My Kiln has a 'FAIL' message

[sublimekate]

Thanks Kaz, I might have to take you up on that, I had already considered who I was going to start tapping up 

Basically if the kiln isn't fixed by Thursday I need a back-up plan, because any later than that would be leaving it too late to send the beads to someone else and get them back in time.

I'm holding out hope that they tell Martin to send me the parts, or agree to get them out to me FAST, it's a really kind offer, and there's a good chance I'll be in touch.

Many Thanks Kaz 

Kate xxxxx

[sublimekate]

Well, here I am again, and it's bad news.

My new controller arrived yesterday but the kiln failed again on the first run, two hours in to the hold segment on a garaging schedule.

Then it failed again on a batch anneal, not sure when but I checked it before I went to bed and it had 19mins left to run on the hold at 520c, but I was welcomed with the familiar 'FAIL' message this morning.

I'm going to have to cancel the party I had arranged for Tuesday because I've had this problem for over two weeks now and hence no beads that I can say for certain are annealed.

I wish I'd sent the beads to Kaz, but I was so hopeful when I managed to get the controller sent out from Robin on special delivery.

Back to the drawing board, I guess it's a thermocouple issue now, or is it??!!??

[glassworks]

try reaching orton at paragon - he is a genie at fixing these things.. we have one kiln playing up with either a faulty thermocouple or (more likely) a faulty relay.. they don't go wrong very often - in fact this is our first hardware failure but he is very good at fault finding... he can be a little difficult to reach though..

[sublimekate]

I'll let you know how I go on.

[Kaz]

Kate if you want to send some this week I can anneal and drop off to you next week?
What a shame you have had to cancel the party - hope you can re-arrange for nearer Christmas when people may be in more of a spending mood anyway!
Kaz

[sublimekate]

The lady was lovely, she's had lots of beads from me already and she's going to re-book when I'm sorted out, it was a relief to come clean with her, stress levels are manageable again

I have a learning point to share, I won't book a show or a party until I have have the stock, or have a back-up plan in place in advance 

[sublimekate]

Got an email from Paragon this afternoon as follows:

Kate,
I still believe this has to do with ramp rates up or down.
I need you to fire the kiln full up to 1037C.... and let it shut off....
You need to keep a record of the temperature rise and fall from start to lower than your normal last target temperature you usually use. 
It is possible that the kiln could not keep your ramp rate coming down all the way to your target.
Just because we enter a rate that does not mean the kiln can keep up going up or down.
Let me know the result.

Translations welcome!

I know I'm being grumpy, I'm feeling pretty grumpy right now.

[Lush!]

Knickers Kate, I can feel your pain 

[Sarah]

Kate

I'm sorry you're having such a rotten time - it must be very frustrating.

How long have you had the kiln? If it is within the last year or so, and assuming that you bought it in the UK, I would have expected the supplier to be sorting this for you rather than having you fit the parts yourself.

Sarah
xxx

[glassworks]

they are asking you to keep track of the ACTUAL rate of change on the kiln... this is apparently because the controller can be asking for a faster rate change than the kiln can physically supply - leading to the error popping up...

pm me if you got the kiln from us, or if you would like me to chase them for you as i am already armwrestling them with a similar problem on one of our kilns?...

[sparrow]

Hi Kate,

oh bum, only just read this!! If you need access to a kiln or torch or both (for bigger beads, anneal as you go) and want to come to Sheffield (well, Stocksbridge), my torch/kiln are your torch/kiln! ((hugs))

[Lee - Kilncare]

I know what he means I think.

He is wondering if you are asking the kiln to do something it won't and I think he is wondering if you are asking the kiln to cool quicker than it can.

To be honest, our controllers recognise that the kiln is going downbank when it is supposed to be cooling and so disables the alarm facility, unless something stupid happens obviously. I would have thought this controller would do the same but that is only guess work.

Also, when you consider the amount of this type of kiln that are out there you would think that this problem would have arisen elsewhere if it is user error.

Keep us all informed on how you get on pal.

[sublimekate]

Thanks for the tips, and for the offer Sabine, it's very kind of you.

I think I get what they're asking now, I've had to go away a few days, I'll get to grips with the kiln later in the week. K

[Trudi]

how did you get on in the end?

[sublimekate]

It's fixed, I think, I've run the kiln once since getting a new thermocouple!! Well it could have been both the thermocouple and the controller, I got a controller first and that didn't fix it, but the new one was in when I fitted the thermocouple.

My advice would be, get a spare thermocouple, £20 odd quid, when you buy your kiln, it's worth a go if things start to go wrong.

So fingers crossed it will carry on playing nice! K x