Overall's on sat 22 oct 11
Seeking solutions to a problem...High fire kiln stalls at 2135 degrees F.=
=3D
=3DA0=3D20
Plumbing to kiln: NG gas line is the yellow plastic looking tubing buried a=
=3D
bout 12" deep going under a 4-6 inch thick cemented area spanning across 18=
=3D
-20 feet to kiln.
Dilemma - 2011 Texas drought:=3DA0 ground has shrunk about 6" so might have=
c=3D
ompressed and/or crimped the tubing.
(Just read on-line that underground flex tubing might be better to have bee=
=3D
n encased in hard pvc pipe. Learn something every day.)
Last night I placed the water hose over a crack in the cement to drip down =
=3D
into the earth hoping to swell it all back up.
Then again, it could be tree roots getting tangled about the tubing since i=
=3D
t's not encased and somewhat flexible.
I hope I don't have to revert to oxidized electric kiln cone ten.=3DA0 My =
=3D0A=3D
glazes and colors come out looking like boiled chicken instead of =3D0Aroas=
te=3D
d turkey - absolutely lifeless, cold and artificial.=3DA0 Would oxides give=
t=3D
hat toasty look if I have to?
Any recommendations what options I have to get the gas kiln going cone ten =
=3D
again?
Kim in Houston
PS=3DA0 I suspect it's the gas line because last year three pallets of bric=
k =3D
were dropped off on the cement above the gas line and the kiln stalled at 2=
=3D
165.=3DA0 We moved the bricks and full pressure resumed immediately.=3DA0 I=
che=3D
cked and cleaned the burners, orifices, etc. and all looked good.
Eric Ciup on sat 22 oct 11
If you are certain that your supply line is crimped to such an extent
that you experiencing significant pressure drop I would advise
replacing the line right away. Such serious deformation in a plastic
pipe means you are at high risk of a leak under the slab and putting gas
in underground cavities is never a good idea. If your meter is placed
before the underground section you can check if any gas is leaking.
Good luck
Eric
On 10/22/2011 4:31 PM, Overall's wrote:
> Seeking solutions to a problem...High fire kiln stalls at 2135 degrees F.
>
> Plumbing to kiln: NG gas line is the yellow plastic looking tubing buried=
about 12" deep going under a 4-6 inch thick cemented area spanning across =
18-20 feet to kiln.
>
> Dilemma - 2011 Texas drought: ground has shrunk about 6" so might have c=
ompressed and/or crimped the tubing.
>
> (Just read on-line that underground flex tubing might be better to have b=
een encased in hard pvc pipe. Learn something every day.)
>
> Last night I placed the water hose over a crack in the cement to drip dow=
n into the earth hoping to swell it all back up.
>
> Then again, it could be tree roots getting tangled about the tubing since=
it's not encased and somewhat flexible.
>
> I hope I don't have to revert to oxidized electric kiln cone ten. My
> glazes and colors come out looking like boiled chicken instead of
> roasted turkey - absolutely lifeless, cold and artificial. Would oxides =
give that toasty look if I have to?
>
> Any recommendations what options I have to get the gas kiln going cone te=
n again?
>
> Kim in Houston
>
> PS I suspect it's the gas line because last year three pallets of brick =
were dropped off on the cement above the gas line and the kiln stalled at 2=
165. We moved the bricks and full pressure resumed immediately. I checked=
and cleaned the burners, orifices, etc. and all looked good.
Steve Mills on sun 23 oct 11
How about re-laying the gas line on the ground surface in hard pipe, not fl=
e=3D
xy. Gas flows better through hard pipe, and is less susceptible to damage.=
=3D20=3D
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my Ipod touch
On 22 Oct 2011, at 16:31, Overall's wrote:
> Seeking solutions to a problem...High fire kiln stalls at 2135 degrees F.=
=3D
=3D20
>=3D20
> Plumbing to kiln: NG gas line is the yellow plastic looking tubing buried=
a=3D
bout 12" deep going under a 4-6 inch thick cemented area spanning across 18=
-=3D
20 feet to kiln.
>=3D20
> Dilemma - 2011 Texas drought: ground has shrunk about 6" so might have c=
o=3D
mpressed and/or crimped the tubing.
>=3D20
> (Just read on-line that underground flex tubing might be better to have b=
e=3D
en encased in hard pvc pipe. Learn something every day.)
