jothamhung Posted November 12, 2016 Report Share Posted November 12, 2016 Hi everyone! I just recently bought a used Cress FX27P electric kiln so I can start firing work at home. So I just recently started my first bisque firing yesterday at 4pm. It was more of a test fire, so I didn't put a lot of work in there, about 15 wheel thrown pieces. There were a couple pieces in there that were not fully bone dry so I set the firing speed at E, the slowest speed. I also put a pyrometric cone (04) in the sitter, 1 peep hole open, and set the thumb wheel to 1, and I set the timer to 16 hours so it can shut off at that time in case anything goes wrong. Throughout the day and night I checked periodically, and the kiln did get red hot, so the elements seemed fine to me, but I didn't take a look at the thumbwheel. So this morning I went to go check on the kiln, and it fired the full 16 hours! and the kiln sitter didn't go off, so the the kiln didn't reach cone 04 temp. Also, the thumbwheel stayed at 1! It didn't move! So I'm thinking the thumbwheel is broken or needs repair, I didn't put the cone in right, or something is wrong with the elements. And even 16 plus hours later the kiln was still showing orange to red heat signatures inside the peep hole. So I talked to my friend who has experience firing kilns, and he said to just fire the thing until the kiln sitter shuts off and set the thumbwheel to 10 max temp as soon as possible so the kiln doesn't have to reheat back to 1000 for the sake of energy efficiency. If anyone has any ideas, input, advice, or suggestions I'd greatly appreciate it! I'm hoping to bisque fire and glaze fire using this kiln in the near future, I already bought a couple pints of cone 6 glazes to test out. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 The thumbwheel? That may be the timer or that may be the controller for the elements? If you turned it on 1, that may be the lowest setting for the elements to be on. Not sure of your configuration. I had a crest kiln about 40 years ago. For manual kilns, I start on 2 for 2 hours. Close the lid and raise the input to 4. fire 2 more hours. Turn it on high, shut the lid and let it hit temperature. What other numbers are on the thumbwheel? Does it go to 6 and HI? Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jothamhung Posted November 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 The thumbwheel numbers control how much power goes to the elements, 0 being none and 10 being maximum power. It only goes from 0 to 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jothamhung Posted November 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 Also I just looked into a peep hole and a couple of pieces are cracked and some bottoms are cracked and broken. How is that possible when I had the lowest and slowest firing setting? Maybe it's the size of the load? Or the connection between the actual firing speed and dials are off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted November 13, 2016 Report Share Posted November 13, 2016 Those Cress kilns have totally different controls than other kilns. If you don't hear from someone here who actually uses one, you'll want to contact Cress directly on Monday. As for the cracking, posting pictures will help determine the cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kita Posted April 9, 2019 Report Share Posted April 9, 2019 You can candle on “stop/manual” instead of E, for the slowest results. We were having the same problem with our Cress kiln - the temps climbed too quickly and explosions happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted April 9, 2019 Report Share Posted April 9, 2019 3 hours ago, Kita said: You can candle on “stop/manual” instead of E, for the slowest results. We were having the same problem with our Cress kiln - the temps climbed too quickly and explosions happened. Call cress in Nevada and ask-I'm not sure about their controls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lbegley Posted April 10, 2019 Report Share Posted April 10, 2019 I have had several of those cress kilns with the thumbwheels and I like the design. Sounds like yours is stuck on one.... Try firing it at the top speed and see if the wheel moves at all,,,, you don't have to have anything in the kiln,,, you should know within an hour if it's progressing and can turn it off then. I have one that sticks once it gets to the 4 setting, so some times they do break in that way. You can still use it, you'll just need to manually turn the dial as you fire. I'm impatient and rush things too often, so I'm kind of an expert on cracked/blown up work, and im guessing those cracks have nothing to do with the kiln, but with putting the work in too wet. Next time wait until your work is bone dry. If you've been working in a community studio, maybe your lab tech has been letting your work dry more than you think before firing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted May 22, 2019 Report Share Posted May 22, 2019 My Cress kiln did the same thing. I called Cress and spoke with Arturo. He said to turn the speed control knob around a time or two. Worked like a charm. Thumbwheel rotates now. Now that's rocket science! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jet Posted July 4, 2019 Report Share Posted July 4, 2019 I bought a used Cress kiln and need to know the fast setting. I'm applying decals. It says fire fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted July 4, 2019 Report Share Posted July 4, 2019 Hi jet, and welcome! Which model did you get? If it's one with the thumbwheel, 0 is low/ slow and 9 is high and fast. Are you using the cone 016 decals or the cone 6? