Rice cooker died

[Be]

Hello,

We have a Salton Rice Steamer/Cooker Model: RA-3 that has been used less
than a year and suddenly stopped working. It works very simply - you place
raw rice and water in an aluminum bowl, then press down on a switch above
were an AC cord inserts into the unit. This end of the cord is blocky and
has two pin holes that mate with two protruding pins inside the unit... much
like an electric griddle's cord.

Anyway, normally, when this switch is pressed down, it clicks and locks into
position and a light comes on. After 30 minutes the switch releases and the
rice is done. There is no timer that I can see in the unit - it must have to
do with the expansion of some metal trigger from heat over that time frame.

This light will no longer come on and the cooking process likewise does not
start. I unscrewed the bottom cap and looked in at the very simple workings
- nothing seemed to be broken or disconnected. The latch does stay in the
"on" position when the weight of the full pot is pressing on the hot plate,
so the spring mechanism involved is not broken. The cooker was not dropped
and there is no visible damage.

Anyone have an idea what might be wrong?

Thanks,
Bill

 

[kip]

Maybe a Bad Cord !

 

[cnctut]

I continually have to replace cords on appliances because my wife likes
to pull on the wire instead of the plug itself when unplugging from the
wall socket. Over time the wires in the cord break and the power is
disconnected. If it were my rice cooker, I'd take Kips suggestion and
check the cord first.

 

[PaPaPeng]

Anyway, normally, when this switch is pressed down, it clicks and locks into
position and a light comes on. After 30 minutes the switch releases and the
rice is done. There is no timer that I can see in the unit - it must have to
do with the expansion of some metal trigger from heat over that time frame.

Took some effort to figure that out. The circuit switch is held
closed by a curie point magnet underneath the central circular cup.
So long as the rice is aboil the temperature will remain around 100
deg C, the boiling point of water. When the rice is cooked and fairly
dry the temperature rises rapidly. Somewhere around 200 deg C say,
the curie point of the magnet will be exceeded and the magnet will
lose its magnetism. The spring below the circular cup pushes the cup
up and breaks the circuit. With the circuit open the pot contents
will cool and fall below the curie temperature. The switch is ready
to be set again if you want to warm up the rice.

The pot must be sized to your cooker as per manufacturer. I had once
substituted a less battered pot from another brand rice cooker. The
strange things began to happen. At first it took longer to cook. Then
it would undercook, leaving half raw rice when the switch triggered
open.. I had to swith it on again to finish the cooking. Then I
noticed one of the cooker's legs had sagged/melted. I took a look at
the heater element and the aluminum had melted in places too. The
cooker was toast. Took a few minutes to realise that the substiitute
pot's bottom didn't fully conform to the heater element. The heat
transfer rate was lessened. Thus the heater had to work harder to boil
off the water (longer cooking time.) By repeated switching on again
to finish the cooking, bit by bit the element became hot enough to
melt the aluminum and the plastic leg.

 

[NSM]

Took some effort to figure that out. The circuit switch is held
closed by a curie point magnet underneath the central circular cup.
So long as the rice is aboil the temperature will remain around 100
deg C, the boiling point of water. When the rice is cooked and fairly
dry the temperature rises rapidly. Somewhere around 200 deg C say,
the curie point of the magnet will be exceeded and the magnet will
lose its magnetism. The spring below the circular cup pushes the cup
up and breaks the circuit. With the circuit open the pot contents
will cool and fall below the curie temperature. The switch is ready
to be set again if you want to warm up the rice.

Interesting. I have a sensor microwave which has a rice setting. Works
great.

 

[[email protected]]

My guess would be a thermal fuse, since you description of the internals
as being very simple.

: Hello,

: We have a Salton Rice Steamer/Cooker Model: RA-3 that has been used less
: than a year and suddenly stopped working. It works very simply - you place
: raw rice and water in an aluminum bowl, then press down on a switch above
: were an AC cord inserts into the unit. This end of the cord is blocky and
: has two pin holes that mate with two protruding pins inside the unit... much
: like an electric griddle's cord.

: Anyway, normally, when this switch is pressed down, it clicks and locks into
: position and a light comes on. After 30 minutes the switch releases and the
: rice is done. There is no timer that I can see in the unit - it must have to
: do with the expansion of some metal trigger from heat over that time frame.

: This light will no longer come on and the cooking process likewise does not
: start. I unscrewed the bottom cap and looked in at the very simple workings
: - nothing seemed to be broken or disconnected. The latch does stay in the
: "on" position when the weight of the full pot is pressing on the hot plate,
: so the spring mechanism involved is not broken. The cooker was not dropped
: and there is no visible damage.

: Anyone have an idea what might be wrong?

: Thanks,
: Bill

 

[Edd Whatley]

Hello,

We have a Salton Rice Steamer/Cooker Model: RA-3 Anyone have an ide
what might be wrong? ya da ya da ya da
Thanks,
Bill

Bill:

My vote is definitely for the units internally mounted and sinke
thermal fuse also, as I actually was approached by an associate t
check out his unit, it being inoperative in the same manner.
ECG’s follow up replacement parts supplier NTE had a replacement uni
that filled the replacement temp/current specs.
As for being a cord problem, the unit is probably not old enough fo
that, and even that requires a lot of coiling/flexing , like an ironin
cord receives.

73’s de Ed

 

[kip]

Some people have a Nasty habit of pulling plugs out with the Cord.

 

[Be]

Thermal fuse it was! Replaced it with one from Radio Shack and it has
already made another batch of rice.

Thanks for your help and the education you provided.

Be