>=3D20
> Last night I placed the water hose over a crack in the cement to drip dow=
n=3D
into the earth hoping to swell it all back up.
>=3D20
> Then again, it could be tree roots getting tangled about the tubing since=
i=3D
t's not encased and somewhat flexible.
>=3D20
> I hope I don't have to revert to oxidized electric kiln cone ten. My=3D2=
0
> glazes and colors come out looking like boiled chicken instead of=3D20
> roasted turkey - absolutely lifeless, cold and artificial. Would oxides =
g=3D
ive that toasty look if I have to?
>=3D20
> Any recommendations what options I have to get the gas kiln going cone te=
n=3D
again?
>=3D20
> Kim in Houston
>=3D20
> PS I suspect it's the gas line because last year three pallets of brick =
w=3D
ere dropped off on the cement above the gas line and the kiln stalled at 21=
6=3D
5. We moved the bricks and full pressure resumed immediately. I checked a=
n=3D
d cleaned the burners, orifices, etc. and all looked good.
Overall's on mon 24 oct 11
Well this is embarrassing,
I need to take back my suspect of the gas line being the culprit in kiln's =
=3D
stalling temperatures.
After another firing attempt last night/early this morning stalling -- even=
=3D
after soaking the ground over the gas line, I looked over my firing log be=
=3D
fore dawn and it seems the attention needs to be on this kiln's burner syst=
=3D
em.=3DA0=3D20
Since I bought this kiln used and installed it in the latter part of 2005,
it has always stalled or shut off if:
a.=3DA0 thermocouple issues (probe not set right, got cold, got hot, moon w=
ax=3D
es and wanes)
b.=3DA0 pilot bar issues (must be cleaned regularly, had to enlarge holes a=
ro=3D
und thermocouple)
c.=3DA0 cleaning burners, orifices, but never 'seeing' anything untoward
Louis Katz mentioned the baso valve.
(I think the valve must be old and confused like me)
I also wrote in my firing log of talking to Marc Ward back in February =3D0=
A2=3D
006 and took note of what he said.=3DA0 Think I'll give him a call again =
=3D0At=3D
his morning.=3DA0 He mentioned the thermocouple and valve, too.
Diana Seidel offered an excellent solution regarding orifices and I'll keep=
=3D
this as an option, but the problem might be the=3D0A baso valve.
Craig Clark shared with me the yellow gas line tubing is not as collapsible=
=3D
as I thought (like stepping on a water hose) as it's walls are maybe 1/4" =
=3D
thick.=3DA0=3D20
Rita Shaw encouraged me to not be afraid of electric firing.=3DA0 Their pot=
te=3D
ry IS beautiful!=3D20
Lovely graceful forms, too.=3DA0=3D20
It must have been coincidental about the pallets of bricks and the drought,=
=3D
but reality says=3D20
the burner system needs fixing...again.=3DA0 Time to consider options as it=
g=3D
ets frustrating to get to 2,000+ degrees and have to let it cool down just =
=3D
to start over again and again.=3DA0 Now that's wasting fuel and time.=3DA0 =
I ma=3D
y be wrong, but it seems burner systems should not be so fussy and require =
=3D
this much maintenance.=3D20
Electric kilns are pretty easy like the Ronco ovens..."just set it and forg=
=3D
et it".
(here Mel would reprimand this to NEVER forget it.)
But Mel, I was just comparing an electric kiln's ease in firing over fuel f=
=3D
ired kilns.
Thank you everyone for redirecting me on the right path.
Kim in Houston
John Britt on mon 24 oct 11
You can also unhook the underground line and lay a temporary above ground=
=3D
as=3D20
see if that fixes it. (Texas is god's hell on earth!)
John Britt Pottery
Overall's on wed 2 nov 11
Update on the firing happenings...
It was the thermocouple -
bought a new one and after careful study of it staying on during pilot mode=
=3D
to full max with a big fan blowing constantly (about 5 ft away), the kiln =
=3D
was loaded and launched.
Cone ten glaze reduction firing in six hours.=3DA0 That's a dream.
=3D0AI am so very grateful for everyone's advice (especially my husband's, =
to=3D
o)
=3D0A
Doin' the potters' polka...
Kim
http://www.kimoverall.com/
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