Carol Baker on fri 10 aug 01
Hi again Clayart- I changed the subject line because didn't get the technical
response I had hoped for. Any advice with the following?
Kelly wrote about the melted rubber on the power line to her kiln and flying
sparks:
This is a problem I have been worrying about, since I Iive in Arizona where
even during the night it can be 90+ degrees. I fire my Skutt 1231PK at night
- 9 to 9 - off-peak. It is outside on a covered patio with safe clearance on
all sides, right outside my bedroom window. The line from the box is encased
in metal and was installed by a reputable electrician. The kiln is then
hardwired. I don't sleep much on those nights. I turn on a baby monitor, so
I can hear the alarm and get up several times to check on it, always being
there as it shuts down. Am I being foolish to fire like this just to save on
the cost of electricity?
Another question: when I bought the kiln I did not know about the problem of
firing with a controller when the room/outside temperature is over 105
degrees. None of the info I got from the local supplier said anything about
that, and, of course, that was before I knew about asking Clayart for help.
I called Skutt after the purchase and though the person I talked to tried to
be helpful, he had never lived in Arizona. He was in cool Portland. His
reply was, "Well, it doesn't get over 105 for days in a row, does it?" "Just
turn a fan on it." That made me nervous. Yes, it does, for many days in a
row, and it was 113 this week. That's another reason I fire at night. How
critical is the 105 degree limit?
Any suggestions?
As always - thanks for your help - You've taught me so much!
Waiting for October when it will finally be cooler and I can get some sleep,
Carol Baker
Scottsdale, Arizona
Arnold Howard on mon 13 aug 01
The ambient temperature three feet from the kiln should not get
past 110 deg. F. Otherwise, your kiln switch box components will
not last as long as they should.
Recently we had a customer complain about infinite control switches
burning out repeatedly--sometimes three in several days. I asked
the customer to measure room temperature. It was too hot to
register with a 120 deg. thermometer. So the customer doesn't know
the actual temperature, just that it is higher than 120 deg. F.
Suggestion: blow a fan across the louvers on the side of the switch
box, on the side away from the peepholes. The air blowing through
the box will help considerably. Even if you are blowing hot air
through the box, that air is much cooler than the air inside the
box.
Firing at night is a good idea if the temperature drops at night.
Arnold Howard
Paragon
--- Carol Baker wrote:
> Hi again Clayart- I changed the subject line because didn't get
> the technical
> response I had hoped for. Any advice with the following?
>
> Kelly wrote about the melted rubber on the power line to her kiln
> and flying
> sparks:
>
> This is a problem I have been worrying about, since I Iive in
> Arizona where
> even during the night it can be 90+ degrees. I fire my Skutt
> 1231PK at night
> - 9 to 9 - off-peak. It is outside on a covered patio with safe
> clearance on
> all sides, right outside my bedroom window. The line from the
> box is encased
> in metal and was installed by a reputable electrician. The kiln
> is then
> hardwired. I don't sleep much on those nights. I turn on a baby
> monitor, so
> I can hear the alarm and get up several times to check on it,
> always being
> there as it shuts down. Am I being foolish to fire like this
> just to save on
> the cost of electricity?
>
> Another question: when I bought the kiln I did not know about the
> problem of
> firing with a controller when the room/outside temperature is
> over 105
> degrees. None of the info I got from the local supplier said
> anything about
> that, and, of course, that was before I knew about asking Clayart
> for help.
> I called Skutt after the purchase and though the person I talked
> to tried to
> be helpful, he had never lived in Arizona. He was in cool
> Portland. His
> reply was, "Well, it doesn't get over 105 for days in a row, does
> it?" "Just
> turn a fan on it." That made me nervous. Yes, it does, for many
> days in a
> row, and it was 113 this week. That's another reason I fire at
> night. How
> critical is the 105 degree limit?
> Any suggestions?
>
> As always - thanks for your help - You've taught me so much!
> Waiting for October when it will finally be cooler and I can get
> some sleep,
> Carol Baker
> Scottsdale, Arizona
>
>
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Russel Fouts on tue 14 aug 01
>> The ambient temperature three feet from the kiln should not get past 110 deg. F. Otherwise, your kiln switch box components will not last as long as they should. <<
My kiln, Ceramic Instruments (Belgian) 120 Ltr, had a wall mounted
controller as an option. After working with computers in a hot print
room, I knew the problems you can have with computers and heat. I took
the option. Works great for me.
Russel (reading Alex Kerr's new book on Japan, "Dogs and Demons",
scary!)
--
Russel Fouts
Mes Potes & Mes Pots
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 223 02 75
Mobile: +32 476 55 38 75
Http://www.mypots.com
http://www.Japan-Net.ne.jp/~iwcat
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