kiln help, please....

[Rapunsel]

I usually have to batch anneal my beads........the kiln is out in the garage, it's not getting wet or anything.......I've had it about 1 1/2 years, I think.......Jen-Ken AF3P 11/4.5 Kiln w/ 2" Flip Door ........I loaded it last night and turned it on, all was ok......I came back later after I picked my son up from his work and as I was walking thru the garage, I noticed that it had an alarm code on it.......tcl, if I remember right, i got my book and took a look.......it sd that the temp was lagging at least 100 degrees behind where it should be......kinda like not heating up fast enough........I talked to Honey and he said that he remembers it getting up to 240 degrees, he was out in the garage making drawplates.......now, I'm wondering, did any of the sawdust fly in there and short something out? how hard is it to take apart to check........Honey sd that when he gets home tonight, he will try blowing it out with the airhose (the controller is what he wants to blow out).......he thinks maybe something flew in there and is causing a problem........please help, I don't want him to try and blow this out if it's going to cause more trouble........thanks!!
Christi

[KEW]

I don't have this set-up, but as a general rule with electronics which are not working properly, turn it off and unplug it and then start it up again and watch it.

I'd try that before I'd take anything apart.

[Rapunsel]

thanks for the response.......I tried that last night......turned it off......and did a restart.......no good.......turned it off again and this time I unplugged it for a couple minutes.....turned it back on, still no good......I thought I would try it again tomorrow night (that's tonight now).........I told Honey about it in the morning and that's when he said he would try to blow it out, I started to get nervous........and thought I had better ask here........

[Rapunsel]

I would think that a kiln would last longer then 1 1/2, right?

[Teague]

Check the coil. Look for any broken spots, or even spots where the coil has collapsed a little on itself. I have the same kiln and I've replaced my coil three times.

Teague

[Rapunsel]

thanks Teague!!
Honey and I are going to take closer look at it.....I checked it out when I got home from work, but I didn't see anything (broken coil).....I just might not have caught it...........thanks!

Christi