[scott123]

I go through way too many receptacles. The original receptacles lasted about 10 years, and, after that, I get a year or two out of them, but, as time went by, the guage of the metal contacts has gradually decreased to a point where they fail on me after a few months. 5 receptacles x ~$20 a pop = $100 a year.

The term 'Highway Robbery' comes to mind.

I don't need the ceramic housing, just two tiny strips of metal.

Is there ANY chance I can DIY these strips? Copper flashing perhaps? For $25 bucks, I could probably buy enough flashing to make 20 of these things. Tin snips would probably give me too uneven of a cut, but I might be able to take them to a local metal shop and they can cut the copper into strips for me. I can bend them with pliers myself.

My only concern is that I don't know the metal that's being used, and, if I alter the resistance by using a different metal, I might be looking at a dangerous situation.

I want to save a few hundred bucks, but I'd rather not burn the house down.

[PS Staff - Sheila]

Sometimes what happen is the terminals on the elements get bent so they are not making proper contact in the receptacles causing them to over heat.

This happen when the element is remove to clean the drip bowls.

You are right the quality is not like it use to be.

The best thing to do is spread the end on the element so they make better contact in the receptacles.