The Arrarex Caravel - Page 239

January 20th, 2022, 11:11 am

When replacing the power cord you can cut it to any shorter length you want.
You strip off the outer insulation at the end and then find 3 wires inside that you strip and attach 2 of them to the terminals just inside the back of the machine and the ground attaches to the screw in the bracket that clamps the cord.
The cord just needs to be thick enough to carry the current and have a 3-prong plug.

One note about the 120V conversion is that the replacement heating elements don't last nearly as long as the originals. For that reason I use most of my machines with the original 240V elements and an external transformer.

January 22nd, 2022, 2:17 pm

So I've been using my v1.2 as a daily driver since 2013 (based on this forum of course!). I've replaced the heating element many times with primarily brooks replacements, starting with 220v and switching to 110 volt over the past 5 years or so. I've had many issues with them getting stuck. Sometimes it takes some time and force to remove them and I posted here about a year ago about one that couldn't be removed at all. Someone helpfully posted a replacement part on eBay for the entire heating apparatus which worked great!

Well I'm back to square one as the most recent element is also fused. I've disassembled the whole thing but it seems to be immovable.

I'm wondering if there have been any success using an immersible water heater with a pid? Or some other alternative method of heating that folks are using with success? I hate to admit it but as much as I love the Caravel I'm considering alternatives that might require lower maintenance.

#2383: Post by **drgary** » January 22nd, 2022, 3:05 pm

If you search this megathread you'll be sure to find references to immersible heaters. Of course one of those would work with a PID.

January 22nd, 2022, 5:42 pm

Ah thank you, I'm on mobile and didn't see a way of searching the mega thread specifically. I'll try on a laptop soon.

#2385: Post by **drgary** » January 22nd, 2022, 5:54 pm

Good point. I don't know if it'll work on your phone. If I turn my iPhone sideways the display expands and there's a search box on the top that says "Search this topic..."

January 22nd, 2022, 8:25 pm

That was the trick! Didn't occur to me to turn the phone.

So I just read some of the experiences with this setup, but bought a pid and immersion heater earlier. Fingers crossed it works out.

January 23rd, 2022, 12:59 am

I've also struggled with stuck heating elements but managed to get unstuck by taking off the reflector unit and then unscrewing the ceramic from the reflector until all that is left stuck to the heating element is 2 sleeves around the terminals. At that point I've been able to use pliers in each hand to twist off the sleeves while pretty much destroying the heating element.

#2388: Post by **cidadao** » February 6th, 2022, 2:43 pm

Opened up my Caravel for the first time. What a thoughtfully engineered machine. What would you recommend for polishing the chrome? Want something that leaves no stains or water marks.

Anything to be worried about with the fraying in the pictured wires? Was planning to begin simply by converting the cord to an American three prong, though still running with an adequate step converter before making the decision to switch to 110v heating element.

February 6th, 2022, 5:00 pm

It looks like the fraying is just the insulation. I don't see damage to the copper core of the wire. As long as it's just frayed close to the already-exposed terminals you should be fine.

It is good to have a grounded cord so I agree that it would be good to put in a new one.
Be careful with the 120V heating element. People (including me) have had trouble with them getting stuck to the slide-in socket.

I don't think there is any chrome on the machine. It's all stainless steel, but I have no experience polishing it.

#2390: Post by **yakster** » February 6th, 2022, 5:20 pm

Agree, fraying of the woven insulation is normal and not a cause for worry.