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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2007-03-07, 12:55pm
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maddog1050 maddog1050 is offline
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Default Fuse Box Kiln -- Has This Happened To You?

I hope someone can shed some light on my dilemma:

I have a Fuse Box kiln (manufactured by E.K. Miller) that I purchased from Frantz a couple years ago. It came pre-programmed with four annealing programs, one of which I use exclusively. It's the one for large soft glass beads that are kiln annealed (as opposed to batch annealing). It starts at 950 degrees and ramps down from there.

While torching, I keep the kiln at a set point of 980 degrees. At the end of the session I start the annealing cycle and the temp goes quickly down to 950. I watch to see that it's moving downward from 980 to 950 just to make sure I've started the annealing program. The next morning when I go to the studio the kiln has usually off and the temperature reading is around room temperature.

However, something strange happens sometimes. When I've gone out to the studio the next day, the kiln is on and at 980 degrees. The first or second time this happened, I thought maybe I forgot to press the buttons to start the annealing cycle. Then the next couple of times I thought maybe a fast power outage could have somehow tripped it back up to set point. Although we hardly ever get power outages here and there were no blinking clocks to indicate this. So I've started making a point of going into the studio every morning after torching and turning the toggle switch to 'off' then unplugging--to be on the safe side. Well Monday night I finished and began the annealing cycle. I ran into the studio Tuesday morning and the kiln was off but I didn't switch off or unplug it--I was in a rush because I was late for an appointment. Just now--Wednesday afternoon, I went into the studio and guess what?? The damn thing is on 980!! Now I know I'm not imagining things. No one else has access to my studio-maybe it's haunted.

Anyone else have a similar problem? I have other programmable kilns and this hasn't happened with them. I really love this kiln when it isn't acting so strange.
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  #2  
Old 2007-03-08, 10:11am
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GLASSFREEK GLASSFREEK is offline
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if you have the partlow 1166 controller, thats the problem.

Mike
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  #3  
Old 2007-03-08, 1:49pm
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Hi--I just checked and it is a Partlow 1166. I take it that's not a good thing. Now what do I do?
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  #4  
Old 2007-03-08, 3:05pm
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You can get a good controller and not have that problem again.

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  #5  
Old 2007-03-08, 3:20pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maddog1050 View Post
Hi--I just checked and it is a Partlow 1166. I take it that's not a good thing. Now what do I do?
Yeh thats what I thought,they freek after so many power surges and the board burns therefor not doing what it should, The set point will work for another little while but then its done.
cant tell you how many of them I have replaced but its alot.
You just need another controller.

Mike
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  #6  
Old 2007-03-08, 5:13pm
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Is this something I can do myself? I have a Vcella enameling kiln and there was something wrong with the Fuji controller that shipped with it. The company just sent me another one and I disconnected the old and reconnected the new. But that was a like-for-like controller. Before I disconnected it I took pictures of the wire connections and drew diagrams so I could rehook it easily. Also the Partlow looks like it's sort of built onto the side of the kiln. But I'm game to try. I really don't want to ship the kiln off if I can help it.

Any suggestions for a good replacement controller that would work? I do have a wall mounted Rampmaster controller. I bought this years ago when I realized my first kiln was impossible to gauge without a digital controller. Could I disconnect the Partlow and drill a hole for the Rampmaster thermocouple and use that? I've always had good luck with the Rampmaster but no reason to use it since all my kilns have digital controllers now. Thanks for the info and any advice is appreciated.
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  #7  
Old 2007-03-08, 5:45pm
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I have one and I can confirm that they SUCK!!
I had to call and have my set point reset many times.

Do you have a fax? I saved a sheet to reprogram the controller. This might work???? I can fax it to you.
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  #8  
Old 2007-03-08, 8:18pm
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Hi Heather, no I don't have a fax. Is there a website I can access for reprogramming? Although it sounds like a PITA. If the problems keep going on and on and there's no easy fix, maybe I need to start thinking about replacing the kiln. The ironic thing is that when I was considering a new kiln I decided on the Fuse Box because of the many positive posts about it.
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  #9  
Old 2007-03-08, 9:27pm
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Default Me Too

I have the same problem with my Fuse Box. Last time I sent the controller back and they fixed it, but it is happening again. Please let me know what you end up doing! Thanks, Karen
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  #10  
Old 2007-03-08, 10:05pm
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If the kiln is still in pretty good shape just put a new controller on it.partlow had this problem for 3 years of production of the 1166 to bad it was when the fusebox came out.when people call me about it I just hook them up with the fuji pxr3 no change to the kiln just a new face plate where the partlow was with a new relay and on /off switch.

Mike
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  #11  
Old 2007-03-08, 10:38pm
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I also have the Fuse Box ll with the same controller, (maybe 5 years now) and the only time I've had the kiln ramp back up to the setpoint was when we lost power, no more than 3 times. Is this something that is inevitable with my controller? Anything I can do to prevent it from happening?

I really love my kiln and have been thrilled with it so far.

Edie
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  #12  
Old 2007-03-09, 12:54am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starrr View Post
I also have the Fuse Box ll with the same controller, (maybe 5 years now) and the only time I've had the kiln ramp back up to the setpoint was when we lost power, no more than 3 times. Is this something that is inevitable with my controller? Anything I can do to prevent it from happening?

I really love my kiln and have been thrilled with it so far.

Edie
nothing you can do it will just happen one day,but if its still working ok dont worry about it.controllers with set points on them do that ,they reset to the set point when the power gos off and comes back on. they seem to fail after a few bad power surges.

Mike
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  #13  
Old 2007-03-09, 3:22am
Starrr Starrr is offline
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Thanks Mike, but I'm worried if this happens to my controller in the middle of my busy show season. How long does it take to get and replace a controller?

I do have a single, dedicated line just for my kiln, so if the power blows in other parts of the house, and it's a big house, my kiln shouldn't blow.

Can you tell this thread has really scared me? I love my kiln, her name is "LOLA" but I want to avoid any problems in the future with the controller. A controller going out on me in the middle of summer would be disastrous to my income.

Edie
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  #14  
Old 2007-03-09, 11:23am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starrr View Post
Thanks Mike, but I'm worried if this happens to my controller in the middle of my busy show season. How long does it take to get and replace a controller?

I do have a single, dedicated line just for my kiln, so if the power blows in other parts of the house, and it's a big house, my kiln shouldn't blow.

Can you tell this thread has really scared me? I love my kiln, her name is "LOLA" but I want to avoid any problems in the future with the controller. A controller going out on me in the middle of summer would be disastrous to my income.

Edie
Sent you a PM.

Mike
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  #15  
Old 2007-03-09, 1:55pm
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Quote:
Could I disconnect the Partlow and drill a hole for the Rampmaster thermocouple and use that?
YES That would certianly work.
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