Chili Pepper Owners

[ukiacat]

How often do you run your kiln?
How long is it usually on?
How long have you owned it?
How many times have you repaired it and what did you have to replace?

I run mine about 3-4 days a week
It is usally on for 9 hours before it begins the annealing cycle
I have owned it for about 20 months
I have had to replace the relay and now I'm waiting for a heating coil.

I'm happy with Jen-Ken service but I wonder if this is the kiln for me. Do other brands have trouble this often?
J

[bclogan]

I know someone (not on LE) that has a Chili Pepper. She doesn't use hers as much as you do. And her relay has also had to be replaced already.

[IF-Designs]

I have a Jen Ken kiln but not the chili pepper I have one of their octagon double tall bead annealers...I have had it over 4 years now and havnt had to replace any thing on it. I have ran it from anywhere from 7 days a week at 10+ hour days to only 1-2 day weeks over that time and I do boro, soft glass and fusing so ive done really long cycles and really really short cycles.

[Simply Us]

I've had my chili pepper about 15 months and have had no problems at all.
Sandra

[PaulaD]

I have three and run two out of the three almost every weekend and never a problem. The oldest one is 4 years old.
Paula

[bhhco]

We run 2 Chili's 8-10 hours per day, 5-7 day per week.

The relay and coil on all kilns are 'life-cyle' components. It's not how long but how many times it is cycled before it breaks. Everytime you hear it 'click', that's essentially a count down timer ;-) to periodic maintenance.

You can reduce cycles by programming a fast ramp up... so that only one 'on' cycle takes it to the annealing temperature, versus a slow, cycling ramp up; minimizing the hold time to what is absolutely needed; and using an efficient ramp down schedule.

Me

[Solana]

I'll answer your questions below:

How often do you run your kiln?
I typically bead once or twice a week for about two hours each session.

How long is it usually on?
It depends on my "bead day". If I only bead once for the day (2 hours) the kiln is on as long as I'm at the torch, and then an extra hour after my session before starting its cool down cycle (which lasts about 5 hours).
If it's a day where I plan on being on the torch a few times, I'll leave the kiln on for about 12 hours, plus an extra hour to "soak", and then it starts to cool down. That's a total of 18 hours or so.

How long have you owned it?
I've had my kiln almost 3 years.

How many times have you repaired it and what did you have to replace?
I've replaced the heating element once and the relay once. The heating element when out a few months after the warranty expired (of course), and I just changed out the relay about 4 months ago.

I'm happy with Jen-Ken service but I wonder if this is the kiln for me. Do other brands have trouble this often?
The chili pepper is a great, little kiln for beadmakers, but it does require a lot of maintenance. I think it's worth it though. In general, kilns use a lot of parts that wear out easily, so just expect to change stuff out from time to time. Especially if you use your kiln often!

Good luck!
Karla

[pam]

Just as a little comparison, I have an Arrow Springs kiln that I bought in around '94. It was used probably around 4-5 times a week for a period of 7 hours each time until around 2001 when I got a larger Arrow Springs kiln that is used about the same amount of days a week, but for longer periods. I have never replace an element in any of the kilns, nor have I ever replaced a relay in the controller. The Arrow Springs digital controller I now use I bought in around '98 to replace the infinite controller I bought with the first kiln because I wanted the convenience of not babysitting the kiln. The infinite controller still works today with no replacement of anything.

[ukiacat]

Just as a little comparison, I have an Arrow Springs kiln that I bought in around '94. It was used probably around 4-5 times a week for a period of 7 hours each time until around 2001 when I got a larger Arrow Springs kiln that is used about the same amount of days a week, but for longer periods. I have never replace an element in any of the kilns, nor have I ever replaced a relay in the controller. The Arrow Springs digital controller I now use I bought in around '98 to replace the infinite controller I bought with the first kiln because I wanted the convenience of not babysitting the kiln. The infinite controller still works today with no replacement of anything.


Ah, you see this is why I am asking the question. The Paragon kiln, which we used for lost wax casting at the jewelry store, ran 5 nights a week. It was turned on at 9pm and ran on a cycle which took it up to 1300F and then down to a holding pattern of about 950F... where it stayed until I was ready to pull out the flasks which I was going to cast at about 8am. In the 8 years that I worked at the store, we NEVER had to replace a part in that kiln. It was not a bead kiln but it certainly had the coils and the relay and a controller and it certainly worked hard. I don't want to think about what it would have meant to come in to work to find that that kiln had died and flasks that were cold and only partially burned out.

I like the size of the Chili Pepper and I am grateful that the parts are not really expensive [coil $25, relay $15] and I appreciate that I am led step-by step through the replacement steps by a very cheerful and patient guy at the Jen-Ken company. But it is frustrating to be without a kiln and I am beginning to feel like I better start stocking up on parts. I did order a relay when I ordered the coil, so I have a relay for the next time. I just wondered if I had a bad kiln or if this is the life of a Chili Pepper owner.
J

[Amybeads]

I haven't had a problem with my chili pepper yet. How do you know when these parts are bad?

