Orton Sentry Xpress User manual

The Sentry Xpress 2.0 micro processor is manufactured by the
Orton Ceramic Foundation and displays the CE mark.
Hr./Min.
when lit
HIGHER
°C
°F When Off
When Lit
START/
STOP LOWER
Program
Review
Run
MICRO PROCESSOR TM
SENTRYXpress
1
START/STOP Key
Starts and stops a
firing.
Press after
each programming step. It
works like the Enter key on a
computer.
Up Arrow Key
From press START.
Press Up Arrow to select
Cone-Fire or Ramp-Hold.
during
a Ramp-Hold firing, skips to
the next segment. After
pressing Up Arrow,
will appear. To skip, press Up
Arrow again.
Down Arrow Key
from or during fir-
ing, press Down Arrow.
The program you have se-
lected will appear one
step at a time.
from press Down
Arrow.
On during
programming.
On during
program review.
Blinks dur-
ing firing.
Indicator
Lights
Temperature Display
Tempera-
ture display is in °F.
Temperature display is in °C.
See page 7 for instructions on
selecting °F and °C.
Time Display : Separates
hours from minutes. Example:
Display shown above is 1 hour
and 2 minutes.
°C Display Dot
Sentry Xpress
Digital Temperature Controller
Cone Fire/Ramp-Hold Version
°F
°C

2 Cone-Fire / Ramp-Hold
©2004, by Paragon Industries, L.P. IM-222/10-04
Safety
The warranty on your Sentry Xpress
controller does not cover damage from
overfiring, regardless of the
circumstances. It is the operator’s
responsibility to make sure the kiln turns
off at the proper time.
When the kiln is not in use, disconnect the
power.
Do not leave the kiln unattended, especially
near the expected shut-off time.
Wear firing safety glasses when looking into the
firing chamber of a hot kiln.
Do not touch hot sides of kiln. Keep unsuper-
vised children away.
Install your kiln at least 12 inches from any wall
or combustible surface.
Do not open lid or door until kiln has cooled and
all switches are off.
Fire only in a well-ventilated, covered and pro-
tected area away from combustible materials.
Keep cordset away from hot sides of kiln or fur-
nace.
DANGEROUS VOLTAGE! Do not touch heat-
ing elements with anything. Disconnect before
servicing.
Contents
General Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Time and Temperature Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Operation Begins from the IdLE Display. . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Thermocouple Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
A Rapid Way to Scroll Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Program Review & Repeat Firing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Delay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Power Failures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
CPLT Message: Firing Completed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Thunder Storms and Power Surges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Two Firing Modes: Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold . . . . . . . 4
Cone-Fire Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Pyrometric Witness Cones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
How to Correct for Under- or Over-Fired Cones. . . . . . 5
Cone-Fire Hold. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
When the Kiln Shuts Off Too Soon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
How to Customize Cone-Fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Cone-Fire Firing Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Ramp-Hold Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Theory of Operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Temperature Over-Shoot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Repeat Firings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Programming a Cooling Segment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
A Ramp-Hold Practice Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Skipping a Segment in a Ramp-Hold Program . . . . . . 8
Ramp-Hold Programming Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Lost Wax Burnout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
BAdP / Bad Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
EtH / Electronics Too Hot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
FaIL / Thermocouple Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
TCR / Thermocouple Reversed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
FtL / Fired Too Long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
PF 1 / Power Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
PF 2 / Power Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
tC / Thermocouple Failure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Selecting °F or °C Display . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Display Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Trouble Shooter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Problem: Controller display is blank. No heat in kiln.. 11
Problem: Controller display turns on. No heat in kiln. 12
Problem: Kiln switch box ½ amp fuses keep blowing.12
Cone-Fire Schedules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Pyrometric Cone Temperature Chart. . 15
Shorthand Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3
General
Guidelines
Time and Temperature
Display
Center Dot: Time
A center dot appears dur-
ing time display. It separates
hours from minutes (i.e. 1
hour, 30 minutes displays as
01.30). During temperature
display, the dot disappears.
Right-Hand Dot: °C
When temperature
is displayed in °C, a dot
appears in the lower
right. In °F display, it
disappears. You can
choose between Fahr-
enheit and Celsius dis-
play. See page 9.
Operation Begins from the
IdLE Display
must appear before you can fire the kiln.
IIf , , or other message appears instead of
when the kiln is first turned on, press the
key (the key with the circular arrow).
will appear.
IIf you press during a firing, will ap-
pear. To get back to , press again.
IIf the display shows an error message such as in-
stead of , see page 9.
I(firing completed) appears at the end of a firing.
To make appear, press .
Thermocouple Inspection
The small rod protruding into the firing chamber is the
temperature sensor, or thermocouple.
CAUTION: Bumping the thermocouple can push it
out of the firing chamber. This could cause an overfire!
The controller does not contain an alarm to detect this
type of failure. Bumping the thermocouple could also
cause inaccurate readings.
IA 1/8” diameter thermocouple should extend into the
firing chamber ½” - 5/8”.
IA ¼” diameter thermocouple should extend into the fir-
ing chamber 1” or more.
IKeep shelves, posts and ware 1” - 1 ½” away from the
thermocouple.
ARapidWayto
Scroll Numbers
During programming, hold an arrow key down several
seconds, and numbers will begin to scroll rapidly. Ordi-
narily, you would press to raise a number and
to lower it. But sometimes it is faster to press
the opposite key. This is because the numbers scroll below
0000 to the highest number, and vice versa. Examples:
ITo program a 99.59 hour Hold when the display shows
00.00, press the once.
ITo program a FULL rate when the display shows 0000,
press the once.
ITo program a temperature of 200°F when the display
shows 1800°F, press the . That is faster than
pressing the .
Program Review &
Repeat Firing
Program Review lets you check that the information
programmed into the controlleris correct. It is a good habit
to use Program Review before every firing. Program Re-
view shows the values for the program in active memory,
which is either—
The program that was fired last, or
The program that was entered since the last firing.
IPress the
key. After rate, temperature, hold, etc., will ap-
pear. Press . will appear, and the
kiln will begin firing the program just reviewed.
IPress the
key. The rate, temperature, hold, etc. will display
one after the other. Firing will continue.
Delay
Delay is a count-down timer. The kiln begins firing when
the timer runs out of time. Use Delay to fit a firing into your
schedule.
CAUTION: For safety, do not leave the kiln alone dur-
ing a delay or a firing. We cannot guarantee your kiln
against overfiring even though the controller is auto-
matic.
After you have selected a program and the control-
ler is ready to begin firing, will appear.
Press the key once. will appear,
alternating with .
Use the arrow keys to enter delay time. (The decimal
separates hours and minutes. Example: 1 hour 10
minutes = 01.10) Then press . will ap-
pear, alternating with time left until the firing be-
gins.
°F
°C
The center display dot indicates
time instead of temperature.

