Søren
140 posts
Mar 16, 2005
8:42 AM
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I had a very unpleasant accident with my soy milk maker yesterday when I wanted to make a batch of soy milk as I've done hundreds of times before by now (I've had it for 3 years). I turned it on and went to do some stuff by the computer. I heard the machine start blending the beans (you can't miss that noise!), some 10 minutes later I heard one of our cats miaowing strangely so I returned to the kitchen and there was soy milk all over the kitchen table and a black smoke streaming from the machine. Obviously I unplugged the machine immediately and lifted the top - the heat element was literally red hot with long flames shooting from it (it seemed the soy milk had burned onto it and caught fire) so I threw it in the sink and poured cold water over it, then I opened wide all windows to get rid of the horrible smell and let in some fresh air. Then I needed to clean up the entire mess. I wonder what went wrong - I just made a new portion today, staying closely by the machine during the whole process and it went fine. Phew ...
Has anyone else experienced problems with the machine?
Søren
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Bryanna
Owner/Moderator
875 posts
Mar 16, 2005
9:07 AM
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OMG! That sounds horrible and dangerous! I would contact the company immediately.
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"To look like a goddess, eat like a peasant." Karen Andres
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Dori
204 posts
Mar 16, 2005
10:22 AM
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I have never had that happen. I have had my machine about three years also and use it at least every other day, sometimes twice a day. I agree with Bryanna, you should call the company!
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"To cook is to create. And to create well...is an act of integrity, and faith." - author unknown
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Søren
141 posts
Mar 18, 2005
12:34 AM
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Here's the answer from Wendy Wang:
The boilover and burnt soymilk problem are most likely caused by filter being clogged up. When the filter is clogged, the milk will be very thin and lack of foam. Then the sensor can't detect the foam and will keep heating and cause the boilover and burnt milk. Therefore, all the mesh screen parts, especially the little round circle mesh screen on the bottom of the filter, need to be free of dry soymilk and okara. Once the filter is completely cleaned, the machine will
produce good thick soymilk. Please read the information on the web page below for more detail and tips of cleaning the filter:
http://www.soymilkmaker.com/cleantips.html
http://www.soymilkmaker.com/magic-cleaner.html
Hope this explains the cause of the problem you had with the unit.
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But it doesn't! I always clean my filter and put it in the dish washer which leaves it 100% clean. Plus there was foam on the soy milk which overflowed. I'm surprised she doesn't seem more concerned of what could have happened if the heat had caused the machine to explode.
Søren
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Bryanna
Owner/Moderator
880 posts
Mar 18, 2005
6:52 AM
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I also use the dishwasher to clean my filter (after an initial scrub with the brush) and it works so well! I agree with you that she did not send you a satisfactory reply. Tell her what you told us and ask for a replacement. If they are not forthcoming, just tell her you are going to post this incident oin every board you can think of! Bad publicity might make them think again!
If you have to buy a new one, consider the SoyQuick, a Canadian machine that I have-- you can read about it on my soymilk page. They seem very helpful. Good luck!
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"To look like a goddess, eat like a peasant." Karen Andres
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Søren
144 posts
Mar 19, 2005
6:20 AM
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Here's what I replied to Ms. Wendy Wang:
I can assure you that I've been very careful about cleaning my filter through all the years since I had the boilover problems you describe on your web site some of the first times I used it. That problem finished once we got a dishwasher shortly afterwards - from then on, I've always cleaned the filter, then put it in the dishwasher as I find this leaves it perfectly clean. There was foam on the soy milk. Perhaps I didn't explain myself very well but I do not find your answer satisfactory. I'm surprised that you do not seem concerned at all about the fact that the heat element were RED HOT and had long flames licking from it when I lifted it up. What if the intense heat had caused the unit to explode?
And here's her reply:
Hi Soren,
It is alarming to see the flames and the heating elements red hot. The machine relies on the sensor to detect the temperature and foam to stop the heating. It must be something wrong with the sensor or the programming at that time. One another thing to be careful about is the little short sensor. Please make sure the tip of the sensor is not covered by dry okara, or blocked by the plastic sleeve coming down from its original place. We never had a machine exploded because of intensive heat. I think when the heat gets to a certain point, the machine probably will just become short-circuited and die.
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Well, I checked the sensor and found that one clean too. Anyway, I'll certainly be more attentive the next times I use the machine. If there won't be any more problems, I probably won't complain further.
Søren
Last Edited Søren on 19-Mar-2005 8:30 AM
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Bryanna
Owner/Moderator
881 posts
Mar 19, 2005
7:55 AM
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I don't know-- do you think it's safe? I would be afraid to use it again.
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"To look like a goddess, eat like a peasant." Karen Andres
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