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insurance for home with kiln / wiring

updated sat 22 mar 03

 

Bob Nicholson on thu 20 mar 03


>It is my understanding if one has a kiln in one's garage or basement or
>elsewhere on one's home that were to catch fire to the dwelling that the
>insurance company probably has an out when it comes to paying a claim for
>such.

A few days back there was some discussion of direct wiring versus
a plus & outlet.

I've got a 220 volt / 60 amp kiln with a plug that is always left
physically unplugged when the kiln is not in use. If my house ever
burns down due to some unrelated cause, I don't want there to be any
question of the kiln being involved.

Roger Korn on fri 21 mar 03


Bob Nicholson wrote:

>> It is my understanding if one has a kiln in one's garage or basement or
>> elsewhere on one's home that were to catch fire to the dwelling that the
>> insurance company probably has an out when it comes to paying a claim
>> for
>> such.
>
>
> A few days back there was some discussion of direct wiring versus
> a plus & outlet.
>
> I've got a 220 volt / 60 amp kiln with a plug that is always left
> physically unplugged when the kiln is not in use.

Even better, hard-wire a rated 2-pole disconnect with a lockable switch
handle. Harder for an investigator to claim tampering, and less likely
to start a fire in the first place. But even hard-wire connections can
fail, just less likely than a plug. And, if a plug is used, unplugging
after every firing helps keep the connection clean, because friction
between the male and female parts removes the oxidation that causes
overheating. And I'll stop right now.....

Roger

> If my house ever
> burns down due to some unrelated cause, I don't want there to be any
> question of the kiln being involved.
>
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--
Roger Korn
McKay Creek Ceramics
In AZ: PO Box 463
4215 Culpepper Ranch Rd
Rimrock, AZ 86335
928-567-5699 <-
In OR: PO Box 436
31330 NW Pacific Ave.
North Plains, OR 97133
503-647-5464

J. B. Clauson on fri 21 mar 03


For safety purposes, I have also had a manual off switch installed on the
kiln circuit that I can reach in case of emergency. I have a smoke detector
on the overhead beam near the kiln (actually equidistant between the kiln
and the water heater) and a fire extinguisher nearby. Fortunately, I have
never had to use any of these precautions, but they are there just in case.
(OK, I'm a safety nut.)

Jan C.

Brings to mind my dog Frank's one moment of glory. I was bisqueing some
slabs that I had used to collect interesting textures here and there. On
one of them, some of the bark from the weathered branch I used adhered to
the clay. This produced some smoke. Good old Frank kept pestering me and
finally pushed me out into the garage where he lay in front of the kiln and
barked. My hero! This is the original chicken dog. You have no idea how
much courage that took for him. (It was after that incident that I
installed the smoke detector in the garage in case something happens when
Frank is not around.)