4 Cone-Fire / Ramp-Hold
Type of Firing Suggested Firing Mode
China Painting Cone-Fire
Ceramic Decals Cone-Fire
Ceramic Glaze Cone-Fire
Ceramic Greenware Cone-Fire
Glass Bead Annealing Ramp-Hold
Glass Fusing Ramp-Hold
Glass Slumping Ramp-Hold
Lost Wax Ramp-Hold
Cone-Fire
Cone-Fire mode is based on firing the
ware to a pyrometric cone. Cone-Fire is
not designed for heat treating, glass
fusing and enameling. For these firings,
use Ramp-Hold mode (page 6). Use
Ramp-Hold to fire ceramic pieces that
require a custom firing schedule.
Pyrometric Witness Cones
It is important to understand pyrometric witness cones,
because clay and glazes are rated to cone numbers. Pyro-
metric cones are small pyramids of clay that bend when ex-
posed to the correct amount of heat work. Cones are rated
by number. See page 15 for a list of cone numbers and their
temperatures.
When a witness cone bends during firing, the clay and
glaze in that firing, rated to that cone number, have re-
ceived the correct amount of heat.
Place the pyrometric witness cone on the kiln shelf near
the ware you are firing. Use the cone to check for firing ac-
curacy. The cone is the most accurate measurement of heat
work in a ceramic firing. This is because the cone measures
the combined effects of time, kiln atmosphere, and temper-
ature.
We suggest using the witness cone to trouble shoot prob-
lems with the ware. If china paints appear faded and you
suspect it is due to over-firing, test fire with a witness cone.
Anotherexample:glazecrazingdue to under-fired bisque.
How to Interpret the Bending
of a Pyrometric Cone
The cones illustrated here are called self-supporting
cones. They are the easiest type of
witness cone to use.
1. Correct Bend
When the self-supporting cone
bends so that the tip is approxi-
mately even with the top of the
base, the cone has been exposed to
Power Failures
After a power failure, the controller will continue firing
provided that:
IThe kiln temperature is above 212°F/100°C when the
power comes back on.
IThe temperature dropped no more than 180°F/100°C
while the power was off.
Power Failure Messages
The power failed during firing, and temperature
dropped more than 180°F/100°C.
The power failed during firing, and kiln tempera-
ture was below 212°F/100°C when the power cameback on.
CPLT Message:
Firing Completed
When the firing has successfully completed, the Sentry
Xpress will shut off power to
the elements. Then three mes-
sages will cycle one after the
other:
(complete)
Firing time in hours and minutes
The current kiln temperature
Thunder Storms and
Power Surges
Unplug the kiln or disconnect the power when the kiln is
not in use, especially during thunder storms and in areas
with frequent power surges. If the kiln is part way through a
firing when a storm begins, it is probably okay to continue
the firing with close supervision. Do not leave the kiln unat-
tended.
Two Firing Modes:
Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold
To give you greater flexibility, your controller has two
firing modes: Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold.
Cone-Fire Mode (see next column)
Cone-Fire mode fires the ware to a pyrometric cone
number using the Orton cone tables on page 15. This mode
is for ceramics, pottery, stoneware, and glazes. Your sup-
plier can tell you which cone number to program.
Ramp-Hold Mode (see page 7)
Use Ramp-Hold mode to create custom firings. Select
your own firing speed, temperature, and temperature hold
time in up to 8 steps, or segments.
The chart in the next column shows the recommended
firing mode for several types of ware:
A cone fired to maturity.

