KNOWLEDGEBASE

There are three different ways to control the cooling rate on the DynaTrol.

Method A

In this method, you enter a Vary-fire program to a cone number that includes a down-ramping segment(s) following the last heating segment. (see more below).

To use Method A, first, define what you want the kiln to do in degrees per hour.

Example: Heat from room temp to 250°F at 150°F per hour, then heat to 1950°F at 400°F per hour, then heat to Cone 6 at 108°F per hour, then cool to 1400°F at 150°F per hour.

1. To program this press and see the following (In the chart below- # = a number. First is what you press, followed after the '/' by what you will see, followed by comments in parentheses. Program segments 1,2,3,4 are in their own paragraphs) (this is an example)
2. From IDLE, press and see:
3. ENTER PROG / USER-# (There are 6 empty slots to put programs in, called User1-6.)
4. 1, ENTER / SEG-# (Each program can have up to 8 segments in it. Ours here has 4.)
5. 4, ENTER / RA 1-# (RA is the rate of rise/ fall in degF per hour- we want 150°F/ hour)
6. 150, ENTER / oF 1-# (oF means degrees F, it is the temp to get to. We want 250°F
7. 250, ENTER / HLd1-# (HOLd is a hold time at the end of the segment- no hold here)
8. 0, ENTER / RA 2-# (the '2' in RA 2 is the segment you are currently programming)
9. 400, ENTER / oF 2-#
10. 1950, ENTER / HLd2-#
11. 0, ENTER / RA 3-#
12. 108, ENTER / oF 3-#
13. OTHER / CONE-# (pressing OTHER rather than entering a temp prompts for a cone #)
14. 6, ENTER/ HLd3- # (Only enter 6 for the cone number if you are sure- not 06 etc)
15. 0, ENTER/ RA 4-# (This is the cooling segment)
16. 150, ENTER / oF 4-#
17. 1400, ENTER / Hld4-#
18. 0, ENTER/ ALAR- #
19. 9999, ENTER/ IDLE, TC 2, #
20. Press START to begin the firing, or REVIEW PROGRAM to check your programming.

Method B

In this method, you enter an Easy-Fire Program and attach a previously entered cooling program that is put into Vary-Fire User #6.

To use Method B, first, decide which easy-fire program you want to use and determine in degrees per hour how fast you want the kiln to cool and to what temperature.

Note: After around 1200°F the kiln is usually naturally cooling slower than 100F per hour. Slow Bisque/ Fast Bisque/ Slow Glaze/ Fast Glaze are just different speeds of firing. Each program still requires you to enter a cone #. For example, you can have a super slow glaze stoneware program by using the slow bisque program but telling it to go to cone 6.

For Method B's example, we are going to go to Cone 6 on a Slow Glaze program and then have it cool 150°F per hour to 1400°F. First we must enter the cooling part of the program into Vary-Fire. Next, we have to enter the regular slow glaze or whatever program, then we have to join the two together. Once the cooling part of the program is in Vary-Fire it does not have to be entered in again.

To program this press and see the following (In the chart below- # = a number. First is what you press, followed after the '/' by what you will see, followed by comments in parentheses.

1. From IDLE, press and see:
2. ENTER PROG / USER-# (Cooling part always has to be in USER 6)
3. 6, ENTER / SEG-# (There has to be 1 extra segment before the cooling segment(s).)
4. 2, ENTER / RA 1-# (This is the extra segment- it is replaced by Slow Glaze program)
5. 150, ENTER / oF 1-# (Nothing in this segment will be looked at by the DynaTrol)
6. 1900, ENTER / HLd1-# (Use safe temps anyway in case it runs solo by accident)
7. 0, ENTER / RA 2-# (This is the cooling segment- after Slow Glaze ends this begins)
8. 150, ENTER / oF 2-# (Because the temp in the kiln is hotter than 1400 it will know to cool)
9. 1400, ENTER / HLd2-#
10. 0, ENTER / IDLE, TC 2, #
11. That enters the cooling part of the program. You will never need to enter it again except to change it if necessary- it is always under USER 6.
12. Next, we enter in the Slow Glaze Program- you will have to do this every time.
13. (this is just an example)
14. From IDLE press / see:
15. SLOW GLAZE/ S-GL (S-GL is the acronym for Slow Glaze)
16. ENTER/ CONE # (It is asking for a cone number)
17. 6, ENTER/ HOLD, 0.00 (Only enter 6 for the cone number if you are sure- not 06 etc)
18. 0, ENTER/ IDLE
19. Lastly, we turn on the "16-S". This tells the DynaTrol to connect whatever program is in User 6 to the end of the Slow Glaze easy-fire program.
20. From IDLE press OTHER again and again until you see 16-S.
21. Press ENTER, see OFF
22. Press any # key- like #1- and now it will say ON
23. Press ENTER, see IDLE
24. To begin the whole firing- Press START/STOP. If you press REVIEW PROGRAM to see what you programmed it will only show the Slow Glaze easy-fire program. You know the cool-down is attached because right at the end of the Review Program a 16-S will appear.

25. Remember the USER 6 cool-down program is set in the DynaTrol forever now (until you change it). It can be added to any Easy-Fire program firing to any cone numbers between 016 and 10. Once you enter in your Easy-Fire program you can add the cool-down to it by "Turning the 16-S on".

Method C

In this method, you add a programmable cooling segment to any easy-fire program by turning on the COOL setting in the "hidden other menu". Method C is pretty simple but a little limiting. This way allows you to enter one cooling segment as you are entering any easy-fire program. It is limiting because some people like two or more cooling segments.

To use this method, first, the COOL setting must be turned on in the Hidden Other Menu. Once it is ON it will stay on from firing to firing until you set it to OFF. When it is set to ON the control gives you the opportunity to enter a cooling segment as you program any easy-fire program. You still must program the cooling segment every time you program, it is just the prompt to enter it that stays on firing to firing.

To turn on the COOL setting:

1. From IDLE, press OTHER, see RSET
2. Press 4,4,3, see NOTC
3. Press OTHER again and again until you see COOL
4. Press ENTER, see OFF
5. Press any # key- like #1, see ON
6. Press ENTER, see IDLE
7. Now, when you program any Easy-Fire program you will press/ see the following: (this is just an example)
8. From IDLE, press Slow Glaze / S-GL
9. ENTER / CONE #
10. 6, ENTER / HOLD, 0.00 (Only press 6 for cone 6 if you are firing to cone 6- not 06, etc)
11. 0, ENTER / RA 8, 0 (This is where you enter the cooling rate-150 degF/hr a good rate)
12. 150, ENTER / oF 8, 0 (Enter temp to cool to below 1400F it goes slow enough)
13. 1400, ENTER / HLd8, 0.00 (No hold here)
14. 0, ENTER / IDLE
15. Press START/STOP to begin the firing.

Also, see this

How do I control the cooling with the DynaTrol?