This is my Chili Pepper Bead Annealer. I’ve had it since sometime in 2005 I believe, but it wasn’t until early last year that I really started using it five times a week. This has been a really good kiln, and I love it despite the fact that it’s red.

Yesterday, the relay decided to stop working. I turned the kiln on and started dipping mandrels and so forth, and when I looked back at the kiln the temp. was at 550ºF and dropping. I messed with it until the cycle started again, and the kiln started heating up again, but when I looked back at it, the temp was dropping again. The third time I tried, I watched the thing like a hawk and it worked fine. I don’t trust it though.

So, I knew this was going to happen – it is a part that is expected to wear out. It is lucky that it didn’t get supper heated (relay not turning off) instead of loosing temp. (relay not turning on.) And, I suppose it’s good it didn’t happen when Emily (hi Emily!) was here. But gosh darn it, I wanted a couple of good weeks of torching before the gathering!

Anyway, Mike at Jen-Ken was very nice and ordered me a couple of relays (an extra one for when this happens again.) He said the relay comes with instructions and that he would personally walk me through the process if necessary – even if the relay comes on Friday and it’s after hours or on Saturday. So, that reassured me a little.

It has occurred to me that I had an electronics unit in my college physics class, so I should be able to muddle my way through this. If worse comes to worse, I can always pack up the kiln and relay and bring it in to Flame Tree Glass and let Lance fix it. I will be in town next week for the Southern Flames meeting. But hopefully I’ll be able to manage. Messing with the kiln just scares me for some reason.