5
the correct amount of heat work
for that cone number. This is called
a 6 o’clock bend.
2. Under-Fired Cone
The cone in the upper photo has
not bent far enough. It indicates
that the kiln did not fire long
enough or hot enough.
3. Over-Fired Cone
When a cone collapses or pud-
dles (see lower photo), it indicates
that the kiln over-fired the ware
rated to that cone number.
Note: Do not be overly con-
cerned with achieving an exact 6
o’clock bend. The difference be-
tween a 3 o’clock and a 6 o’clock
bend is only a few degrees of
temperature.
HowtoCorrectforUnder-or
Over-Fired Cones
Before changing a firing because of an under- or
over-fired cone, make sure the correct cone was in the kiln.
For instance, if you fired to cone 05, make sure the cone in
the kiln was not a cone 5 instead. (See the cone temperature
chart on page 15.)
Compensating for an Under-Fired Cone
IFire to the same cone number next time, but add hold
time. How much hold time to add is a matter of experi-
mentation. Ageneralguidelinewouldbe 10-30 minutes.
IIf the kiln still does not fire hot enough, then fire to the
next hotter cone number, without hold time.
IAnother option: customize the firing in Ramp-Hold.
See the next page.
Compensating for an Over-Fired Cone
IFire to the next cooler cone number.
IIf firing to the next cooler cone number results in un-
der-firing, add hold time.
IAnother option: customize the firing in Ramp-Hold.
See the next page.
Cone-Fire Hold
Cone-Fire Hold heat-soaks the ware at the cone temper-
ature at the end of the firing. Without Hold, the kiln shuts
off after it reaches the cone temperature. Hold maintains
the cone temperature for the period you specify.
Hold is not needed in every firing. Experience will help
you decide when to use Hold. Some of the reasons you
might consider using it:
ITo even out the temperature throughout the kiln.
ITo allow heat to penetrate more completely into the
clay. (Rapid firing is like cooking: the turkey will be
done on the outside but not on the inside.)
ITo help glaze absorb china paint.
ITo heal glaze defects such as bubbles.
CAUTION: Use Hold sparingly. A little hold time can
yield dramatic results. But too much hold time can eas-
ily overfire your ware and burn out colors.
One way to add Hold time without over-firing is to fire to
one cone cooler than needed. Then add enough hold time
to bend the next hotter cone. Hold time needed to bend the
next cone will vary. As a rule of thumb, 45 - 60 minutes of
hold = one cone of heat work.
Example: to fire to cone 05, program Cone-Fire for 06
and add 45-60 minutes of hold time.
If your kiln has a peephole, watch the pyrometric witness
cones during firing. Press when the correct witness
cone bends. Note how much Hold time was needed. Pro-
gram that much Hold time the next time you fire the same
type of ware.
Note: During Hold, the display temperature will alter-
nate with time left in Hold. To figure hold time for the
next firing, subtract time left in Hold from the total
Hold time entered.
When Hold is set to 99.99 hours, the Sentry Xpress will
remain at that temperature indefinitely, until is
pressed.
When the Kiln Shuts Off
Too Soon
If the kiln shuts off before the pyrometric witness cone
bends, you can turn the hot kiln back on and keep firing.
From , program the next hotter cone in
Cone-Fire.
will appear. To begin firing, press .
will appear and the Run indicator light will
begin blinking. The hot kiln will begin firing, taking
up where it left off.
How to Customize Cone-Fire
You can customize a Cone-Fire program using
Ramp-Hold. (See the next section.) On pages 13 and 14, ta-
bles show the segments used to program each cone number
in Cone-Fire. For instance, a cone 016 firing at medium
speed ( )uses these two segments:
Rate Temp.
Segment °F/°C °F/°C Hold
1 396/220 1314/712 00.00
2 108/60 1422/772 00.00
An under-fired cone.
An over-fired cone.

6 Cone-Fire / Ramp-Hold
Suppose your 016 witness cone, at a medium speed fir-
ing, only barely started to bend. To fire 25° hotter, raise the
target temperature of segment 2 by 25°:
1422 + 25 = 1447
This is the program you would enter in Ramp-Hold:
Rate Temp.
Segment °F/°C °F/°C Hold
1 396/220 1314/712 00.00
2 108/60 1447/786 00.00
You could also easily add a slow cooling segment:
Rate Temp.
Segment °F/°C °F/°C Hold
1 396/220 1314/712 00.00
2 108/60 1447/786 00.00
3 100/55 1000/537 00.00
Ramp-Hold
Mode
Theory of Operation
The temperature you are firing to is called the target
temperature. After the controller reaches the target tem-
perature, it can also hold that temperature.
The controller fires at a controlledheating rate. The rate
is figured in degrees per hour. If you selected a rate of 100°
per hour, it would take 10 hours for the kiln to reach 1000°.
Rate is similar to “miles per hour.”
In summary, the controller does three basic tasks:
1) It fires at a controlled heating rate, or speed, mea-
sured in degrees of temperature change per hour.
2) It fires to a target temperature.
3) It can hold the target temperature.
The controller fires in segments, or stages. A segment is
a given heating rate to a target temperature. Shown in the
chart on the next page (upper left column) is a segment with
a target temperatureof 1250° and a rate of 625°, with a hold
of one hour.
Heating rate is figured in degrees per hour. The recom-
mended heating rate for the material you are firing is usu-
ally available from your supplier. It also varies depending
on the thickness of the material.
To figure how long a firing segment will take, subtract
the current temperature from the target temperature and
divide the resultant temperature by the heating rate. In the
upper diagram, next page, the firing time is 1250° - 80°
(room temperature) = 1170 ÷625 = 1.87 hours.
Cone-Fire Firing
Instructions
From , press .
Using the key (not the ),
by-pass and select . Then press
.
The last pyrometric cone you fired, and its tem-
perature, will appear. Use the arrow keys to
change the cone number. Then press .
(slow) (medium) or will
appear. Use the arrow keys to change speed.
Then press .
and the hold time from the last firing will
appear (e.g. 1 hour 10 minutes = 01.10). Use
the arrow keys to change the hold time. Then
press .
will appear. Press . will ap-
pear, the Run indicator light with begin blink-
ing, and the kiln will begin firing.
To stop a firing before completion, press
. will appear, alternating with kiln
temperature.
Note: Do not be concerned if your kiln makes a
clicking sound during firing. Kilns use relays to
power the elements. The relays click each time
their electrical contacts come together.
Note: The kiln’s actual firing rate may be less than
the rate you programmed, depending on the kiln
model, available voltage, and density of the load
you are firing.
When the kiln fires to completion, it will beep for 30
seconds. The display will show the following:
IFiring time
IPresent temperature
I= fired to completion
To return to , press .

