Sunbeam Radiant Control Toaster--Repair and Modernization
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 เม.ย. 2019
- Woah there, this video's a long one! Well, I hope you like toast!
This little link here will take you to the video on the main channel that this one is linking from.
• The Antique Toaster th... - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
*An important note about grounding the toaster:*
There's some healthy debate in the Internetosphere about whether or not a toaster _should_ be a grounded appliance. And that debate is not without merit. Now that the toaster is grounded, it is potentially more dangerous in the scenario that someone is foolishly sticking a knife down there. If they touch the knife to the wire, and their other hand is touching the toaster, there's now an excellent path to ground through their heart. Not good.
*But,* because this toaster is just a circus of exposed metal surfaces with energized wires snaking through it, there are many potential ways for the wiring to short to the chassis, and thus you'd end up with a toaster that can zap you just by touching it.
So, you've got to decide which risk you're more willing to accept. Personally, given the old and questionable insulation in our T-35 toasters, I'd prefer if the chassis were grounded. I know I'm not dumb enough to stick a knife down a toaster, but I don't know if the chassis might inadvertently become live. Still, I understand the theory behind not grounding a toaster. So, do whatever you like.
However, if you've got the toaster plugged into a GFCI outlet or on a circuit with an RCD, both potential risks are mitigated by external means. So there's that!
Sure if the chassis was live it could zap you just be touching it, but that zap is very unlikely to be fatal, or even particularly painful (I've accidentally touched exposed 120v wiring before, it's really just tingly) if it's just done with one hand. Hand-to-hand circuits (with the heard in-between obviously) are much more dangerous.
It's pretty much a pick-your-poison scenario in my opinion. And/or situational. With children in the house who don't know better, it's probably wise to leave this without a ground. In a kid-free household, I'd rather ground it and not be fearful of its antiquated internal wiring. In either case, GFCI protection is a welcome improvement! And honestly, if you have kids--I wouldn't use this toaster
I would side with the "metal case = needs a ground" people.
That's a weird thing I always come across in North American youtubers. At least in my country, a GFCI is mandatory on the entire house circuit (or, even better, for each circuit you have). So, the fact that an appliance IS GROUNDED, that's an actual benefit. Also, if the chassis becomes live, it will trip the GFCI as well. It's amazing how much danger you put into when you're not using an GFCI outlet, even at this stage in history, just amazing.
My only gripe is that you are replacing rubber insulated heater wire, the reason why the old cord is still as flexible today as it was new, with PVC insulated wire. Heat and that wire are not a good combo, in my opinion. I think the internal wiring is asbestos, I have repaired a few vintage heaters with that kind of wire and the way it strips is fibrous.
You could have gotten a smaller connection by hand soldering it rather than using crimp connectors(my nemesis).
I just spent about 45 minutes watching a guy fix a toaster and I liked it. How did we survive before the internet?
We fixed our own toasters
Brad McLean tbh before easily available guides and instructions for all sorts of things that the internet brought, I often threw/recycled the product and got a new one.
@@Wokiis we always kept things going as long as we could. Probably the result of coming from a lower income family. Nothing was wasted. Even stuff that broke beyond repair was stored for parts. Although, I can see how repair videos has helped those who aren't capable of tearing stuff down and working it out themselves.
@@TheBodgybrothers Yeah I remember when my dad took our old washing machine and another one that was probably scrap and combine the parts to make a good working washer that ran for years.
Back in my day, TV was called books
Since it was disassembled, I would CLEAN all the plastic and metal parts. I would make this toaster shiny.
I was cringing hard at the dirty toaster. I would have taken it completely apart and replaced the wires with high temp silicone coveredones and cleaned the frack out of it.
Definitely, totally detail the thing. The real beauty of this toaster is... the beauty of the toaster.
@@fwiffo it would have been a good idea for cleanliness and hygene
But would you be able to put that mechanism back together correctly?
I usually run used toasters through the dishwasher. Providing you let it dry thoroughly before use, no problem.
I am proud to announce that, after watching the original Technology Connections video on the magnificent Sunbeam ‘radiant control’ toaster, and searching for what must be over a year now, I finally struck gold while combing through the scrap metal dumpster at my town dump. I always check out any toasters I can see, but they never are the right one- until today! Mine seems to be a ‘transitional’ version, from the older to the newer style. It has the darkness slider moved to the side like on the later model, but retains the same paper-insulated white wiring, and single switch of the earlier models. I am still deciding if I am going to replace the original cord. I had to increase the tension and fiddle with the darkness adjustment screw, but everything seems to work great now!
And here i am still making modern toast with a primitive new toaster
"I'm using scissors because my wire cutters are dull." and now so are you scissors...
Not even Techmoan would dare to throw us over 60 minutes of pure toaster entertainment
Techmoan instead dared to throw us over 60 minutes of pure MiniDisc entertainment, and it worked out quite well.
Toastertainment.
No freakin way. I bought one of these at antique store for $2 in pristine cosmetic condition a couple months back, but it didnt work. Sure enough, I tightened the screw and it worked first try. Thank you so much! Also, the sticker actually was on the bottom of mine so I guess I'm the dummy for not reading!
Order a yoga mat for your table when you want to do work on the desk. I use them on all my tables to protect equipment.
Fancy seeing you here Zeos
Why not just a project mat?
It's weird seeing one of my favorite content creators commenting on the video of another favorite content creator of mine. Like an unexpected cameo.
