[Jocelyn]

Hello!

I am new to this forum, and relatively new to pottery. I just got my first kiln, A Skutt, with an envirovent 2. My question has to do with when to turn the vent off. Does the vent serve a purpose during cooling? Do I leave the vent on during cooling, or turn it off? If I turn it off to let the kiln cool slowly, do I need to open any peep plugs?

I will be doing bisque firings at 04, and glaze at 06.

Thank you!

[Marcia Selsor]

Welcome to the forum, Jocelyn!
You should have gotten some instructions with your vent system. I believe there is a requirement of drilling intake holes in the lid. At least that seems to be the case where I am teaching...the setup was already in place.
I turn off the vent system when the like hits temperature for the bisque.
Since we don't glaze fire in the the electrics, I can't say what people do for their glaze firings.The main function is to rid the fumes from heavy metals into an outside atmosphere.
So once you are finished firing, I would assume nothing more is burning off.

Marcia

[icyone]

I leave mine on all the time for my ceramic 06 glaze loads, even when it's below freezing where my kiln are. I pop the lid at about 200 F and all my plugs are in.

Cools down kiln loads about 2 hours faster when I leave it on, I was scared a couple times this winter to leave it on when it was done firing when it was super cold so I turned it off once but no problems yet. Also gives me nice even firing on all shelves. where as before I used to get hot and cool areas it all is nice and even after installing invirornvents.

[Matt Oz]

I also leave mine on with no problems. If everything is set up properly, you are supposed to be able to leave it on the whole time.

[teardrop]

An excerpt from the Envirovent2 manual located here http://www.skutt.com...ent2_Manual.pdf

"Leaving the motor in the on position during cooling will reduce the amount of time it takes to cool the

kiln to a temperature where you can safely handle your ware. Turning the motor off will not significantly

affect the kilns ability to maintain temperature or perform a slow cooling therefore it is not necessary.

If you would like to be able to automatically control when the Envirovent 2 turns on and off, you can install

an EnviroLink on KilnMaster and GlassMaster Kilns."

happy firing

teardrop

[Jocelyn]

Thank you! I do have the manual, and I have the proper holes drilled. I was just looking for some advice from people who use the vents for what they found have worked.

[Matt Oz]

Jocelyn, on 19 February 2012 - 06:17 PM, said:

Thank you! I do have the manual, and I have the proper holes drilled. I was just looking for some advice from people who use the vents for what they found have worked.

Oops my bad!. I find that leaving it on cools the kiln faster, but not by a lot.

[neilestrick]

On the Envirovent 2, L&L Vent-Sure and other vents that have the motor mounted away from the kiln, the vent can be turned off at any time you choose. With the old Envirovent and other vents where the motor is mounted directly underneath the kiln, the vent must be left ON until the kiln cools to 1400 degrees or less, to prevent heat damage to the vent. As far as how it affects your work, test, test, test.....

Neil Estrick
Kiln repair tech
L&L Distributor

[canyon fox]

Matt Oz, on 19 February 2012 - 09:44 PM, said:

Jocelyn, on 19 February 2012 - 06:17 PM, said:

Thank you! I do have the manual, and I have the proper holes drilled. I was just looking for some advice from people who use the vents for what they found have worked.

Oops my bad!. I find that leaving it on cools the kiln faster, but not by a lot.

If it cools the kiln faster, when should we turn it off during red glaze firing, where we need precise slow cooling with soaking at two or three points? My Envirovent is not underneath the kiln, so I don't have to leave it on. Should I turn it off at the first soaking?
Then what about the fumes in our studios/garagios? I don't like the noise of the fan or wasting electricity on 12-15 hour firing but , clean air is a concern?
Thank you in advance for clarifying it for me.

[Karen B]

neilestrick, on 27 February 2012 - 06:32 PM, said:

On the Envirovent 2, L&L Vent-Sure and other vents that have the motor mounted away from the kiln, the vent can be turned off at any time you choose. With the old Envirovent and other vents where the motor is mounted directly underneath the kiln, the vent must be left ON until the kiln cools to 1400 degrees or less, to prevent heat damage to the vent. As far as how it affects your work, test, test, test.....

Neil Estrick
Kiln repair tech
L&L Distributor

Thanks for clarifying this. I had always left the vent on until 500 degrees for fear of melting it. Now I will turn it off sooner.

[neilestrick]

Karen B, on 28 February 2012 - 07:15 AM, said:

neilestrick, on 27 February 2012 - 06:32 PM, said:

On the Envirovent 2, L&L Vent-Sure and other vents that have the motor mounted away from the kiln, the vent can be turned off at any time you choose. With the old Envirovent and other vents where the motor is mounted directly underneath the kiln, the vent must be left ON until the kiln cools to 1400 degrees or less, to prevent heat damage to the vent. As far as how it affects your work, test, test, test.....

Neil Estrick
Kiln repair tech
L&L Distributor

Thanks for clarifying this. I had always left the vent on until 500 degrees for fear of melting it. Now I will turn it off sooner.

This is what Skutt told me many years ago when I was having trouble with some big 35lb. jars cracking during cooling. Shutting down the vent slowed down the cooling enough that it solved the problem. Of course, leaving the vent on to 500 degrees would be even better. If it's not affecting your work negatively, leave it on.