neilestrick

HERE is the control board manufacturer's page.

Nope. Alpine hasn't seen one of these wheels in decades. When I worked for them 2001-2004 I don't think we even had plans for them. I remember organizing all their wiring diagrams and assembly blueprints before I left, but not seeing anything for the wheel. I believe they were made when Alpine was in California, which was before they were in Elk Grove Village, IL, before they were in Sturtevant, WI, before they were wherever they are now.

There is very little information available on those wheels. As far as I know there isn't anyone active on the forum who has one, but fingers crossed someone will pop up. Typically wheels have 3 major components- the pedal which contains some sort of potentiometer, the control board, and the motor. The motor is not usually the problem when things go wrong with a wheel. 99% of the time it's the pedal or the control board. Have you tried taking the pedal out of the equation and running the controller directly to the motor? That would help narrow down where the problem is happening. Also check the cord grips where the pedal cord goes into the pedal assembly and the control box. On a couple of my wheels I've had the cord wear out at the cord grip at the pedal, and the pedal has stopped working. It's possible those wires have worn through and they're grounding out on each other or on the pedal itself.

If the zones were not connected to the correct thermocouples it would error out right near the beginning of the firing. I totally had that backwards in my head, thought the center was firing hot! My bad. I'd still check the resistance, though and make sure you've got the correct elements. Also make sure a center element hasn't burned out.

Sounds like maybe the elements aren't in the proper locations in the kiln. Like Peter said, there are 3 different elements in that kiln, and if they're in the wrong positions the kiln won't fire evenly. Check the element resistance of each section of the kiln. I don't know if your kiln is 240V or 208V so here's both: 1231PK 208V Top 6.7 Mid 8.5 Bottom 6.7 1231PK 240V Top 8.9 Mid 11.3 Bottom 8.9 If the resistance measurements in your kiln are not correct, then you've either got the wrong elements or the right elements but in the wrong place. Depending on the condition of the elements, you may be able to pull them out and put them in the correct locations. That would definitely be preferable to buying a new set, given the price of APMs. If you find they are in the wrong locations, you should be able to determine which go where based on the resistance readings of the individual elements.

It all depends on the venting setup.

An average of the segment wouldn't mean much because the output can vary greatly over a segment. For instance, my glaze firing schedule has a ramp that goes from 200F to 1965F. Output will vary from 3% to 100%. I think the output % would only be meaningful if you also knew the temp and ramp at any given point.

I think maybe you're assuming that the kiln is staying exactly on track with the program? Unless it's a fairly slow program or a small but powerful kiln, it rarely does.

Correct. The firing may be using more energy to maintain the firing speed, but you won't see it in the total firing time until it gets bad enough to show up there. The easiest way to tell if firings are using more energy is to check the firing cost. Even if the dollar amount isn't accurate to real world costs, you just need a baseline to compare to.

So are you looking for firing log files that have specific events and types of error codes in them? I'm afraid I don't have anything beyond normal firings. I haven't had an error code on my kilns in a long time.

Have you tried Standard 213? They call it a porcelain, but it's really not. It's basically a smooth white stoneware, similar to B-Mix. It throws and trims well, takes attachments well, and is quite white.

I can't speak to the EU specifically, but here's what I tell about about ceramics programs in the US, which I think will also apply to the EU: There are a lot of good programs, but they are all different. So just picking one that everyone says is good doesn't mean it's a good fit for you. You want professors that are good at the type of work you want to make, but can also challenge you to explore new techniques and ideas. If you're into functional pots, then maybe don't go to a school that focuses on sculpture. The school should have the types of kilns and equipment that you need to explore the types of work you want to make. Some schools focus on gas kilns, others have wood burning kilns, some fire mostly electric. I think there's also something to be said about the location and environment. Some schools are set in a wooded campus, others in urban areas. The location can have a big impact on the vibe of the studio. I've been in many studios that I just wouldn't want to work in, not because they weren't well equipped, but because they didn't feel right to me. Also, there are many good schools that aren't well known. I went to a fairly unknown school that actually had a great program and turned out many good potters. The teaching staff was great and the facilities were good, it just wasn't famous. Last, there's also something to be said for how hard you work. Hard work and dedication to your craft mean as much or more than the supposed quality of the school.

Is the power actually 220V , or is it 240V or 208V? Is 60 the amperage draw of the kiln, or the size of breaker that it needs? What brand and model of kiln is it? Post a pic of the serial plate.

