Ceramic Kiln/Controller
From Makers Local 256
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Creator: |
Overview
I'm building an arduino based kiln controller for driving our Kiln.
Goals/Features
- Add mode button for Candling. (raise temp to 190F and maintain temp for 12 hours.)
- Add mode buttons for Timed Firing (not sure how this might be useful, but then I know nothing of ceramic arts either. maybe glazing?)
- Add mode button for Gradual Heating (slowly heat the kiln as opposed to full electric on.)
Materials/Links
- Arduino Uno
- Thermocouple Amplifier MAX31855 breakout board ($20)
- Type K High Temp Thermocouple ($28)
- DC-AC Solid State Relay SSR-40DA 40A 3-32VDC 24-380VAC w Heat Sink ($24)
- DigiSpark Relay Shield (because I had spares and am a little afraid of hooking the SSR directly to the arduino without a transistor circuit; also I'm lazy)
Technical Details
- Status: reading temp and displaying it on lcd display; I'm waiting on the SSR from ebay to start integrated kiln testing. The high fire Type K thermocouple arrived and is installed.
Usecases
1.Turn On / Clear
- Press Init Button
2.Select Cone
- Starts at 022 and goes to 8
3.Select Hold Time (mutually exclusive with the physical cone switch)
- 0 to 9 hrs
4.Select Kiln Mode - default is Fast speed
- Press Mode Button to switch between Slow, Medium, Fast, Slow w/ controlled cooling, Medium w/ C.C. (back to slow)
| Mode | Time Segments | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fast | 1 | Balls to the wall/As hot as the elements can get |
| Medium | 4 | 1(0F-250F@200F/hr), 2(250F-1000F@400F/hr), 3(1000F-1200F@180F/hr), 4(1200F-1700F@300F/hr), Further heating at 200F/hr |
| Slow | 4 | 1(0F-250F@80/hr), 2(250F-1000F@250/hr), 3(1000F-1200F@150/hr), 4(1200F-1700F@180/hr), Further heating at 80F/hr |
| Slow w/Controlled Cooling | 8/9 | Heating cycle as Slow. Cooling is a reverse of Segments. |
| Medium w/Controlled Cooling | 8/9 | Heating cycle as Medium. Cooling is a reverse of Segments. |
5.Start Button
- Verifies all selections are valid and begins Firing Cycle.
