April 1, 2025

KNOWLEDGEBASE & FAQS

KNOWLEDGEBASE & FAQS

Caution

Can I use "Kiln Cloth" or "Kiln Paper" in my electric kiln?
Kiln Cloth might be ceramic fiber paper
Can you use a kiln for carbon burnout?
"I have a graduate student who is working with slip dip and burning out fabric. Can this be done safely in our L & L Electric kilns? Are there any concerns or dangers to the kiln? I am comfortable doing the burnout in our gas kilns, but she often has small works and wants to do just one small piece and it seems a waste of gas to fire up a gas kiln. She has done the burnout in her electric kilns at home, but since she moved here for graduate school, her kilns are not hooked up.
DON'T MELT KILN: Check the Control Configuration if you replace your control
Replacement Controls may not match your kiln's configuration. Check before using!
What about firing the kiln at night unattended?
Some people decide they need to fire their kiln unattended. Often this is at night.

Troubleshooting

Control reads higher temperature than my studio. No error code. What is wrong?
I notice the temperature on the display is saying 121F. It's not 121 in the studio. An independent Pyrometer says 80F. There is no error message on display. Did I do something wrong?
Electrical Supply Problems and slow kiln performance
One of the most difficult kiln performance problems to address is a problem with the electrical supply to the kiln.
Element Connections are glowing. Why? What should be done?
An element connection can begin to glow if it is overheating. There are a few ways this can happen.
Error Codes for the One-Touch Control
tC FAIL tC alternating with FAIL indicates the thermocouple has failed. Replace the defective thermocouple. To clear the error, press any key.
Error Codes: Display Reads 2400 or CPLt When it Starts Up
Even though you know the kiln is not that hot: this indicates a thermocouple failure.
Error Codes: E-4, E- 4, or Err4
Specifically this error code means that during a cooling segment in the programmed firing, one of the thermocouple temperatures is more than 50 degrees above the set point for longer than 1
Error Codes: How and Why to Turn Off
To Toggle Error Codes On and Off
Error Codes: How to fix E- 2 or Err2
Err2 can only happen in a hold segment. One of the 3 temps has to be 50°F higher than the hold temp for this error to happen.
Error Codes: How to fix E-1 or Err1
Flowchart for understanding how to fix Error 1, Err1, E-1
Error Codes: How to fix E-22 or E- 6 error
E-22 is the same as E-6. It means one of the thermocouple wires is connected backwards. Here is how to fix it:
Error Codes: How to fix E-5 or Err 5
Possible Reasons for E-5E- 5 errors read as "Err5" on controls manufactured before 2006
Error Codes: How to fix E-d or Errd
Note: E- d errors read as "Errd" on controls manufactured before 2006
Error Codes: How to fix PF, E- P, E-P, ErrP
The ErrP (PF, E- P, E-P in some older models) comes from a reset of the processor during a firing.
Error Codes: List of All Error Codes
This is a list of all Error codes for the DynaTrol
Error Codes: What to do when you see "FAIL"?
This usually just means a thermocouple is broken.
For uniformity issues: Plug Peepholes
Plug Peepholes in the kiln to prevent drafts.
How can my kiln section stay on all the time in my computerized kiln, even when the on/off switch is off?
A Relay May Be Stuck ShutAll computerized kilns use relays to cycle the power on and off to the kiln sections.
How can my kiln section stay on all the time on my manual kiln even when the kiln-sitter is off?
Usually this means a relay is stuck on and needs to be replaced.
How do I fix pinholes and blistering in glazing?
The first thing to check is to make sure you are not putting on too thick a layer of glaze.
How do I keep elements from falling out of the element holders in the corner of a kiln?
Sometimes with thick elements, especially in the corner of a DaVinci, Hercules or Easy-Load kiln, the elements will have a tendency to jump out or fall out of the corners. We do
How to add soak or change temperature to a 3-Button Bartlett Control or Custom Programs in the One-Touch Control during a firing
