Troubleshooting Electric Kilns

 The first principle of troubleshooting electric kilns is avoiding trouble in the first place. Keeping a kiln clean is extremely important since dirt, dust, glaze drips, and moisture can all contribute to the decline of a kiln's efficient operation. Regular inspection and thorough cleaning of a kiln should be part of every potter's regular schedule. The interior of the kiln, as well as its upper perimeter, should be vacuumed. The interior of the kiln and especially its coils should be examined minutely for drips of glaze, which should be chipped off as soon as they appear; otherwise, successive firings drive the glaze more deeply into the brick or coils. Drips can be removed from the coils by heating them until the drips soften, then loosening and gently breaking them off with needle-nose pliers. Always be sure to turn the current off before working on the coils. If any coils pop out of their grooves, reheat them until soft and compress them carefully back into place.

Problems in kilns are often caused by loose electrical connections. After every dozen firings, the current should be turned off, and the electrical box should be inspected for loose connections, corroded parts, and frayed wires. Electrical current causes vibrations which can cause the connections between the terminal and element to loosen. These bad spots can rapidly decay. Be sure that no wires touch the element tails which come through the kiln wall and that the element tails are not in contact with the outside jacket of the kiln. Be sure to vacuum these places thoroughly to remove dust from kiln silver clay when cleaning the kiln. The jacket should have a porcelain insulator to protect it from electrical connections. If the kiln is multi-sectioned, then there will be outlets, plugs, and an electrical cord connecting the sections to one another. These components can wear out and should be examined periodically. Any misshapen or darkened plugs and their corresponding receptacles should be replaced. Examine the plug, receptacle, and cord which connect the kiln to the electrical service. If the kiln lid is hinged, examine the hinge mechanism for security, corrosion, and alignment. Moisture is a common cause of deterioration in kilns. The kiln should be ventilated properly with a commercial ventilation system or by locating it in a well-ventilated area. This also protects the operator from toxic fumes.