Paragon Controllers
Owning a kiln with a Sentry controller is like hiring an assistant to
watch your kiln. Electronic controllers make firing you kiln very
easy, pleasant, and consistent. Nevertheless, please remember that you
should monitor the kiln occasionally during firing, especially near the
expected shut-off. (Paragon does not warrant against over-fires.)
Paragon has 2 styles of electronic controllers on their kilns , as
well as the SnF Non-digital Automatic control and the traditional "kilnsitter" type controller.
TnF - Sentry 2.0 12-Key Sentry Xpress 3-Key SnF
- SemiAutomatic Orton
Auto-Cone
Sentry
2.0 12-Key Controller
NEW! See the Interactive
Controller Demo
Two
Firing Modes
The Sentry 2.0
operates in two modes: ceramic Cone-Fire, and custom-firing
Ramp-Hold. The Sentry 2.0 on ceramic kilns comes with both
Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold. The Sentry 2.0 on glass kilns
comes with Ramp-Hold mode only.
Ceramic
Cone-Fire Mode
Cone-Fire fires
to pyrometric cones. Simply enter cone number and firing speed (fast,
medium or slow). Among the exciting features:
 | Slow Cooling
Adjustable cooling rate. Experiment with cooling to
achieve shifts in glaze color and crystalline development.
| Customized Speeds
Alter the standard Cone-Fire Slow, Medium and Fast firing speeds
with the Options key.
| Skip Segment
skips past Pre-Heat and Hold during firing.
| Pre-Heat
maintains a drying, or candling, temperature of 200°F for the
period you specify at the beginning of firing.
| Cone Table
Enter a cone number. This feature shows temperature for that
cone.
| Hold
soaks the ware at the end of a Cone-Fire. This produces higher
gloss and richer, deeper colors in some glazes. |
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Ramp-Hold
Custom Programming
Ramp-Hold
allows you to infinitely adjust each part of the firing cycle.
Vary the firing to obtain different effects from the same glaze.
Ramp-Hold
programs are made of segments. Each segment has a temperature, firing
rate, and, if desired, a temperature hold.
Features
| Skip Segment
skips past any segment. |
| Program Storage
of one 18-segment and three 10-segment programs, even when the kiln
is unplugged.
| Present Status
shows which segment the kiln has reached during firing.
| Cooling Control
both heating and cooling. For deeper colors, especially iron reds,
experiment with slow cooling.
| Hold
is available in every segment. |
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Additional
Features
| Temperature
Display
throughout firing and cooling in your choice of °F or °C
| Firing Cost Enter
the cost of electricity and kiln amperage in Options. After the kiln
fires to completion, press the 8 key for the cost of electricity to
fire that load.
| Rate At
the factory, we can configure a controller for you to show rate as
degrees of temperature change per hour (the default), degrees of
temperature change per minute, or elapsed time needed to reach a
temperature.
| Stop/Back Key
goes back one step with each key press during programming. Use this
feature to correct programming errors.
| Add Time Key
adds five minutes to a temperature hold with each key press during
firing. Helpful for glass with holds.
| Program Review
lets you check that the program you are about to fire is correct.
| Audible
Temperature Alarm
to remind yourself to close a vented lid or to check the kiln near
firing completion.
| 30 Month Warranty
| Thermocouple
Selection
The Sentry 2.0 can operate types K, S or R thermocouples.
| Error Messages
report mechanical problems such as a disconnected thermocouple, bad
voltage, temperature deviation.
| 14 Segment
Display is
easier to read than the previous 7 segment.
| Program Safety
Lock for
the program in active memory. Gives you peace of mind.
| Delay Fire
Set the time that the firing is to start. The kiln will turn on at
that time.
| LED Lights
show when the relays are powered.
| Quick Release
Molex Connectors
permit fast removal of the controller. Replacing the Sentry 2.0 or
Sentry Xpress takes only minutes. |
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Thermocouples
The
thermocouple senses temperature inside the kiln. The standard
thermocouple on most Paragon kilns equipped with the Sentry 2.0 is the
¼” Type-K. It is hermetically sealed in a metal sheath for long
life. Though
a precision instrument, the thermocouple wears with use, resulting in a
gradual shift in temperature readout. (This wear occurs mostly above
2000°F.) If you fire pottery, consider the deluxe Type-S, noted for its
extreme longevity.
