Sentry Express 3.0 Programming problem

[Graeme]

I have a Sentry Express 3.0 attached to the side of my kiln which up till yesterday I assumed was working fine.
However, when I tried to access the Program to enter a specific firing sequence for my OHs PMC I have encountered a problem; I can only get "PROG 6", which I have always used for my beads, or "CONE 1" on the scroll menu. No other options, ie:PROG 1, PROG2..... show.
Can anyone tell me if this is normal for the Sentry Express 3.0 or if there is a possible fault?

Thanks
Graeme

[Mary]

I'd need to check the number of my model, but I know I can only scroll the program menu by going up, if I press down it exits. That's the only thing I can think of, sounds like you might have a fault.

eta Yes, mine is a 3.0 too.

[julieHB]

Have you had several program schedules before?

I was going to help a friend of mine to program her kiln for different schedules, and we found that her controller only had 2 programs installed. She had bought her kiln as a bead annealing kiln, and didn't realise she didn't have several programs before she wanted to test a different schedule.

On my own I have 4 multi-ramp programs and 4 single ramp programs (sentry express 3.0).

[Graeme]

Never tried to use any program other than PROG 6 so dont know if there were others. Looks like it may be a fault. Does anyone know who services these systems in the UK?

[SilverClay]

Call Robin on 01929 477 137 - he should be able to talk you through it to see if anything is wrong.

Petra

[beadammed]

Did anyone have any luck with this?  I just decided to add a program to my Sentry 2.0 to allow me to fire silverclay but just ran into the same problem.  Seems to be only Prog.6 available which is the one I use for beads. It's been on that schedule since I got it. I only just found out how to get it to display centigrade instead of farenheight.

[ejralph]

I think that, like me, you have the controller that is designed more for ceramics work.

So no option to pre-set multiple programmes AFAIK. You just have PROG mode where you can set your own programme, or CONE mode where you can use some of the controller's pre-set schedules for ceramic cone firing (in this mode, you can chose the ceramic cone you wish to fire to, and select a fast. medium or slow fire. All relative to ceramic terminology though as you would grow a beard waiting even for the fast programme to complete)

If you don't have the (IMO Excellent) documentation for this controller, try emailing Arnold at paragon and I am sure he can link you up to a pdf of it or something.

HTH

Emma

[Rosenquartz]

Hi Emma,

I think you are right - I own this very kiln now (bought from Graeme a little while ago) and I have concluded that what Graeme thought said Pro6 is actually ProG. He bought it second hand and it came with a printed sheet about an "upgrade" to the programmer for multiple programs. I am guessing some paperwork got muddled at some point.

Have you enquired about whether this "upgrade" can be retro-fitter by any chance?

Neil

[ejralph]

Hi Neil

Its the first I have heard about an upgrade actually.

I tend to reprogramme my kiln alot as I use it for so many different things. So I guess having multiple programmes would be really handy for me,  although tbh I am so used to reprogramming it now I can't say I would bother to change the controller unless it was both free  and very easy to do 

Worth dropping paragon an email about it though. If you want their email address, just PM me. I have always found them really quick to reply and really helpful.

Emma

[Rosenquartz]

I emailed Arnold at Paragon and he worked out that I do have an older controller set up for Ceramics but told me to call Paragon in the USA and customer service could talk me through re-programming it. I did so and now I have four user programmable programs and five speed settings. The speed settings are pre-set ramp-up rates and you then set the target temp and hold time when you use them - useful for PMC and the like apparently where the program is not too complex but you do need control over ramp, target temp and hold. It seem that the controller has a number of configurations build it.

Unfortunately I didn't note down the sequence and cannot quite remember it - after picking the configuration there was a lot more clicking to set the defaults for max temp and a bunch of other things.

But the Paragon people seemed helpful and had no qualms about talking me through programming - they even called me after I tried twice and the person I needed to talk to was on the phone.

[ejralph]

That is good to know there are alternative options then.

When you say there are speed settings, do you mean that now if you set a program you have to use one of these predefined settings when setting the ramps? Or are you still able to manually select any ramp speed you want for a particular segment?

Emma

[Rosenquartz]

For the four user-programmable ramp-hold programs you can create ramps, target temp and hold for a number of segments just like with PROG on your kiln at the moment.

For the speed programs the ramp rate is pre-programmed - you can just set the target temp and hold. But I believe that they are single segment. I haven't actually tried yet, but I may at the weekend just to understand it properly. I might even try to work out from memory what the sequence is to re-configure it.

[ejralph]

Ah ok - thanks for the explanation. Sounds like it would be useful, but I am SO scared of messing with Toasty.

Will need to think it through, talk to therapist, write a Edward de Bono Plus Minus and Interesting about it.... etc. ;-)

Emma