power requirements for many kilns

jolly · Post by **jolly** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 1:04 pm

I am about to build a new studio in my backyard and I wonder how large a service should I install. For you glass people with multiple kilns, what amperage do you have in your main panel? thanks, Jolly

charlie · Post by **charlie** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 1:14 pm

you want the neighborhood to dim when you turn them all on.

Tony Serviente · Post by **Tony Serviente** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 1:15 pm

In Ny state 400 amp is the default for homes, and I suspect it is the same where you are. Anything higher than that really escalates the service installation costs. If you think you will have a few kilns, and want to plan for more(or bigger) in the future, I would get as much amperage as you can afford. It is less costly to put it in now, than to upgrade later.

Marty · Post by **Marty** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 4:23 pm

200 in my area of NY, and it ain't enough. And the cable is buried so upping service to 400 would be expensive.
My big kiln draws 75 amps, the smaller one 45, and I have to be careful about what else I use when I'm fusing. There's the compressor, the sandblast vacuum, saw, grinder, etc.

jolly · Post by **jolly** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 4:51 pm

Well, 200 amp is the standard here but as long as I am putting in a new service to the studio, I thought I might try to arrange to NOT dim the neighborhood. I used to have my kiln in an industrial area (along with my woodshop) but now I have it in a friends garage. The controller makes her lights flicker a bit (somewhat like old florescents) but luckily she isn't there during the day and goes out at night quite a bit, so it doesn't bother her much. However, I know a number of you pros have more than one kiln and I just wonder what does work. I suppose I can just calculate it assuming an amperage per kiln. Thanks for info and any more would be great. -Jolly

Alecia Helton · Post by **Alecia Helton** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 5:56 pm

Jolly,

I just went through this with my house which had a 200 amp panel. I bought a 50 amp kiln, already had 2 small kilns, and every spot in the panel was full with some other function in house, or the hot tub. Plus, being in Texas, an AC in the garage studio is a requirement. With the help of my contractor who is enclosing the garage, I decided to add an additional 125 amps. I didn't realize that this meant rewiring the original panel, too. I now have a 325 amp panel with a 125 amp sub panel and a sub meter so I can track how much electricity I use in the garage/studio. I was shocked by the electrician's bid, but got competitive bids and they were within $100 of each other. The cost was $3500.

Alecia

Dani · Post by **Dani** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 7:04 pm

Marty wrote:200 in my area of NY, and it ain't enough. And the cable is buried so upping service to 400 would be expensive.
My big kiln draws 75 amps, the smaller one 45, and I have to be careful about what else I use when I'm fusing. There's the compressor, the sandblast vacuum, saw, grinder, etc.

200 in my neck of the woods, too. I put in a couple of those little 1500 watt rolling oil radiator heaters and now blow the main breaker if I run one kiln and the water heater happens to kick in at the same time. Sigh. Just started happening. I swear, there's a conspiracy to make the public use more and more power.

Kevin Midgley · Post by **Kevin Midgley** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 8:05 pm

Be sure when you are wiring to take into account voltage drop over the length of the wires feeding your sub panels, kilns etc. Don't skimp or try and go cheap on the size of your kiln feed wires. Also there are different ways of installing sub panels. It is best not to try and save money for in the long run you may be paying forever in your monthly bills. In my latest studio, a 400 amp service required a new "can" to be installed on the power pole on the street. More money. Could have been even more money except that I'd hired a good electrian who knew the things to tell the power company. Kevin in Tofino