Consult licensed electrician Evenheat Kilns Evenheat Kilns & Ovens Jen-Ken Kilns Kiln Safety Kiln Troubleshooting Kilns maintenance Olympic Kilns Paragon Kilns Slow Ramping Kiln

Why is my kiln ramping so slow?

Sometimes you get a new kiln, program the controller, push start and it just ramps super slow. Many times the cause of this issue is that you don't have the correct breaker installed, the wire size is too small for the electrical draw, or you are just too darn far from the breaker box.

NEMA code states that a breaker should allow for a 10-15% variance in amperage for surges, etc. For example, if a kiln draws 30 amps at a full ramp, the breaker should allow for 33-36 amps of space/variance on the circuit or breaker. This means the breaker needs to be at least 40 amps since there is just NO room on a 30 amp breaker for a 30 amp draw.  Also if the breaker is too small, it can be a fire hazard due to the amount of heat that will be created.

With that in mind, here is a quick checklist of things to troubleshoot:
  • Go to the breaker box.... is the correct breaker installed?
  • Are you plugged directly into the wall receptacle? NO extension cords allowed!
  • What program are you using? Is the ramp speed too slow?
  • Turn off kiln and then on again. Put in a program with one segment... Ramp FULL/9999 to 1500F hold 10 min. How long did it take to reach 1500F? Did it reach temp? (larger kilns take longer to heat than smaller ones. A larger kiln may only be able to heat at 400-500 dph.
  • Do you have a multi-meter to check the voltage of the line too assure you are getting the full amperage you need?
As always, please consult a licensed electrician as they should be very aware of this code and its requirements. Most of all we want you to be safe!!

If you need a small kiln that fires to cone 10 on 120V you should check out the Olympic HB86E and the Paragon Caldera Digital.

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