Electric cooker

[desertrat]

When I accidently touch the metal filament of my electric grill with a metal object why don't I get an electric shock?

[Mortartube]

Because the electrical element is contained in the middle of a metal tube. An insulating ceramic like powder surrounds the electrical element to stop it touching the walls of the metal tube, therefore there should be no electricity running through the outer tube, only the inner element. Hope that's clear! Not the best explanation I'm sure.

[CleverClogs]

The grill does run on electricity but it does not conduct it. The grill is en element that heats up when electricity is applied.....

[MargeB]

what's an element made of?

[MargeB]

Is there a 'Table of Elements?'

[MargeB]

Is the 'Periodic Table of Elements' the list of things the grill's made of that break and make your wife go mad for 5 days a month?

[flaming]

I thought things these days were double earthed, or whatever you call it, to prevent electrocutions of users. I don't think you could have done that years ago!  There is some symbol meaning that on the backplate of domestic appliances.  I'm sorry my memory about it is hazy but I think that about the time plugs had to be on equipment before they were sold there were other Health and Safety Regulations, which we take for granted nowadays.  Somebody else might be able to guess what I.m rambling about.

[Mortartube]

MargeB, you are a wag. Electrical elements are usually made of Nichrome wire.

[Tim Baxter]

OK desertrat you've read the serious and the humerous.  If the answer to your question is the double insulated one, would you get a shock if you touched the element of an old fashioned radiant electric fire?

[flaming]

At the risk of  sounding daft, yes he would. But not if he was wearing rubber gloves and Wellingtons. Otherwise he would be part of the circuit. I think.

[Mortartube]

Assuming that you were not wearing insulating rubber boots and gloves etc, you would get a shock from an old fashioned electric fire element as it is a BARE UNINSULATED wire wrapped in a spiral around a ceramic core. The electricity would pass through your body to earth and that is why you get the shock, your body creates a short circuit. Rubber boots etc have a high resistance and so the electricity cannot pass through them to earth. Don't try this at home folks as things can get to a point where enough current is drawn and the electricity will go through your boots and you get electrocuted.  

[desertrat]

Mortartubes first answer sounds good. However, if the internal wire conducts electricity thereby heating up the ceramic and in turn heating up the outside metal casing. Why not just have a ceramic casing covering the internal wire. When I was very young I did receive an electric shock from an old electric fire. I'd always wondered how the cooker had been made safer.

[Tim Baxter]

Good answers you lot!

They don't make an internal element surrounded by a ceramic tube simply because ceramics aren't robust enough to cope until the cost makes it prohibitve to use