Why kiln amperage is higher than the rating when first turned on
- When you first turn on a kiln and the elements are cold the amperage is higher. Once the elements heat up the resistance changes by about 4% and the amperage goes down. That is the meaning of "Hot Amperage" and "Cold Amperage" and "Hot Resistance" and "Cold Resistance".
- What normally matters is the "hot resistance" because the "hot amperage" is what a kiln normally draws so this is what the electrical circuit normally sees. The "cold resistance" only lasts for a few minutes - normally under the time that a fuse or circuit breaker might trip.
