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l&l kiln too hot

updated tue 7 dec 04

 

Frank Gaydos on sun 5 dec 04


My computer controled J-230 L&L kiln fires too hot at every setting. It =
is about half a cone off on the hot side.
I tried to fire at one cone lower but that was just too cool. I have =
another, larger L&L computer kiln and it fires cooler at the same =
setting.
(I'm placing large stand alone 04 cones in the kilns to get readings.)

Is there a way to recalibrate the factory installed peak tempt?

PS This might be a good subject for some tech person to write a how-to =
article in CM.
Frank Gaydos

Garlic is to food what insanity is to art.
Anonymous

Steve Slatin on sun 5 dec 04


Yes, if you're using an easy-fire schedule. Go to

http://www.hotkilns.com/dynatrol-instruct-blue.pdf --

p. 22 (of 58) <to have a working pdf reader, but that's probably
not a problem, if you don't have one get Adobe
Reader free from Adobe as an on-line download>>
and follow the instructions for "4.3.1.5 Cone Offset"
This presupposes you have a BLUE Dynatrol, the
instructions for GREEN are elsewhere.

If you got a loose-leaf instruction book with your
kiln, it may include the Dynatrol instructions. The
process is really pretty simple. The only time I had
a question about my L&L, I called the hot line and
got a kiln guru *right away* although I was calling
outside of normal business hours. He was
knowledgable, thorough, and fast, and invited me to
call back if I had any other questions. If you can't
get the printed process to work, I'd suggest making
the call.

Best wishes -- Steve Slatin


--- Frank Gaydos wrote:

> Is there a way to recalibrate the factory installed
> peak tempt?
>


=====
Steve Slatin -- Did you know there is schools
Where Bop -- and nothing but
Bop -- are taught?
Well, there am!
Sequim, Washington, USA



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John Jensen on sun 5 dec 04


Frank;
Did you read through the very detailed tech manual that came with the kiln?
I have a vague recollection of having seen just that very subject discussed
within that book.

John Jensen, Mudbug Pottery
John Jensen@mudbugpottery.com
http://www.toadhouse.com www://www.mudbugpottery.com

>Subject: L&L kiln too hot

>My computer controled J-230 L&L kiln fires too hot at every setting. It =
>is about half a cone off on the hot side.

>Is there a way to recalibrate the factory installed peak tempt?

Lou Roess on sun 5 dec 04


On Dec 4, 2004, at 11:22 PM, Frank Gaydos wrote:

> My computer controled J-230 L&L kiln fires too hot at every setting.
> It is about half a cone off on the hot side.
> Is there a way to recalibrate the factory installed peak tempt?
>
>
Frank, yes it's outlined in your owners manual. Also, L&L's rep Robert
is very knowledgeable and will walk you through it . He has always
been very helpful when I called him. I've been very impressed with
their tech support. There's an 800 number.
Regards, Lou in Colorado

Arnold Howard on mon 6 dec 04


The early temperature controllers did not include temperature calibration.
If the witness cone didn't bend far enough in Cone-Fire mode, you added hold
time or fired to the next cone. If the cone puddled, you fired to the next
cooler cone.

In around 1995, Bartlett added a calibration adjustment in Cone-Fire mode.
But some people complained that calibrating one range of cones threw other
cones out of adjustment. So Bartlett came out with a second type of
calibration that adjusted only individual cones.

On the Bartlett and Orton controllers, you can adjust the temperature of a
narrow range of cones with Cone Offset. The adjustment affects only firings
in Cone-Fire mode. Or you can make a general calibration that affects all
firings in both Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold. That adjustment is called
Thermocouple Offset.

(The calibration methods and terms vary depending on the kiln brand and the
series of controller. But the principles are the same.)

Temperature calibration is useful if you use Cone-Fire mode (the type of
firing where the controller asks for cone number instead of temperature).
However, be prepared to make another adjustment when the thermocouple begins
to drift in temperature. An easy way to deal with temperature drift is to
add hold time.

I wouldn't bother with temperature calibration in Ramp-Hold mode (the type
of firing where the controller asks for temperatures instead of a cone
number). It is simpler just to change the firing temperature than to
recalibrate the controller. If, however, you are using Ramp-Hold mode and
also have an S-Type thermocouple, then temperature recalibration would be
useful, because the S-Type has virtually no temperature drift. So you would
make only one temperature recalibration.

By the way, if the temperature is off by 25 degrees F or more, the
thermocouple is probably about to fail.

Sincerely,

Arnold Howard
Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
arnoldhoward@att.net / www.paragonweb.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Frank Gaydos"
My computer controled J-230 L&L kiln fires too hot at every setting. It is
about half a cone off on the hot side.
I tried to fire at one cone lower but that was just too cool. I have
another, larger L&L computer kiln and it fires cooler at the same setting.
(I'm placing large stand alone 04 cones in the kilns to get readings.)

Is there a way to recalibrate the factory installed peak tempt?

billBUCKNER on mon 6 dec 04


Frank:

There are several calibrations you can program into the controller. Look at
the kiln's manual (or check the L&L website) for instructions. You can
correct for specific cone end points - which sounds like the option you need.

Cheers,
-Bill Buckner
Atlanta


At 12:00 AM 12/6/2004, you wrote:
>Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2004 01:22:46 -0500
>From: Frank Gaydos
>Subject: L&L kiln too hot
>
>My computer controled J-230 L&L kiln fires too hot at every setting. It =
>is about half a cone off on the hot side.
>I tried to fire at one cone lower but that was just too cool. I have =
>another, larger L&L computer kiln and it fires cooler at the same =
>setting.
>(I'm placing large stand alone 04 cones in the kilns to get readings.)
>
>Is there a way to recalibrate the factory installed peak tempt?
>
>PS This might be a good subject for some tech person to write a how-to =
>article in CM.
>Frank Gaydos
>
>Garlic is to food what insanity is to art.
> Anonymous

billBUCKNER
www.sodaglaze.com

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved
body. But, rather to slide in sideways, totally worn out, shouting... Holy
$*^#. What a ride !!!" -Author unknown