AOP
Vent
The
“Auxiliary Output” is available on most Paragon TnF kilns. The AOP
is a relay-powered electrical receptacle mounted to the kiln. You can
plug an Orton Kiln Vent into the AOP to control when the vent operates
during firing.
Three
Zone Firing
Standard
TnF kilns are single zone; 3 zone is optional on 10- and 12-sided TnF
kilns. Three zone is now faster and more accurate than on previous 3
zone controllers because of the Sentry’s time-temperature algorithm.
This eliminates the temperature lag adjustment.
Sentry Xpress
3-Key Controller
NEW! See the Interactive
Controller Demo
For
Ceramics
The Sentry
Xpress version 4 micro processor is packed with features. On ceramic
kilns, the controller includes Cone-Fire and 8-segment Ramp-Hold modes
to give you amazing flexibility in firing your kiln.
| Cone-Fire
mode fires your clay and glazes to a pyrometric cone. Simply
enter the recommended cone number and a firing speed of Fast,
Medium, or Slow. Let the controller do the thinking for you.
| Ramp-Hold
mode lets you program custom firings with up to 8 steps, or
segments. Fire exotic glazes such as crystallines, or slow the
cooling to enhance certain glazes. Enjoy brilliant colors that
were once thought impossible in electric firing.
| Skip Segment
skips past a segment during Ramp-Hold firing without having to stop
the kiln to reprogram.
| Hold
(soak) maintains a specific temperature in both Cone-Fire and
Ramp-Hold modes. Some artists use Hold to increase color saturation
of china paints.
| Add Hold Time
during firing in either mode without having to stop the kiln to
reprogram.
| Change Target
Temperature
in Ramp-Hold during firing without having to stop the kiln to
reprogram.
| Program Review
lets you check that the program you are about to fire is correct.
| Temperature Alarm
can be programmed to sound when the kiln reaches a specific
temperature. Set the alarm to remind yourself to close a
vented lid or to check the kiln before the expected shutoff time.
| Storage Memory
Ramp-Hold mode can store 4 programs.
| Delay
can be set to turn on the kiln later to suit your schedule.
| Temperature
Display
throughout firing and cooling in your choice of °F or °C
| Thermocouple
Offset
adjusts the thermocouple readout.
| Instruction
Manual is
written in plain English. This colorful, illustrated manual will
guide you through each step.
| Quick Start Guide
shows programming instructions for both firing modes. Place it on
the wall near your kiln for easy reference.
| Error Messages
report mechanical problems such as a disconnected thermocouple,
stuck relay, temporary power failure during firing, or a broken
element.
| 12-Month Warranty
| LED Lights
show whether you are in program, review, or firing mode.
| Quick Release
Connectors
on the back of the controller permit fast removal without tools. |
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For
Glass Fusing and Jewelry
The Sentry
Xpress version 4 micro processor is packed with features. On glass and
jewelry kilns, the controller includes Single-Speed and 8-segment
Ramp-Hold modes.
| Single-Speed
mode is quick and easy for simple firings that need only one speed
fired to one temperature. Choose from five speeds, and enter the
temperature.
| Ramp-Hold
mode lets you program custom firings with up to 8 steps, or
segments. Fire thick, large glass pieces such as bowls and platters.
