Small footprint kiln needed, using solar & batteries, confusing

[ArteLauri]

My tiny Paragon kiln (interior 7x7.25x5.75) has served me well while sailing for 25 years, so I’m looking to upgrade and get back to cone6 midfire pottery. The electrical is the most cryptically, if it doesn’t fit specific parameters then it won’t work. I’m looking for a kiln using less than 2000 watts, 1800 is better, we have 120V at 60 hz and 240V 50hz. My husband is an electrician and he can wire it professionally, dedicated plug, etc.  so these are the parameters he has given me to start with. We have heavy duty inverters (he can even weld our Steele boat).
Im not a production artist, obviously with such a small kiln, but I’m hoping to get a larger cavity. So far I have found the Cress BT911T, Cress C11HT and the ConeArt BX119. All of them have a cubic foot of .57 to .77,  approximately 11” x9” depth.  115V, 15A, 1700 watts.

(Oops,the Olimpic 129E also is a possibility)

So my question is, how do you choose off of paper specks only? The insulation is slightly different for each one, the ConeArt  has  2.5” brick with a 1” barrier insulation, the Cress C11HT has a 4” brick and the BT11T has 3”.  So in a 100% solar situation, I start firing around 10am and have to push it to get it all fired during the strongest daylight and a natural cooldown. But my current kilns cavity is small. So, will more insulation help me with a slightly larger cavity and cone 6 firing?

The only kiln (of the above ) that fires to Cone 10 is the ConeArt, the Cress’s  fire to 2250 degrees. I’ve read that having a come 10 kiln will help save your elements when firing to cone 6. Is this true?

Any help at all is greatly appreciated. 
im new to this group and have tried to read and search for so,e of the answers. Thank you so much for adding me. 

Edited November 23, 2023 by ArteLauri
Misspellings

[Bill Kielb]

18 hours ago, ArteLauri said:

So in a 100% solar situation, I start firing around 10am and have to push it to get it all fired during the strongest daylight and a natural cooldown. But my current kilns cavity is small. So, will more insulation help me with a slightly larger cavity and cone 6 firing?

The only kiln (of the above ) that fires to Cone 10 is the ConeArt, the Cress’s  fire to 2250 degrees. I’ve read that having a come 10 kiln will help save your elements when firing to cone 6. Is this true?

 

My initial thoughts,

Add enough battery storage to your solar so you can complete a firing on a sunless day - maybe two sunless days and your kiln choice broadens. Kilns consume more power as they fire so running out of solar at the wrong time is a no go firing wise.

Kilns with greater insulation will have less shell losses so the 4” brick is likely best, followed by brick and insulation, followed by brick only. Years back we had an engineering student prove that two layers of kaowool was better than one so improving the insulation  can pay off in a huge way. The challenge is improving the lid and floor which for the lid probably means adding high temp interior rigid. Added to the outside makes the lid crack and deform more than normal and adding to the interior decreases the volume.

Cone ten rated rated kilns will provide roughly 150 - 200 combined bisque and cone 6 firings. In contrast a lesser rated kiln will provide significantly less cone 6 firings before the elements degrade by 10% which is usually enough degradation to require an element change to make top temperature again.

So most kilns are designed roughly at 110% capacity by power restriction and shell losses. We had an individual here that conquered this with insulation very effectively. Still, enough battery storage and you can just run a regular small kiln.

In the end paper specs and an overall best plan will probably serve you best and most kilns will operate on 50hz or 60hz, they are mainly resistance machines.

Edited November 23, 2023 by Bill Kielb

[ArteLauri]

Thank you very much Bill, I truly appreciate your insights. This is clearing pointing me in the direction to one kiln, the most expensive choice, but in the long run will get me where I need to be. The next challenge is getting it shipped. 

We definitely won’t run out of battery during the firing (if I keep it within specific parameters),  running a boat/home on solar is complex, fridges, freezers, inverters and the rest, so I’m being overly conservative with my needs. My goal is to make both work , which means happy potting. I’m also getting a portable wheel, so my happiness meter is over the top.
Now where am I going to store all of the clay and glaze.

[neilestrick]

On 11/23/2023 at 6:08 AM, Bill Kielb said:

Cone ten rated rated kilns will provide roughly 150 - 200 combined bisque and cone 6 firings

I'd put that at 130-150 firings.