Stephani Stephenson on mon 10 nov 03
Connie Wrote
"The only thing I'm concerned about (I've sent Cress email about this but
have not heard back yet, I'll telephone them tomorrow I guess.....) is that
the top coil glows much faster/earlier/lower kiln temp, then the bottom one
- that is, with both of them on medium, the top one will glow quickly, and
the bottom one takes maybe a half hour or so before it glows?
Hi Connie
I just revamped my cress kiln....all new elements, new kilnsitter, etc.
I also cleaned all the connections, visually checked the wires
also replaced a the bolts,washers and nuts which hold
the round coiled element leads.
One very useful tool is a continuity meter or indicator ..(.it isn't the samething as a voltage meter, but will be on the store shelves next to voltage meters).
costs about $5...uses two leads, one a clip on lead, the other a 'pointer' or 'probe' type lead
with the kiln unplugged , i.e NOT connected...
you simply touch one lead one end of the element and the other lead to the other end of the element.
if the light comes on that means the element isn't broken and that there is continuity or flow through the thing.
YOu can also hold it to the two ends of the wires which attach to the two ends of each element, to see if there is a wire break in either of those two wires (the wires which connect the elements to the switches for each element.
I just fired my kiln empty to cone 05, as I had also put some ITC on the brick and the elements, and also done some patching with hi temp mortar...during the firing I noticed the top 4 elements (each element goes arounfd 3 times in my kiln) were glowing orange during the firing, but that the bottom one showed nothing. Today I tried turning on the bottom one only, but got nothing...saw s ome heat rise, but very slow, and it may have been due to residual heat from closing the kiln, so it is interesting to hear what you say about your lower element also being slow. the bottom element was definitely a lighter weight, or rather, seemed to have fewer coils per foot than the other elements.
the element tested out fine on the continuity meter..as did the lead wires as hooked up to the elements..
I couldn't get any kind of reading out of any of the switches, but the light does come on on the bottom switch, as with all the others. so My deduction at this pointy is that the switch itself is bad. I am going to call Cress tomorrow to ask about it and also replacing.
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