I'd re-fiire them since you don't know how hot they got. The time does not control how long a firing takes to get to temp, it just shuts it down when it reaches 0. You'll need to do a firing with the timer set too long (like 14 hours), see how long it actually takes, and from then on set the timer about 1/2 hour longer than the expected firing time. It's just a backup in case the cone doesn't melt properly.

How long did you let it run? A Slow firing may only climb at 80 degrees per hour, so there won't be much clicking. If you don't want to unload the kiln and run a full power test, just start the firing again and let it run. It'll either work or it will give an error code.

Speedball royal blue is a known problem, especially if thick. Their red does it, too. I use their other blues and reds instead.

No, you don't want this additional vent on the same duct line as the vent, as it will affect the draw of the kiln vent. The fan I linked to needs a 6" duct and the Envirovent needs a 4" duct, so if you wanted only one hole in the wall you could do a single 8" hole and use a Y duct that splits into a 6" and 4". Another option would be the 4" version of the vent, which would allow for a single 6" hole that splits into two 4" ducts. The 4" version has 1/2 the power of the 6" though. The one I have in my shop is fairly quiet, but I don't know the actual db output. If you had a couple feet of flex duct between the motor and the hole that may help to dampen the noise. Not plug the lid hole, but cover one of the holes in the cup under the kiln.

@MochiFriendKilns the size of yours often seal better than bigger kilns, so the air flow can be restricted. My smaller kiln tended to smell a bunch, too. Before opening up the hole in the bottom, add another hole to the lid. If that doesn't help then add another small hole to the bottom rather than make it larger. That way you can plug it if there's a negative outcome from doing that. Another thing you can try is blocking one of the intake holes in the vent cup under the kiln so it will have more pull from the kiln. All kilns will smell during wax burnout, around 500-800F degrees. It's unavoidable. There's just too much burning out for the downdraft to deal with. One thing I've done for a couple of customers and in my own studio is to install a duct fan near the kiln, like THIS ONE. You would need to make a 6" hole through the wall for it and put a 6" cap on the outside just like a dryer vent. You can hang it near the kiln and connect it to the hole with a flexible duct. Keep the window cracked in the neighboring room for makeup air. At up 400cfm it'll help pull out any extra fumes and heat. Plus it's cheap.

Thanks. The angle and lighting of the photo was playing tricks on my eyes. I would say that the size of the ring is at least partially to blame. It's adding a lot of mass to the bottom so you have a wide thin platter with a thick area at the bottom. Clay prefers to be evenly thick throughout. There would be far less stress on the piece if the foot ring was much less bulky, like 1/4" to 3/8" thick. Also be sure you're attaching the ring when the slab and ring are at similar moisture level. It's also possible that the platter cracked or was at least stressed at the lip before it ever went into a kiln, and finally opened up in the glaze firing. But because the crack extends all the way into the foot ring it's probably because of the added mass there.

@weberceramicsCould you post some more pictures? I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at here in terms of what part of the platter this is- top or bottom, is the ring in the middle unglazed, what's the space between the rings, etc?

@Joe HUsually is the key word here. Most of the time they don't, but if your clear glaze is fluid enough it can cause them to bleed a bit, which is actually a really nice effect in some cases. Black seems to be the most likely to bleed, but blues can do it as well. I personally haven't really seen it happen in other colors, but there are a lot of variables at play.

I've never seen a ribbon cable have this problem without being able to clean it and plug it back in. The question is whether it's the actual ribbon or if it's the connectors on either end, or if it's the board itself. I would contact the manufacturer of the controller, Bartlett Instruments, and see what they say. I don't think they have capped end so that may very well be an option. There is no locking tab or anything like that, you just push it in.

Mug rims need to be rounded, and you should never sponge the rim or it will get rough (if you're using stoneware). The sponge removes the fine particles in the clay and exposes the larger particles. If you do have to sponge it, go back over it with your finger and a tiny bit of water. Also make sure the lip has a good glaze layer. A thin rim is more comfortable to drink from, but too thin and it won't take glaze well, especially if you're dipping, because it can't take in enough water to leave a good deposit of glaze.Too thin a glaze layer and it'll feel rough.

@midsomerjambo I've edited your post so the text is in post instead of an attachment.

Cleaning the ribbon connector is usually the solution for that. Could it be that it's working its way loose somehow? Is it in a very humid space? Really high humidity can make them behave weirdly, too. Beyond that it may be time to replace the panel. How old is it?