Amy

[CCraig]

I owned a chili pepper kiln years ago when they first came out (used it for teaching since it travelled easily) in the first 6 months I had to replace the relay 3 times. The first replacement was less then one month after getting the kiln. The third time around I insisted on a replacement kiln and promptly sold the replacement chili pepper. I know several people who have never had problems with their chili peppers. Perhaps I just had a "lemon." My Arrow Springs kilns that I have had for years now have never needed any thing. They run like a charm.

[ukiacat]

I haven't had a problem with my chili pepper yet. How do you know when these parts are bad?

Amy

When my relay went out, the kiln would ramp up to the correct temperature and then immediately, the clicking noise of the relay would stop and the kiln would start cooling down. It couldn't hold the temperature.

Then, the other day, I took a break and when I returned to the studio I found that the temperature was down to 450F and continued to drop. Since the Power light was on and the Run light was blinking, I was told that the coil must have burned out. I was told to check for a crack or for a fused area. I didn't find either indication but was still told to replace the coil.

So, basically, you know there's a problem when your kiln quits working. I don't mean this to sound flippant at all. There's just no warning until it quits working and then someone at the company helps you figure out what you need.

J

[PaulaD]

I think that the average person moves the Chili Pepper around a lot more than they would move around a brick kiln. I don't know if that means anything though. Paula

[ukiacat]

I think that the average person moves the Chili Pepper around a lot more than they would move around a brick kiln. I don't know if that means anything though. Paula

I hadn't heard of that. Mine has stayed right where I put it when it arrived. It has it's own electrical curcuit and it is programed to go straight to the holding temperature [as suggested by bhhco above].

I've been thinking about this for a couple days and my conclusion [right or wrong] is that the soft fiber lining in the Chilipepper loses heat more quickly than a brick kiln. This would mean that the relay and the coil have to come on more often than in a brick kiln. Perhaps that is why they seem to require more replacement parts than the other brands of kilns. The parts work harder and wear out faster.

I do hear the relay in my Paragon casting kiln come on when I run it but the relay comes on much less frequently. Then the coils heat up for a longer period of time and the temperature holds for a while before the relay kicks in again. The parts don't have to work as hard in a brick kiln that holds heat. I don't know how often the relay kicks in in a brick bead kiln versus the chilipepper. I've only used that type while in a class and never paid attention to it, but the chili pepper relay comes on so often that I don't notice the clicking unless it stops.

J

[PaulaD]

That makes a lot of sense Jennifer. I am almost totally deaf so don't hear much. But a lot of people buy the Chili's to move them around because they are so light. That's why I bought mine. No way could I move a brick kiln.. Paula

[ukiacat]

Just wanted to say that today I installed the new coil. Mike, at Jen-Ken, described the process for me and then told me to call back if I had questions. You do need a few basic tools but it was all pretty straight forward. I did try calling back at one point but the line was busy so I moved on, did what I thought I should do and it worked. My kiln is working again.

I've got an extra relay on hand and will probably order a coil as a back-up too. I wish I'd known about the shorter life of the coil and relay parts before buying this kiln but I didn't. I'm happy with it otherwise.

[Bethy]

Hello everybody !
I am french and I have this kiln (with an Orton controler, model AF3P) and I've lost the manual ! So I can't use my kiln ! :sad:
Is there somebody who accept to scan it and send it to me by mail ?
It'll be great because I'm a newbie and 40 beads are waiting for annealing !
Thanks :love:

[PaulaD]

Bethy You might want to do a search on How to program the Orton Controller. There are lots of threads here on how to do it.
Paula

[Bethy]

ok Paula, I'll do what you said
Thanks

[Bethy]

Thanks Paula !
I did what you said, I made a search with "orton" (before I made one with "chili pepper" , but it did'nt work as well )
many seeds evrywhere, gather them ... a big land of flowers....of glass of course !
thank you to everybody ! :waving:

[PaulaD]

Bethy,
If you will pm me with your email address I can send you directions but I think what I have (without looking) is for the Bartlett. It may help.
Paula

[Bethy]

Hi Paula !
yes It's done , you have a mp !
thanks

[PaulaD]

Hi Bethy,
I just reviewed the Bartlett manual that I have and it's strictly for the Bartlett and won't help you in any way. I suggest again that you contact Jen-Ken for a copy of The Orton Manual or whatever dealer you bought the Chili Pepper from. Good Luck. Paula

[Bethy]

Hi Paula
I 've done what you say, I'm still waiting.... with my beads !

Yesterday hotfire 210 send me a very good tutorial for the controller....many thanks to her kindness :love:

I just miss the manual (description of the kiln itself, by Jen-Ken)
I'm also waiting something from Gayle and uneverknow by mail...
thanks a lot Paula ! :love:

[pearsonglass]

I use a Chili Pepper, Several days a week for the last five years. And I have not had one problem . I have never had to do any repairs.I probably just Jinxed myself. But I have been very happy with the size and power usage of this kiln.

Brad Pearson