I use some Vinyl that I have a roll of dating back to 1966, or 1967
The heavy duty vinyl I refer to was used by upholsterers ad motor
trimmers for seating in cars and Buses, it is very durable material.
One can still find it from those who supply motor trimmers and
upholsterers, Also insulated headlining material is good, and not
as thick as a YOGA mat which is not the best choice in my view.
And when you have a yoga mat there's no excuse to not start doing yoga. I recommend it.
As a Patron, I was able to get one of these toasters on eBay before the rest of your viewers. These automatic toasters are the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Nice! It's funny how a video will trigger eBay floods on an item. Old toasters are great, new ones are plastic abominations.
@@volvo09 The best way is to wait a year after the video comes out.
"...greatest thing since sliced bread." Hahaha.
I was thinking "greatest thing since fork-split English muffins" Been saying it for years. One I the things I miss living LCHF lifestyle is warm, crisp toasted carbs!
I prefer the toaster oven.
"1500 watts. Where has that number appeared before?"
Card for the Space Heater video appears
I laughed, not gonna lie
A space heater that makes toast is even more efficient.
I was listening to the video at that point. I knew what he was talking about and had a chuckle.
@@hondaguy9153 Same, especially because I am on Android, so no pop-up for me...
@@guiorgy, I get pop-ups on Android.
@@Optamizm same on youtube vanced
This brought back a lot of wonderful memories. To help put myself through college back in the early-to-mid 80's, I worked nights at a small appliance repair shop. We fixed a bit of everything, but specialized in Mr. Coffee drip brewers, the venerable old pedestal stand mixers (both the Kitchen Aid and the Sunbeam) and of course this wonderful toaster. You're absolutely right, more often than not when they were brought in it was a matter of adjusting the tension. Lucky for us, our shop was right next to a bakery and we had all the day-old bread we could use for testing the machines (and we occasionally got some leftover donuts as well!) I always marveled how these old devices were far better in build and function than their contemporary counterparts. Such a shame much of this robust design is being lost in favor of convenience and cost.
Anyway, thanks again! Some great memories!
Any notes on modernizing an old KitchenAid with the plug very much like this toaster? I found one at a flea market that works great, but the metal body and old cord feel like a liability.
FIX IT shops have all been replaced by trash cans.
I decry the throw-away mentality of today. I have recovered vacuum cleaners from the trash which are only clogged and have no other problems
@@stan.rarick8556 or the owner has died and been vacuumed up.
If toaster needs calibration - it's terrible design. No wonder why they don't produce them today
Things I learned from wiring CEE Sockets: you always want your ground wire to be the longest wire and/or with the best strain relief as it is your lifeline. That way, the ground wire will fail last, so if another wire fails, at least the thing is still grounded
Now that's what they call a life hack - as in, a hack that will prolong your life! This is how all UK plugs are wired, by the way. The way the routing works means there's always a little more slack in the earth wire than the live or neutral.
Toaster: So you want it medium, right? Well HERE YOU GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me: Um, ok. That's a bit much...
Toaster: Fair enough, shall I conjure the fires of hell?
Me: Wait, what?! No! just make it kinda medium darkness.
Toaster: Ok.
Toaster: *vaporizes bread*
Ha ha ha That sounds about right, especially if you accidentally set the thermostat wrong.
Just don't forget to 'Share and Enjoy'....or were you referring to the Toaster in Red Dwarf? :)
So you've met my Toaster...
This is so underappreciated
This toaster: Here you go.
Me: *squints suspiciously at the perfectly toasted bread* Are... are you trying to prank me?
Toaster: No, no! You asked for "medium" toast. So I made medium toast!
Me: *hesitates, snatches slices, looking sideways at the toaster*
Toaster: Well, if you need any more, c'mon back!
That strain relief was a bit sophisticated in a time when most were just a knot tied in the wire.
Ahh the good old knot in the cable. :-)
Or even better, a *steel clip* crimped around the cable.
@@compwiz101 my old waffle machine has a steel spring to do that, very safe indeed.
@@CAESARbonds On better appliances the underwriters knot was around a screw's insulated standoff or spacer.
On my T-20 (Built March 1956) the white lettering had worn off as had the 'light/dark'.
I found that I could restore the lettering. I carefully etched out the old yellowed paint that was still left in some spots.
Then dabbed a little white fingernail polish and carefully rubbed away the excess. The result was very nice and now you can plainly see 'light/dark'. As well as the stylized Sunbeam logo.
Thanks . I used fingernal polish on a new sink that was scratched .
IDK if this will help in the future, but you can buy "paint crayons" for things like this. Basically it's paint mixed with wax/laquer. You rub it into the recessed characters until they're full, then wipe off the excess.
McMaster-Carr sells them under "Paint Crayons for Recessed Characters", $4 per.
@@chriscluver1940 what a terrific idea. My daughter will be glad I'm no longer borrowing her nail polish !
Me: *has a final exam tomorrow*
Also me: *watches a 50 min video about toaster repair*
This is a HOT topic.
how was the exam?
I bet you aced that toaster repair exam.
@@PyrokineticFire1 If not, GA Pope was toast!
But how did the exam go?! Don't leave us in suspense!
"where's that number appeared before?" _card pops up_
that was really funny to me, especially how you paused for a few seconds
“This is plugged in, I’m being careful” proceeds to jam a screwdriver into the toaster. lol.
But very deliberately holding the plastic handle of the screwdriver, with his fingers well away from the metal shaft (… lol … shaft... Sorry, couldn't resist after this video's "butt" jokes ;)).
