Louis Katz on fri 29 oct 04
Could be your elements are old. They oxidize and get effectively
thinner. This cause the resistance to go up and the amps to go down.
Less amps, less power. Best way to check them is with an ohm meter. Use
the right kind of battery in your meter and get your electrician or
someone to show you how to use it. You always use an ohm meter with the
kiln unplugged. This always means always. If the resistance (ohms) is
too high than your elements are too old. Call up the manufacturer with
your figures and ask them if they are too high.
Louis
Resistive load in AC
Volts = amps x ohms x power factor (for kiln elements this is 1)
power or watts = amps X volts
Volts = 220 or 240 or 208 depending on what kind of kiln and
electricity..
On Oct 29, 2004, at 1:57 PM, Pamela & Evan Kohler-Camp wrote:
> same
Louis Katz
http://www.tamucc.edu/~lkatz
Pamela & Evan Kohler-Camp on fri 29 oct 04
Hello Folks,
Having been a lurker for many years, I hesitate to speak up but I am
desperate. I need to know if anybody out there has had the same problems as I.
I have an Olympic Oval 2325E 40 Amp 10 Phase Digital Kiln. Two years ago,
it started slowing down firing at the 2000 degree+ range. The elements
were fine. The relays were fine. The thermocouple was fine. The circuit
breaker was fine.The electricity from the street was measured and was fine.
EVERYTHING was fine. I called the company who manufactures the digital box
and it was fine. We replaced EVERYTHING - elements, switches, relays, the
main cut off switch. The kiln was direct wired into the cut off switch.
Everything got replaced but the shell. Needless to say, $600.00+ later, the
damn thing finally worked. It worked for 56 firings. I kept really specific
records. Now here we go again. I can't get a cone 5-6 firing because the
digital gives me an error that the temp is not ramping up at least 10
degrees in an hour. This is the Christmas season. I am a production potter
who can't finish her work because the equipment is faulty.
I need a working kiln---now.
I have been talking with Bob Haugen, the owner of Olympic Kilns and he will
come out next week to take a look. They have been helpful giving me a
thermocouple and encouragement. But my kiln repair person-(yes, I must use
one because I can't do ALL things) has no idea and someone else in the
Atlanta area with the same type kiln has called her and is now having the
same problem.
Anybody else out there with a thought or perhaps a solution? Please reply
to me off list. Thanks for any help.
Getting poorer and really desperate in Atlanta,Ga, USA
Pam Kohler-Camp
And Sarah Laughed Pottery
David Hewitt on sun 31 oct 04
In message , Louis Katz writes
>Could be your elements are old. They oxidize and get effectively
>thinner. This cause the resistance to go up and the amps to go down.
>Less amps, less power. Best way to check them is with an ohm meter.
>Louis Katz
>http://www.tamucc.edu/~lkatz
If it is of interest I have a kWh meter installed on the feed to my
kiln. This enables me to see the electricity consumption for each firing
and also the kWh used increases with the age of the elements. This helps
in judging when to change elements. Also if one element or circuit fails
it is easy o check which one it is.
David
--
David Hewitt
Web:- http://www.dhpot.demon.co.uk
Arnold Howard on tue 2 nov 04
Did the firing time suddenly or gradually become longer?
Firing time can lengthen suddenly due to a drop in voltage, a bad relay, or
a broken element. Does firing time vary depending on time of day or season?
That would indicate voltage drop.
Has anyone recently worked on your kiln? Some kilns with series-parallel
elements will continue to fire even if they are mis-wired. But they will not
fire as hot as they should.
If firing time gradually became longer, it is usually caused by worn
elements.
You could check the amperage using an ammeter. By checking the amperage of
each individual relay inside the switch box, you can quickly locate a burned
element or relay. (An ammeter check should be done only by a qualified
repair person, since you will be exposed to live wires.)
