Donna Ohl wrote:
On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 09:05:16 -0400, jack wrote:

Turning the switch to off should have killed
the power just as effectively as shutting off power to the house.

Hi Jack,
That's the wierd thing. Not only did turning the switch off not stop the
burning but you can see from these pictures that the oven element actually
has a half-inch gap in it.

I don't understand how this element works. If it's just a "resistor", then
why don't we get electrocuted when we touch it and how can it arc with a
half inch gap opening the 220v circuit?

And, why didn't a fuse blow? I know it's a three pronged grandfather plug
because that is what the firemen said when they yanked it out of the wall.

Does anyone know the answer to these questions?
Donna

Hi,
If you understand how welding rod works. Heating element by nautre some
times has weakest spot where usually failure occurs like you just
experienced. Weak spot having uneven resistance it can over heat and
start melting the element. It thins the spot and over time it will start
breaking up causing arcing on and off. Finally it will go open. Again if
it was grease fire ignited by the hot element... Grease does not need
electric power to burn. It'll just burn off.