Help with wiring for (kiln) electrical connector

long boring story short. Bought my wife a kiln.

having the electrics installed by an electrician.

the connector the kiln comes with is one I’ve never seen before, my question is this kind of connector single phase and installable in a domestic electric environment. (I’m guessing it is, as you can buy the kiln as single phase)

are there any extra special considerations when installing the connector for this to plug into?

thanks

Look at the site linked below, that’s the plug you have, the sockets are listed below it.
Switched or unswitched. If you’re going with unswitched, make sure the kiln is turned off before pulling out the plug.
https://www.yesss.co.uk/ip67-plug-63a-2pe-240v

(there are cheaper ones available, thats the first in a search)

Thanks – I’ll go for switched, has to be a slightly safer option.

that’s definitely a 240v connector then, not 3 phase. Phew.

wonder what’s so special about this type of connector?

the specialness is its rated for 63amps .

kilns are high draw – without seeing your set up – You’ll likely need new cabling and work at the Consumer unit

by comparison a standard plug is 13amp and the smaller version of the plug you have pictured would be the 32amp version.

It’s rated at 63A, rather than the usual 13A uk plug. That’s what’s special about it!

I’d make sure my wife was awake and doing the firing on Economy7 rates (or whatever it’s called nowadays) @63amp!!!!

The 63 amp thing I did know about. It was more the way the connector is designed / shape etc.

will get an electrician out to check everything and confirm.

The plan was to run this from the consumer unit in the garage. but that’s fed by a 35 metre armoured cable wired into the main household consumer unit, could be 10 or 16mm cable – I can’t recall now.

edit : it is 10mm cable

or would this kiln have to be wired up to the main consumer unit in the house, which would be a total pita.

A quick Google – 16mm could be okay but it depends on the physical installation and the downrating there of. 10mm – no chance.

Get a registered sparky to check it……then get your wife a good alarm clock.

A quick Google – 16mm could be okay but it depends on the physical installation and the downrating there of. 10mm – no chance.

this could be a problem. Damn.

wonder what’s so special about this type of connector?

ask again after you get your first electricity bill 🙂

Yes yes, I know it’s not a cheap hobby.

but she won’t be firing the thing every night (well I hope not)

I’m not even sure at the moment I can even get the thing connected ! Without ripping up half the ground floor.

The kiln is definitely 230V single-phase, three-phase BSEN 60309 commando plugs are red.

If it was me installing it I’d cut the plug off and hard-wire it straight into a 63A rotary isolator. One point to note is that just because the plug is rated at 63A doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what the kiln will draw from the supply, it may be pulling just over 32A (which equates to 7.2kW) so needs the next size up. Check in the manual or look for a rating plate. Current (in amps) = wattage/voltage. Once you know the current needed you can make a decision on whether to upgrade your garage supply, but it’ll certainly be fine in the garage, no need to wire it to the house CU.

What rating of breaker feeds the garage? If it’s only a 32A you’ll need that uprating, and possibly the swa too, although if it’s a 10mm/16mm that’ll be ok for up to 60A/78A if buried or 67A/89A if clipped direct.

From the little I know of kilns they’re fairly substantial so unlikely to be considered portable, hence why I’d hard-wire it in.

I’ve just priced one up. 47 amps single phase supply to a kiln in a shed. When I told her £500+, shes not bothering any more, she’s buying a plug in small one.
The 63 amp plug will be because the load is higher than 32 amps, the next size plug down, I doubt the oven will be anywhere near 63 amps, 45-50 at most would be my guess.It will only draw full power for the first 20 or so minutes, or when up to temperature, just like an oven, so it shouldnt be excessivley expensive to run.
It’d probably be fine fed from the house on a 10mm SWA cable – that’s rated at 60 amps when buried. Also the length of the cable needs to be taken into account, for both volt drop and earth fault loop impedance, if it was put in correctly, and those figures comply, then it should be ok.

but she won’t be firing the thing every night (well I hope not)

On the nights she’s not firing pots.

Walowiz ‘Artisan’ Bakery

Sourdough loaf £18

You’d probably knock out a few dozen per night…😅

The 63 amp thing I did know about. It was more the way the connector is designed / shape etc.

Thats a common design used in industrial settings rather than domestic. There are a few different sizes and configurations from 110v for general lighting and plug-in tools upto high amp, 3 phase 415v ones. 3 phase is 3x 240v phases, so as said above what you have there is definitely single phase.

Rodhe ecotops will run off a 13A supply.  There is one sitting next to my desk..

it’s an expensive hobby for sure, but still cheaper than horses or bikes.

I’ve just priced one up. 47 amps single phase supply to a kiln in a shed. When I told her £500+, shes not bothering any more, she’s buying a plug in small one.
The 63 amp plug will be because the load is higher than 32 amps, the next size plug down, I doubt the oven will be anywhere near 63 amps, 45-50 at most would be my guess.It will only draw full power for the first 20 or so minutes, or when up to temperature, just like an oven, so it shouldnt be excessivley expensive to run.
It’d probably be fine fed from the house on a 10mm SWA cable – that’s rated at 60 amps when buried. Also the length of the cable needs to be taken into account, for both volt drop and earth fault loop impedance, if it was put in correctly, and those figures comply, then it should be ok.

thanks @alanl

I never expected this to be a low cost exercise, so was already expecting a cost similar (or more) than that. This kiln is only being installed correctly by an electrician. No diy, back of fag packet malarkey with this thing.
Don’t suppose your Surrey way at all 🙂

From the little I know of kilns they’re fairly substantial so unlikely to be considered portable, hence why I’d hard-wire it in.

Some have wheels on them so they can be moved around.  I imagine in a garage that might be useful so you can get to the other stuff?

I’d make sure my wife was awake and doing the firing on Economy7 rates (or whatever it’s called nowadays)

Presumably since this is STW the OP had an EV charging on Octopus Go and at the right time can pay just 7.5p/kWh for the juice?   I’ve not used a domestic kiln but many years ago used to have kilns in a workplace and they had timers on them so you could put stuff in them and then programme a cycle which would let you time for lower cost electric.  Given how much more sophisticated electronics have become I’d be surprised if that was not the case with home kilns too.

You can, but a glaze firing is still ~12hrs up and then another 12 or so to cool down.