee makers too.
Having recently descaled ours, the next time it was used it deposited
half the volume of water onto the kitchem work surface. When I
dismantled it, it turns out that the (looks like aluminium) pipe that
heats the water has cracked. Presumably this happened a while ago
and the descaling removed whatever was sealing the leak.
Am now following this thread with interest for food-grade possible
solutions.

--
http://thisreallyismyhost.99k.org/1920110318594720748.php

The Other Mike

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Mar 20, 2011, 12:32:29 PM3/20/11
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On Sat, 19 Mar 2011 22:45:03 +0000, PeterC
<giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> wrote:

>Now, I could be wrong about this, but I did read somewhere that this
>stainless steel 'wire wool' for cleaning is made from 'free-cutting'
>stainless. Thing is, as we all know, stainless does nothing that easily, so
>lead is added to the stainless to help the cutting - then boiling it in a
>kettle...!

'303' stainless is commonly viewed as free cutting.
Besides Nickel, Chromium and Manganese found in stainless steel
suitable for medical purposes it has sulphur and phosphorous to
improve machineability and no lead.

Lead is however commonly added to mild steel to improve
machineability.

Ian Kent UK

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May 12, 2017, 9:14:05 AM5/12/17
to
replying to Triffid, Ian Kent UK wrote:
'Ive had 2 different RH kettles and they both did this however the leak does
not come from the join on the spout. Its a design flaw because the dribbles
down the side come from the actual overflow off the edge of the spout. Pour
the water when boiled and you will see it run down the outside of the spout
itself and not from the join.Its a strange one because you would think the
flow would be enough to avoid dribbling. It doesn't happen with cold water
though.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/leaking-kettle-spout-694833-.htm


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