Bartlett Genesis on L&L E23T-3

[SunsetBay]

I exported my latest firing info, but I'm not clear on how to read it. I see the temps for the three thermocouples, but what is SP, and what are Out 1, 2, 3, and 4? What does the time column represent? Can anyone explain this? Also, I could only export the data on my most recent firing, though all the others show up when I look for them. Does anyone know why the older firing info won't export/download? I am up to date on my firmware.

Just trying to figure stuff out, but I feel like the more I read, the more confused I get. From the start of this new kiln (a year ago), L&L tech suggested I change my TC offsets, since the first few firings, including the first test firing, showed that the kiln was overfiring. So I'm at a TC offset of 58.  Things have been pretty good, so maybe that's fine. But I'm confused about how to read the temperatures. If the controller tells me the kiln is at, say 2200, does that mean it's really at 2142? When I use the preset cone programs, is Cone 6 what Cone 6 is supposed to be? (Mostly, so far, yeah--but lately I've been experimenting with my own programs...in which case, how do I choose the temperature numbers for the programs? I think I've been using the numbers I've been seeing online--like via John Britt, for example--but should I be subtracting or adding 58, to account for the TC offset? The more I think about it, the more stupid I feel... Any help/explanations would be welcome!

[High Bridge Pottery]

SP is the setpoint of the kiln, I can't remember if we ever found out what the Out values are. I am pretty sure the time is logged in 30 second increments so 0 is the start, 1 is 30 seconds in 2 in 1 minutes in and so on. I think you can only download the most recent firing but I could be wrong.

 

With the thermocouple offset I think that means your thermocouple was not reading the right temperature to start with so you offset it to read the right temperature. No need to be adding or subtracting 58 to the temps when making your own programs. 

[neilestrick]

SP is the Set Point, the target temp for that particular period. Out 1, 2, 3, 4 are probably the outputs on the controller, each of which controls a relay. A TC offset of 58 seems a bit extreme to me. I've never seen one that has to be set that far off. Are your thermocouples touching the ends of the protection tubes? Whatever the TC says is what it is in the kiln, assuming the offset is set correctly. The offset makes it right. Otherwise it would be hotter in the kiln than what the TC says, because the protection tube insulates it. You should not be doing any math when figuring out firing schedules. You just have to verify with cones. You could always contact Bartlett with questions about graphing stuff.

[SunsetBay]

6 hours ago, neilestrick said:

SP is the Set Point, the target temp for that particular period. Out 1, 2, 3, 4 are probably the outputs on the controller, each of which controls a relay. A TC offset of 58 seems a bit extreme to me. I've never seen one that has to be set that far off. Are your thermocouples touching the ends of the protection tubes? Whatever the TC says is what it is in the kiln, assuming the offset is set correctly. The offset makes it right. Otherwise it would be hotter in the kiln than what the TC says, because the protection tube insulates it. You should not be doing any math when figuring out firing schedules. You just have to verify with cones. You could always contact Bartlett with questions about graphing stuff.

I worked out the TC offset with the tech L&L sent me to when I first bought the kiln.  I suppose one of these days I could open up the controller and check on the thermocouples again.  I just did a bisque firing to 04, and based on the cones, it was perfect. Overall, using the preset Cone 6 program, the results have been close to 6--my guess, again based on the cones, 5.5 or hotter.  I've been experimenting with custom programs, though, so I started getting confused by the whole thing. Maybe I'm overthinking it. 

When I emptied the kiln yesterday, the controller was saying  the temp inside was around 140 degrees F. But nothing was all that hot to the touch, so I got to wondering if the TC offset means the interior temperature was actually only 82. Again, I guess it doesn't make a difference. I just get frustrated when I feel I've only wrapped my brain partly around an issue!

Thanks for your help.

[SunsetBay]

15 hours ago, High Bridge Pottery said:

SP is the setpoint of the kiln, I can't remember if we ever found out what the Out values are. I am pretty sure the time is logged in 30 second increments so 0 is the start, 1 is 30 seconds in 2 in 1 minutes in and so on. I think you can only download the most recent firing but I could be wrong.

 

With the thermocouple offset I think that means your thermocouple was not reading the right temperature to start with so you offset it to read the right temperature. No need to be adding or subtracting 58 to the temps when making your own programs. 

When I choose "Export Log File" (or whatever the controller calls it), the info that shows up on my phone includes something like the past 10 firings, and each has a hotlink to download--but only the most recent worked. That's why I was wondering about being able to look at the older info and compare it. Not important: I just got curious.

Thanks!

[neilestrick]

15 hours ago, SunsetBay said:

When I emptied the kiln yesterday, the controller was saying  the temp inside was around 140 degrees F. But nothing was all that hot to the touch, so I got to wondering if the TC offset means the interior temperature was actually only 82. Again, I guess it doesn't make a difference. I just get frustrated when I feel I've only wrapped my brain partly around an issue!

Thanks for your help.

Yes, it was only 82 in the kiln. I explained that poorly before. The controller thinks it's hotter than it actually is, to compensate for the insulation factor of the protection tube, and whatever calibration issues it's having. But like I said before, you do not need to calculate that in when you're setting up your programs.