I would have preferred it if it was a proper 1000V-rated insulated screwdriver that's intended specifically for use where mains voltages may be present (the ones with plastic insulation over most of the shaft - and at least Wera makes versions where the shaft is no thicker than on an ordinary screwdriver, so you no longer have that excuse for not using them!), but hey, it's a good start, especially when he's presumably only dealing with 115VAC nominal.
@@AndrewGillard Ah yes, I recall stripping the insulation off of many a screwdriver before these newer models.
The last I got was from Zebra though.
"I PROMISE IM BEING CAREFUL!!"
*sticks knife in*
Bahahaha!!!!
yes, but carefully.
I fixed my mother's toaster thanks for the tips
Note: Make sure cord is (heat resistance cord made for toasters, iron, convention oven) or it will melt
I am 100% proud to comment yes we do have Sunbeam toasters in Australia, exactly the kind with the sliding radiant control, the one that I have is actually even orange and chrome and they consume 1600w at 240v, so they are basically double the Watage of the American toaster show here and the major design difference is the panel that holds the cord on actually it’s just hold on with two screws so you don’t need to go through the entire process of taking apart the toaster and sliding the cord through attaching all the wires it’s just simply with some screws and the cover (this is the joy of being close to the US and having European appliance specifications (240 V 50 Hz) we also do have Other American products here such as the Westinghouse slanted front washer and dryer, and the General Electric swivel top vacuum Generally these were in the mood for export in American/Canadian factories or reproduced locally such as in the case with the Sunbeam toaster and Westinghouse dryer
I just spent over an hour watching someone talk about an old toaster and didn't regret a single moment of it.
That is because you enjoy eating toast at the brainy table. Welcome!
Did you watch more than this one video? It's only 48 minutes. 😛
Tyler Hardy the video on the main channel idiot
@Matrix29bear I love BigClive, I always enjoy when the explosion containment pie dish is brought out.
You had me at "sucks to be you". This is the kind of humor I enjoy.
Absolutely! With you on this one.
In my flat, live and neutral are the wrong way around up to the fuses. Leaving the fuses are on the *neutral*! I found out the "fun" while trying to write a light fixing after just popping the fuse out... You don't expect to see sparks between ground and neutral!
BUTT crimps
Looking at Alecs reflection in the toaster when he plugged in the repaired toaster was the best thing ive seen in a while
Why am i watching this? I have no intention of purchasing this toaster, no intention of helping someone else that has this toaster. I know how to replace a powercord. But somehow this is just excellent to listen to while working! Love your videos, random items from all over the place is just up my alley!
This exact same toaster was HUGE here in Australia in the 60s-70s and yes, it was a grounded version _(by standards)_ . I too would dearly love to own one again, we had one as a child, fantastic!
tubeie07 As a fellow Aussie I was wondering if our models were grounded. I figured there would’ve been an AS dictating that it had to be grounded at the time. Interesting! Now I want to track one down.
@@munnsie100 Hi fellow Aussie! To be fair I am assuming as the plugs for these were all 3 pin with a ground, so some assumption in my part :)
The Australian version also had a much bigger, fatter, plug.
tubeie07 also Australia was 240 volts, so no arguments about mild tingles. Plugs were also polarised.
I have one still, here is Oz!
The "one slice" being flipped around makes sense, that way if you set the toaster on the counter perpendicular to the wall, rather than parallel, the activating slot is in the front and "one slice" is not upside down.
Exactly my thought!
It also means you don't have to hold your face over the toaster slots to read it, which is easier and also probably safer (I can imagine a ladies necklace dangling into the toaster).
@@ModMINI a toaster that has a 50/50 chance of being plugged in wrong Lolololololololol!
If the slider is in the front, that's where you start reading makes sense
Part of me wonders if it might not have been an accident, though. Perhaps the manufacturing facility just shut down for maintenance some day, and when rebuilding it all the tiny stamp stencil just went unnoticed?
Regarding the 'One Slice' indicator, I would suggest it is probably turned around so that the 'most used' toaster slot can be positioned closer to the user. The way it was originally stamped, if you are reading the indicator, you are reaching over the unused slot to place something into the used slot. Obviously it's irrelevant if you have the slots equidistant from the user (e.g. | | ), but if you don't, then it's more user friendly. Though moving the selector to the side in that case does seem a little silly.
Covid confinement one year later. I own this toaster. Found it at Goodwill! My grandmother owned one just like it. I love how the bread lowers down slowly and then raises really slowly when done. Brain therapy. That's the best part of toasting with this Sunbeam toaster! ... besides... reading the hilarious comments on a boring afternoon...
I suggest getting a roll of kapton tape to keep those wires in place, is like the duct tape for the electronics world.
The high temp part is the best, I have 3 rolls of different sizes and they're lasting me forever
I came here to say that, it seemed like the perfect place for some sort of tape which would spare you a whole lot of hassle
Hot glue would work fine, it just needs to hold it long enough to put it together. Considering that the strain relief is plastic, heat apparently wasn't considered an issue by the engineers who designed it.
@@ShayneHartford one wire in toaster is aluminium, do not solder together aluminium and copper
@@redryder6987 the strain relief, like the rest of the toaster is made of bakelite, a thermoset plastic
Cable lengths: the modern cable being shorter is due to changes in the way kitchens are designed, along with safety concerns. Old kitchens there would be a few power connections, normally near ground level, around the walls (or sometimes the centre ceiling light bulb would be the only power point!) and the toaster would be on a table, so the longer cable was useful. More modern kitchens have sockets above fitted worktops, not only meaning a shorter cable is sufficient (for cost reasons), but also reduces the chance the extra cable might trail into a cooker hob or sink.
