3000W Element enough?

[eshine]

I am just about done my 3x3x3 oven. It is 2x2 tubing welded with 16 gauge inside skin and 18 gauge outside skin. I insulated with Roxul insulation. My question is will a 3000 element be enough? I Can run up to a 3500W element but anything over 3000W was hard to find. According to the calculator in the sticky if I rate my insulation as GOOD I would only need 2400W to raise to 425F but if I rate the insulation as Average I need 4800W. Any idea if I am wasting my time trying this 3000W element? Thanks.

[JTW37]

First off, I wanted as much heat as I could get in my oven, so I wouldn't take very long to ramp it up from room temp. If you have a high enough amp circuit breaker (50) and at least a 100 amp service then you could run three 3000 watt'ers and get it up to temp in about 8 min. They would pull 37.5 amps.

But then I don't know where you want to be or go with it.

UR turn.

[eshine]

Originally Posted by JTW37

First off, I wanted as much heat as I could get in my oven, so I wouldn't take very long to ramp it up from room temp. If you have a high enough amp circuit breaker (50) and at least a 100 amp service then you could run three 3000 watt'ers and get it up to temp in about 8 min. They would pull 37.5 amps.

But then I don't know where you want to be or go with it.

UR turn.

I am fine if it takes 15 minutes to get to temperature.

[ed_denu]

3000 watts will probably take a minimum of 30 minutes or more to heat up to 400. My oven is the same cu ft (27) and with 5200 watts it take mine around 25 minutes to heat up, especially now in the winter time. I would look to add multiple elements if you have the electrical service to support it.

[baz]

i also think you should have more ,
i don t think that calculator is very accurate . my smaller oven has about 9000 watts and takes around 12 minutes to heat up .
also your inner walls being 16 gauge it will take longer then some other home made ovens that use 18 or 20 gauge steel. you have more mass to heat up and takes more time for heat to sink in 16 gauge steel , however being thicker once its heated up when you open the door to put parts in the oven should reheat faster because ovens with a thicker gauge stay hot longer

[eshine]

I ended up going with two 2000W Elements in Parrallel, better than 3000W, hope it goes well.