RobustEnergies Posted December 19, 2020 Report Share Posted December 19, 2020 Hello, I've just started to use my first manual kiln with a kiln sitter, so it's a bit of a learning curve. One question: So, the temo knobs are as so: Low, 2, 3, medium, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, High Why is medium closer to low instead of right in the middle? Should I be be spending some time on a setting between medium and high to be safe? Any insight is welcome - thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 19, 2020 Report Share Posted December 19, 2020 kiln brand name may help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 1 hour ago, RobustEnergies said: Any insight is welcome - thanks! These are infinite switches just like an electric stove. Truth be told they are often not as exacting as their numbers. So this switch may only be capable of operating from 22% to 100% output. It’s not like a volume control in that if I turn it up 10% it will increase 10%. So for stoves, low medium high. For kilns, number them so folks have a future reference to work from based on the users experience over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobustEnergies Posted December 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 Oh, and it is an L&L J18 Econokiln Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobustEnergies Posted December 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 50 minutes ago, Bill Kielb said: These are infinite switches just like an electric stove. Truth be told they are often not as exacting as their numbers. So this switch may only be capable of operating from 22% to 100% output. It’s not like a volume control in that if I turn it up 10% it will increase 10%. So for stoves, low medium high. For kilns, number them so folks have a future reference to work from based on the users experience over time. Yes, I do understand that they are like a stove that way but I assumed "medium" should mean 50% but if that were true it would be 6, not 4, right? On a stove, medium is in the middle. What do you mean by numbering them? The knobs are already numbered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 1 hour ago, RobustEnergies said: Yes, I do understand that they are like a stove that way but I assumed "medium" should mean 50% but if that were true it would be 6, not 4, right? On a stove, medium is in the middle. What do you mean by numbering them? The knobs are already numbered. He means for reference. Like oh that was a great firing, it was on 4 for 3 hours and 6 til the end, just so you can take notes. Hard to do that with low medium high as the only option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulk Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 Good question. Perhaps positions 6 and 7 do straddle the halfway point - current (power) to the elements, that is - or maybe not, as Bill suggests. Perhaps the kiln will reach about half of the rated 2350F when dialed to position four; one would expect much more power required to reach higher temps, eh? A ammeter and pyrometer might help determine the reasoning for the knob position labels, however, firing successfully being the objective, the labels just make it easier to copy previous settings - could be labelled any number of ways. You may find a pyrometer - providing real time feedback - a real help. When bisque firing, slow through the critical temp ranges; if the ware is damp, stay below boiling until your ware has had ample chance to dry. For glaze fire, repeating the peak temp, and repeating your holds, initial cool downs, secondary holds, etc., all easier with a pyrometer (with a nod to those who can read temps closely enough by the colour). Always protect your eyes with proper kiln glasses before taking any peeks into a hot kiln. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Econo Kilns (J models) | Hot Kilns Spec-Jupiter-Manual-J1800_0.pdf (hotkilns.com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 It think it's probably like Bill said and it's not that each number is equally spaced from 0 to 100. I wouldn't worry about it, though, just find what works for you and use the numbers as a repeatable reference point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 2 hours ago, RobustEnergies said: Yes, I do understand that they are like a stove that way but I assumed "medium" should mean 50% but if that were true it would be 6, not 4, right? On a stove, medium is in the middle. What do you mean by numbering them? The knobs are already numbered. It’s just not linear and exact, even for a stove. For clay you are trying to fire at a rate per hour, glazes says 450 -600 degrees per hour, bisque on the order of 200 degrees per hour. This rate changes by how much the kiln is loaded and as temps get higher, greater shell losses. In other words, It’s way too complicated and changes from firing to firing a bit. For a manual kiln find out what works for your typical load and memorize it. Initially this is probably going to be influenced by total your firing time and later likely by favorite result and firing time. The midpoint of travel of the knob will very likely not ever be exactly 1/2 the electric power nor will it likely be 1/2 the heating rate it’s just too complicated and dynamic. You will over tim get a feeling for specific settings on your kiln though and that’s the reason for the numbers. So when turning up a stove or kiln using an infinite switch, it’s just not going to be that exact, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobustEnergies Posted December 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 Okay, great, thank you all! I am considering a pyrometer, which I agree might answer the question more definitively. I am keeping a detailed journal and going slower than probably necessary for now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted December 20, 2020 Report Share Posted December 20, 2020 9 minutes ago, RobustEnergies said: I am keeping a detailed journal and going slower than probably necessary for now! Spend some time learning about firing schedules, their relative speeds and why as well as the fact that a cone bends by heat over time because it is a fluxed reaction or as they say creates a eutectic. Anyway The important times in a firing: removing moisture slowly (time below 200f) quartz inversion(prox 1063f) release of all chemically bound water (prox 1832f) and heatwork for clay and glazes (prox last 250 f) of the firing. Having a firm command of this will help immensely when firing ceramics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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