My first demented thought was with the 3' cord, its less likely to end up in a bathtub with someone. 🤪
ThePoxun I actually came here to say the same thing. I remember the struggle of trying to find an outlet in my grandmothers early 1900s house. You were lucky to find one in a room.
@Nigel Cam What dollar tree do you have?? ive never seen toasters there, I imagine they are quite good quality, probably spring the lever off the first time you use it, or in the case of the last new toaster i bought damn thing wouldn't cancel at all you had to unplug it yourself, ill stick to my 1995 Delonghi cause that thing uses the fires of hell to cook toast very quickly.
@@christinecrawford Actually, not so demented. At least here in Canada, electrical code states that all outlets in bathrooms are to be GFI and any light switches have to be (I'm gonna say) 3 feet from a water source. Small bathrooms have the light switch outside the door.
I was going to comment the toaster in my parents house sat on the kitchen table back in the 1960's you needed a 6 foot cord to reach from the middle of the table to a wall outlet. I remember you couldn't run the toaster and the electric mixer (or even a fan) at the same time since it would blow the 15 Amp plug fuse on that line. Someone would have to go down to the cellar to the fuse box to change the fuse to a new one. (Usually they sent "the boy" when I was big/old enough to reach the fuse box high on the wall)
I bought the model vt-40-1 because of your video. It was not working and sold for parts. You were absolutely right, it just needed adjusted. I checked and it has the dual switches and the cord looked good so i did not feel the need to replace it. I used my megohmmeter to check the insulation and it passed. Thank you very much for putting up this video. I had no idea these were ever made. I think it is great and looks good on the countertop .
*_WHEN_* I eventually lay my hands on one of these toasters I will be back to follow your upgrades!
I would suggest using hot glue or epoxy to hold the wires in the strain relief, then they'd be easier to fit and would give a little more flexibility to install the base, and possibly look at soldering the wires together and add some heatshrink insulation to them to make them more secure than the crimp *BUTT* connectors.
Also, leave the ground wire longer for safety. (In the UK, at least) the ground wire should be the longest wire and therefore the last to break or come away if the cable is accidentally yanked hard enough to break free of the neutral or live connections.
Also put some epoxy or hot glue in the hole where the wire is exposed to mitigate any potential chafing on the bakelite chassis as bakelite can be quite sharp.
just my 2c. (or twopenneth since I'm in the UK!)
I just did lay my hands on one! It wasn't working... until I tore it down and put it back together while adjusting everything on the way. Now it bloody well works! (Mine is the Aussie model with much better cable management, I just had to remove a panel and take out 3 screws holding down the wires, yes 3 wires because Aussie electricity standards were better in the 80s than American ones are now apparently! Though I spose that makes sense with the whole 240v thing, we don't mess around down here!
Hot glue will melt again. This toaster gets very hot. Soldering would be OK, but it's tricky in applications where the wires are near a heat source.
Just to mention, that red wire appears to be aluminum and thus might be a) tricky to solder, and b) not quite safe to solder to the copper as it prone to galvanic reaction.
However pre-soldering with a thin layer, then soldering those together and isolating with a thermo-tube isolation (with some glue in it) looks like the best solution for me.
I have to say, you are exactly the person I would expect to show me how to fix a toaster, and tell me exactly why these toasters are fantastic. In a previous life, you may have been a door to door salesman telling me how these are the future of toasting technology, and I wouldn't want it any other way. :)
"GooddaysirIrepresenttheSunbeamToasterCompanyofWallaWallaWashingtonInthisdemonstrationyouwillseehowthetoastisimmediatelyandautomaticallybrownedtoperfection withoutanyinteractionfromtheuserbeyondthedroppingofthesliceIrealiseyoumaynotbereadytopurchasetheSunbeamToasterrightnowbutifyoudo
pleaseremembertheSunbeamToasterCompanyofWallaWallaWashington." *_slam_*
K.o.R LOL
@SuperDerek RPGs You just brought a tear to my eye!
@@K-o-R Love the clever Daffy Duck reference you threw in at the end there. The Little Giant Vacuum Cleaner Company thanks you.
A dab of hot glue to temporarily hold the wires in the strain relief would have probably made reassembly far less frustrating. It will fail later, but by then the bottom plastic will be doing the work, so not an issue.
a dab of high temperature rtv silicone gel would work well and wouldn't melt as it can withstand up to 650 degrees
@@nehpetsamenied9068 Hot glue is useful as a temporary work holding solution because it will melt away at temperatures that don't damage the part being worked on and, very importantly, it is cheaper than dirt. Blue tac also works and is arguably easier to work with, but if heated may catch fire or produce foul smelling fumes (depends on the brand).
RTV Silicone has a price that makes it sensible if it is something the part actually needs, but the suggestion here was to hold something in place until the part that will hold it permanently is installed. Hot glue can be removed with a heat gun as soon as the fastening part is in place, or be allowed to harmlessly melt away while the toaster is in use whereas the silicone would essentially make whatever you just did permanent.
33:18 - Howdy Doodly-Doo! I'm TALKIE! Talkie Toaster! You're chirpy - cheerful - breakfast companion!!!
Would anybody like any toast?!
No toast. No Bagals. And definitely no Muffins.
I've been watching so much of ElectroBOOM lately I was expecting the toaster or something to explode as soon as you plugged that toaster in to the outlet
"Now we can put the strain relief back and hope that there was enough excess for this to kinda go where it's supposed to."