7
The controller can fire up to 8 segments per firing. One
segment is often all that is needed, though.
After the controller has finished firing the last segment,
it will turn off power to the elements.
Rate
Each segment must include a rate, which is degrees of
temperature change per hour.
The kiln will fire at full power when the rate is
1799°F/999°C. Full power displays as .
Note: To select full power from , press the
key once.
Hold
Hold maintains a steady temperature for the length of
time you specify. You can use Hold in both heating-up and
cooling-down segments.
When Hold is set to 99.59 hours, the controller will re-
main at that temperature indefinitely, until you press
. To enter a 99.59 hour Hold, press the
once from 00.00 during programming.
Note: During firing, the display shows Hold tempera-
ture and time left in Hold.
Temperature Over-Shoot
When a kiln is heated too fast, it may over-shoot the tar-
get temperature, especially in small kilns at lower tempera-
tures. To avoid this, add an extra segment in a Ramp-Hold
program to slow the firing. The segment with the slower
rate should begin approximately 40° - 60° below the target
temperature.
Repeat Firings
To repeat the last firing, press from . The
kiln will begin firing. But first, make sure you are repeating
the correct firing by using Program Review (page 3).
Programming a
Cooling Segment
For controlled cooling, program a segment to a lower
target temperature than that of the preceding segment.
Example: You fire at a rate of 500°F per hour to 1450°F
with your first segment. You want the kiln to cool at a rate
of 100°F per hour down to 700°F. Here is how you would
program the two segments:
Rate Temp.
Segment °F/°C °F/°C Hold
1 500/277 1450/788 00.00
2 100/55 700/371 00.00
The first segment is the heating segment. The second
one is the cooling segment. The controller does not use mi-
nus numbers for cooling. Just enter a lower target tempera-
ture than that of the previous segment.
If you prop the lid or door for a fast cooling, program a
fast cooling rate for that segment. If you lower the tempera-
ture quickly by propping the lid but program a slow cooling
rate, the controller will just raise the temperature again.
Example: Some glass artists flash-cool the glass just after
it fuses. They open the door a few inches to remove heat,
then close it again. This takes the glass down rapidly
through the devitrification range. To program a flash-cool,
use maximum rate. This shuts off the heating elements dur-
ing that segment, allowing the kiln to cool rapidly.
Note: During fast cooling, do not open the door all the
way. Do not force-cool the kiln with a fan.
A Ramp-Hold
Practice Program
To practice using the controller, we will enter a program
that includes three segments. The last segment is a cooling
segment.
Using the programming instructions on the next page,
enter this firing schedule. Then use Program Review (page
3) to check for accuracy.

8 Cone-Fire / Ramp-Hold
PrOG
rA1 = 250
°F1=750
HLd 1 = 00.00
rA2 = 900
°F 2 = 1425
HLd 2 = 00.30
rA3 = 150
°F3=750
HLd 3 = 00.00
rA4 = 0000 (zeroes cancel segments 4-8)
Skipping a Segment in a
Ramp-Hold Program
You can skip a segment in a Ramp-Hold program as fol-
lows:
The kiln is firing. Press the key.
will appear. Press the key again.
The firing will skip to the next segment.
Skip Segment Example
IYou have pro-
grammed a target temperature of 1425°F for glass fus-
ing, followed by a segment for controlled cooling.
Watching the glass through the peephole, you notice
that the glass edges have rounded nicely at 1375°F. Use
Skip Segment to end the firing segment and begin the
one for slow cooling.
Note: Make a note of the temperature at which the
glass fused. Program that temperature for the next fir-
ing of that type of glass.
Ramp-Hold Programming
Instructions
Note: Up to 8 segments are available in
Ramp-Hold. If you don’t need all 8, zero out the
unused segments. See step 6 below. Entering a new
program automatically over-writes the previous
program.
From , press .
Using the key (not the ),
by-pass and select . Then press
.
will appear. Enter firing rate (tempera-
ture change per hour) for segment 1. (1° =
slowest rate. 1799°F/999°C = full power.)
Then press .
or and the target temperature from
the last firing will appear. Use the arrow keys
to change the temperature.Then press .
and the hold time from the last firing
will appear (e.g. 1 hour, 10 minutes = 01.10).
Use the arrow keys to change the hold time.
Then press .
Continue entering values for the segments
needed. When appears for the next seg-
ment that you don’t need, select . Then
press . This will zero out the remaining
segments. (Example: You need only 1 seg-
ment. When appears, enter .)
will appear. Press to begin firing.
will appear and the Run indicator light
with begin blinking. The kiln is now firing.
To stop a firing before completion, press
. will appear, alternating with total
firing time and kiln temperature.
Note: Do not be concerned if your kiln makes a
clicking sound during firing. Kilns use relays to
power the elements. The relays click each time
their electrical contacts come together.
Note: The kiln’s actual firing rate may be less than
the rate you programmed, depending on the kiln
model, available voltage, and density of the load
you are firing.
When the kiln fires to completion, it will beep for 30
seconds. The display will show the following:
IFiring time
IPresent temperature
I= Fired to completion
To return to , press .

