Error message on kiln controller

[Susanbuckler]

Hi....Seems like my weekend for questions. Thanks so much for your advice.
I put a slump firing in the kiln this morning before leaving the house. When I returned the temp in the kiln was 315 and the piece was fully slumped. The next time I checked a few hours later, the controller had the error message Errd
I checked the manual - Olympic kiln with a Barlett 3 key controller
The message means " kiln temperature is 100 degrees hotter than the set point temperature. Kiln has been stopped."
I don't understand why that would happen or what I should do about it.
I have another piece to go into the kiln.
Is it OK to use?
Thanks for your help.
Susan

[Brad Walker]

Most likely, you had programmed the kiln to cool all the way down to room temperature and the kiln wasn't capable of cooling as fast as you had programmed. That's why it gives the error message -- it means "I'm hotter than you wanted me to be."

Simple solution -- just program the kiln so that the last step is about 50 to 100 degrees below annealing (I use 750F) and just have the controller turn the kiln off there so that it cools naturally, rather than using the controller to control the cooling below 750.

This isn't anything to worry about, just what happen when a kiln can't cool as fast as you programmed.

(One more thing -- if I've guessed wrong in terms of what you programmed, let us know what the program was and I'm sure we can explain. There is more than one reason for this error, but I've guessed at the most common one.)

[Hedda]

I also got such a message with my Bartlett controller connected to a custom made kiln, some months ago. In my case it allowed the kiln to reach a much higher temp than intended when ramping up. The diagnosting question I was asked by the technician was if I can still hear the knock noises of the controler when starting a new firing cycle. In my case they missed, so he concluded that an electronic component broke and he had to change it.

[Susanbuckler]

Thanks Brad & Hedda
Here's the slumping schedule I used:
1 300 1225 :10
2 AFAP 900 1:00
3 100 700 :00
4 APAP 70 :00
Brad, Looks like what you suggested as the problem is in fact what happened.
I decided to wait until the morning to put the next fuse in the kiln so I could watch it. It's four 4 X 4 coaster type squares using scrap glass to slump into little dishes to give as gifts (I'm in the gift giving stage now...). So I checked Brad's book about fusing schedules for coasters and see the 750 degrees on the last segment. I've used the fusing schedule from Brad's book for coasters. I assume all will be well. I plan to adjust the slumping schedule as suggested.
Susan

[Jeanne]

Just wondering why BE has the program segment AFAP to 70. When I program - I just eliminate this part and set the kiln to turn off after the annealing segments and let it cool naturally to room temp.

[Bert Weiss]

Just wondering why BE has the program segment AFAP to 70. When I program - I just eliminate this part and set the kiln to turn off after the annealing segments and let it cool naturally to room temp.

All kilns and all controllers are not the same. Fiber kilns cool much quicker than brick kilns. Glass can handle cooling much quicker between 700 and room temperature than it can between 900 and 700. I program my fiber kilns down to 300ºF and shut off. The controller stops calling for more heat somewhere beneath 700. I don't care where, and my controller functions as required.