> checks length of video
> there's 23 minutes left
Ah. Something will definitely go wrong.
As for the problem with the visible cutaway of the jacket of the cord, there is a way to easily resolve that, if your willing to modify the Bakelite strain relief slightly. Dremel out the center rib that separates the leads. Then the jacket can go all the way in to where the leads will fold back 180 degrees on themselves.
For the two questions you had this is what I believe to be correct. The different wire types are a quick way in manufacturing to identify the wire that connects to each color wire. It can also aid in avoiding reverse polarity especially if it has a polarized plug. Another way is the insulation on the cord. If you look closely the insulation around one conductor will be smooth and the other will have small ribs, imprinted lettering, or painted lettering. It helps with the identification process. The last electrical code book I looked at required outlets to be every four feet or less. A three foot cord allows it to be plugged into the nearest outlet and since a counter top is less than three feet deep, the cord can’t hang over the front edge and be grabbed by children. When it comes to ground wires running to the chassis, it doesn’t matter if the insulation melts or not. The current goes to the same place. Once Bakelite cures and hardens it can’t revert to a plastic or flowable state. Navy ships actually had Bakelite shops to repair electrical components. Another case of reinventing what already works. All I’ve added only supports what you explained. If you stopped to talk on each side issue it would detract from the highly interesting information you want to illustrate. Hopefully my comments aren’t an annoyance.
We have a Sunbeam T20B Toaster we still use. My mom bought it a little more than a year after I was born. The date on the toaster says Sept. 19 1965 . It's such a pretty toaster with the design on the side! Still works great too! 😀
As a electrician who has used a ton of crimps, they never work well on solid wire, with stranded the wire deforms easily, solid its nearly impossible, if the crimp was prone to movement solid wire will always work loss.
he mentioned that one wire was aluminum ...is there any issues with using butt connectors (tin plated copper) with aluminum wire?
@@MickeyMousePark Crimping is good for some things ... not for this. Just solder them. It'll be much easier to fit back into the strain relief, and shrink wrap is probably safer than having metal squished out the plastic from a poor crimp.
Agreed Ryan...I have had problems using crimps on aluminum wire in the past due to the dissimilar metals
Stranded appliance cord wire is much finer than stranded building wire. If your crimps on stranded wire failed, you were using the wrong kind of crimp tool (not a compression or hex die tool) or the wring size connector.
In my situation it was on a vehicle with solid aluminum wire and i used a ratchet compression crimper..after a few months the crimp was still solid but no continuity ..replaced the butt connector and everything started working again..after a few months same problem again...in the end i carefully twisted the two wires together put a spring connector and never had a problem again..
I'm in the middle of watching about an hour total video production involving ancient toasters, appliance plugs, potato bread and information and I certainly think my time was well spent.
Just fixed the older model with this video. Tightened the screw and now it’s working beautifully. Thank you!
This is pretty cool, but why can't a modern company just make a modern version of this toaster?
It could be a CRT-to-LCD type situation, everyone wanted to jump to the newer/cheaper technology. If they wanted to go back to it, it'd probably be a huge investment to change/acquire the tooling for such a small market. You could probably say the same for a new startup that might attempt it.
To make a modern version world cost a couple hundred bucks these days. The curvy shape, the shine, the significant weight of the chrome, it would be cost-prohibited. A real pity that current "modern" toasters are not as reliable and consumers add them to the dumpyard and go to Target for another "good deal".
Laziness.
@@carolkd4018 Maybe cost prohibitive for the mainstream, but I think it would do well as a niche product. Like that single serve Mitsubishi toaster.
@@gustavrsh Hadn't thought about the upper crust (totally accidental pun!!!) consumer. I just watched half of a 22min video about the Mitsubishi appliance you mention. Your idea is great about reintroducing Sunbeam. Sunbeam could return to being a more relevant company by bringing this back. Its sheer heft, curves, and sheen all say "Classic". The slow, be-patient lowering of the bread encourages the consumer to stop, sit down, and admire the design and engineering. As the bread slice elegantly lowers, the amber heating element glows, the golden toast gently rises, and the anticipation of biting into a perfect piece of toast is sated. (The way I wax on, I should have gone into marketing!)
Incidentally, the Mitsubishi seems it might have a larger footprint than the Sunbeam, but that could be that it's positioned laterally, horizontally.
Upon seeing these 2 types and disregarding their functions and features, I find the design of the Mitsubishi quite ordinary, sadly lacking any design other than a brown curved box that appears to be a home air filter or a scent mister. For the pricetag, they can do better simply by giving it more pizzazz.
11:10 for which size of room are those modern 4 slot toasters?
I believe 4 slot toasters are rated for medium to large rooms. Lol
Sometimes the 4 slots are side-by-side; my new toaster has two very wide slots that can each take two slices of bread if you choose to use it that way. Because it has just two slots it doesn't take much room.
The size of room would be 4 Metres by 4 Metres
I hope that answers your question rarbi.art
@@andrew_koala2974 what is that in freedom units?
These toasters were sold in Australia, so there is already a 240v version of it.
Booblla I have vauge memories of using one in my parents house
Yep, I remember using one of these... Always thought their action was pretty cool , and wondered why new ones don't seem as good!
My uncle had one and I'm 76% it was a burnt orange colour.
I still have one!
Could have been... I thought ours had black ends..... but that was at least45 years ago!
