Programming instructions

6 Single Segment/Ramp-Hold
PrO2:
Ramp-Hold, Program 2
PrO3:
Ramp-Hold, Program 3
PrO4:
Ramp-Hold, Program 4
(To get back to , press several
times until appears.)
Temperature Over-Shoot
When a kiln is heated too fast, it may over-shoot the tar
-
get temperature, especially in small kilns at lower tempera
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tures. To avoid this, add an extra segment in a Ramp-Hold
program to slow the firing. The segment with the slower
rate should begin approximately 40° - 60° below the target
temperature.
Ramp-Hold
Mode
You can make your own firing programs and store them
in the controller’s memory. A firing program tells the kiln
how fast to fire, and to what temperature. The simplest pro-
gram is one segment. You can use up to eight segments with
your controller in Ramp-Hold mode.
Each segment includes a firing rate and firing tempera-
ture. You can also soak, or hold, the temperature for a spec-
ified period. Each segment stores three details:
I
rate (temperature change in degrees per hour)
I
target temperature
I
hold at the target temperature (not always used)
The controller can retain four programs in memory even
when power is turned off. Programs are numbered 1 - 4.
The first message to appear after you plug in your Sentry
Xpress is . Press . Then use the key
to scroll through these messages:
.
To use Ramp-Hold mode for the first time, select
. You do that by pressing the key after
appears. Then follow the instructions on page 7 to enter
temperature, heating rate, etc.
is Program 1. When you fire the kiln again, you
can repeat Program 1 by selecting . When you are
ready to fire a different program, select , which is
Program 2. Then enter temperatures, heating rates, etc. Se
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lect Program 3 and 4 the same way.
A program can have up to 8 segments, but you don’t have
to use all 8 segments. Use only the number needed per fir
-
ing. Often one segment is all you will need. Zero out the un
-
used segments. The instructions on page 7 explain how to
do that.
You can over-write a program by selecting it and enter
-
ing new rates and temperatures. This automatically
over-writes the previous program. Write down your pro
-
gramsin a notebook and recordfiring resultsfor all firing.
Repeat Firings
To repeat the last firing, press from . The
kiln will begin firing. But first, make sure you are repeating
the correct firing by using Program Review (page 3).
Programming a
Cooling Segment
For controlled cooling, program a segment to a lower
target temperature than that of the preceding segment.
Example: You fire at a rate of 500°F per hour to 1450°F
with your first segment. You want the kiln to cool at a rate
of 100°F per hour down to 700°F. Here is how you would
program the two segments:
Rate Temp.
Segment °F/°C °F/°C Hold
1 500/277 1450/788 00.00
2 100/55 700/371 00.00
The first segment is the heating segment. The second
one is the cooling segment. The controller does not use mi-
nus numbers for cooling. Just enter a lower target tempera-
ture than that of the previous segment.
If you prop the lid or door for a fast cooling, program a
fast cooling rate for that segment. If you lower the tempera
-
ture quickly by propping the lid but program a slow cooling
rate, the controller will just raise the temperature again.
Example: Some glass artists flash-cool the glass just after
it fuses. They open the door a few inches to remove heat,
then close it again. This takes the glass down rapidly
through the devitrification range. To program a flash-cool,
use maximum rate. This shuts off the heating elements dur
-
ing that segment, allowing the kiln to cool rapidly.
Note: During fast cooling, do not open the door all the
way. Do not force-cool the kiln with a fan.