Slow the cooling through the annealing range. Trade firing
“recipes” with friends.
| Skip Segment
skips past a segment during Ramp-Hold firing without having to stop
the kiln to reprogram.
| Hold
(soak) maintains a specific temperature in both Single-Speed and
Ramp-Hold modes. Use hold to give you greater control of the final
stage in fusing or slumping.
| Add Hold Time
during firing in either mode without having to stop the kiln to
reprogram.
| Change Target
Temperature
in Ramp-Hold during firing without having to stop the kiln to
reprogram.
| Program Review
lets you check that the program you are about to fire is correct.
| Temperature Alarm
can be programmed to sound when the kiln reaches a specific
temperature. Set the alarm to remind yourself to check the kiln
before the expected shutoff time so that you can watch the glass as
it reaches its perfect stage of fusing.
| Storage Memory
Ramp-Hold mode can store 4 programs.
| Delay
can be set to turn on the kiln later to suit your schedule.
| Temperature
Display
throughout firing and cooling in your choice of °F or °C
| Thermocouple
Offset
adjusts the thermocouple readout.
| Instruction
Manual is
written in plain English. This colorful, illustrated manual will
guide you through each step.
| Quick Start Guide
shows programming instructions for both firing modes. Place it on
the wall near your kiln for easy reference.
| Error Messages
report mechanical problems such as a disconnected thermocouple,
stuck relay, temporary power failure during firing, or a broken
element.
| 12-Month Warranty
| LED Lights
show whether you are in program, review, or firing mode.
| Quick Release
Connectors
on the back of the controller permit fast removal without tools. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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SnF Non-Digital
Automatic Control Type
Set-n-Fire:
SnF-series automatic kilns use switch-timers to change the heat settings.
A Dawson Kiln Sitter with Limit Timer shuts the kiln off at the end of the firing.
The top switch of an SnF kiln is an infinite control. The switch cycles on and off.
The higher the switch setting, the longer the heating elements stay on during each cycle.
This switch controls the heat output during the first stage of firing.
The 2nd switch (and 3rd, if the kiln has one) is a switch-timer. When you set these switches, you are adjusting
timers, the same way you would set an egg timer. As the kiln fires and the timers run out of time, the second (and then the third) switches turn on, thereby delivering power to the elements.
At the beginning of firing, the only elements that turn on are the ones wired to the top switch.
When the time you set on the second switch elapses, stage two firing begins. The time adjusted on the second switch determines the firing time of the first stage.
The third switch (if the kiln has one) is a timer that adjusts firing time on the second stage of firing.
As timers run out of time, more elements are powered, raising the temperature.
The SnF kilns are easy to fire. Basic switch settings are printed right on the front of the switch box.
The SnF kilns have proven, since 1987, to be very reliable.
Along with the timers, the SnF control design utilized a kilnsitter/auto
cone to terminate firing at the desired cone. Read the section on Orton
AutoCone for more information
Orton
AUTO-CONE
The
AUTO-CONE is not as flexible in firing or programming as either of the
electronic controllers on this page. However the AUTO-CONE is a
good low-cost alternative for ceramic firing.
For
Ceramics
The AUTO-CONE®
is designed to stop the firing process once your kiln has achieved the
desired amount of heat work. Heat work is defined as the combined effect
of both time and temperature related to the firing of ceramic ware.
Utilizing a small standard Orton cone or bar, the AUTO-CONE® switch
will disengage and break the power supply to the kilns heating elements
when the cone reaches its equivalent heat work temperature.
The
AUTO-CONE® Model AC-20 is supplied with an electrically powered
synchronous timer that the operator sets to the estimated time (hours)
needed to complete the desired firing. If a malfunction were to occur
with the cone or bar the timer will shut the kiln off when it times out
without regard for the cone or bar. The timer is provided as a backup
to reduce the likelihood of damage to your kiln from over
firing.
The
AUTO-CONE® requires very little maintenance but may need an occasional
adjustment. With proper care and maintenance your AUTO-CONE® should
provide you with many years of trouble free service. Replacement parts
such as the tube assembly, cone supports or sensing rod are available
to extend the operating life of your AUTOCONE®. Frequency of
replacement depends on the type of firing, type of clay used, proper
venting and the moisture content of the pieces being fired.
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