9
Lost Wax
Burnout
CAUTION: Only kilns with vent holes are designed
for lost wax burnout. However, you can use a kiln with-
out the vent hole provided that you open the door ½”
during venting.
CAUTION: Always use a wax tray.
Note: These instructions apply to injection wax that
melts at 200°F, not pattern waxes and plastics that
melt at higher temperatures. If smoke appears during
wax elimination, turn off the kiln. Smoking wax means
the kiln fired hotter than 300°/148°C.
Overview
Lost wax casting is the process of carving a shape in wax
and then casting that shape in metal. After the wax has been
carved, a mold is made of the wax shape. The mold is a neg-
ative image of the wax. The wax is later melted out of the
mold through hollow channels called sprues.
Lost wax burnout is the process of preparing a casting
mold for the melted metal that will be poured into it. The
steps in lost wax burnout:
Melt the wax from the mold.
Remove wax from the kiln before raising the tem-
perature higher than 300°F/148°C.
Harden the mold at high temperature.
Maintain the mold at the casting temperature rec-
ommended for the type of metal that will be poured
into the mold.
CAUTION: Prevent wax or carbon from contacting
the kiln’s walls and elements. Carbon build-up inside a
kiln ruins the interior. Carbon conducts electricity and
causes elements to short circuit. Damage to elements
from contact with foreign materials is not covered by
warranty.
A Sample Program
See instructions on page 8 to enter this program:
Rate Temp.
Segment °F/°C °F/°C Hold
1 500/277 300/148 01.00
2 500/277 1350/732 01.00
3 450/250 800/426 02.00
Segment 1 heats the wax to 300°F/148°C and holds it for
one hour, allowing it to drip from the mold.
Segment 2 hardens the mold.
Segment 3 lowers temperature to 800°F/426°C, the typi-
cal casting temperature for silver. (Most types of gold cast
at 900°F/482°C.)
Note: Casting temperature depends on the size of the
mold. The temperatures above are only a guide. See
your jewelry supply dealer for temperature
recommendations.
Burnout Instructions
Place a metal tray inside the kiln on three ½” posts.
Place the mold on a wire mesh screen on top of the
tray. The mold’s sprue hole should be down. The
tray will catch melting wax as it drips from the sprue
hole.
Keep the kiln’s vent hole(s), if any, open during wax
elimination. If the kiln has no vent hole, leave the
door open ½”. This allows fumes to escape the kiln.
Heat the kiln to 300°F/148°C and hold it at that tem-
perature for at least one hour.
Note: Do NOT heat the wax above 300°F/148°C. Hold
at 300°F/148°C for at least one hour. During this hour,
the wax will melt from the mold and drip into the tray. If
the kiln gets hotter than 300°F/148°C, the wax may
smoke and deposit carbon inside your kiln, causing ex-
pensive damage.
After one hour at 300°F/148°C, open the kiln. Re-
move the mold and wax tray. Pour the wax from the
tray and leave the tray out of the kiln until your next
wax elimination. (Do not leave the trayin the kiln!)
Heat the mold to the temperature recommended by
your jewelers’ supply house where you purchased
the mold material. This is usually around
1350°F/732°C.
Lower the temperature to the casting temperature
of the metal. Hold at that temperature until you are
ready to begin casting. Remove the mold with tongs.
Wear protective gloves and safety glasses.
Saving a Carbon-Damaged Kiln
If you follow the above directions, your kiln should be
safe from wax damage. In some cases, a small amount of
carbon may form on the walls over a period of time. This is
due to the burning of wax residue that was left in the mold.
For this reason we recommend that you periodically fire the
kiln to 1500°F/815°C as follows:
Open the vent cover(s) or leave the door ajar ½”.
Fire the kiln empty to 1500°F/815°C at a rate of
300°F/166°C with a one hour hold (01.00).

10 Cone-Fire / Ramp-Hold
The power failed during firing and kiln temperature was
below 212°F/100°C when the power came back on.
tC / Thermocouple Failure
The thermocouple failed or was disconnected during the
display. See “FaIL,” column at left.
Selecting °F or
°C Display
The controller can display temperature in either °F or
°C. If your controller shows a small display dot in the lower
right corner of the display, the temperature shown is °C. No
dot means °F. To change temperature display:
UNPLUG kiln or disconnect power.
Remove the four screws that hold the controller to
the front of the kiln. Carefully remove the control-
ler from the kiln. Leave wires attached to the con-
troller.
Look at the back of the controller. A plastic jumper
on the back of the board determines the type of
temperature display. When the jumper connects
two pin-type terminals, display reads °F. When the
jumper is removed, display reads °C. Remove or
insert the jumper as desired. (You can purchase
the jumper from a computer supply store if neces-
sary.)
Install the controller being careful not to jar com-
ponents on the back of the controller against the
kiln case.
Error Messages
BAdP / Bad Programming
The kiln will not fire because the program just entered
has a rate of 0000 in segment 1. Program the firing again.
EtH / Electronics Too Hot
The temperature of the electronic circuit board is above
158°F/70°C. This could damage the controller, so the firing
has been stopped. To prevent this, keep the firing room
cooler. Use better ventilation.
FaIL / Thermocouple Failure
The thermocouple, or temperature sensor, failed during
firing. Causes:
IDefective thermocouple or disconnected/loose wires
IDefective controller
IElectrical noise
Thermocouple Paperclip
Test
Check the thermocou-
ple wire connections. (See
your kiln instruction man-
ual.) If connections are
tight, perform this test:
UNPLUG the kiln or
disconnect the power. Remove the controller. Re-
move the two thermocouple wires from the back of
the controller.
Cut a thin paperclip in half. Insert a U-shaped
paperclip piece, or other piece of thin wire, where
you removed the thermocouple wires.
Plug in the kiln. If the controller displays room
temperature, replacethe thermocouple. If it shows
, replace the controller.
TCR / Thermocouple
Reversed
Thermocouple lead wires are reversed.
FtL / Fired Too Long
This message appears when both of the following condi-
tions are met:
IThe temperature rise is less than 27°F/15°C per hour.
IThe firing is 4 hours longer than programmed.
See “Controller turns on. No heat in kiln,” page 11.
PF 1 / Power Failure
The power failed during firing and temperature dropped
more than 180°F/100°C by the time the power came back
on.

