Kenwood Chef Mixer - Metal chassis but no earth in flex

[JohnW2]

The flex passes through a hole in the metal casing, and is prone to chafing.

The cable in my Kenwood passes through a substantial plastic insert (with a cable clamp) - and, in any event, in mine (appreciably older than the OP's) the casing is plastic, not metal.

Kind Regards, John

 

[aesmith]

Mine has a similar insert. But I must say I'm really surprised that the chassis is plastic, rather than aluminium. Especially as those two corners complete with the completely squashed feet look exactly like ours. Normally you expect older models to be metal, replaced with plastic in more modern versions. Is you're plastic for all the base structure, including where the bowl mounts? There's quite a bit of force between the mixer head and the bowl mounting in some uses, for example the dough hook, and on ours that whole load bearing path is metal.

 

[JohnW2]

Mine has a similar insert. But I must say I'm really surprised that the chassis is plastic, rather than aluminium. Especially as those two corners complete with the completely squashed feet look exactly like ours.

I might be wrong. It certainly looks and 'feels' like plastic. It's not magnetic, and i doubt it is stainless steel, but I suppose it could be aluminium.

Normally you expect older models to be metal, replaced with plastic in more modern versions.

That was my point - that IF mine is plastic, then I would be very surprised if your ('younger') one were metal.

Is you're plastic for all the base structure, including where the bowl mounts? There's quite a bit of force between the mixer head and the bowl mounting in some uses, for example the dough hook, and on ours that whole load bearing path is metal.

The entire 'base structure' of mine is one moulding (or casting, if metal), with no 'jointed' components - so, whatever it is, it's all the same.
'
In any event, my comment about the plastic casing was only an "and even" add-on. My main point was that, even if the casing were metal, the existence of that plastic insert would invalidate John D's concern about 'acble chafing'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnD]

I will perhaps take a photo of the "acble"

 

[JohnW2]

I will perhaps take a photo of the "acble"

I look forward to perhaps seeing it.

How will it differ from my photo?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnD]

It will show the chafing I mentioned, on the metal casing.

 

[JohnW2]

It will show the chafing I mentioned, on the metal casing.

Does yours look anything like mine? As you've seen, in mine there is a lot of (definite!) plastic between the cable and casing (whether the casing is metal or not).

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnD]

Patience....

 

[aesmith]

Like JohnW2 ours has a plastic strain relief clamp on the inside, which also forms a plastic bushing between the mains lead and the (metal) chassis.

From inside ...

And from outside (sorry about the focus) ..

 

[JohnW2]

Like JohnW2 ours has a plastic strain relief clamp on the inside, which also forms a plastic bushing between the mains lead and the (metal) chassis. .... From inside ... And from outside (sorry about the focus) ..

Thanks. That's identical to mine (in erms of the machine itself).

However, what on earth has happened to the cable, and how? was the strain relief actually tightened (onto the out sheath of the cable?

Kind Regards, John

 

[aesmith]

I think the machine walked off the counter at some time, and the resulting yank on the cable pulled it through the strain relief which stripped the sheath off part of the flex. I can bodge by pulling a few inches back into the machine so the clamp tightens on undamaged sheath. I guess heatshrink over the damaged length would reinstate the "double" insulation.

I think you can see why I was considering replacing the flex, which is what started this whole discussing.

 

[JohnW2]

I think the machine walked off the counter at some time, and the resulting yank on the cable pulled it through the strain relief which stripped the sheath off part of the flex.

Fair enough.

I can bodge by pulling a few inches back into the machine so the clamp tightens on undamaged sheath.

I wouldn't call that a 'bodge' - I would say that it is the correct/proper repair.

I guess heatshrink over the damaged length would reinstate the "double" insulation.

Now that would be somewhat of a bodge, and really unnecessary. By the time you've disconnected the cable so that you can get the heatshrink on, you might as well cut the damaged end off the cable!

I think you can see why I was considering replacing the flex, which is what started this whole discussing.

Yes, that clearly needs to be addressed - but, as above, I would have said that what you regard as a 'bodge' would be the correct repair!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

I might be wrong. It certainly looks and 'feels' like plastic. It's not magnetic, and i doubt it is stainless steel, but I suppose it could be aluminium.

It seems that I probably was wrong. Ah well!

The picture below is awful, but when I took a sharp knife, and then a file, to a small area on the bottom inside of the casing, I eventually got to a shiny ('silver') and fairly soft metallic material, which I imagine is probably aluminium.

However, that metal is covered by a thick layer of extremely hard 'something', which cannot reasonably be described as mere 'paint', and might even qualify as 'reinforced insulation'! It's certainly very strong/durable - until I took my tools to it today, there was no sign anywhere of any of the white 'covering' having been damaged anywhere to the extent of revealing any underlying metal, despite 50 or so years of usage.

Kind Regards, John