Kiln At Night?????

[julieHB]

I used to have no qualms about it, but after I read about Josephine's experience about a kiln (was it SC2??) gone crazy I always make sure the kiln is on it's last segment and ramping down nicely before I go to bed. Almost always do I make sure it has reached the magic 371 deg C before turning in.

Sorry to be a wet blanket.

[Ian Pearson]

Well although I dont "bead", my annealing oven, ( kiln) is my life and my work revolves around it being either on or off. I plan my work sessions to finsh about 8.30-9pm which is the time when I have arranged for my annealing cycle to finish. The last thing I do when I leave my workshop is switch oven off and take plug out of wall. I then press very hard the three prongs of the plug into my palm to that it leaves an imprint. Thus when I am at home and I think, "have I switched oven off or not" I just look at my hand to see the marks and am reassured that i did. Just had afew overheating moments i mylife and its been a dissaster so I now play safe or be a coward. I do appreciate that for most overnight annealing is the norm. Each to their own at end of day( or morning)

Ian

[Josephine]

Well despite my kiln that overheated massively and melted all my beads, not to mention frightening the life out of me, I do still leave my kiln running at night although it is on its hold or starting to ramp down by the time I go to bed. That kiln had been playing up for a while,ramping down at random moments, and I was in the process of trying to find out what the problem was when it had its funny five minutes. I'm still batch annealing in my fusing kiln at the moment  .....but hopefully my new Maxi will arrive soon!

I would say that if your kiln starts ramping down when it shouldn't or doing anything unexpected then don't leave it on its own until you have had it fixed.

[Im a glassy babe]

ok, thanks guys, I'll have a word with hubby and see what he thinks.  It would be so much easier for me to do it through the night.

thanks again everyone 

[Zeldazog]

I suppose, if the question is "is it safe, will there be a big fire" then, highly unlikely.

If the question is, can I guarantee that the kiln won't cock up during the firing schedule and ruin what's inside, then, well, no its not guaranteed, but whether your kiln is in a shed overnight, or in a fireproof room guarded by a team of firemen (ooeerr!) in the middle of the day.

Unless you are prepared to watch you kiln through every step to the point of turning off (as in off at the switch, not a ramp down segment, cos of course that could always be the point it goes haywire), then there is always a risk of failure of firing schedule.

[turnedlight]

I don't - I always bring it down and turn off before bedtime, but I do leave it on during the daytime..

[Im a glassy babe]

yep, i get what you're saying, think it's a go ahead for me, although the idea of a room full of fireman is appealing.  May need to try that first  

[Rachel]

Personally I don't - I like to make sure my kiln's off before I go to bed.  But then I'm one of those obsessives who have to touch all switches several times before I'm happy that they're off!!  If my kiln was in a shed away from the house I may be inclined to leave it on overnight though.

[Lloki]

I used to watch my kiln like a hawk, but after 3 years of PMC firings, enamel fusing and laterly, batch bead annealing (mostly overnight), I feel quite confident leaving it to fire evernight.
I am using a Paragon SC2 and to date I have not experienced any problems with any programed firings.
Although my kiln is in a remote, but attached shed, it surely is no different to an electric emersion heater in the airing cupboard? The reasoning I used to the other half !
Just make sure that if anything does occur unexpectedly, you have the alarms and barriers to protect you & yours.