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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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3rd Jan 2022, 8:16 pm | #1 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Garstang, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 283
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English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Hi I’ve just acquired an English Electric Rapide 66 cooker which I’m guessing is circa late 1960s
It’s in excellent cosmetic condition. Apparently the main oven has never been used so before I connect this I am going to remove the elements and use a blow torch to heat them to dispel any moisture. My question - at the moment as I’m sure more will come - is whether any forum members know the name of the elements fitted to this model and pictured on the attached pictures. This would be useful in order to order some replacements if needed. Also any suggestion where to find some… Many thanks |
3rd Jan 2022, 8:19 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK.
Posts: 8,171
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Hi Luke, try e spares on the web, always worked for me.
To save dismantling you can always feed an isolated low voltage (say 110v) into the element for some hours to dry them out. Much less drastic than a blow torch. Then megger before and after to check results Ed |
3rd Jan 2022, 9:28 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 1,397
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Hi Luke
I have a Rapide 57 as my everyday cooker, which looks slightly earlier than yours. I reckon mine dates from around 1966 at a guess. https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=172996 Hope you get plenty of enjoyment out of using yours when it's up and running. Steve |
3rd Jan 2022, 9:42 pm | #4 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Garstang, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 283
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Thanks Steve - an interesting read and a great save by you!
Are your main oven elements the same as mine ( I posted a picture in the first post) if so have you managed to find any replacements ? |
3rd Jan 2022, 9:49 pm | #5 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Garstang, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 283
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Some more pictures of the cooker
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3rd Jan 2022, 11:18 pm | #6 |
Octode
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 1,999
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
My family had a similar looking cooker, possibly a slightly later one as our house was built in 1973 & was probably installed then.
It was in use until 1985 when my parents bought an early Tricity Halogen cooker.
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3rd Jan 2022, 11:23 pm | #7 |
Octode
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 1,397
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Hi Luke
My oven elements are nothing like yours! They are normally hiden behind removable side panels with slotted runners for the chrome shelves. To be honest I've never used the main oven, as I find the top oven/grill is fine for most of my requirements. Steve |
3rd Jan 2022, 11:29 pm | #8 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Garstang, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 283
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Interesting to see the pictures of your elements - mine are also hidden by side panels that support the metal trays - I removed them for the sake of taking the pictures .
I think mine has 1000w elements -I wonder f different element types can be used? This might help open up some more options ! |
3rd Jan 2022, 11:30 pm | #9 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,081
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
You do like your cookers.. This model has received a flicker of memory recognition from the deep archive in my head, i never thought i'd see one again...certainly not in concours A1.
Dave |
4th Jan 2022, 2:10 am | #10 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,263
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
mineral insulated, formed, sheathed elements, the outer sheath being incoloy, copper, stainless, or mild steel.
If you can't find any NOS then they can be made, last ones I had were 1KW incoloy (for immersion) with welded threaded bushes at around £65 each. Generic oven elements which may need a small amount of bracket modification can be had for just a few quid from appliance spares suppliers.
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6th Jan 2022, 4:35 pm | #11 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Garstang, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 283
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Managed to get all 4 hob rings working by running each ring on a very low heat for some time and gradually increasing the heat setting over the course of an hour or so.
Main oven causes the RCD to trip immediately so removal of the elements and heat treatment will have to be used at the weekend, but pleased with progress so far |
6th Jan 2022, 5:12 pm | #12 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
I would cook them electrically, remove them, put in series and then in series with a big (proper tungsten) bulb and wait for a week or so. Obvious safety observed of course as the outer will be live until it is dried out.
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7th Jan 2022, 12:09 am | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 5,549
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Just connect the cooker to a battery charger with the element you want to dry turned on and leave it to dry out for a day or two.
I made a boot warmer with an 80 ohm rice cooker element connected to a 24 volt wall wart. Cooker elements are usually 20 to 50 ohms. |
7th Jan 2022, 3:35 am | #14 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Cedar Grove, Wisconsin, USA.
Posts: 823
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Quote:
My range has a glass top and does not use the "Calrod" type of element. In our wiring practice, we don't use a master RCD, instead an individual RCD device for the circuits, that require them. Dave, USradcoll1 60+year radio collector and retired electrician. |
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7th Jan 2022, 11:49 pm | #15 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 18,675
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Quote:
My board is up to an earlier "code" we call the 16th edition, it has a single GFCI which takes out everything if it trips , power, lighting, the lot! Later 17th edition boards are split load with a pair of GFCI's I think current 18th edition boards can still be wired like that, but a separate combined breaker+GFCI (called RCBO's), one for each circuit is the best way. A cooker will typically be on an exclusive circuit.
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8th Jan 2022, 12:41 pm | #16 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Co. Durham, UK.
Posts: 1,111
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
My pre-war Jackson cooker is on an exclusive circuit, using fuses rather than breakers.
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8th Jan 2022, 4:20 pm | #17 | |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Quote:
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15th Jan 2022, 8:13 pm | #18 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Garstang, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 283
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Well the battery charger trick worked!
One side of the oven is now working! Tomorrow I will install the other element. Then only the clock to fix! |
15th Jan 2022, 8:14 pm | #19 |
Hexode
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Garstang, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 283
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Re: English Electric Rapide 66 cooker
Pictures attached
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