rayaldridge Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 I'm sure this is more a problem with the user than it is with the controller. But... I've fired the loaded kiln twice now, and each time, the kiln has failed to start the firing program after a pre-heat phase. I program a 2 or 3 hour pre-heat after setting one of the standard programs-- this last time, the fast fire glaze program to Cone 8. When the time for the pre-heat phase is over, the kiln just sits there, maintaining the pre-heat temperature. I have to stop the firing, set the firing program again, and start it again. Then it runs fine. I'm sure I must be doing something wrong, but as far as I can tell, I'm following the instructions in the manual to the letter. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 I would just email L&L at service@hotkilns.com and tell them your Kiln Model, Serial Number and the steps your going through. Andrew usually answers my questions and he is really quick to reply and knows his stuff. I haven't ran into that issue before. Are you just programming like normal, then after program is complete pressing preheat and putting in the hours, then pressing start? EDIT: never mind i reread your post, you are doing it the way I do it. I am not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 don't know your controller Ray but wouldn't your first ramps of your program be the preheat or has this controller got a separate preheat program? so say 25c /hr to 100C soak 2hrs then next ramp you put in would be whatever you want.. Just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 never had a problem with mine. i think i set the firing to slow glaze and when finished with that part hit preheat and enter a time. then ON. goes through the entire thing and goes off when cone 6 is reached and the time held (10 minutes) is done. OH! you mentioned that you PROGRAM the preheat. you can't use a built-in and a programmed rise in the same firing. you pick fast glaze, tell it to preheat (it knows how) and how long to hold that preheat top temp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted January 4, 2016 Report Share Posted January 4, 2016 When you program a preheat, it will rise at a rate of 60F per hour until it reaches 200F, then it will hold for the amount of time you told it to. So plan on the entire preheat cycle to take about 2 hours longer than you programmed it, to account for the climb to 200F. It will only count down the hold time once it has reached 200F. When the kiln just sits there, is there still time left on the preheat hold time, or has it gone to zero? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaldridge Posted January 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Neil, I seem to remember that there was time left on the readout. I didn't realize that it took so long to reach 200-- and only then did the timer start. I'll try it again. Thanks much for clearing that up. I'm suddenly sure that impatience on my part is the culprit. The kiln is great, otherwise. I am going to have to program in a hold at top temp, to give my glazes time to settle. My older kilns are evidently underpowered. They slowed down so much near Cone 8 that I got a soak time whether I wanted it or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayaldridge Posted January 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 Just an update... Neil was absolutely correct, as usual. I just wasn't waiting long enough for the preheat to end. It's really a fairly clever program, in that it takes a couple hours just to reach preheat temp, which I'm sure helps to prevent blowups from damp ware. (And I always have damp ware in my bisque firings.) The more I use my new L&L, the better I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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