What Do You Do?
Obviously my cleaning job was inadequate. My right burner went out again and won't relight during firing (just had started body reduction ^010 or so). What is the next course of action? I cut the kiln off and closed it up. Can anyone help me clean this burner? I'm stressing since the kiln is full of Nelle's work (and we know how much of a worrier she is). She needs the pots by Thursday. Please help!
Kari, are you sure the burner needs cleaning? Did the burner go off when you turned up the heat? Maybe the shutter was not properly set for the amount of gas coming through.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried to re-light that burner?
If it still doesn't work then remove if if you can and just run a little piece of thin wire through the orifice. If it's clogged, the wire, or a very thin sewing needle taped to a long piece of doweling or a chopstick could do the job.
The burner went out when I started body reduction. I've tried to relight it, but the pilot won't stay lit. Now I'm scared to try to relight it with the door closed.
ReplyDeleteI wish I were more familiar with the burners, but I really don't have the confidence to take them apart. Perhaps someone could teach a kiln preventative maintenance class.
Call me Kari 828-467-5020
ReplyDeleteI have your wrong cell number.
John, and all - During my last firing (a bisque), my pilot light kept going out and I had to relight the kiln about ten times. My propane company thought the pilot was blowing out in the very light breeze. Don't know. But he reversed the pilot to make it less open to the outdoors, and we'll see.
ReplyDeleteAny general advice about this subject? I lost porcelain in this bisque load to the shifts in temp.
Eleanore,
ReplyDeleteCould be the pilot or the thermocouple going bad? Hard to say.
Kari,
ReplyDeleteYou up and running ok?
Eleanor, if it's not the wind, then you may need a new thermocouple for the pilot burner if your pilot has it's own burner. They're about $12 from Marc Ward.
ReplyDeleteIt's always a good idea to have a spare on hand if that's what your system uses.
June
Kari,
ReplyDeleteWere you able to complete your firing? Do you just have one safety for all your burners? When I have a burner go off like yours, it's either the pilot thermocouple needs replacing or I need to replace the safety valve. In a pinch, you can bypass the safety and use a C clamp to hold down the button that depress to light the burners; but in that case, don't leave the kiln alone!