Skutt GlazeTech kiln issues. Relay still clicks but output voltage not as expected?

[cadenrank]

1 minute ago, PeterH said:

That confuses me too. IIRC you measured 243V in and 16.5v from one arm of the output.

The red, green, and yellow markings on this diagram aren't the transformer, that's the mechanical relay. I didn't measure the transformer last time. Those values are still accurate (240-243v inputs)

[Bill Kielb]

Maybe old school …. Get a 240 vac miniature pilot indicator, hook it to the output of the SSR and L2 neatly and visible. Get a cheap 12vdc miniature pilot lamp and hook it to the control voltage. They both should light and extinguish unless the SSR is stuck on. Neatly done, should be visible through the ventilation slots, different colors so you can tell which is which. Old school, telltale! Keep neat and away from kiln heat. Remove when finished testing.

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Bill Kielb

[neilestrick]

2 hours ago, cadenrank said:

In regards to testing the SSR while it's operating, that's not an impossible task with how quickly she says it happens, just would be difficult to be in there, and also have elements connected to produce the error and to have a load on it.

Testing the SSR directly while under load is darn near impossible in a Skutt, and ceratinly wouldn't be safe with the insulating baffle loose. But you can test it at the terminal strip on the element side of the baffle, you'll just be a few inches down wire from the relay itself.

Is this is the same transformer it has always had, or did you swap it out during all this troubleshooting? I wouldn't expect a transformer to suddenly start being the problem unless it actually died, which is really rare. The 16.5 volts was at the relay, correct? Do we know what the voltage is at the transformer output/control board input? Sorry if you posted that already, I couldn't find it. If the control board input is normal (24V) but the output is high (16.5V) then that would point to a control board issue, which could also explain a lot of  the other issues.

[cadenrank]

6 minutes ago, neilestrick said:

Testing the SSR directly while under load is darn near impossible in a Skutt, and ceratinly wouldn't be safe with the insulating baffle loose. But you can test it at the terminal strip on the element side of the baffle, you'll just be a few inches down wire from the relay itself.

I'm not sure I follow the last portion of this. How would the access be there to probe with the baffle in place on the element side?

 

7 minutes ago, neilestrick said:

Is this is the same transformer it has always had, or did you swap it out during all this troubleshooting? I wouldn't expect a transformer to suddenly start being the problem unless it actually died, which is really rare. The 16.5 volts was at the relay, correct? Do we know what the voltage is at the transformer output/control board input? Sorry if you posted that already, I couldn't find it. If the control board input is normal (24V) but the output is high (16.5V) then that would point to a control board issue, which could also explain a lot of  the other issues.

This is the same transformer it's always had. Didn't decide test it until the kiln killed another relay. 16.5 volts on the output of the controller to the relays, and the transformer is producing 30 volts AC across the outside terminals of the output side. 15 from center tap to either outer posts. 242 volts input at the transformer.

[Bill Kielb]

I think I would add my 240 vac telltale to terminals one and two, non element side. Add a green 12vdc to the SSR control voltage and maybe even an amber 12vdc to the control voltage of the safety relay. I can watch everything operate so to speak. My guess (Hope) is that your meter is a bit out of calibration at the lower voltages. If this was more like 14 volts dc we likely wouldn’t really be having this conversation.