Monday, April 19, 2010

RunAway Kiln

@#*^!!!
I think I've accidentally pissed off the kiln gods again. This usually seems to happen when I attempt to moderate my limited vices. After a lifetime of trial and error, I've become convinced that the Gods made me to vicariously enjoy some of life's simple pleasures for them. They seem to get rather grumpy when the Temperance League steps in. Bad MoJo always seems to follow in spades. Go figure...

I posted this note on the Ceramic Arts Daily's forum this morning looking to get some input while I wait for the kiln to cool...

24 hours into this weekend's bisque firing I knew something was up. This usually takes only 12 hours tops, but I still hadn't hit cone 04 yet.
Thinking I might had blown and element, I checked... looking through the spy-holes, I could see a representative section from each bank of the elements glowing.
Quizzed, I turned off the kiln, but the bottom bank went right on going even though the switch was turned to the off position.
Run Away Kiln
While I wait for the kiln to cool I'm wondering if anyone who has had this problem before can zero me in on the problem?

This is an old Paragon kiln and I'm thinking it's a stuck relay. Hopefully replacing the infinity switch will solve the problem...
P.S. What the hell does "infinity switch" mean
and who names these things?

4 comments:

Sue Pariseau Pottery said...

kiln gods are so sensitive

ang design said...

heheheeh thats just wrong! infinity switch new name-'buzz light year' switch..

Brian said...

The problem might actually be your 'infinity switch' - I found a mention of someone with a stove burner that wouldn't turn off, and it was a bad infinity switch.
I got curious and did some searching for what an infinity switch was, although I remember hearing of them way back in my childhood. It's just a fancy word for a variable control, 'infinitely variable'.
Good luck with the switch gods....

FetishGhost said...

Thanks!
I'm ordering the switch today.