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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2006-12-25, 5:52pm
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sundaisy sundaisy is offline
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Default Electrical help needed - blew all power in garage

I think I blew a fues but could it be worse than that! I set up my new kiln (AF-99 120 volts) in the garage and had the kiln plugged in to one outlet and on the same one an extenssion cord with my little heater, raido, and lamp hooked to it. Everything was great until I was on my 5th bead.

Do you think I could have done more dammage than just a blown fues? there's a fues box in the garage with 2 round big fuse things, I have to look closer - it's dark in there, lol.

I did move everything but the kiln to another outlet - do you think that would help?

Now I am totally pouting and afraid that I won't be able to use my kiln in the garage. What do you think? I'm so clueless when it comes to all the electrical stuff.

Any help would be greatley appreciated!!! Thanks!

Smiles, Trish
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  #2  
Old 2006-12-25, 6:39pm
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Dale M. Dale M. is offline
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Typically a kiln like you have draws 12-14 amps of current... Typically any circuit in residence if fused for 15 amp. YOU just probably overloaded the circuit and popped the fuse of circuit breaker because of all the "load" you have plugged into the one circuit...

THE fuse box you have discovered sounds like a MAIN fuse box, not a distribution panel.... The should be a secondary panel with fuses or breakers and the should be rated in something like 15 and 20 amp designations...

IF you are having problem sorting the "problem" out, just get some help.... Electricity is noting to be fooling with if you dont understand what is going on here....

Bottom line is you may have to move some of the ventilation and heater power cords to a different circuit than kiln... It may be that you will have to add an additional circuit or two in garage to handle the extra load of the new kiln... You may also find out that all the receptacles in garage are on same fuse or breaker.

Dale
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Last edited by Dale M.; 2006-12-25 at 6:41pm.
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  #3  
Old 2006-12-25, 9:04pm
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It sounds like you may have a very old fuse box with the screw in fuses? If so its probally only at best 50-100 amp service in your garage. You will need to figure out which outlets are on which fuse and mark them out and keep your kiln on its own fuse and do not use anything else on that fuse. Also make sure your wire that is ran out there is newer wire and not the older non insulated paper covered copper wire. If it is you may want to have your hubby or a friend run a new outlet line of wire to the distribution box and fuse for the kiln at least and think about for the other outlets as well as the older wire is somewhat of a fire hazard especially if your running alot of amp's through it like you would be with a kiln or oxy con or such.
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Old 2006-12-25, 10:17pm
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Dale called it, your kiln is 14 amps, the heater was probably 14 amps, a radio (?) and light (2 amps) plugged in to a 15 amp circuit. 30 plus amps probably would set off my breakers. Shoot, if it did not I would be worried.

Sounds like things are OK and as they should be there.

Steve
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Old 2006-12-26, 12:49am
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If you are using your kiln on an extension cord - make sure it's the heavy duty one. I have Mike Crowley's theglasshive kiln that draws 15 amps - he told me if I were to use an extension cord, it needs to be 12/3 wire and no longer than 25 feet. The orange ones you get at Home Depot are only 14 or 16.

When I first got my kiln, I did a test to see which outlet was "safe" to plug it in. I thought the one my washer/dryer and refrigerator were on would work if no one did laundry. As it turned out, it was on the same circuit breaker as one of my bedrooms. I decided then to put in a dedicated circuit exclusively for the kiln.

The heater cannot be on the same circuit with too many other things either, but at least if that trips the circuit breaker, you won't endanger any beads.

Hope that helps.

Hayley
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Old 2006-12-26, 1:31pm
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Thanks everyone. I did replace the fuses and all is good now. I moved everything else to another outlet and only have my kiln in the one by my desk. I'm going to forgo the radio for now and see if that helps. I need my heater because it's too cold to be out in the garage without it and I need to light to see. But I learned my dh had some charger pluged in too that was sucking electrict too so that got unplugged. Hopefully with all that taken care of it won't happen again.

thanks for all the info. You all are always so helpful!!
Smiles, Trish
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  #7  
Old 2006-12-26, 2:14pm
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Another outlet will not help if it is the same circuit as the first outlet. Sometimes it seems there is no rhyme or reason which outlet is on which circuit, but they're determined by loads - not location. Your best bet is to get an electrician in to install a dedicated circuit for your kiln. There might be a way to check what outlets are on what circuit...I'll ask my DH, he's an electrician (lucky me...both of my kilns have their own circuit and I can fuse and anneal at the same time!).
Linda
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Old 2006-12-26, 2:22pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lindag View Post
Another outlet will not help if it is the same circuit as the first outlet. Sometimes it seems there is no rhyme or reason which outlet is on which circuit, but they're determined by loads - not location. Your best bet is to get an electrician in to install a dedicated circuit for your kiln. There might be a way to check what outlets are on what circuit...I'll ask my DH, he's an electrician (lucky me...both of my kilns have their own circuit and I can fuse and anneal at the same time!).
Linda
Quick way to see what is on any given circuit is to turn one breaker off or remove fuse at a time in panel and make notes what does not work in what room of house... This way you can successfully "map" how the circuitry is distributed in home....

Dale
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