Dale Cochoy on sun 6 jul 08
I bought a used electric EVENHEAT kiln back in 97 I think. Not used much by
the old guy that bought it new and only did a few firings before he passed.
I used this kiln until October 2006 for ALL my bisque and for all my cone 6
stuff . ( I also have a gas kiln I use for cone 10).
It started runing real slooooowwwww about early 2006 and finally was taking
forever to get up to temp and wouldn't do it much over about 110 degrees/hr,
so, I ordered new elements from Euclid ( since they seemed to get good play
on clayart).
I called them, talked to tech, gave him all info on kiln/power and he said
he'd make me up a set. I got them and installed in Oct 2006.
Now , not even two years later, I am back in the exact same situation. I'm
astounded that they only lasted roughly 20% of the originals!!
Is this normal for replacements? I still fire about the same amount , same
clays, same temps/speeds. I'm certainly hoping I'm not going to need to do
this every two years w/ replacement elements. These were my first and it was
like a new kiln for about a year, then they started to poop out?
Regards,
Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Hartville, Ohio Zone 5
KATHI LESUEUR on sun 6 jul 08
On Jul 6, 2008, at 11:08 AM, Dale Cochoy wrote:
> I bought a used electric EVENHEAT kiln back in 97 I think. Not used
> much by
> the old guy that bought it new and only did a few firings before he
> passed.
> I used this kiln until October 2006 for ALL my bisque and for all
> my cone 6
> stuff . ( I also have a gas kiln I use for cone 10).
> It started runing real slooooowwwww about early 2006 and finally
> was taking
> forever to get up to temp and wouldn't do it much over about 110
> degrees/hr,
> so, I ordered new elements from Euclid ( since they seemed to get
> good play
> on clayart).
>
I think you may have been better off buying your elements from
EVENHEAT. That way you would know for sure that the elements were
right for your kiln. I have an EVENHEAT that I bought in 1995. I've
replaced the elements once. I only fire bisque in it, but I fire
almost every other day. Go to their site on the web and call them.
Kathi
Steve Slatin on sun 6 jul 08
Dale --
Just my experience here, but my
Euclid's replacement elements have
nearly as many firings on them as
the originals did when they started
to 'slow down.'
There are many things that can affect
a kiln's firing though -- especially
computer-controlled kilns, where the
sending unit (thermocouple/s) may
show 'drift' or other irregularities
after many firings.
(I did replace my thermocouples about
a half year after replacing my elements.
When I pulled them from the protective
tubes, they were very deteriorated.)
Even mechanical switches can break
down over time -- it may be that one
of your zones isn't running much, if
at all, if you have a mechanically
controlled kiln.
Steve Slatin --
--- On Sun, 7/6/08, Dale Cochoy wrote:
>> I bought a used electric EVENHEAT kiln back in 97 I think.
> Not used much by
> the old guy that bought it new and only did a few firings
> before he passed.
> I used this kiln until October 2006 for ALL my bisque and
> for all my cone 6
> stuff . ( I also have a gas kiln I use for cone 10).
> It started runing real slooooowwwww about early 2006 and
> finally was taking
> forever to get up to temp and wouldn't do it much over
> about 110 degrees/hr,
> so, I ordered new elements from Euclid ( since they seemed
> to get good play
> on clayart).
> I called them, talked to tech, gave him all info on
> kiln/power and he said
> he'd make me up a set. I got them and installed in Oct
> 2006.
> Now , not even two years later, I am back in the exact same
> situation. I'm
> astounded that they only lasted roughly 20% of the
> originals!!
> Is this normal for replacements? I still fire about the
> same amount , same
> clays, same temps/speeds. I'm certainly hoping I'm
> not going to need to do
> this every two years w/ replacement elements. These were my
> first and it was
> like a new kiln for about a year, then they started to poop
> out?
> Regards,
>
> Dale Cochoy
> Wild Things Bonsai Studio
> Hartville, Ohio Zone 5
Dale Cochoy on sun 6 jul 08
Kathi,
That was my FIRST thought and I did call them and get a price inc. shipping.
But, I'd heard good stuff about eulid on air here so I called them. They
were cheaper (?) and the tech asked quite a few questions, in fact, I had
measured my line voltage to be exact and called him back.
