ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals

>> Home   >> Electrical-Photos   >> Classifieds   >> Subscribe to Newsletter   >> Store  
 

Photo of the Week:

Mouse on a Bus
Mouse on a Bus

Advertisement:-Left
Recent Gallery Topics:
What in Tarnation?
What in Tarnation?
by timmp, September 10
Plumber meets Electrician
Plumber meets Electrician
by timmp, September 10
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 46 guests, and 23 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Active Threads | Active Posts | Unanswered Today | Since Yesterday | This Week
Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Jump to new posts
Re: My new electric kettle Texas_Ranger 02/15/25 09:58 AM
I briefly considered checking plumbing supplies but I'd have to find a matching pipe thread size first, which might be difficult (European pipe threads are Whitworth and the nominal sizes are based on the ID of the pipe, so it's not exactly a straight comparison to a thread with known OD). Might be worth taking calipers to the DIY store if the new washer fails again but I hope it will last a while, the old one might have been the original one from the 60s.
Curiosity got the best of me and I checked, 1 1/4" rubber washers could fit a 1 11/16" thread with a bit of stretching. The one thing I'm not 100% sure about is the temperature rating of pipe fittings - household water pipes rarely see temperatures exceeding 60 C, whereas a kettle has boiling water.
And yes, I appreciate the irony that all-metric Europe uses Imperial pipe threads from the mid-19th century. I've never found any evidence to support my theory but I suspect the back story is that British companies built gas works including all the distribution systems and pipe work all over Europe in the second half of the 19th century and once gas pipes used Whitworth threads it made sense to use those for water too. The Germans tried to metrify the nominal sizes without changing the actual threads a few years ago but obiously those numbers are so unwieldy no one actually uses them. The only ugly exception to this rule is tap aerators, which are M24 fine thread if I remember correctly. Deceptively similar in size to 1/2" Whitworth but obviously not the same. That's why you can't connect your washing machine or dishwasher to your sink taps without using an adaptor (or use taps meant for appliances and garden hoses for your sink).
28 43,026 Read More
Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Jump to new posts
Re: My new electric kettle gfretwell 02/13/25 05:28 PM
Sometimes you can find things like this at a plumbing supply, locally. I know the O ring used on the steering tube of most outboard motors is a Danco part. Bought from a boat dealer they are a couple of USD for one in a little plastic bag with a part number on it but you can get 10 for less money at Home Depot. (Home owner building materials shop)
28 43,026 Read More
Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Jump to new posts
Re: My new electric kettle Texas_Ranger 02/12/25 11:01 PM
Almost 20 years on I still own this kettle. It didn't get much use after I finished school in 2006 and eventually I discovered that the rubber washer between the element and the body leaked like a sieve. Now I finally got around to sourcing a set of new (old stock) washers. A UK company sells new sets at a very reasonable price but postage to the EU is atrocious (something like £ 2 for two washers and £17 p&p) so I decided to take a chance on a NOS set from Ireland at a much more reasonable 3.50 p&p. There are two element sizes, 1 9/16" and 1 11/16 and the packaging claimed the washers fit both. Turns out they don't but I managed to make the rubber washer fit with a bit of stretching and the old fibre washer was still OK. The price sticker on the bag looks like it's got Apr. 91 printed next to a price of 40 p.
28 43,026 Read More
Advertisement:-Right


Tools for Electricians
Tools for Electricians
 

* * * * * * *
2023 National Electrical Code (NEC)
2023 NEC + Exam Prep Study Guides Now Available!
 

Member Spotlight
RonKipperDatacom
RonKipperDatacom
Kansas City, KS
Posts: 30
Joined: January 2013
Top Posters(30 Days)
Popular Topics(Views)
340,636 Are you busy
265,950 Re: Forum
246,923 Need opinion
New Page 2
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5