Oven light

[james]

What about using something like this for lighting you oven. It's a BBQ light and if you could attach it near the oven opening, it might do the trick. If you like it, we will add it to the FB Store.

What do you think?
James

[jengineer]

Black & Decker had something similar a few years ago. The squeeze park was made of plastic and after about 4 months the clamp fractured and broke. I had it semi-pernmanelty placed on my headboard. My choice was to strip it apart and rebuild it (I was using it on a headboard) or toss it. Santa brought it too me and seeing as it was "cheaply made" I stripped it into pieces and then recycled it into the blue bin. Gardena recycles so it hopefully did not end up in the landfill. That is the quality of the handle?

[nissanneill]

HI Guys,
I have been thinking about lighting my planned pompeii oven without going to expensive and elaborate lights and systems.
What I plan is to mount 2 240v downlights aimed into the oven but just behind the facia arch within the chimney vault. If all works out OK, only the occasional clean of the lens should result without excessive oven heat. These downlights in a normal household installation get exceptionally hot so I figure that they will handle the minimal heat without problems. I plan to mount them as low as practicable to shine well into the oven proper and reflect off the firebrick floor.

Neill

[Hendo]

Neill,

This is what I'm also proposing to do - wired with 12 volt heat resistant cabling, purchased from an Auto Electrician. It's the type of wire you used to see in engine bays of old cars, c.1950s, and even a cigarette lighter flame doesn't damage the insulation.

I've a couple of luminaires in mind - see pics below. Both have all metal bodies (also in stainless steel) and ceramic lamp holders. Max 20W halogen bulbs. Might just be OK, provided I don't smash them with my peel! I hope to mount them high enough to minimise this risk, but still illuminate the oven and not just the opposite side of the chimney!

Cheers, Paul.

[james]

I did something similar in our corner oven indoors. I used angled, directional cannister ceiling lights -- hallogen. I'm not in that house now, and I can't remember how well they lit the inside of the oven, but they did a great job on the landing and entry.

Does anybody see any problems mounting them on the enclosure itself, high enough above the opening so they don't get too much smoke, or get hot? Of course you will need foresight to drag you electricity into the enclosure.

If you have some type of outdoor structure, such as a pergola, you could also mount directional lights on that. Something a little more elegant than a flood light with a motion sensor.

James

[maver]

Just be sure not to mount them near the oven side of the vent where those gasses are escaping - and lower might be better both for visibility and to avoid any escaping gasses. My guess is that midway might be the sweet spot - out of the peels way and out of the heat.

Wouldn't it be great to have a mounting system that swings into position on demand, but can also be move out of the way for loading and unloading the oven? I think James' idea with a flexible neck would be the way to go, although lighting is really only an issue for retained heat cooking.

[nissanneill]

Hendo,
I suggested the 240 volt downlights because I bought a swag of them when doing major household renovations last year and still have a couple of dozen spare. My son secured them from a supplier to a huge international oven and whitegoods manufacturer when he was managing their imported products. I buy bargains when they are around as they don't normally last long. These particular units don't require a transformer and already have the high temp cabling with fibreglass protection as well. I don't believe that they will get as hot as in a household ceiling installation if mounted immediately behind the front facia brick arch.

Regards.
Neill

[carioca]

Hello there!

Being conservative, I only resort to technology where it shows an indubitable advantage. Thus if I ever needed lighting up the interior of my future oven I'd just grab my $31 Italian-made 2 million candle-power flashlight (SIP) and shine it where I want to see :-)

Ciao,

Carioca

[nissanneill]

The trouble with that is you then need three hands.
I could do with one extra at times. Do you also wear shades at night when you get that reflected flash back?

[carioca]

No flash, but when I shine the light through my loft window to have a final look at the forno del gallo site, the reflection in the glass is blinding enough until I get the right angle...
ciao