Baso safety valves

[Kelly in AK]

I’m thinking about adding some safety to my kiln, finally. Too many hours spent fretting I’m going to make a spectacle of myself. So I’ve been wading into the world of baso valves and see it’s a little more complex than I thought. The question I think I need to answer is whether I need high pressure safety valves.

The baso valves from big clay retailers are the H15DA, rated to 0.5 psi. Ward Burner sells that one as well as a high pressure one, the H19RA rated to 25 psi.

Now, the nitty gritty. My kiln is about 12 cu.ft. powered by two MR100 burners, propane. I have a variable regulator at the tank and that’s what I use to adjust the burners. By the time I reach temperature it’s sitting around 3.5 psi. Seems I need the high pressure baso, but wanted to ask here in case I’m understanding things wrong. I also see a note on Ward Burner site saying the pilot light for high pressure valves needs to be regulated as well, so…another regulator. Two.

Any feedback is welcome. 

[Hulk]

Nice setup!

[Bill Kielb]

Your design is single stage high pressure so it already exceeds 1/2 psi. Most kiln orifices - operating and pilot are design in the 0-14” of water column range, so a second stage regulator is often placed at the kiln. If you use a low pressure safety on a high pressure system you risk valve failure. So Ward is right, most pilots are designed down around 3.5” and are regulated for consistency.

In short, as designed you need the high pressure model if you keep the design as is.

Edited July 23, 2023 by Bill Kielb

[Kelly in AK]

Thanks @Hulk and @Bill Kielb. I get by, but I have a lot to learn.