Relay Repair & Basket Weaving Workshop

My kiln is a Skutt 1218-3. Yesterday early in the morning it showed an E 1 error which means the temperature is increasing less than 12 degrees per hour during a ramp for more than 22 minutes. I stopped the kiln and let it cool down naturally. I also unplugged the kiln in case there was an electrical problem. Yesterday I unloaded the kiln and did a diagnostics by pressing the menu button on the kiln. The diagnostics told me the error occurred at 815 F, the volts of the kiln are 245/246 and on full load volts are 242, the amps for section one are 14, section 2 is 0, and section 3 is 14. I thought the amp at 0 might mean I needed an element.

After talking to the Skutt technician he said I needed a relay or the wires to that middle section or section 2 are burned or need to be replaced. See the red controller above; I have to remove the screws and open up the cover and look inside at the electrical parts. Yikes, but I think I can do it. Yes, I can do it. I will muster my confidence and go forth with courage. Stay tuned for more about the repairing.

Yesterday I was gone during the day and today I'm going to a basket weaving workshop with the Nature Coast Basket Weavers so I won't be able to tackle the kiln till Friday. I'm excited to have found a local Basketmakers group I can join. Basket weaving is the process of weaving unspun vegetable material into a basket or similar form. It's that process of using what occurs in nature in it's raw form which I'm drawn to. I'm hoping to incorporate some weaving with some of my pottery as well. Stay tuned for more about that.

When I unloaded the kiln I noticed a black dusty soot on some of the shelves and black spots on some of my pieces. I had used some copper carbonate on some leaf plates. I thinned the copper carbonate down this time but the leaves are still coming out black instead of the copper green I was hoping for.

If the soot is causing problems for my other work and that's what it's doing in my kiln I'm not sure I want to use it any longer. I hope all the work I had in the kiln isn't ruined with black soot or spots. We shall see. Keep in mind the kiln only got to 815 F so perhaps all that soot would normally be burnt out when I open the kiln after a bisque. There's never a dull moment and always something new to learn working with ceramics. Stay tuned for more about the kiln repair coming up soon. Thanks for reading and for all your help and comments.