Belgian Waffle Maker Problem

Here is what is happening, and if you're out of warranty and so inclined how to easily fix it yourself.

Make sure you are unplugged from the wall before doing anything or you will get shocked. You do not need to take the bottom cover off the base. You do not need to take the top plate apart (they super glued one screw in the top plate (lid), you'll strip out the screw head trying to remove it anyhow). All you need to open is the bottom plate, it has 4 screws in it you will see when you open the lid, these screws are not super glued and will come out. 2 on each side in the back, 2 in the center of the front, long screws go in the back, short in the front.

There are 2 white wires, 1 black wire, 1 green wire that run up the neck of the waffle maker to heat the top and bottom heating elements. The 2 white wires are neutral, the green wire is a ground, the black wire is power.

This black wire runs from the electronic control board in the base of the unit, up the neck in the rear, through a thermal fuse, to the bottom element then jumps up to the top element. All you need to take apart is the bottom plate, the part you pour the batter into. It has 4 screws you will see when you open the top plate up, take those out and you are going to find the black wire is covered by a white rubber like tube about 3 inches long. In the center of this rubber insulation there is a metal clip with a single screw. Take that screw out, pull off the metal clip and slide (don't cut) the rubber like insulation back.

You will find the black wire is crimped onto a silver metal bullet looking component. This component is called a "thermal fuse", its designed to fail at 240 degrees C. Its obviously a design flaw and the thermal fuse is under rated for the actual heat within the device. Its also a one shot fuse, so when it blows it kills power on the black wire from going to the top and bottom plates, thus no heat. It is not resettable.

I didn't even cut mine out (Waring is very skimpy with their wire, they don't leave you even a hint of extra wire to work with). I just tightly twisted the bare metal wire on each side of this component like a bread tie leaving the blown fuse in place. Then be sure to slide the rubber like insulation back over all of the bare metal so it is covering the black wire on both sides. If you don't it will short out and blow your house circuit breaker when you turn it on.

This thermal fuse was probably a requirement of the UL Listing. Its over kill, everything in there is metal so if it over heats in that area there is nothing flammable to burn. If a run away temperature occurs the wire itself will melt, short out and trip your house breaker. There are stacks of these units brand new with this same problem anyone reading this is having, the thermal fuse is under rated, the fix is simple.

For those of you not electrically inclined (like me) here is the contact info for Waring Repair, etc.  Followed by the excerpt from an email on how to handle the return, etc.

--- Consumer Product Returns Waring Products 
314 Ella T. Grasso Avenue
Torrington, CT 06790Any requests concerning product returns should be directed to customer service.
1-800-4WARING (1-800-492-7464)
» [email protected]
--- The Wafflemaker should come directly to us here at the factory.
It has a 1 year warranty against manufacturer's defect from date of purchase/gift.
Without a receipt we go by the date code on the bottom of the wafflemaker....and the warranty would be from that date.
We do not open them up and do internal repairs.
We just replace the whole unit, instead of repairing it.

Our address:

Waring Serivce Center

314 Ella Grasso Ave

Torrington, CT 06790

Include a letter with name, address, copy of receipt/date of gift and why you are sending it to us.

We advise people to send it by UPS or Insured Mail, so if anything happens it can be traced.

Under the terms of the warranty you would pay for the shipping into us and we pay for it back to you.

I called Waring and evidently this is a recurring problem as I was told to simply cut the electrical wire and send it to Waring. Within three weeks a new waring pro waffle iron was sent to me.

Don't take it apart or try to repair the unit, I was told that would void the warranty. Call Waring (1-800-492-7464) or send the waffle maker in to them. They replaced mine, no questions asked with an upgraded unit which is working great, I havn't had to contact them since.

Check for a broken connector to the heating element.

Receipt not needed - 1 year warranty from Waring, they will replace the entire unit.

I found the problem to be a resistor in the line.  It is covered by a white insulator.