Judy Picard on mon 3 mar 08
I've just installed an old Duncan kiln that appeared to have been fired just
a few times as the former owner claimed. The bricks are pristine -
immaculate and exactly matching in color. Elements tucked in nicely. I
downloaded the manual from Paragon and actually read it!
I just test fired it with 3 small very very dry scrap pieces to bisque cone
04. (It is rated at 7 cu ft but I don't know if that is w/o top band. My
three pieces took up no more than 6 cu inches.)
Ran it on low for hour then up to high. After three hours, only bottom
switch light was ever on. Top light [2nd band] never went on. Sitter bar
cone dropped at three hours. I won't open kiln for 6-8 hours until it's cool
to look at the 3 pieces but I think this indicates a problem.
All Firing instructions are on metal plate on kiln but not in book.
Kiln dates from 1990's but is in pristine condition except the nuts holding
the bars appear somewhat rusty. My s-i-l WD'd those connections. It is newly
hard wired to box sitting outside under a stilted house in Nags Head, NC.
I've been using a very new AIM 100 1 cu ft test kiln and it usually took 6
hours to reach ^04.
Could the kiln sitter be out of adjustment? Is it normal for the top light
[2nd band] never to go on in a low fire? Or am I just being a nervous Nelly
and this is the way it's supposed to be?
Thanks for your support,
judy
Arnold Howard on tue 4 mar 08
From: "Judy Picard"
> Could the kiln sitter be out of adjustment? Is it normal
> for the top light
> [2nd band] never to go on in a low fire?
It is likely that the Kiln Sitter is a little out of
adjustment. You can check it with a firing gauge. That
should be done every dozen or so firings.
Since the kiln fired so quickly, I think the only problem is
a disconnected or burned out pilot light, which is minor.
When you turn on each switch one at a time, you should hear
the elements hum. That humming noise means that all the
elements wired to that switch are firing, because the
elements for each switch are wired in series.
The beauty of the DK-series is that they are simply designed
and easy to work on. That kiln should give you many years of
enjoyment.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
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