11
Trouble Shooter
Problem: Controller display is
blank. No heat in kiln.
IIs the kiln connected to the power?
IHas the circuit breaker tripped or fuse blown?
IIs power reaching the wall receptacle?
Test with a voltmeter or test light if you are not sure.
IHas the kiln switch box ½ amp fuse blown?
The kiln’s ½ amp fuse is
located in the kiln switch
box. Remove by pressing the
fuse holder and turning
counter-clockwise half a
turn. Check the fuse by plac-
ing the probes of an ohmme-
ter on the ends of the fuse. If
the ohmmeter reads less
than an ohm (digital meter)
or reads 0 ohms (analog me-
ter), the fuse is okay. If the
reading is OPEN (digital meter) or infinity/no needle
movement (analog meter), the fuse is bad. Replacement
fuse:
AGC 1/2 A 250V AC
IIs the controller receiving power? Test the power IN-
PUT connections on the back of the controller with a
voltmeter.
Controller Power
Input Test
Unplug the kiln. Re-
move the 4 screws holding
the controller faceplate to
the switch box. Lift face-
plate out of box and let the
board hang on the box
with the back of the board
facing you. Plug the kiln
back in. Touch voltmeter
probes (in AC mode) to
both INPUT connections (the white and orange wires).
CAUTION: Do not let the back of the board touch a
grounded object. Make sure the voltmeter is in the AC
mode when placing the probes on INPUT connections.
Controller Power Input Test Result: No voltage
UNPLUG kiln. Check the switch box for disconnected
wires between the cord, transformer, and controller. If wir-
ing is okay, replace the transformer.
Controller Power Input Test Result: 20 - 24 volts AC
Correct current is reaching the board from the trans-
former. But since the board is not lighting up, it is probably
defective. Return the controllerfor repair or replacement.
Display
Messages
The firing was stopped.
(page 8) This is the prompt for Cone-Fire mode.
Press the key to select Cone-Fire. The controller is then
ready for you to select a pyrometric cone number.
Fired to completion. If the kiln is already hotter than the
programmed target temperature when you begin firing,
will appear immediately after you begin firing.
(page 3) Delay is a count-down timer that starts the
kiln when the time runs out.
or (and temperature) (page 8) The target tem-
perature (the temperature that the kiln will fire to). Each seg-
ment has a target temperature.
Full power firing rate in Ramp-Hold mode. At this set-
ting the kiln will fire at its fastest rate. Select a rate of
1799°F/999°C at the prompt in Ramp-Hold mode. A fast
way to do this is to press the key once from .
will appear.
(pages 5, 7) Hold time of a segment, shown in hours
and minutes. (i.e. 2 hours 15 minutes = 02.15.)
(page 3) The controller is ready for you to enter a pro-
gram or to begin a repeat firing.
Firing has begun. A moment after appears, you
will hear the relay(s) clicking.
(page 4) Select this option to program a custom firing.
etc. (Rate) (page 8) This appears in
Ramp-Hold programming for each segment. 1, 2, etc. are seg-
ment numbers. Enter the rate of temperature change for that
segment. Rate is figured in degrees of temperature change per
hour. Example:
A temperature rise of 100° in two hours = 50° rate.
A temperature drop of 200° in one hour = 200° rate.
(Skip Step) (page 8) This message appears when you
press the key during a Ramp-Hold firing. If you press
the key again, the firing will skip to the next segment.
The firing was stopped by pressing .
The “Ready to Start” message appears after program-
ming a firing. Press to begin firing.

