Another day, another broken gadget. Plastic-free Rule #1: If something breaks, fix it rather than replacing it. But that’s not always easy since so many appliances are built to be tossed instead of repaired. This is easy. Fixing things can be fun. This saves money. It makes you feel like a Super Hero and not a victim. After Michael had turned off the rice cooker, a few weeks back, Michael asked me to put on my cape once again. The light didn’t come on. The element didn’t heat up. The rice didn’t get cooked. My brain began to turn.
(And before any of you leave comments about how we don’t need a rice cooker and could easily cook rice on the stove and here are the instructions how to do it etc etc… yeah, I know. We do have a rice cooker. It’s a good one. This one broke so we did this:
You see, in 2008 the same happened to my hair dryer. My dad helped me with that. After testing the circuits with his multimeter, he determined that the machine’s “thermal cutoff” needed to be replaced, and we visited an electronics shop, bought the part, and replaced it. This time, though, I didn’t have access to my dad’s know-how or multimeter. I looked on Craigslist for someone who could assist me. This ad caught my eye:
DID YOU D.I.Y. & GET INTO A JAM? CALL AL (berkeley)
Well, I hadn’t DIY’d yet. I was looking for someone to help me before I ran into trouble. The ad described Al’s handyman skills… electrical jobs, carpentry, plumbing, even organic gardening. But this was the part that hooked me:
“A LIFELONG RECYCLER / REUSER OF SOUND USED MATERIALS WHEN AT ALL FEASIBLE. I PREFER TO REPAIR RATHER THAN REPLACE, WHEN AT ALL POSSIBLE.”
Me too! Al was also interested in the story about my rice cooker that had died. I reached out to him. Al arrived with his multimeter to inspect it. Al figured out that just as with my old hair dryer, the “thermal cutoff” (or fuse) needed to be replaced, and following his instructions, I was able to take over the job and purchase and install the part.
To share the process with you, I took photos every step. These are the detailed instructions and illustrations. Keep them in case your rice cooker (or other electric appliance) suddenly stops working and you don’t know why. These could be very useful. And please, if any of you electronics geeks out there notice that I’m using the wrong terminology for some of this stuff, please let me know!
How to Fix Your Rice Cooker When the Thermal Fuse Breaks
1) Tools: Here are the tools I used for this job: Needle nose pliers, screwdriver, and metal cutter. (Note: If you have actual crimpers and want to replace the crimp connectors and know how to do it, you probably don’t need these instructions anyway. I used needle nose scissors and re-used original crimp connectors.
Al’s multimeter, which I forgot to take a picture of. But here’s a photo from the web:
And of course, Craigslist. Craigslist can be a great way to save money on plastic.
2) Unplug rice cooker from wall. (Do I really need to say this?
3) Unscrew bottom screws and remove bottom.
4) Check to see if there is a thermal cutoff. A thermal cutoff can be described as a fuse. The thermal cutoff is a fuse that breaks when the machine’s temperature exceeds a threshold. This prevents the machine from setting itself ablaze. Al took off the insulation that was covering the wires and found the thermal cutoff.
5) Use the multimeter to test for continuity from one side of the thermal cutoff to the other. This article will show you how to use the multimeter and test for continuity. You simply need to turn the multimeter knob until the continuity setting is selected. Next, place the needles along the thermal cutoff and wait for the beep. If the multimeter doesn’t beep, there’s no continuity, which means that the thermal cutoff needs to be replaced. Multimeters can also be used to check for continuity. You can find more information at the links below. Check out this article: How do you test a thermal fuse? It will explain alternative methods to finding the fuse and testing it.
If the multimeter beeps, it is likely that there is a problem beyond these instructions. I really don’t know.
6) Remove the thermal cutoff. One end of the cutoff was attached with a metal clamp to one of the wires for my rice cooker. The other was crimped to an end terminal and screwed onto my machine. Unscrew the rings terminal.
The other end should be uncrimped and the thermal cutoff removed. It depends on what type of crimp you have. Al was able to easily pry it apart and pull the thermal cutoff from it. Mine is made of metal.
7) Buy a new thermal cutoff. To find out if the part you require is available, call an electronics store and ask them to read the numbers on the cutoff. Temperature is the most crucial number. I bought mine from Al Lasher’s Electronics in Berkeley. Yes, it came with a plastic bag. This plastic waste is not the same as a whole rice cooker. Big difference.
8) Disconnect the ring terminal from the old thermal cutoff. I used a screwdriver to pry open the b crimp.
9) Bend both ends of the brand new thermal cutoff into a narrow U shape and trim off any excess with the metal cutters. 
10) Fit it back inside the metal crimp connector and squeeze shut with the needle nose pliers.
11) Replace the other metal crimp connector around the other end of the thermal cutoff and the wire it was connected to inside the rice cooker.
12) Replace the wire insulation.
13) Screw the ring terminal back on.
14) Replace the bottom of the rice cooker.
15) Plug it in. Let there be Light!
Heat, too. The rice cooker works! Thanks to Allen Macri, it works! Allen is available for assistance if you are in the Bay Area. ajpmac [at] comcast [dot] net or 510-815-7152.
