Electric Kettle Smells - Cause For Concern?

[barry1010]

This is an odd one.  My electric kettle is the type that has a separate base that plugs in - a cordless kettle.

I have been smelling a nasty rotting fish smell in the kitchen for a few days and have tracked it down to the base of the of the kettle (not the kettle bottom).  There is nothing wrong with the kettle itself, no nasty smell or excessive limescale.

Any ideas?  I gave the base a good clean, dried it well and the smell came back

 

[gingejbee]

Nothing much going on in the base...could it be burnt insulation?

[barry1010]

No signs of any damage.  

[Buenchico]

Googling 'electrical rotting fish smell' finds several links suggesting that it's due to electrical arcing somewhere inside the relevant device.  e.g. https://www.electricaltestingcertification.co.uk/news/why-it-so-dangerous-ignore-fishy-smell

I reckon that it's time to buy a new kettle.  I can thoroughly recommend this one, as I've had several of them over the years.  (They last for ages though):

https://groceries.asda.com/product/kettles-coffee-makers/george-home-white-kettle-1-7-l/1000288354842

[Old_Geezer]

Can you open it up and look for heat damage ?

 

Alternatively has your cat been widdling in the kettle again ?

[barry1010]

Thanks, Buen.

No cat in this house, although my wife says I'm a big pussycat 

[barry1010]

She used to call me a tiger

[douglas9401]

A loose neutral connection.

[dustypuss]

Looks like you could have opened fine kettle of fish with this question. 

[dustypuss]

Hard midget gem's especially the black one's 

[renegadefm]

A loose connection from the base to kettle could cause a burning smell, but to say it's like fish suggests something else. Is it your sense of smell playing tricks with you, does your wife smell the same thing? 

[gingejbee]

A very plausible explanation 8 days ago (Buenchico's link).