Frequently a heating unit is burned out by a little metal splashing on the terminals, causing a gradual short circuit. This trouble can be eliminated by wrapping the heater terminals with asbestos tape.
When cleaning the contact points on the dynamic thermometer, it is necessary to remove the cover by taking out the two long flat head screws. This cover should be examined for small particles of metal before replacing.
To remove and replace a damaged wire in the pot, fasten another wire securely to one end of it, grasp the other end with a pair of pliers and pull. The new wire will be pulled in as the old one is removed.
Rubber covered wire or slow burning wire is not satisfactory. A special wire with a special grade of insulation should be used.
If it becomes necessary to remove the dynamic thermometer, heat the metal in the crucible to operating temperature and then turn the main switch off. Disconnect the thermometer wiring and dip out the metal to below the level of the thermometer bulb. Take off the pot cover and remove the two screws fastening the thermometer case to the bracket. Grasp the case with the hand and the bulb with a pair of pliers and raise up and out. Be very careful at all times not to damage or break the bulb or hollow wire which contain the mercury; to do so will cause trouble in regulating the heat.
Replace the thermometer while the crucible is hot. See that the bulb does not project out from the casting so as to interfere with the insertion of ingots of cold metal. Press the tube firmly but carefully into place over the edge of the crucible, being careful not to injure it. Fasten the case to the bracket and reconnect the wiring and put on the cover.
All the pot adjustments on the electric pot are the same as on a gas pot.
Current Consumption
The maximum current consumption is 1,500 watts and the minimum 325 watts, the average consumption throughout a day’s work is approximately 600 watts or .6 kilo-watts. The cost of current varies widely in different localities, but you may find the cost of operating your pot by multiplying the number of hours by the cost of current per kilowatt hour and then by .6. The result will be the cost in cents. For instance, operating a pot nine hours with current costing six cents per kilowatt hour would cost thirty-two and four-tenths cents—9 x 6 x .6 equals 32.4 cents.