Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!wsrcc.com!wolfgang
From: wolfgang@wsrcc.com (Wolfgang S. Rupprecht)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Help Identify this part
Message-ID: <1991Feb6.030436.25876@wsrcc.com>
Date: 6 Feb 91 03:04:36 GMT
References: <91033.142929JXS118@psuvm.psu.edu>
Organization: Wolfgang S Rupprecht Computer Consulting, Washington DC.
Lines: 26

JXS118@psuvm.psu.edu (Jeff Siegel) writes:

>My friend has an appliance that heats 2 cups of water for coffee or
>tea that stopped working. I think the power switch has a thermal
>cutoff in it since the switch has a metal can that is pressed against
>the bottom of the heating cup. The unknown device reminds me of a
>high-current diode ( It is a cylinder with radial leads ) that says:
>Patented Microtemp (R) 4333A1 SXPK169C What is it and where can I get
>a replacement?

As other folks have pointed out it is a thermal fuse.  If its like the
one in my Hamilton-Beach coffee maker, and it's open, its dead.  In my
case, since I still had a series bi-metal thermal cutoff I just
bypassed the thermal fuse.  The coffee maker worked fine for about 3
mounths and then quite literally melted down.  It appears that the
bi-metal thermal switches sometimes fail by sticking closed.  The
thermal fuse is to prevent any catastrophies.

In short don't just replace the thermal fuse.  It will just blow again
in short order.  It is the symptom not the problem.  You have to
replace the primary thermal switch also.

-wolfgang
-- 
Wolfgang Rupprecht    wolfgang@wsrcc.com (or) uunet!wsrcc!wolfgang
Snail Mail Address:   Box 6524, Alexandria, VA 22306-0524