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Test Firing with Witness Cones
A test firing will help in learning the operation and features of the controller. Follow your kiln manufacturer's
instructions for setting up your kiln.
Place a series of Orton Self-Supporting Cones on the middle shelf of your kiln so that they can be seen through a
kiln peephole. Use a series of cones close to the final firing temperature (see Appendix C). For example, if firing to
1945°F (Cone 04), use a Cone 03, Cone 04, and Cone 05 for the test firing.
To evaluate heat distribution, place a set of cones on each shelf during the test firing. Most kilns fire more
uniformly at Cone 06 than they do below Cone 06. Provide ventilation for the kiln in accordance with the kiln
®
manual or VentMaster
instruction manual.
After the firing, examine the fired cones. Some variation in the bending of the cones may occur, depending on how
the kiln was loaded and the location of the cones.
Keypad Overview
This key is for selecting a firing program and advancing through the programming steps. After
programming is complete, use this button to Start and Stop the firing.
This key is used to step forward the display values for specific program settings Also use this button
for access to the option menu.
This key is used to step backwards the display values for specific program settings. It is also used to
activate the Program Review feature.
When using the Increase and Decrease keys to program number values, the values will change more rapidly if the
key is held in.
In general, the user interface is very simple. Use the increase and decrease keys to change the display prompt,
when you see what you want on the display, press the Program key.
Display Lights
The controller uses (4) numerical displays and 3 indicator lights. The bottom light tells when the controller is
turning on the relays to power the heating elements. The top is lit when the controller is in programming mode, the
middle light is lit when the controller is in Program review mode.
Two of the four decimal points on the display are also used as indicators. The decimal point on the far right is used
to indicate if the controller is displaying temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or Centigrade (°C). If this decimal
point is lit, the controller is set to display temperatures in °C.
The center decimal point (between the second and third digit) lights whenever the display is showing a time value.
The decimal point separates Hours (on the left) from Minutes (on the right).
AF4X Kiln Controller
6
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