12 Cone-Fire / Ramp-Hold
UNPLUG the kiln/disconnect the power. Remove
the 4 screws holding the controller faceplate to the
switch box. Lift faceplate out of box and let the
controller hang on the outside of the box with the
back of the board facing you. Then plug the kiln
back in. Program the controller to fire to 1000°F at
FULL rate in Ramp-Hold mode. Press .
Put the voltmeter in DC mode. (It must be in DC
mode when testing OUTPUT voltage.) Touch
probes to the red wire and black wire connections.
Measure voltage when the relay clicks on.
Output Test Result: No voltage at red and black wires
The controller is not sending power to the relay. Return
the controller for repair or replacement.
Output Test Result: 10 - 14 v. at red and black wires
The controller is sending correct power to the relay. Un-
plug kiln/disconnect power. Remove the kiln switch box.
Look for disconnected wires between the controller, relay
and elements. Check the wiring diagram to be sure wires
are connected to the correct terminals. Be sure connections
are tight. If the wiring is okay, replace the relay.
Note: To replace relay, see your kiln’s instruction and
service manual.
Problem: Kiln switch box ½
amp fuses keep blowing.
IWhat size fuse are you using? Correct fuse:
AGC ½ A 250V AC.
If the fuse is the correct size, perform the followingtest:
Kiln Switch Box ½ Amp Fuse Power Test
UNPLUG the kiln/disconnect the power. Remove
the 4 screws holding the controller board faceplate
to the switch box.
Lift faceplate out of
box and let the
board hang on the
outside of the box
with the back of the
board facing you.
Disconnect both wire plugs from the back of the
controller. Then plug the kiln back in. Apply
power to kiln. If fuse blows, replace the trans-
former. (If the fuse does not blow, the problem is a
board or relay. Go to step 2.)
Connect the INPUT plug (orange, blue, and white
wires) to the board again. Leave off the OUTPUT
wire plug (the one with the red, green and black
wires). Program the controller to fire to 1000°F at
FULL rate in Ramp-Hold mode. Press .If
the fuse blows, replace or service the board. (If the
fuse does not blow, the problem is caused by a
short in the coil of a relay. Go to step 3.)
UNPLUG kiln/disconnect power. Reconnect the
OUTPUT wire plug. Reinstall the board in the
switch box. Replace the relay.
Controller Power Input Test Result: less than 20 volts
Did you recently replace the transformer? It may be the
wrong voltage. The voltageis below 20, which is not enough
power for the controller. To find out the cause of low volt-
age, continue below:
Controller Input Test #2
The back of the board is
still facing you and the kiln
is plugged in. Remove the
INPUT plug, which is the
white, orange, and blue
wires, from the back of the
controller. Touch a volt-
meter probe to the white
wire and the other probe to the orange wire.
Input Test #2 Result: Less than 20 Volts AC
There are two possible reasons: 1) Low voltage at the
wall receptacle; 2) defective transformer. If wall receptacle
voltage is correct, replace the transformer.
Input Test #2 Result: 20 - 24 Volts AC
The transformer is sending correct voltage to the con-
troller. Yet when the INPUT plug was connected to the
controller, voltage was less than 20. This means the control-
ler is draining the voltage and is defective. Return the con-
troller for repair or replacement.
Problem: Controller display
turns on. No heat in kiln.
IIs the relay making its normal clicking sound?
Yes, the relay is clicking.
Test the elements with an ohmmeter:
Element Resistance Test
UNPLUG kiln/disconnect the power. Open the
kiln’s switch box. Make sure the wires connecting
the relay to the elements are secure. If connec-
tions are okay, continue to step 2:
Touch the ohmmeter leads to the two element con-
nectors of each element. A no-needle-movement
reading on an analog meter, or OPEN on a digital
meter, indicates a broken element.
If the elements check out okay, replace the relay.
Note: To replace relay, see your kiln’s instruction and
service manual.
No, the relay is not clicking.
We know the controller is receiving voltage, because the
display is lit. But the voltage from the transformer may be
too low to power the relays. Perform the “Controller Power
Input Test,” page 10. If your controller passesthe input test,
perform the “Controller Power Output Test”:
Controller Power Output Test
Is the controller sending voltage to the relay? Test OUT-
PUT with a voltmeter:

13
Cone-Fire Schedules - °F
These are the Medium Speed firing schedules programmed in Cone-Fire mode. To customize a schedule, write down your
changes on a separate sheet of paper. Then load your new schedule into Ramp-Hold.
Note: Your controller accepts only cone numbers that fall within the kiln’s maximum temperature range.
Low Fire Cones °F
Segment 1 Segment 2
Cone Rate 1 Temp. 1 Rate 2 Temp. 2
022 396 979 108 1087
021 396 1004 108 1112
020 396 1051 108 1159
019 396 1144 108 1252
018 396 1211 108 1319
017 396 1252 108 1360
016 396 1314 108 1422
015 396 1348 108 1456
014 396 1377 108 1485
013 396 1431 108 1539
012 396 1474 108 1582
011 396 1499 108 1607
Medium Fire Cones °F
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4
Cone Rate 1 Temp. 1 Rate 2 Temp. 2 Rate 3 Temp. 3 Rate 4 Temp. 4
010 324 1022 153 1112 180 1549 108 1657
09 324 1022 153 1112 180 1580 108 1688
08 324 1022 153 1112 180 1620 108 1728
07 324 1022 153 1112 180 1681 108 1789
06 324 1022 153 1112 180 1720 108 1828
05 324 1022 153 1112 180 1780 108 1888
04 324 1022 153 1112 180 1837 108 1945
03 324 1022 153 1112 180 1879 108 1987
02 324 1022 153 1112 180 1908 108 2016
01 324 1022 153 1112 180 1938 108 2046
High Fire Cones °F
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4
Cone Rate 1 Temp. 1 Rate 2 Temp. 2 Rate 3 Temp. 3 Rate 4 Temp. 4
1 324 1022 153 1112 162 1863 108 2079
2 324 1022 153 1112 162 1872 108 2088
3 324 1022 153 1112 162 1890 108 2106
4 324 1022 153 1112 162 1908 108 2124
5 324 1022 153 1112 162 1951 108 2167
6 324 1022 153 1112 162 2016 108 2232
7 324 1022 153 1112 162 2046 108 2262
8 324 1022 153 1112 162 2064 108 2280
9 324 1022 153 1112 162 2084 108 2300
10 324 1022 153 1112 162 2129 108 2345

