Step by Step Programming for a Prometheus Pro-7

[Fruddy]

Hi chaps,

Now that I have got my head around how to programme my Prometheus, I thought that I would do a step-by-step Garaging programme for the kiln, in case anyone else were to buy one.   The instruction manual is a bit thin!!   Mods - maybe this could go on the Wiki??

Switch the kiln on.

Press the menu button once.

You will see PU1.  This indicates the temperature that you want your kiln to reach.   Using the up and down arrow buttons, set the temp to 510.

Press set button.

You will then see RA1.  This is the time that you want the kiln to take to ramp up to PU1.   Using the up and down buttons, set the time for 20 mins (or however long you want).

Press the set button.

You will then see SO1.  This is the first soak time.  Using up and down arrows choose the length of time you want to garage for.  I usually do 4 hours.

Press the set button.

You will then see PU2.  This is the second temperature change.   Using the up and down buttons, set for 530 degrees.

Press the set button.

You will then see RA2.  This is the length of time you want the kiln to reach 530 degrees.   I do it in ten mins, so again using the up and down arrows, set for 10.

Press the set button.

You see SO2.  This is the second soak time.  I soak for an hour at 530 degrees, so using the up and down arrows, select 1 hour.

Press the set button.

You will see PU3.  This is the third ramp time.   I usually ask my kiln to reduce temp to 330.   Use the up and down arrows again.

Press the set button.

You will then see RA3.  Again, this is the length of time you want the kiln to drop from 530 degrees to 330 degrees.  I select 2 hours.

Press set button.

Then press the menu button to complete the programme.

When you want your kiln to start, press the UP arrow once.

And there you have it!!! Easy peasy!!!

Okay - should you want to "skip" a step in the programme - for example you have finished torching earlier than you thought, but your kiln is set for a four hour garage, here's what you do.

Press the menu button.   

Skip through the stages until you reach SO1.   Using the down arrows, reduce the time down to 0000.

Press the set button.

Press the menu button.

Now, the kiln will skip onto the PU2 stage of the programme.

Hope this helps chaps
xx

[Philip Vallentin]

Hello Fruddy, and others.

Philip here in London. I too have recently bought the Prometheus Pro 7.
It's proving great fun as my first kiln, but I am having difficulty repeating programs.
If I don't put all values back to zero, and totally reprogram from scratch each time, then the kiln seems to just go up to around 200c and stop there.
Have you had this problem?
Is this the way the controller actually works?
Am I doing something fundamentally wrong when I start an existing program from the previous session?

Thanks for your time.
Philip

[Fruddy]

Hi Philip,

I have to say that I haven't had this problem.

I only ever garage when I make beads, I don't bother with batch annealing, so the programme that I have set into the kiln as above in my first post is the only one I ever use.  When I switch the kiln off at the end of a session and then switch it back on again, I merely press the up arrow key to start the programme again.

I would suggest that you go onto this website...

http://www.prometheuskilns.com/

and fill in the contact form with the problem.  They are BRILLIANT. 

I didn't have a clue how to skip a programme and I emailed them.  A chap called Ozkur contacted me within 3 hours via email and told me exactly what I needed to do.   They couldn't be more helpful.

Good luck!!

[Philip Vallentin]

Many thanks Fruddy.

Martin at Tuffnell Glass (where I got my kiln), seems to be in touch with Ozkur too, so I think, yes, he's the man.

I'll get writing and experimenting.
And will post any results soon.

Again, many thanks.
Philip

[Fiona]

Hi,  I've just bought this kiln and am trying to run a test programme to see how it works before I dare to put any beads in it.  As far as I can tell the programme seems to be doing what I told it, however I thought once it had reached the set temperature it would stay constant for the soaking time but it keeps fluctuating up and down by about 14 degrees.  Is this normal?  I'd expect to see the temperature decrease if I was opening the bead door every few minutes and then ramp back up to the set temperature again but not to change when it stays shut for the whole programme (and especially going higher than the set temperature!).  I'd appreciate it if anyone with this kiln  (or any other kiln if it's a common thing) could tell me that I'm just being over cautious and my beads shall be fine.

Thanks,
Fiona

[Fruddy]

Hi,  I've just bought this kiln and am trying to run a test programme to see how it works before I dare to put any beads in it.  As far as I can tell the programme seems to be doing what I told it, however I thought once it had reached the set temperature it would stay constant for the soaking time but it keeps fluctuating up and down by about 14 degrees.  Is this normal?  I'd expect to see the temperature decrease if I was opening the bead door every few minutes and then ramp back up to the set temperature again but not to change when it stays shut for the whole programme (and especially going higher than the set temperature!).  I'd appreciate it if anyone with this kiln  (or any other kiln if it's a common thing) could tell me that I'm just being over cautious and my beads shall be fine.

Thanks,
Fiona

Yep, don't worry, this is entirely normal and my kiln does it as well.

Your beads will be absolutely fine.

What I do with my Prometheus now is ramp it up to 510 degrees, and then garage at that.   This way, the temp never goes any higher than about 525, or lower than about 495 which is fine and will not hurt your beads at all.

[Fiona]

Thanks Rachel.  I thought that was the case but was worried about the temp going too high.  I'll set it at 510 like you.  Thanks also for posting the programme you use I shall be doing that too once I start garaging beads and not batch annealing.