I just received my new digital controller from Paragon. I thought it was advertised as only having to plug my kiln in to it, but I've received a booklet w/ all sorts of wiring diagrams in it. Do I need to hire an electrician again to hook this up to my kiln?
Confused in Hershey - Kay
new digital controller
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Kay McConnell
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2003 2:39 pm
- Location: Hershey, PA
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Phil Hoppes
- Posts: 298
- Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2003 2:20 pm
- Location: Overgaard, AZ
What kind of kiln? What kind of controller?
Typically, an add on controller works in series with your kiln. Assuming you have an infinite switch type controller now, what you would do is put your infinite switch in the highest setting or full position and you would plug your kiln into your new controller and then your controller into your wall. This is accomplished in two ways. Not knowing your controller or your kiln, the simplest way would be if the new controller has a plug receptical for your kiln , in which case you would simply plug the kiln into the controller and then the controller into the wall where you use to plug in your kiln. I"m guessing this is not the case. The other manner is you dissassemble the plug on your kiln and follow the instructions on your new controller and wire the AC lines of your kiln to the proper lines in your controller. If it is a 3 wire kiln (which is probably true as I've yet to see a 4 wire system) there will be a black, white(or red) and green wire inside the plug of your existing kiln. You would want to hook up these colors in your kiln plug to the same colors in your controller. So you know, green is ground, black and white(or red) will be the two legs of your 240V circuit if your kiln operates on 240V, or if your kiln is 110, black will be your hot side and the white will be neutral. Now, if your plug is encapsulated, you may have to cut the end of the cord off and hard wire it into the controller. I would not recommend doing that as it permenantly screws up your kiln plug. What I would do is go to the hardware store and make a small plug box that has the proper receptical for your kiln in a small box. Wire the receptical to your new controller and then plug your kiln into the box.
There is one more thing however that needs to be hooked up and that is your thermocouple. I'm assuming you have some type of thermometer that you can see the temperature inside of your kiln. You need to either disconnect this thermometer from the thermocouple and hook up the thermocouple to the new controller or get a second thermocouple and hook it up to your new controller. If you got your controller from Paragon, it is probably one of their Sentry series. These controllers are made by Orton (I use them too) and require a type K thermocouple. Chances are your existing thermometer and thermocouple are type K but if you can check with your kiln manufacturer it would be a good thing to do. If you hook up the wrong type of thermocouple to your controller it will not read the correct temperatures and will not work properly. I get my thermocouples from Omega Engineering (http://www.omega.com) . They make fine products but their selection is more than overwhelming. If you want a thermocuple from them, email me the details of your kiln and new controller and I will help you in selecting a new thermocouple.
So the long answer to your question is yes and no I guess. I don't know how electrically inclined you are. If electricity is simply something you buy from someone else, you may wish to get some help from a friend. Really, this is not that difficult but you do want it done properly. An electrician may be able to wire up the controller to your house circuit but may not know how or more than likely want to hook up your kiln to the controller. Do you have a friendly fused glass and kiln supply store in your town? If so you might go in and ask if someone there could help you out. Are there any fellow fusers that you know where you live? If so, maybe one of them is electrically inclined and could help you out.
Sorry, this doesn't exactly answer your question but hopefully it guides you in some directions that will get you hooked up and running.
Phil
Typically, an add on controller works in series with your kiln. Assuming you have an infinite switch type controller now, what you would do is put your infinite switch in the highest setting or full position and you would plug your kiln into your new controller and then your controller into your wall. This is accomplished in two ways. Not knowing your controller or your kiln, the simplest way would be if the new controller has a plug receptical for your kiln , in which case you would simply plug the kiln into the controller and then the controller into the wall where you use to plug in your kiln. I"m guessing this is not the case. The other manner is you dissassemble the plug on your kiln and follow the instructions on your new controller and wire the AC lines of your kiln to the proper lines in your controller. If it is a 3 wire kiln (which is probably true as I've yet to see a 4 wire system) there will be a black, white(or red) and green wire inside the plug of your existing kiln. You would want to hook up these colors in your kiln plug to the same colors in your controller. So you know, green is ground, black and white(or red) will be the two legs of your 240V circuit if your kiln operates on 240V, or if your kiln is 110, black will be your hot side and the white will be neutral. Now, if your plug is encapsulated, you may have to cut the end of the cord off and hard wire it into the controller. I would not recommend doing that as it permenantly screws up your kiln plug. What I would do is go to the hardware store and make a small plug box that has the proper receptical for your kiln in a small box. Wire the receptical to your new controller and then plug your kiln into the box.
There is one more thing however that needs to be hooked up and that is your thermocouple. I'm assuming you have some type of thermometer that you can see the temperature inside of your kiln. You need to either disconnect this thermometer from the thermocouple and hook up the thermocouple to the new controller or get a second thermocouple and hook it up to your new controller. If you got your controller from Paragon, it is probably one of their Sentry series. These controllers are made by Orton (I use them too) and require a type K thermocouple. Chances are your existing thermometer and thermocouple are type K but if you can check with your kiln manufacturer it would be a good thing to do. If you hook up the wrong type of thermocouple to your controller it will not read the correct temperatures and will not work properly. I get my thermocouples from Omega Engineering (http://www.omega.com) . They make fine products but their selection is more than overwhelming. If you want a thermocuple from them, email me the details of your kiln and new controller and I will help you in selecting a new thermocouple.
So the long answer to your question is yes and no I guess. I don't know how electrically inclined you are. If electricity is simply something you buy from someone else, you may wish to get some help from a friend. Really, this is not that difficult but you do want it done properly. An electrician may be able to wire up the controller to your house circuit but may not know how or more than likely want to hook up your kiln to the controller. Do you have a friendly fused glass and kiln supply store in your town? If so you might go in and ask if someone there could help you out. Are there any fellow fusers that you know where you live? If so, maybe one of them is electrically inclined and could help you out.
Sorry, this doesn't exactly answer your question but hopefully it guides you in some directions that will get you hooked up and running.
Phil
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Kay McConnell
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2003 2:39 pm
- Location: Hershey, PA
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Phil Hoppes
- Posts: 298
- Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2003 2:20 pm
- Location: Overgaard, AZ
Kay:
The wiring diagrams may just be for future reference. Most company's include them so your controller can be repaired in later years, if need be.
I agree with Phil, if the controller has a receptacle for your plug, and is in a stand-alone-box, it should be complete and ready to go. You may or may not have to add a thermocouple to it.
What is the Model number of the controller Paragon sent you? I have most of Paragon's literature and can look it up and tell from that.
Rich Edelman KILN-TEC
The wiring diagrams may just be for future reference. Most company's include them so your controller can be repaired in later years, if need be.
I agree with Phil, if the controller has a receptacle for your plug, and is in a stand-alone-box, it should be complete and ready to go. You may or may not have to add a thermocouple to it.
What is the Model number of the controller Paragon sent you? I have most of Paragon's literature and can look it up and tell from that.
Rich Edelman KILN-TEC
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Phil Hoppes
- Posts: 298
- Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2003 2:20 pm
- Location: Overgaard, AZ