Sincerely,
Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
arnoldhoward@att.net / www.paragonweb.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pamela & Evan Kohler-Camp"
To:
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 12:57 PM
Subject: [CLAYART] Digital Kiln problems
> Hello Folks,
>
> Having been a lurker for many years, I hesitate to speak up but I am
> desperate. I need to know if anybody out there has had the same problems
> as I.
>
> I have an Olympic Oval 2325E 40 Amp 10 Phase Digital Kiln. Two years ago,
> it started slowing down firing at the 2000 degree+ range. The elements
> were fine. The relays were fine. The thermocouple was fine. The circuit
> breaker was fine.The electricity from the street was measured and was
> fine.
> EVERYTHING was fine. I called the company who manufactures the digital box
> and it was fine. We replaced EVERYTHING - elements, switches, relays, the
> main cut off switch. The kiln was direct wired into the cut off switch.
> Everything got replaced but the shell. Needless to say, $600.00+ later,
> the
> damn thing finally worked. It worked for 56 firings. I kept really
> specific
> records. Now here we go again. I can't get a cone 5-6 firing because the
> digital gives me an error that the temp is not ramping up at least 10
> degrees in an hour. This is the Christmas season. I am a production
> potter
> who can't finish her work because the equipment is faulty.
> I need a working kiln---now.
Earl Brunner on tue 2 nov 04
ok
--- Arnold Howard wrote:
> Did the firing time suddenly or gradually become
> longer?
>
> Firing time can lengthen suddenly due to a drop in
> voltage, a bad relay, or
> a broken element. Does firing time vary depending on
> time of day or season?
> That would indicate voltage drop.
>
> Has anyone recently worked on your kiln? Some kilns
> with series-parallel
> elements will continue to fire even if they are
> mis-wired. But they will not
> fire as hot as they should.
>
> If firing time gradually became longer, it is
> usually caused by worn
> elements.
>
> You could check the amperage using an ammeter. By
> checking the amperage of
> each individual relay inside the switch box, you can
> quickly locate a burned
> element or relay. (An ammeter check should be done
> only by a qualified
> repair person, since you will be exposed to live
> wires.)
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Arnold Howard
> Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
> arnoldhoward@att.net / www.paragonweb.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Pamela & Evan Kohler-Camp"
>
> To:
> Sent: Friday, October 29, 2004 12:57 PM
> Subject: [CLAYART] Digital Kiln problems
>
>
> > Hello Folks,
> >
> > Having been a lurker for many years, I hesitate to
> speak up but I am
> > desperate. I need to know if anybody out there has
> had the same problems
> > as I.
> >
> > I have an Olympic Oval 2325E 40 Amp 10 Phase
> Digital Kiln. Two years ago,
> > it started slowing down firing at the 2000
> degree+ range. The elements
> > were fine. The relays were fine. The thermocouple
> was fine. The circuit
> > breaker was fine.The electricity from the street
> was measured and was
> > fine.
> > EVERYTHING was fine. I called the company who
> manufactures the digital box
> > and it was fine. We replaced EVERYTHING -
> elements, switches, relays, the
> > main cut off switch. The kiln was direct wired
> into the cut off switch.
> > Everything got replaced but the shell. Needless to
> say, $600.00+ later,
> > the
> > damn thing finally worked. It worked for 56
> firings. I kept really
> > specific
> > records. Now here we go again. I can't get a cone
> 5-6 firing because the
> > digital gives me an error that the temp is not
> ramping up at least 10
> > degrees in an hour. This is the Christmas season.
> I am a production
> > potter
> > who can't finish her work because the equipment is
> faulty.
> > I need a working kiln---now.
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
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> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
=====
Earl Brunner
e-mail: brunv53@yahoo.com
Al Strauss on wed 3 nov 04
Hi,
I have the same problem in a fairly new L&L kiln with a Bartlett
controller. It happens only very occasionally and at around cone 06. At
this temperature I know it is not a problem of the kiln reaching its heat
limit. It also does not repeat when I restart. I suspect it might be a bug
in the controller. Try contacting the technical people at Bartlett.
AL Strauss
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