My Kiln Has No Kiln Sitter Or Digital Screen Only A Knob That Goes From Low 1-2 Med 4-5 High. Has Anyone Used A Kiln Like This ? I Do Not Know Where

[Shelbi]

I have no idea how long to fire or what temp to fire. My kiln has no kiln sitter or digital screen just a knob that turns low 1-2 medium 3-5 high. I am lost. does anyone know how to uses a kiln like this? I want to do porclian greenware to soft fire then fire to bisque. Can any one help me that has experience with a kiln like mine? It came with four cones 02-10 but I'm not even sure how to use them. I expected a digital screen but got this. My fault I ordered and didn't fully investigate what I was getting.

[Denice]

You need to post the make, model size and firing range of the kiln so someone can give you a accurate response.  Denice

[Marcia Selsor]

I'd get some cones and a pyometer. The pyrometer so that you have an idea when it will get copse to hitting temperature and cones so you can turn it off when you hit the temperature

 

Marcia

[Chilly]

My kiln had simple controls when I first got it.

 

You switch it on to low and let it fire for "some time".  Then you switch it to high and fire for some "more time".

 

You will find timing/firing schedules in old pottery books.  Written before kiln sitters and programmers.  I have a few of these, and it made firing my manual kiln easier, but as I wanted to use cheap-rate-overnight electricity, it meant setting the alarm clock and getting up every couple of hours to check and adjust.

 

After about five firings, my other half persuaded me to buy a programmer.  Now I can switch the programmer on any time during the day/evening, and know that the kiln will be fired by the time I get up.

 

Firing a fully manual kiln is not difficult, it is time consuming, and you have to set the cones so you can see them through the peephole, or go by colour as does one of the members on here - sorry, can't remember if it is John or Pres.

 

Good luck, and I'm sure a few more peeps her will chip in with their experience.

[Marcia Selsor]

Chilly,

Good point. I didn't suggest a firing schedule. Not sure what a soft fire is before doing a bisque.

I agree with Chilly that a programmable computer controller would be great. You would plug your kiln into it and have the controller mounted on the wall and plugged into 220, Check with an electrician. 

Manually, my schedule from the past had been 2 hours on low, 2, on medium and then turn on high until temperature is reached.I still recommend using cones and pyrometer as a guide.

 

 

Marcia

[Dick White]

Can you please give us some more information. From the electrical rating plate on the kiln - voltage, watts, and amperage. And the inside dimensions of the kiln - H X Diameter if round, or sizes if not round.

[Shelbi]

I know it's a paragon Caldera kiln it plugs into a regular house hold socket it goes fahranheit 76-2000 centigrade 0-1200 does that help? I hope it makes things clearer I should have Done more research. I thank you for your help.

[Shelbi]

It's a hot box size. 120 volts I believe plugs into house hold socket.

[Dick White]

It sounds like that kiln will only fire to low-fire earthenware temperatures. If it has no controls other than L/M/H switch you will need some method for knowing when it has reached the desired temperature. You can place a set of witness cones inside so they are visible through the peephole (be sure to wear protective infrared glasses when looking into a hot kiln) or get a separate pyrometer (with an appropriate thermocouple for kiln use) to measure the exact temperature. For a schedule, turn it on low for an hour and a half, then medium for an hour and a half, and then high. Turn it off when the witness cone is bent or when the pyrometer indicates the desired temperature has been reached.

[Mark C.]

It should have a manual-you will need some cones and a pyrometer would help. Looks like hot box is 2000 max degrees so its low fire or glass kiln.