Old ones were so brittle they took a while to get out what with falling
apart and I lost a lot of pieces of brick in the replacement. I'm kinda pod
about needing them again so soon.
Dale
----- Original Message -----
From: "KATHI LESUEUR"
To:
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2008 1:52 PM
Subject: Re: Euclid replacement elements life?
> On Jul 6, 2008, at 11:08 AM, Dale Cochoy wrote:
>
>> I bought a used electric EVENHEAT kiln back in 97 I think. Not used
>> much by
>> the old guy that bought it new and only did a few firings before he
>> passed.
>> I used this kiln until October 2006 for ALL my bisque and for all
>> my cone 6
>> stuff . ( I also have a gas kiln I use for cone 10).
>> It started runing real slooooowwwww about early 2006 and finally
>> was taking
>> forever to get up to temp and wouldn't do it much over about 110
>> degrees/hr,
>> so, I ordered new elements from Euclid ( since they seemed to get
>> good play
>> on clayart).
>>
>
> I think you may have been better off buying your elements from
> EVENHEAT. That way you would know for sure that the elements were
> right for your kiln. I have an EVENHEAT that I bought in 1995. I've
> replaced the elements once. I only fire bisque in it, but I fire
> almost every other day. Go to their site on the web and call them.
>
> Kathi
>
Scott Harrison on sun 6 jul 08
I replaced the elements in my Olympic Oval about 4 years ago. 150
firings later and still going strong. Elements came from Euclids and
I covered them with ITC. Make sure you check everything else like
connections and your source of power. Get an Ohmmeter and check the
resistance of your elements. All it takes is one weak link in the chain.
Scott Harrison
South Fork High
Humboldt Redwoods CA
On Jul 6, 2008, at 10:52 AM, KATHI LESUEUR wrote:
> On Jul 6, 2008, at 11:08 AM, Dale Cochoy wrote:
>
>> I bought a used electric EVENHEAT kiln back in 97 I think. Not used
>> much by
>> the old guy that bought it new and only did a few firings before he
>> passed.
>> I used this kiln until October 2006 for ALL my bisque and for all
>> my cone 6
>> stuff . ( I also have a gas kiln I use for cone 10).
>> It started runing real slooooowwwww about early 2006 and finally
>> was taking
>> forever to get up to temp and wouldn't do it much over about 110
>> degrees/hr,
>> so, I ordered new elements from Euclid ( since they seemed to get
>> good play
>> on clayart).
>>
>
> I think you may have been better off buying your elements from
> EVENHEAT. That way you would know for sure that the elements were
> right for your kiln. I have an EVENHEAT that I bought in 1995. I've
> replaced the elements once. I only fire bisque in it, but I fire
> almost every other day. Go to their site on the web and call them.
>
> Kathi
>
Arnold Howard on mon 7 jul 08
From: "Dale Cochoy"
> Now , not even two years later, I am back in the exact
> same situation. I'm
> astounded that they only lasted roughly 20% of the
> originals!!
Dale, did you replace the element connectors when you
installed new elements? How tight did you get the
connectors? If they are loose or deteriorated, the firings
will slow down.
Vacuuming the element grooves improves element life. Orton
believes the downdraft vent also improves element life,
though they don't know to what extent.
Lift the old element up out of the groove with a pencil or
small screwdriver before removing the element. This will
prevent brick groove damage.
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
Earl Brunner on mon 7 jul 08
I use Euclid's all the time in the city kilns. I change out the elements about every 200 firings of which about half are glaze to cone 6. There are a lot of factors on element life. One might be the connectors and how well you fastened them together..... Another is the pyrometer probe (at least on our computer controlled kilns.
I had a friend who did crystalline firing to cone 10 electric. He changed his elements out so often that he actually bought the wire in spools and made his own, wrapping the wire around a dowel in an electric drill. Sure it might be a pain to change elements, but if you factor the cost per firing, it ain't much.
Then there's the time that one of the instructors at the city entered the soak wrong on a glaze firing. He had it soak at cone 6 for 20 hours instead of 20 minutes. Those elements didn't last so long..........
Earl Brunner
Las Vegas, NV
----- Original Message ----
From: Dale Cochoy
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Sent: Sunday, July 6, 2008 11:36:22 AM
Subject: Re: Euclid replacement elements life?
