Yeah, that's what I was trying to ask I guess. Currently There are 2 elements in the oven. Just like your kitchen oven. Only one works at any time. The bottom element comes on when set to "bake". The top element comes on when set to "broil". So can I wire the top element directly to the bottom so that both come on when set to "bake"?
It might be possible to do what you're trying to do however, it could be somewhat dangerous. Personally, I would leave the thing alone, and use one element at a time. Since that's the way the oven was designed to operate I don't know how it might take the extra heat, plus You would also have to get an oven thermometer to find out how to set the oven to get the correct temperature. Besides, it will give you time to sit down, relax, and have another beer, and wait for your project to cook. :up: That's what I do with the oven in my shop.
It's easy to do, there are 2 different ways to do it, but i think the biggest problem you're going to face is the rate at which that sheet metal is dissipating heat versus the rest of the oven, id bet that your losing a lot of heat through that extension. series is definitely safer but i dont think it will accomplish what you are trying to do..
Think of your problem as a heat transfer problem, first...You got an insulated box (the original oven), that could, I assume reach 400 F...right? Then you increased its size, changed its insulation but left the heat input circuit the same....right? SO, the heat input is the same but since you can't reach 400 F anymore the answer is better insulation to cut down on the heat loss. Oh Yeah, if this doesn't work borrow the wife's oven. She won't care...DAMHIK
You should be able to run both elements without any problems, if that is how the oven was designed. Turn that thing on, and if you are drawing close to 60 amps (you'll need an amprobe). Or if your lazy, turn it on and see if the breaker trips out. If it holds, it's drawing less than 60 amps. Next question... can your oven handle the heat of both elements being energized.
If the breaker trips, there's an easy fix. Hardwire the oven directly into the electrical panel using thin-gauge wire. Your oven will get really hot.
Are you crazy, thin guage wire? Everyone knows twist ties and paperclips are much better conductors, while standing in a puddle of water lol
True story - back in the days before pre-sale home inspections were invented, my family bought a previously-owned house. While working in the unfinished storage room in the basement, my father got an electrical shock from something he touched. We started looking at the wiring, and found that the previous owner had added some additional lights and outlets to the stuff that was already there when the house was built. What he did to add the additional outlets and lights was scrape off a little bit of insulation from the wires of the existing branch circuits, and attach new wires to the scraped sections with alligator clips. We ended up replacing most of the wiring in the basement. Now for the best part - the previous owner was an electrical engineer at GE.
^--- funny Whenever we upgrade electrical components in our plant, my buddy electrical engineer gets the maintenance superintendent to sign off on him taking the old ones home. He put together a homebrew security system!
use an extension cord first and plug it into a neighbors to test it, if it does not start a fire, then i would say it safe to use it in your own home
Results Thanks to everyone for their "mostly useful" advice:up:. I ended up re-insulating the back of the oven and wiring both elements together. Oven worked like a champ! Got two of the 4 wheels done, but ran out of powder. Ordered some more so should be able to finish up next weekend. Thanks again, Ethan