Mandrel poked a hole in my new kiln HELP

[hanamay03]

Hi,
I hope someone can help. I bought a kiln (sc3) two days ago and mustered up the courage to turn it on today. I programmed it and then decided to put a bead on a mandrel inside through the bead door! a couple of minutes after I shut the bead door the trip went in the kitchen. when I took the mandrel out I noticed I had pierced the back wall close to the element which had probably tripped the electrics . Have I ruined my kiln? or is this a common mistake?   
I am afraid to use the kiln again and I am not sure how my carelessness will affect the temperature regulation in the kiln.

I am desparate to use the kiln as since I started making beads ( in march this year) I have been saving up for a kiln and finally saved enough to get it....
I would love to hear from anyone with help/advice on a solution ....

Luv
Maya

[glassworks]

there are two things here - firstly i would get hold of your supplier to check the safety of the kiln with a hole in it..

and now for the good news, i suspect that the hole has nothing to do with the trip.. if you poked a hole through to the element the mandrel would probably not cause a trip some time later... the trip was probably caused by too much load on the socket circuit, which may be down to the load of the kiln plus either a dishwasher, washing machine, cooker or kettle in the kitchen too..

if there is a short in the element the circuit would have tripped more or less instantly..

DO NOT USE THE KILN UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD A LECKIE LOOK AT IT... any electrical repair place will do in the short term just to ensure that you have not damaged or hit the element wires... they will be able to stick a test meter on the element wire and make sure that the unit is safe.. i really doubt you have damaged the kiln, unless you went a long way into the liner..

there is a kit available from paragon to make up some "filler" to plug the hole - your supplier should be able to sort you out with this..

[hanamay03]

Thank you so much for your kind advice, I will contact my supplier and try and sort this iut

luv
Maya