Paragon Controller Overfiring
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Paragon Controller Overfiring
Anybody have any insights:
Programed my Paragon GL22-AD with DTC 600 controller to fire to 1550 F.
The alarm is set to go off at 1700F.
I went out and came back, and the alarm was going off. The program was cooling down as it was supposed to. No error message on the controller, but it was clear that the glass was overfired. Large bubble on one piece, red, yellow and orange glass all had "struck".
The program continued to anneal and cool without incident. Reviewing the program, did not indicate any input error. The thermocouple must be working because it is reading an appropriate temperature now, and it notified the alarm to go off.
I called Paragon, and they said in the absence of an error message on the controller, they could not help. They suggested running the program again.
My concern is that maybe it will work next time, but not some other time...
Anybody have any experience with this?
Steve
Programed my Paragon GL22-AD with DTC 600 controller to fire to 1550 F.
The alarm is set to go off at 1700F.
I went out and came back, and the alarm was going off. The program was cooling down as it was supposed to. No error message on the controller, but it was clear that the glass was overfired. Large bubble on one piece, red, yellow and orange glass all had "struck".
The program continued to anneal and cool without incident. Reviewing the program, did not indicate any input error. The thermocouple must be working because it is reading an appropriate temperature now, and it notified the alarm to go off.
I called Paragon, and they said in the absence of an error message on the controller, they could not help. They suggested running the program again.
My concern is that maybe it will work next time, but not some other time...
Anybody have any experience with this?
Steve
sticky relay? could be dirt, or the start of failure. i had a relay on my motorcycle that would be intermittant. it was sealed, so i just replaced it. took it apart and found weld marks on the contacts that caused partial making/breaking spots. the carbon sometimes insulated and sometimes conducted, depending upon how thick it was, along with some internal rust.
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Charlie may be right. Wasn't the GL24 the kiln that B&A had the tandem failures with at Vitrum?
Replace the relays and if the control box gets hot, consider adding a small box fan.
You could also call Rob Bartlett and ask if he has any thoughts. Bartlett manufactured the DTC 600. (319)372-8366
Tony
Replace the relays and if the control box gets hot, consider adding a small box fan.
You could also call Rob Bartlett and ask if he has any thoughts. Bartlett manufactured the DTC 600. (319)372-8366
Tony
The tightrope between being strange and being creative is too narrow to walk without occasionally landing on both sides..." Scott Berkun
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I was implying tandem kiln failures, not tandem B&A failures. Sorry for the confusion.Brock wrote:. . . Charlie may be right. Wasn't the GL24 the kiln that B&A had the tandem failures with at Vitrum? . . .
We don't consider them OUR failures Tony, they weren't OUR kilns. Brock
Tony
The tightrope between being strange and being creative is too narrow to walk without occasionally landing on both sides..." Scott Berkun
Nope. Just one kiln. BrockTony Smith wrote:I was implying tandem kiln failures, not tandem B&A failures. Sorry for the confusion.Brock wrote:. . . Charlie may be right. Wasn't the GL24 the kiln that B&A had the tandem failures with at Vitrum? . . .
We don't consider them OUR failures Tony, they weren't OUR kilns. Brock
Tony
My memory is so good, I can't remember the last time I forgot something . . .
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We beat you at Millennium. We lost 2 Paragons to unknown electrical failure. Nobody could find the breaker box for them. The work had to be fired after the class was over and shipped. Sinks are just arriving back at their maker's home now. The problem was likely due to the funky electric system in the old school building, not the controllers.Brock wrote:Nope. Just one kiln. BrockTony Smith wrote:I was implying tandem kiln failures, not tandem B&A failures. Sorry for the confusion.Brock wrote:. . . Charlie may be right. Wasn't the GL24 the kiln that B&A had the tandem failures with at Vitrum? . . .
We don't consider them OUR failures Tony, they weren't OUR kilns. Brock
Tony
On the other hand I thought that the old Paragon top loaders really sucked. They spalled rust whenever the lid was moved. It beats me why they designed it with mild steel holding the lid together and exposed to the hot kiln.
Bert
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Bert Weiss Art Glass*
http://www.customartglass.com
Furniture Lighting Sculpture Tableware
Architectural Commissions
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Brock wrote:Nope. Just one kiln. BrockTony Smith wrote:I was implying tandem kiln failures, not tandem B&A failures. Sorry for the confusion.Brock wrote:. . . Charlie may be right. Wasn't the GL24 the kiln that B&A had the tandem failures with at Vitrum? . . .
We don't consider them OUR failures Tony, they weren't OUR kilns. Brock
Tony
Yep,
Just one kiln....and Paragon gave us SUPERIOR customer service on it. It turned out to be a faulty relay particular to our electrical situation - 208. We replaced the relays and have had NO problems whatsoever. We fire 5 Paragons (4 GL24's and 1 GL64) daily with a wide variety of firing schedules and projects and are happy to report that the kilns give excellent results. We certainly give them thorough workouts!
judith
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Well, I'm going to blame Phil for my bad information and me for a really good memory of this quote from a post in August, 2002:judith wrote:
Yep,
Just one kiln....and Paragon gave us SUPERIOR customer service on it. It turned out to be a faulty relay particular to our electrical situation - 208. We replaced the relays and have had NO problems whatsoever. We fire 5 Paragons (4 GL24's and 1 GL64) daily with a wide variety of firing schedules and projects and are happy to report that the kilns give excellent results. We certainly give them thorough workouts!
judith
Sorry for repeating the misinformation.On the minus side, Brock and Avery recently did a class at Vitrium Studios I beleive and had two GL24's fail (the controllers failed). I've heard this complaint about a number of kilns and again I'm not so sure if it is Paragon, and not how ALL of the kiln manufacturers mount their controllers.
Tony
The tightrope between being strange and being creative is too narrow to walk without occasionally landing on both sides..." Scott Berkun
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