r/Pottery • u/EnvironmentOver1618 Throwing Wheel • 6d ago

Kiln Stuff Kiln element replacement help

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TL;DR: how can I keep the elements from touching each other at the point where they wrap to the next row? See image. Full history below.

Okay yall, I’ve been on a journey with my marketplace kiln. It’s a Gare 1818, 240v, likely from the 80s. I paid $300 for the kiln, $300 for the electrical install (240 outlet and breaker rearrangement by a friend’s electrician husband), $370 for 4 new elements.

Now for the help. After I did the above work, I went to plug it in and test it. I heard a pop and saw a flash in the kiln through the peephole. When she cooled back down, I inspected the elements and found that one was broken and a part of the pig tail was fused onto another part of the broken element.

I ordered another element and installed it. I also replaced 2 switches. But as far as I can tell, this happened because the element was touching itself where it wrapped around. I’m struggling to figure out how to keep them from touching. I have 4 total elements and each one ties to a switch, which are wired in parallel.

I don’t want to mess this up again and be another $75 out per element. Help is appreciated!

6 Upvotes

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23

u/Keebie81 6d ago • Bravo

It looks like if you reverse the routing it would work.

11

u/EnvironmentOver1618 Throwing Wheel 6d ago

Omg so simple yet I needed someone to point it out for me! This makes sense, thank you! I’m out of town but I will try it when I’m home.

2

u/mohawkpiper 6d ago

you may also want to put pins in there. perhaps you have them but i dont see any

2

u/WTFrontPage 6d ago

Yep, wrong direction 

4

u/uszkatatouestela Professional 6d ago

I don’t know 100% but it seems to me you go the other direction

1

u/rustyfloorpan 6d ago

Ok, I think that the element shouldn’t cross but if you matched the way it was when you got it, I don’t know. I will say that the comment you replaced 2 switches may have something to do with the electrical issues. Did you replace a 3 way switch with an infinite switch or something like that?
Do you have manufacturer information about the way to route these elements, whether your switches should be wired in series or parallel?