Kiln acting weird

[Jodi Longobardo]

I have a Paragon sc-2 kiln. A month or so ago I noticed the kiln was just staying at 70 degrees F when I had programed it. It turned it off and on again and it worked fine. Since then, it has happened a few times. Today, I took small pieces made of 2 layers out of the kiln and noticed that the top clear layer was just laying on top of the bottom layer, rather than being melted over it, and everything was very squared off when usually it is rounded. I have been experimenting with lowering my top fusing temp from 1500 degrees to 1460, so I thought maybe that was the problem and decided to fire again to 1500.

Well, first I set it and left the room and came back maybe a half hour later. Temp was still 70 degrees. I power cycled it and the temp started to climb. The next time I looked at it, the temp was up to 1509 and it was in the 10 minute hold at the full fuse. I watched it, and by the time the 10 minutes were up, it had lowered itself to 1350. SO it was not getting a soak at 1500, but rather at the range between 1500 and 1350. The same thing happened at the 960 anneal--it just kept cooling throughout the 30 minute anneal and got down to 850 before I turned it off and on again. Then it started climbing to 960 again. It is currently at 930 with 10 minutes to go in the annealing phase.

Anyone know what might be going on? I am worried that this means I will have to replace my kiln or at least get it fixed. Is this fixable? Where does one get kilns repaired?
Is it worth it?

Thanks in advance!

--jodi

[Laurie Spray]

I would call patagon with this question.......

[Jodi Longobardo]

Thanks, Laurie. I just sent the question to Paragon's kiln guru. I didn't think of that. Duh!

[Jodi Longobardo]

Paragon says it is likely a relay, has anyone ever fixed one of those? Do it yourself or hire someone?

--jodi

[Barry Gitelson]

I changed mine on my Jen-Ken and it was easy.

[Barb R]

I change my relays yearly. Take a picture of the connections before you start - then you have a reference for how to put it back together.

Barb

[JestersBaubles]

I changed one on a Skutt GM1414 (with Glassmaster controller). The hardest thing was getting the cover off the controller -- oh, and trying not to yell at my helper/husband .

Dana

[JestersBaubles]

I change my relays yearly. Take a picture of the connections before you start - then you have a reference for how to put it back together.

Barb

The instructions from Skutt recommended taking the first wire off the old relay, wiring it in the same place on the new relay, taking the next wire off the old relay, wiring it on the new relay...

Worked great.

Dana

[Morganica]

http://www.morganica.com/bloggery/2007/ ... elay-race/

[Jodi Longobardo]

Thanks everyone! I ordered a relay from Paragon and it is supposed to arrive in a few days.

--jodi