My uncle has this toaster and we spend 15 minutes looking at it trying to figure out how the switch triggers the mechanism and now I need this toaster in my life cause it made the best toast I've ever had in my life
thank you technology connections for teaching us how to do this and some of the reasoning behind it. My dad was surprised that we didn't know that we could replace cords for my extension board, but we were never taught these things in school and nowadays virtually no one takes things apart to fix them anymore, partially due to how cheap replacing a item is and partially due to the way things are built that you cannot nondestructively take them apart. This is important education for future generations to learn and appreciate if they are to understand the proper risks and electrical safety practices. For example I had no clue about GIHC cables I only learnt about grounding in school and never questioned in what conditions would grounding make the appliance unsafe.
Honestly when grounding makes a appliance less safe you have a shit electrical system as normally any GFCI/RCD should detect if any >30ma current is not coming back to the neutral.
Heat shrink is the key. It will give perfect insulation in a jiffy and you could have used it to extend the wires!
Not 4 days after watching your main video about this toaster and raving about the clever engineering to my parents, they happened to find one for sale in a local antique shop! So I am now a proud owner of an auto toaster haha
Got one of these toasters for free, frustrated the crap outta me because I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't work. Checked connections , inspected the elements , pulled out the meters and checked continuity and resistance, used a heat gun to test bimetallic strip, still no toast. Found this video jammed my hand into the toaster to find a floppy carriage. Whipped out a butter knife spun the screw and VOILA smoke! Cleaned the thing out and toast! Thank you very much!!!!
Here in Australia, thanks to you I fixed my inherited Radiant Sunbeam toaster. I tested the elements years ago (nil defects), and I figured, one day a solution will arrive...It was you Alec it is fixed!!! Yes it was the spring tension.
Australia (Red or Brown) is Active. (Blue or Black) is Neutral. (Green or Green) with yellow stripe is Earth. We run 240 volt single phase or 415 volts 3 phase. All products in Australia have an Earth unless double insulated. Our plugs only fit one way in the socket, therefore Active is always Active unless incorrectly wired. Hope this helps and informs. Great Channel BTW.
I just watched a video on toaster repair and dont even own a toaster. 😯
Same. Just wish toaster ovens were as aesthetic as chrome toasters.
same
I only recently learned that some people live without toasters in their lives. My ex-GF had only a toaster oven, so I supplied her with a toaster. Her two kids were overjoyed to have a real toaster instead of having to use a toaster oven. People: treat yourselves to a toaster. It's worth $30. Be happy!
How can you not own a toaster?
@@kurttappe I'm happy with my soggy cheese microwave sandwiches.
I love how you take mundane everyday stuff and make an indept analysis of them. I like that kind of stuff. I'm glad I'm not the only weirdo that like that.
Indept?
@@opiniondiscarded6650 I'm sorry... I didn't use the exact word you would have used... How rude of me... Je devrais m'en tenir au francais. Mon anglais n'est pas de par avec vos standard...
@@chuckdalton the problem is that "indept" isn't a meaningful word. Opinion Discarded is probably asking for clarification as to what you meant (which I would assume was probably "in depth").
@@laurencefraser You are probably right my friend but he should say so. English is not my forst language so I do make mistake once in a while.
I first read it as “inept analysis”! 😁
7:39 forbidden crouton
February 2023, just got one of these thrifting for $5 after your original video and this video has been extremely useful and having it fully up and working now.
Hey do you by chance know what tool you need to take apart the side shell? He didn't mention anything on the video and I can't find anything on the internet as of yet.
I load this video on a toaster, notice it is 48 minutes long & still immediately have joy for how my next nearly hour of time will be spent!
Slotted screws are the bane of my existence
Speaking as an electrical engineer:
My public opinion: Use the grounded 3 wire cord.
If I was rewiring MY personal toaster, I would simply use a 2 prong polarized cord. That would prevent the problem 99.99% of the time. The difference is that I'm not likely to sue myself for bad information if the 0.01% failure occurred.
As for the butt connectors... I would have simply cut off the insulation, and used a short piece of heat shrink tubing to insulate any part that stuck out of the strain relief. (Actually, I would have soldered the connection, as I prefer soldering anything under about a 14 gauge wire.)
And yes, that woven cloth looking material over the wires does look suspiciously like asbestos.
Just wanted to let you know I was absolutely delighted to watch the toaster videos. Seriously. I have never been more delighted about toasters in my life.
I'm from the UK and all of our electrical appliances have been 'Grounded', or 'Earthed' as we call it, since the late 1960's. Our operating voltage is 240V requiring thinner cables/wiring rather than 110V, so perhaps the risk of fatal electric shock is greater over here, hence the requirement. We now also have safety regulations which require earth leakage breaker circuits so if you cut through a cable the circuit trips out and prevents a fatal electric shock, although I wouldn't try to test it out!
There are many electrical devices in the UK that do not have an earth, but they must be double insulated. If they have their original moulded plug, the earth pin will be plastic (and, I shit you not, is officially called an "insulated shutter-opening device", because there has to be something to open the shutters over the live and neutral terminals). If you fit your own plug, the earth pin will of course be metal, but it will not be connected to anything; there won't even be an earth wire in the cable.
Your knowledge is amazing! Thanks.
I think the wiring that inside the toaster (what you called "cloth") is actually asbestos based. There's a video by FranLab where she goes in depth about how asbestos was used on literally anything.
That might also be a good video idea for you in the future: Asbestos shoe inserts and other fantastic uses for asbestos.
I would love to see a video on asbestos from him!
i wish my soul was made of asbestos
Modern high temp insulation is glass fibre so it might be that but you never know with 60s stuff.
