Kettle element

[RabMaxwell]

Hello all i am trying to use an old element from an old kettle.But how do i get it to turn on without the on off switch from the kettle.
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/7004/picture2jn7.jpg

[Jim]

Rab, I can't make out much from that photo.

Is there a hole somewhere that a rod from the switch goes in? If so, and if there's no way of bypassing the switch inside the element housing itself, you may have to improvise something to fix in the hole to keep the thing in the 'on' position.

[RabMaxwell]

Hello jim the hole was just one of the screw holes. It has a little plastic needle thing behind the metal plate probably the cut-out?.There is a larger plastic needle above that it pushes in and out.Hopfully this is a better pic.
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8959/picture3gn2.jpg

[Jim]

Is there any way to dismantle the thing so you can get at the mechanism of the switch? I can't really see what's what.

The answer may be to fasten the plastic needle down - on the other hand, that may disable the safety cut out.

What we need are replies from someone else who's used this type of element. Anyone??

[RabMaxwell]

I will persevere i have ripped the switch out if i can't get it to work without the switch i can always use with the switch attached. Cheers

[prolix]

I opened the insides up and took out the bimetalic heat switches, the off on and the over heat so it works from the wall or pull the plug out. had to make sure all the contacts made (after picking all the lttle bits up off the floor lol) the tiny stud in the centre keeps it all together.

If you don't know what you are doing please don't mess just use the off on connector from the kettle. Electricity is just not worth the risk.

[maxashton]

Just a suggestion: why not try a central heating immersion heater element?
If you could find a shorter one rather than one of the top down types, it'd probably fit ok in a fermentor!

I personally am terrified of the idea of mucking about with kettle elements.

My corpse floating about in an unexpectedly lambic brew is not my idea of homebrew!