The flash point of vegetable oil and residential stoves

[Rogue 9]

Okay, the flash point of most vegetable oils is approximately 600 degress F and the fire point is around 700 degrees. My question: What is the maximum temperature of a typical electric stovetop, and is it possible for such a stovetop to heat canola oil to the point where it will spontaneously combust? My Google-fu is failing me here, and this question is critically important.

[gizmojumpjet]

This link on City of Phoenix's website claims that electric burner elements can get up to 1000f, so yeah I'd say it's possible.

What are you trying to do?

[Enigma]

This link on City of Phoenix's website claims that electric burner elements can get up to 1000f, so yeah I'd say it's possible.

What are you trying to do?

I think it has something to do with his legal trouble and the insurance company is trying to fuck him over.

[Rogue 9]

Yeah, pretty much.

Well, that kind of sucks. I still know it wasn't the oil combusting like they say it was; I saw the damned thing, and it was the stove's control panel on fire, not the oil. Unfortunately, they can probably paint me as unreliable because of the obvious conflict of interest, but they still have basically no evidence.

[Twoyboy]

I hate to tell you, but I've seen standard vegetable oil ignite from having been left too long on an electric stove. I took quite some time though (5+ minutes as I recall, on high, with only a couple of teaspoons of oil in a steel pot).

I'd also like to say the resulting fireball when my mum poured water into the pan was impressive.

[Broomstick]

It can happen on gas stoves, too. Sure, your typical residential stove/oven is quite capable of igniting oil any cooking oil. Happens more often than you think.

[Rogue 9]

Well, I know it didn't happen to me; when I ran back to the kitchen on hearing the fire, the stove's control panel was on fire, and the pot wasn't. The trouble is, I'll have a tough time proving it. They'll have a tough time proving it was the oil too, but then, this is a civil suit; the standards of evidence are too fucking low.

[Broomstick]

Well, I believe you - the problem is convincing a judge.

Question: any idea of why the stove did catch fire? Is there any evidence of frayed/chewed/shorting wires? I'm not clear on how much damage was done, or what may be left. While hauling the entire stove top into court may sound extreme, if you have such with the control panel heavily scorched and the burner areas much less so that would support your story.

On the other hand, if it's a total loss or has been disposed of that would make things much more difficult.

[Rogue 9]

Total loss, disposed of.

The insurance company has no fucking evidence whatsoever. There was no cause and origin analysis done on the fire. None. Their case consists of two facts and a lie. The facts are that I was living there, and there was a fire. The lie is that I admitted responsibility. My landlord, bastard that he was, told the insurance company that so they wouldn't back out of paying him.

He has since died, so I'd have a tough time grilling him about it on the stand. But they have a piece of paper saying I admitted fault, and the first I heard of this was Saturday when they finally sent me their evidence package. The hearing's on Friday.

They say that in legal proceedings, if the law is against you, argue the facts; if the facts are against you, argue the law; and if both are against you, yell like hell. I have to try to argue the facts, because I don't know the law and haven't been afforded an attorney. The facts are in my favor, such as they are, but if they pull some sort of legal bullshit, as they're likely to do, I'll simply have to declare bankruptcy.

[andrewgpaul]

I wonder if something can be made of the fact the material evidence (i.e, the stove) has been disposed of? After all, if you still had it, it should prove your story.