Kathi,
That was my FIRST thought and I did call them and get a price inc. shipping.
But, I'd heard good stuff about eulid on air here so I called them. They
were cheaper (?) and the tech asked quite a few questions, in fact, I had
measured my line voltage to be exact and called him back.
Old ones were so brittle they took a while to get out what with falling
apart and I lost a lot of pieces of brick in the replacement. I'm kinda pod
about needing them again so soon.
Dale
----- Original Message -----
From: "KATHI LESUEUR"
To:
Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2008 1:52 PM
Subject: Re: Euclid replacement elements life?
> On Jul 6, 2008, at 11:08 AM, Dale Cochoy wrote:
>
>> I bought a used electric EVENHEAT kiln back in 97 I think. Not used
>> much by
>> the old guy that bought it new and only did a few firings before he
>> passed.
>> I used this kiln until October 2006 for ALL my bisque and for all
>> my cone 6
>> stuff . ( I also have a gas kiln I use for cone 10).
>> It started runing real slooooowwwww about early 2006 and finally
>> was taking
>> forever to get up to temp and wouldn't do it much over about 110
>> degrees/hr,
>> so, I ordered new elements from Euclid ( since they seemed to get
>> good play
>> on clayart).
>>
>
> I think you may have been better off buying your elements from
> EVENHEAT. That way you would know for sure that the elements were
> right for your kiln. I have an EVENHEAT that I bought in 1995. I've
> replaced the elements once. I only fire bisque in it, but I fire
> almost every other day. Go to their site on the web and call them.
>
> Kathi
>
John Post on mon 7 jul 08
Try turning all of the elements on in your kiln and watching them to
see if they all come on. The kiln at my wife's school kept taking
longer and longer to fire and it turned out one element was damaged
and another circuit had a broken switch. It's hard to hit temp when
only 3 out of the 5 circuits were on.
I always try to order kiln elements two sets at a time. That way you
have a backup set ready in your studio. I just ordered two sets for
my studio Evenheat from Euclid's a couple of months ago. I have been
happy with the quality of their elements even though I am quite hard
on them with controlled coolings and tons of cone 6 firings. I fire 5
different kilns consistently between school and my home studio and
have not noticed any difference between the life span of elements I
order from Evenheat and the elements I order from Euclid's.
John Post
Sterling Heights, Michigan
:: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
:: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
On Jul 6, 2008, at 2:36 PM, Dale Cochoy wrote:
> Kathi,
> That was my FIRST thought and I did call them and get a price inc.
> shipping.
> But, I'd heard good stuff about eulid on air here so I called them.
> They
> were cheaper (?) and the tech asked quite a few questions, in fact,
> I had
> measured my line voltage to be exact and called him back.
> Old ones were so brittle they took a while to get out what with
> falling
> apart and I lost a lot of pieces of brick in the replacement. I'm
> kinda pod
> about needing them again so soon.
>
> Dale
Dale Cochoy on mon 7 jul 08
Dale Cochoy
Wild Things Bonsai Studio
Hartville, Ohio Zone 5
www.WildThingsBonsai.com
DCochoy@neo.rr.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Post"
To:
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 12:53 AM
Subject: Re: Euclid replacement elements life?
> Try turning all of the elements on in your kiln and watching them to
> see if they all come on.
I've done this of course.
> have not noticed any difference between the life span of elements I
> order from Evenheat and the elements I order from Euclid's.
I thought about this when ordering, in fact, have no idea WHO makes
Evenheats....heck, it MIGHT even be Euclid?
Dale Cochoy on mon 7 jul 08
> Dale, did you replace the element connectors when you
> installed new elements? How tight did you get the
> connectors? If they are loose or deteriorated, the firings
> will slow down.
Yes, and they were real tight. Also, rechecked since.
>
> Vacuuming the element grooves improves element life. Orton
> believes the downdraft vent also improves element life,
> though they don't know to what extent.
Vacuumed out good while doing job.
No down vent.
> Lift the old element up out of the groove with a pencil or
> small screwdriver before removing the element. This will
> prevent brick groove damage.
Used needle nose pliers mostly. Old ones very brittle and came out in MANY
pieces!
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