14 Cone-Fire / Ramp-Hold
Cone-Fire Schedules - °C
These are the Medium Speed firing schedules programmed in Cone-Fire mode. To customize a schedule, write down your
changes on a separate sheet of paper. Then load your new schedule into Ramp-Hold.
Note: Your controller accepts only cone numbers that fall within the kiln’s maximum temperature range.
Low Fire Cones °C
Segment 1 Segment 2
Cone Rate 1 Temp. 1 Rate 2 Temp. 2
022 220 526 60 586
021 220 540 60 600
020 220 566 60 626
019 220 618 60 678
018 220 655 60 715
017 220 678 60 738
016 220 712 60 772
015 220 731 60 791
014 220 747 60 807
013 220 777 60 837
012 220 801 60 861
011 220 815 60 875
Medium Fire Cones °C
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4
Cone Rate 1 Temp. 1 Rate 2 Temp. 2 Rate 3 Temp. 3 Rate 4 Temp. 4
010 180 550 85 600 100 843 60 903
09 180 550 85 600 100 860 60 920
08 180 550 85 600 100 882 60 942
07 180 550 85 600 100 916 60 976
06 180 550 85 600 100 938 60 998
05 180 550 85 600 100 971 60 1031
04 180 550 85 600 100 1003 60 1063
03 180 550 85 600 100 1026 60 1086
02 180 550 85 600 100 1042 60 1102
01 180 550 85 600 100 1059 60 1119
High Fire Cones °C
Segment 1 Segment 2 Segment 3 Segment 4
Cone Rate 1 Temp. 1 Rate 2 Temp. 2 Rate 3 Temp. 3 Rate 4 Temp. 4
1 180 550 100 600 90 1017 60 1137
2 180 550 100 600 90 1022 60 1142
3 180 550 100 600 90 1032 60 1152
4 180 550 100 600 90 1042 60 1162
5 180 550 100 600 90 1066 60 1186
6 180 550 100 600 90 1102 60 1222
7 180 550 100 600 90 1119 60 1239
8 180 550 100 600 90 1129 60 1249
9 180 550 100 600 90 1140 60 1260
10 180 550 100 600 90 1165 60 1285

15
Temperature Equivalents For
Orton Self-Supporting Pyrometric Cones
°F
Cone Self-Supporting Cones Pre-Fire
Num-ber Color
Heated at: 27° F 108° F 270° F
Per Hour* Per Hour* Per Hour*
022 — 1087 1094 Green
021 — 1112 1143 Fuschia
020 — 1159 1180 Orange
019 1213 1252 1283 Yellow
018 1267 1319 1353 White
017 1301 1360 1405 Pink
016 1368 1422 1465 Light Blue
015 1382 1456 1504 Violet
014 1395 1485 1540 Gray
013 1485 1539 1582 Green
012 1549 1582 1620 Fuschia
011 1575 1607 1641 Orange
010 1636 1657 1679 Dark Red
09 1665 1688 1706 Dark Red
08 1692 1728 1753 Dark Red
07 1764 1789 1809 Dark Red
06 1798 1828 1855 Dark Red
051/2 1839 1859 1877 Dark Red
05 1870 1888 1911 Dark Red
04 1915 1945 1971 Dark Red
03 1960 1987 2019 Dark Red
02 1972 2016 2052 Dark Red
01 1999 2046 2080 Dark Red
1 2028 2079 2109 Dark Red
2 2034 2088 2127 Dark Red
3 2039 2106 2138 Dark Red
4 2086 2124 2161 Gray
5 2118 2167 2205 Green
51/2 2133 2197 2237 White
6 2165 2232 2269 Fuchsia
7 2194 2262 2295 Orange
8 2212 2280 2320 Yellow
9 2235 2300 2336 White
10 2284 2345 2381 Pink
*Rate of temperature increase during last 90 - 120
minutes of firing. Tables by courtesy of the Edward
Orton, Jr. Ceramic Foundation.
°C
Cone Self-Supporting Cones Pre-Fire
Number Color
Heated at: 15° C 60° C 150° C
Per Hour* Per Hour* Per Hour*
022 — 586 590 Green
021 — 600 617 Fuschia
020 — 626 638 Orange
019 656 678 695 Yellow
018 686 715 734 White
017 705 738 763 Pink
016 742 772 796 Light Blue
015 750 791 818 Violet
014 757 807 838 Gray
013 807 837 861 Green
012 843 861 882 Fuschia
011 857 875 894 Orange
010 891 903 915 Dark Red
09 907 920 930 Dark Red
08 922 942 956 Dark Red
07 962 976 987 Dark Red
06 981 998 1013 Dark Red
051/2 1004 1015 1025 Dark Red
05 1021 1031 1044 Dark Red
04 1046 1063 1077 Dark Red
03 1071 1086 1104 Dark Red
02 1078 1102 1122 Dark Red
01 1093 1119 1138 Dark Red
1 1109 1137 1154 Dark Red
2 1112 1142 1164 Dark Red
3 1115 1152 1170 Dark Red
4 1141 1162 1183 Gray
5 1159 1186 1207 Green
51/2 1167 1203 1225 White
6 1185 1222 1243 Fuchsia
7 1201 1239 1257 Orange
8 1211 1249 1271 Yellow
9 1224 1260 1280 White
10 1251 1285 1305 Pink
*Rate of temperature increase during last 90 - 120
minutes of firing. Tables by courtesy of the Edward
Orton, Jr. Ceramic Foundation.

16 Cone-Fire / Ramp-Hold
Shorthand Instructions
These instructions may be confusing until you have read more detailed instructions on Cone-Fire, page 6, or Ramp-Hold,
page 8. Readthe safetyguidelines, page 2. After pressing thekeys in theleftcolumn, themessagein the center will appear.
Cone-Fire
Keys to Press Display
or
(Not Down Arrow) Select COnE
/(Last cone fired)
Select cone number /(Sample cone)
Select speed (Sample speed)
Enter Hold Time (Or hold time)
The kiln is now firing.
Ramp-Hold
Keys to Press Display
or
(Not Down Arrow)
Enter Segment 1 rate (Sample rate)
or
Enter Temperature (Sample temperature)
Enter Hold Time (Or hold time)
First segment not needed: enter a rate of 0000.
The kiln is now firing.