Alondene Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Wiring inside kiln, luckily took pics as company suggest I send them. Also yes just one element which broke just before where it joins the nuts, bolts, connectors, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alondene Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 A couple more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Bridge Pottery Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 You just need 4 diodes and a capacitor made into a full bridge rectifier for AC to DC. Alondene, for some reason I have a feeling it arrived broken as 14 firings seems too few for it to break from use. Howcome one of the elements is not doubled/braided when connecting to the wires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alondene Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Last two Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alondene Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Hi, That's how it arrived from them when they sent the replacement element? I sent pics of these but they didn't comment. Is it a problem? Should it have have come braided, might that be causing the problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Bridge Pottery Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Is that the element that was broken and replaced? I am not sure there is going to be only one thing causing this problem, it sounds like a strange series of events. It worked happily up to cone6 for some firings then slowed down. After replacing the element it went to cone6 once and then fried at cone10 at the plug. Nothing really looks burnt or crispy in the wiring. The idea for braiding element ends is to reduce how hot they get as single width heats up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Everything there looks as it should. Element ends do not have to be twisted. I've installed a lot of elements that aren't.Elements can fry for various reasons, regardless of how old they are. A flaw in the metal, a loose connection, foreign object touching it, etc. If the element fried at the connection on the ceramic block, it could have been a loose connection or a flaw in the element wire itself. As I said before, if it was a loose connection it would arc there, which could affect the power cord and be the cause of your problems. I've seen it twice on my own kiln. The connection gets loose and fries, I cut back the cord to good wire and reconnect it, and a few firings later it fries again. Replacing the cord was the solution both times, even though it looked fine. And we know your power cord took a lot more amperage than it should have. That said, it looks like there's some darkening of one of the connections on the transformer but I can't tell for sure since it's blurry. How does it look in real life? The transformer should not have been affected by the precious issues, but it's worth looking at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alondene Posted November 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2016 Well, I thought i would give an update as there may have a break through( fingers tightly crossed). I was asked to do some further checks: Check the elements for ohms - no ohms recorded on any of the element circuits. This lead to a check of the toogle switch with the fuse out - it didn't trip! Well that was like sunshine on a rainy day! A further check then the toogle to transformer. Fuse back in and the black wire from the toogle switch to the transformer disconnected, fuse in, lid up, lid down. No tripping. Yay!!! Suggestion now is that it's the transformer. Replacement being sent and eagerly awaited !!!!! Will post the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted November 18, 2016 Report Share Posted November 18, 2016 Check the elements for ohms - no ohms recorded on any of the element circuits. Huh? You should definitely be reading some ohms, or there's something really wrong. Put the meter on the ohm (horseshoe) setting, and touch the probes to the 2 ends of an element. Check that number against factory settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Woodin Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Well, I thought i would give an update as there may have a break through( fingers tightly crossed). I was asked to do some further checks: Check the elements for ohms - no ohms recorded on any of the element circuits. This lead to a check of the toogle switch with the fuse out - it didn't trip! Well that was like sunshine on a rainy day! A further check then the toogle to transformer. Fuse back in and the black wire from the toogle switch to the transformer disconnected, fuse in, lid up, lid down. No tripping. Yay!!! Suggestion now is that it's the transformer. Replacement being sent and eagerly awaited !!!!! Will post the outcome. While the kiln is unplugged start checking beyond the power relay for shorts to ground or between the wires going to the element power terminal. You should be reading around 17 ohms at that terminal for the wires that go to the elements. You should not read anything to ground with your ohmmeter on a high setting on either wire to ground. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted November 19, 2016 Report Share Posted November 19, 2016 Whatever you do do not cut the green wire or the whole thing will explode-I've seen it a zillion times in the movies-do not cut the green wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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