More asbestos! More asbestos! More asbestos!
I own a toaster like the 3rd one in the video. Can confirm that mine is asbestos. It's not flaking or anything so I'm leaving it alone.
Great videos on these. There's been a few of the older t-20s in my family for decades and I've used them my whole life. The naming convention is appropriate because they truly are built like tanks.
I haven't had a chance to go through all 1200+ comments (excellent job), but in the 1970s there was a price spike in copper. Many houses on that time were built with aluminum wiring to save money. Likely, this is the reason for the different wires. They used the copper only where absolutely necessary.
when chosing a cord for a heating appliance, consider either a (full) silicone cable (like on DIY hot air guns) or even a heat resistant silicone/fabric mesh one (like found on irons)
A good quality PVC lead would probably be fine for use in this application as it is unlikely it would ever hot enough burn the PVC and also the PVC lead is both thermally and and electrically insulated by the Bakelite.
If the surface of the appliance becomes "considerably hot beyond touching temperature" it's most likely that's too much for PVC as well to stay safe.(it might happen that some unfortunate user slings the unused cord over or at least around the corner of the unit. that should not cause any risk of electric shock.)
You do have a very good point and I agree with you. There are is many things I did not factor in when writing that first comment thank you for replying.
This guy knows what he's talking about. Those cheap PVC cords have no business on a toaster.
By posting these videos you've no doubt drive up the prices for these old vintage toasters by 200%. LOL...
Right after he bought 3. Genius.
They cost $100 for a broken one now, and $300 for a working one xD
Old toasters - directions on how to fix your toaster. New toasters - directions to the store to buy a new one to make the company more money.
I never in my life thought I would watch a guy fix a toaster for almost an hour.
Great video. My grandma had one,I inherited, and used for some time and loved it. I never knew how it actually worked until now. Another idea would be vintage toaster ovens. My 10 year old now swears the 1970's Sunbeam with the latch-on switch and sliding thermostat is much better than our new digital readout and larger toaster oven. He is right, it is easy to use and faster (likely since it is a smaller internal volume), but I think the older ones had more watts as well. It dings a physical bell one time when done. The new one has an extremely annoying electronic beeping that lasts 5+ seconds.
WOW! That was a bit in-depth! I've never seen a video where you've took something apart and worked on it like this. Very informative and nicely done.
Just used this to fix tension and put in a new cord!! Thanks so much for all the content you make, and it's always great knowing there's another local enthusiast here in the suburbs
Get this man a set of wire cutters with sharp blades! DYING TOASTERS ARE IN NEED!
Through the magic of buying three of them, we get this video!
That space heater card placement was reeeeeally clever, nice
I know this is 3 yrs old but you raised a point that many do not know. All two wire appliances were required to have an identified conducter which is the white or neutral wire that is eventually connected to the service ground conductor. If you look closely at the toasterwire’s edges one of them will have a sharpe edge made in the insulations surface. That sharp edge (compared to the others smooth one) is the identified conductor and the plug end that it aligns with should be plugged into the outlet’s
Larger slot. Look at a three prong plug and you will see the identified wires edge aligns with the large slot on any outlet it will plug into.
I pretty much thought you were being overly cautious about the wiring, but now that I have acquired one of these little gems, it really is pretty scary. The best part is how one of the cloth (asbestos?) insulated wires has a fuzzy gray streak from the chassis screw that literally touches the insulation. Every time you operate that screw, you fray the ancient insulation just a little more. The strain relief was a total mess too. Yeahhhhh, I'm afraid this does need an intervention.
I have to say, I do really admire this thing. It's just such a treat to see form and function come together in this way, plus it looks fantastic on my counter. One day soon, I plan to buff out the scratches and bring this thing to a full mirror polish.
On the old ones with the knob adjuster, it's almost guaranteed that wire insulation has asbestos in it. I was cringing and twisting in my seat as I watched Jacob manhandle that old wiring :/ . I have my ticket for asbestos and it's not to be trifled with. It's as simple as doing the work outside, making sure the asbestos material is very wet(use a drop of rinse aid or drop of dish soap in the wetting water to reduce surface tension), and wear a P100 as you do the work. Double seal the wire in a thick rubber bag and dispose of it safely and ethically. If you take those basic precautions for something small scale like this, you'll be fine.
Thank you so much for this video. I dug my grandfather's toaster out of the basement, watched the video, and am ready to start working with it. I noticed a lot of dust buildup on the inside. I'll do what I can to clean up the gunk. The power cord is cloth, which suggests to me it's an old one. It'll be quite the adventure working with it.
I just fixed one of these! I don't think I got the tension as high as it should be, but it does work. Alec, thanks for time-warping to the past so we can repair the stuff that we thought we'd probably just throw away.
This is a very handy video. For the first time in decades, I had to repair our T-35. It just stopped working for no apparent reason. But when I dismantled it, I took the adjustment screw completely out; I didn't realize it could pop off. Now toast has one setting: burnt. So I have to figure that one out.
I went from watching a video explaining the VFX of District 9, got bored, and decided this video about fixing toasters would be more entertaining.
I was right.
Short cord means it will stay close to outlet or on an island, and not stretched across walkway onto a table. Also if knocked off counter it should unplug itself on way to floor.
I like to walk around the house with my toaster, I don't know how people just set it down and wait. It's so toasty and warm and cuddly, I need at least a 40' lead for when I go in my backyard
Kitchen appliance cords are generally about two feet long. According to the National Electrical Code, Kitchen appliance outlets are to be no further than 4 feet apart along the countertops. So, the appliance can sit anywhere on a countertop and reach an outlet. It is definitely a safety feature.
