Replace plug on Gare/Evenheat 1813 Kiln

[robinelise66]

I have purchased a used Gare/Evenheat 1813 model kiln and am hoping that someone can provide some assistance with replacing the plug.

 

The electrician came out today and couldn’t figure out how to get into the electrical box.  Are we able to just remove the red control box on the front (Kiln Sitter)?

 

We also had a question as to what the proper amperage is.  The plate on the kiln says 240/18 but the kiln sitter shows 240 VAC – 50 AMPS.

        The Gare plate reads as follows:  Model 1813, Serial No 4.8.83, Hertz 60, volts 240, watts 4320, amperes 18, and phase is single.

        Should I hook this up to an 18 amp breaker or a 50 amp as noted by the kiln sitter?

 

Thanks!

 

Robin

[liambesaw]

The kiln sitter is rated to control kilns UP TO 50 amps, the kiln itself draws 18 amps.  So the breaker you want is probably a 20 amp breaker.

[neilestrick]

The sitter is rated to 50 amps, but the kiln draws 18. Technically it should be on a 25 amp breaker. Code says kilns should be on a breaker that is 25 % greater than the draw of the kiln, which puts it at 22.5 amps, so you go up to the next actual breaker size which is 25 amps. If your particular breaker box is a brand that doesn't have a 25 amp available, you can go with a 30 and still be within code.

[robinelise66]

Thank you both. 

I guess I don't know what to do now.  I don't have any other spaces available in my box, so adding a 30 amp isn't possible without a new subpanel $$$$.    My other kiln takes a 50 amp.  Bummed...  I saw the amperage on the front panel and thought we were good.  Lesson learned the hard way.  

[Hulk]

We freed up some spaces in our subpanels by swapping out full height breaker for tandem breaker, which may be an option for you Robin, depending on the brand/type of panel.

Adding a two (or four) space panel isn't terribly expensive in terms of materiel; having the work done would probably be expensive. We installed a two space (four circuit) panel in our son's wellhouse last month - there was no 110 out there, just 220v for the well...

[robinelise66]

Thanks Hulk!  I have an electrician coming again tomorrow so I will definitely ask that.  We have a breaker for a gas dryer that we don't use, so I'm hoping he can use that.  Fingers crossed!

[Hulk]

Here's the panel we added; it's the smaller box.

The line coming in to the wellhouse is on a 30 amp breaker (back at the main panel). We needed 110v in the wellhouse for the UV unit; standard duplex (plug) is rated at 15 amps - the plug and its wiring is protected by the properly sized breaker. There's an extra circuit; we'll add a lighting and a switch for that next trip...

Any road, hope you have a simple, safe, and inexpensive solution in the offing!

The larger box is a transfer switch - now the well can be run off a portable generator ...the bigger part of the job was replacing most of the run from the main panel to the wellhouse, which was three wire only; we needed the neutral to get 110v out there, and researching simple stuff that we didn't know, a) how to shut off the solar so the main panel is safe to work on, b) why the neutral and ground are tied together at the main panel, c) how to route the neutral and ground, for the transfer switch only switches the hot legs, d) how to break the neutral + ground in the generator. Easy stuff, haha!

[neilestrick]

@robinelise66 You may be able to put a sub panel on the line for the big kiln, then drop the two kiln lines off that. You wouldn't be able to fire both kilns at the same time, though, if it remains a 50 amp line. If they can make it an 80 amp sub panel then you could.

[Bill Kielb]

If you have an unused dryer breaker then most likely he can remove it, add a tandem breaker elsewhere and install a new  240 volt double pole breaker sized for the kiln.