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted July 4, 2019 Report Share Posted July 4, 2019 Here is a link to the fx manual https://3fs7rd1xi6sy2zofjv3g0a0q-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/FX-INSTRUCTION-MANUAL-FOR-FX-KILNS.pdf firemate motor, infinite switches, 230v relays, pretty interesting design to say the least. Troubleshooting this takes a bit of electrical fortitude. diagram and parts list below. If you are really stuck it would take a bit to work up (hours) a step by step on how to troubleshoot this. The firemate motor needs to operate for this kiln to work. So does everything else though. If Cress can easily diagnose over the phone and send you a new part it would be easiest on all of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstaver Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 Did you ever get your thumbwheel problem figured out? I am having the same problem with my Cress FE23S. The kiln does get to temp, but the thumbwheel doesn't turn on its own (I can turn it manually) and last time I fired it (empty) it went way above temp and melted my cones. So, I replaced the thermocoupler and hope it will shut itself off when it reaches temp. Going to manually turn the thumbwheel for now and see what happens. Just curious if you've figured out how to fix it or just use it without the thumbwheel working. I don't know how fast to ramp up the temp manually so if anyone has a suggestion I'll take it - thanks!! I am firing low-fire stoneware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 You should never go to bed with your kiln firing, a test firing especially. I have been firing electric kilns for 40 years, I may start candeling at 3.00 am because I am getting up at 6. Had a new potter on the forum a few years ago that had a supposed electrician install a kiln in his home. His old knob and tube wiring couldn't handle it and caught the house on fire inside the walls. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schafle Posted June 3, 2020 Report Share Posted June 3, 2020 Hi all, i have a cress E23 top loading electric kiln. Had some greenware in for firing and the kiln shut off prematurely and now will not turn on at all. Any suggestions on what might be the problem? We are very rural with no cress repair person close at hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted June 3, 2020 Report Share Posted June 3, 2020 Check to make sure that the timer on the kiln sitter is set and has not wound down to zero...it should be set for a little more that your approximate time for the bisque firing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia W Posted October 24, 2020 Report Share Posted October 24, 2020 I have a Cress FX27P kiln. My kiln overheated during a glaze 06 fire.The kiln sitter cone was melted and did not work. I next did a bisque fire 04 and all seemed fine. I tired another glaze fire 06 it started up ok but when I went back an hour later to check it was not heating. The timers work but no heat. Did I burn out something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted October 24, 2020 Report Share Posted October 24, 2020 If the timer has enough time on it, there's a cone in the cone sitter and the speed dial and thumbwheel are both set on something other than manual, it should be going as long as the elements aren't worn out. So that leads to more questions. Have your firings been taking longer lately? Are the elements lying down? How many firings do you have on it/did you buy it used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted October 24, 2020 Report Share Posted October 24, 2020 It doesn’t sound like you personally burned anything out but you most definitely need someone to troubleshoot the kiln. As above, how old is the kiln, how many firings, have the elements ever been replaced, have you looked carefully at the elements for signs of a burned open section ........what do you feel comfortable testing?...... etc..... Sounds like kiln maintenance and repair is likely in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Thompson-Sandstedt Posted June 18, 2021 Report Share Posted June 18, 2021 I have an older Cress FX-27 and had similar issues when I was learning to use it. You have to make sure you go in the right order with all the dials. Set your hours, push in the button, turn thumbwheel to 1, then set speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa D Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 Hello. I bought a used Cress Test Kiln. FX-911 and just did two firings trying to get it to cone 5. The first time I got nervous, being my first kiln and first fire and only let it go for 6hours and it shut off at that time but only reached 2030. So I tried again and ran it for 8 hours and it still did not reach cone 5. The sitter cone was bent slightly, so I got very close, but clearly some of the glazes needed a bit more time. Any thoughts? Do I just need to run it longer? Or toward the 6 hour mark can I manually turn the thumb wheel a bit faster to get it to full power? Thanks in advance Totally new to pottery, but super excited Any advice is welcomed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 Set it to run longer and watch it-This is where a cheap digital pyrometer is needed so you can see it climb-you can buy one and install it for less than 100$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 2 hours ago, Lisa D said: Hello. I bought a used Cress Test Kiln. FX-911 and just did two firings trying to get it to cone 5. The first time I got nervous, being my first kiln and first fire and only let it go for 6hours and it shut off at that time but only reached 2030. So I tried again and ran it for 8 hours and it still did not reach cone 5. The sitter cone was bent slightly, so I got very close, but clearly some of the glazes needed a bit more time. Any thoughts? Do I just need to run it longer? Or toward the 6 hour mark can I manually turn the thumb wheel a bit faster to get it to full power? Thanks in advance Totally new to pottery, but super excited Any advice is welcomed What is the max temp rating shown on the kiln serial plate? Post a picture of the serial plate if you can. If it's a cone 6 kiln, it will only get to cone 6 if the elements are in near perfect condition. Chances are the elements are worn and need to be replaced. Since you are firing to the near max temp of the kiln, you may only get about 35 firings from a set of elements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted February 17, 2022 Report Share Posted February 17, 2022 Here is the Manuel https://3fs7rd1xi6sy2zofjv3g0a0q-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/FX-INSTRUCTION-MANUAL-FOR-FX-KILNS.pdf looks like 15 amp 110 volt and max cone 8 This kiln at 110 volts will take some time to get to cone 6 Cress lits different specks on plate and you have to read all the plates to get all the info -its a really small kiln but at 15 amps it will take some time here is the kiln in a meandering video off You tube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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