I would expect that the shorter cords will also help reduce wire resistance under load. Which means they wouldn't need to use a larger gauge wire.
That's too short a cord to reach a bathtub. How is one supposed to enjoy fresh hot toast while having a bubble bath?
@@terryhinchI find that my wet hands sometimes make the toast soggy, so I make sure to keep the hair dryer nearby just in case.
Your channel is so relaxing and enjoyable to watch and listen to (in 2K!), just as your main channel is entertaining. They have this genuine feeling of Americana in their style and substance.
Wow... can't believe that I've just watched the same guy I've subscribed to that that spends hours teaching the history of gramophone records, audio tape recording mediums, video cassette recording mediums, now spending 45 minutes doing cheap 'butt connector' ("Oh my GOD") gags whilst repairing a 1950's toaster.... and it was a BRILLIANT video!!
Well done Alec.... that was very funny, very informative, and fascinating - what a stupidly simple design that encapsulated 'elegance' within!
I was eating toast while I watched this.
Opening smile reflection looks similar to the Supertramp Breakfast in America album cover. They even have a toaster on that album cover😝
8:42 "And this is plugged in so I'm [not] being careful here..." 😂
🥵
You are absolutely right, the 3ft cord is for safety, a too long of a cord is dangerous as it can drape off the counter top, and a kid or something can get hung in it and drag the toaster off the countertop while in use and hot
Thank you so much! I picked up the one you have in the middle with the dial on the front at an estate sale a few weeks ago for $3. The screw-loosening trick got it to working in no time!
Crazy how I sit through 50 minutes about toasters when it's on your channel!!
When my former employer got bought out and closed down, I "procured" all the GOOD crimpers from my area.
Those cheap crimpers make me cringe. A poor crimp with high current is asking to develop into an arc.
It’s 348 in the morning for me right now and I can’t believe I’ve just sat here and watch a man fixing a toaster for 48 minutes lol
All your videos are interesting and entertaining but this one had me grinning more than ever (mainly as I could relate so well to the challenges of uncooperative wires etc when assembling stuff). I’d have been cussing a great deal and the fact you stayed cool throughout, despite clearly being frustrated, was entertaining in itself. Thank you.
41:21: "Really the only difference is, the bottom is now made of a true plastic."
Bakelite IS a true plastic.
Bakelite is actually the FIRST thermosetting plastic. It has extremely good insulating and thermal properties. It is relatively inexpensive but does require exacting manufacturing control. It is still widely used and available today. Commonly called phenolic. Perhaps the biggest "downside" is it is brittle and therefore can chip or break easily.
Bakelite also lasts a very long time. I have Bakelite items nearly 100 years old that are still in excellent condition.
polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride............... say that three times fast! Wiki
Thermosetting plastics have changed.
Urea formaldehyde
I've found that when trimming the ends of stranded cables like you did at 17:00, it helps to tin the ends of them with some solder first. Not enough to go past where you're cutting, but just enough to keep the strands at the end of the wire attached together. It makes cleaning up *sooo* much easier.
Overall a greet video(s) and much useful information that I will use on our two toasters that are inconsistent in their toasting ability. Thank you!
Like many have already commented on, your crimps are scary.
Bushougoma left a link to excellent info on crimps and crimp tools. Some have commented that you can't crimp solid wire - you can, but both the crimp connector and the crimp tool need to be designed for crimping solid wire. There is a science behind crimps that when properly done, are actually better than solder.
As for the toaster wiring, the oldest toaster where you showed how to change the cord, did NOT have asbestos wiring. It is what is known as varnished cambric. Basically varnished cotton where the varnish has a relatively high temperature rating. It is perfectly safe wiring even today as long as it is not damaged. The newer toaster looks like it used varnished cambric tubing over the wire. I have seen it applied over conventional insulated wire and over bare wire. With any form of wiring used on a toaster, temperature rating should be a primary specification, probably at least 155 degree C rated.
I just picked one of these up this morning at a flea market for a dollar! Lucky day. I've had my eye out for one since seeing your videos a couple of years ago. This morning's toaster is the 1970's model, and it would work, but every other time I'd put bread in it wouldn't start. Loosened the secret screw a couple of turns and now it starts every single time (and moves faster). Thanks! Using ours with a GFI socket, so we probably won't worry about changing the cord.
I suspect the reversal of the 'One Slice' text was a requested by someone on the usability/design team. Many toasters live their lives sitting on counters under overhead cupboards. With the old design it would be very difficult to see the word 'One', which really is the most important of the two words. Reversing the text puts 'One' towards the front of the toaster for all to see.
Maybe solder the wires and shrink wrap them rather than use the butt connectors?
A toaster generates enough heat to cause the solder to melt. I don't know that this area of the toaster would, but for high-heat solder is not great.
37:17
Soldering to the aluminum wire is very hard.
never solder then clamp in butt connectors.
bad idea, it embrittles the solder and you risk shorts from it6 breaking up.
these are rules to live by
@@deadprivacy so clamp then solder instead?
"So lets plug it in and hope we don't die!"
30:28 That's where a bit of kapton tape to hold the wires in place during re-assembly would be perfect.
A screwdriver and a blazer in the same shot. Not two things you see in frame together too often. Just one more reason to watch this guys content. BONUS he is actually a knowledgeable guy as far as I can tell. Thanks for sharing some interesting content.