Add Time to Hold PeriodAvailable only during a hold period. This option allows you to add time in 5 minute increments to a hold (soak) period.
How to Check Circuit Breaker or Fuses
Make sure the circuit breaker or fused disconnect switch is turned on.
How to Check Control Fuse
The control fuse is normally located on the side of the control box.
How to check if Elements Have Differentially Changed in Resistance
Empty the kiln. Turn kiln on using a fast program such as FAST GLAZE (USr3) until elements are red.
How to Check if internal control switches are bad
Voltage coming from the control outputs should be 12 volts DC
How to Check operation of the On/Off Toggle Switch
Make sure the On/Off switch is turned on. Flip the toggle switch back and forth a few times.
How to Check Polarity of Thermocouples and Lead Wires
This is the standard practice describing thermocouple polarity for Type K and Type S thermocouples that is used on L&L kilns.
How to Check Power Cord
Make sure power cord is plugged in. Reseat the plug. Pull it out of the receptacle and put it back it. This will reseat the connections.
How to Check Power Relay
Power relays are also mechanical switches that will wear out over time. Worn-out relays can be the cause of slow or incomplete firings, error codes (E-1, E-d), etc.
How to Check Thermocouple Tip
Carefully examine the thermocouple tip. This is the exposed welded joint at the end of the thermocouple.
How to Check transformer for proper operation
Use a digital multimeter to check transformer operation.
How to Check Your Voltage
Check your voltage at the receptacle or your fused disconnect box.
How to Diagnose a Slow Firing Manually Controlled Kiln
General troubleshooting ideas and tactics for troubleshooting a manual kiln
How to handle power interruptions, blackouts, and bad electrical power grids
In some places the electrical power is very inconsistent with power outages, interruptions, blackouts, voltage spikes, voltage drops, or excessive environmental line noise (such as is caused by lar
How to program a slump or tack or full fuse glass program into my 3-Key Bartlett Control or One-Touch Control?
I am having trouble with my kiln-sitter. What do I do?
Kiln Sitters in general First, download the appropriate kiln-sitter manual from L&L’s website- (PDF Library/ Controls and Thermocouples section.) Never let the kiln-sitt
Kiln stalls or stop heating with lots of clicking (relays) & no error code
Start by pressing 1,2,3 (or 1,2 on a two ring kiln).
Paper Troubleshooting Test
Running a paper test is a great way to troubleshoot your kiln. With just some scraps of paper and 5 minutes you can determine if you have any elements or relays that need replacing.
Recall at what temperature an error occurred in a DynaTrol control
LOOK IN THE HIDDEN OTHER MENU ON YOUR DYNATROL This menu contains the programmable settings for the rest of the features in the DynaTrol.
Restarting the Kiln after Getting an Error Message
You can try to restart the kiln after getting an error code.Some messages, like flashing ErrP and FAIL, will not necessarily turn off the kiln.
The center of my kiln gets too hot compared to the top and bottom.
Assuming that the loading is even and the TC offsets are set equally, uneven temps in the kiln can be a simple programmable setting issue:
The controlled cooling on an Easy-Fire keeps changing. Why?
Question: I do a controlled cooling to get even cooling rates. I've been using the User 6 program for the cooling cycle after using the Fast Glaze to fire up.
The elements fell out of the holders in my kiln - what should I do?
L&L element holders require no pins so the elements can expand over time on their own without bulging out between pins. However, sometimes elements do fall out of the holders sometimes.
The temperature in the control is jumping erratically. How do I fix it?
Electrical NoiseExternalSometimes there is electrical "noise" in your incoming line. This is hard to see (except with an oscilloscope).
Troubleshoot an INF infinite input switch
On an L&L manual kiln with INF switches the indicator pilot light
What do I do if I get error message "E-A"?
This is a rare error in the DynaTrol that indicates a problem with the memory chip.A typical scenario: