Complete Ramp-Hold Operating Instructions
Sentry
Digital Temperature Controller
See pages 24 - 25 for instructions on upgrading your DTC
100, 600, 800 or 1000 series board to the Sentry.
Program (pg 8)
From IdLE, press 4.
Select stored program (1 - 4).
Enter rate, temperature, and
hold for each segment.
Edit a Program (pg 13)
During firing, press 4.
Change the current segment
temperature. Press Enter.
Change the hold. Press Enter.
The kiln will continue firing.
Alarm (pg 12)
From IdLE or during
firing, press 7.
Enter a temperature. When
alarm sounds during firing,
press Enter.
Enter/Start (pg 8)
Press Enter/Start after each
step in programming a firing.
Press Enter/Start once from
to begin firing.
Options (pg 14-18)
From IdLE, press 0. Press
Enter for option displayed.
Change the thermocouple
temperature. (Pg 14)
(Pg 15)
Se-
lect Type K, S or R. (Pg 15)
Select vent fan or alarm if your
kiln has an auxiliary output. This
is a special-order feature. (Pg 16)
Shows the factory setting. (Pg 16)
Enter the
rate shown on your electric bill.
(Pg 16)
Enter your kiln’s wattage. (Pg 16)
2.0
Select
identification number for output to
a computer. (Pg 17)
Set temperature sensitivity for
FTH, FTC & LTdE errors. (Pg 17) will appear. (First enter
(Pg 17) electrical cost in the
Check for overheating. (Pg 18)
Make a
program tamper-proof. (Pg 18)
For
technicians. (Pg 18)
(Pg 18)
Diagnos-
tics tool. (Pg 18)
Removes thermo-
couple offset and returns the
board to factory defaults. (Pg 18)
Delay (pg 11)
From IdLE, press 3.
Enter time in hours:minutes.
Delays the start of firing.
Add Time (pg 11)
During firing, press 2.
Each additional key press
adds five minutes to a hold.
Present Status (pg 12)
During firing, press 5.
Shows the segment number that
is currently firing and whether the
segment is in ramp or hold.
Program Review (pg 9)
From IdLE or during
firing, press 6.
Shows the program that is
loaded in memory and ready to
fire, or the one that is firing.
Skip Segment (pg 13)
During firing, press 9, then
Enter.
Skips to the next ramp.
Firing Cost (pg 12)
Press 8 after the kiln Stop/Back (pg 7)
fires to completion. Press during firing or
The cost of the last firing programming.
Stops a firing.
In Options, takes you back
option and kiln to .
wattage in the op- During programming, takes
tion, pg 16.) you back one step each
time key is pressed.
Multiple-Zone Options
(pg 14)
Largest
temperature difference be-
tween any two zones. (Pg 14)
Shows temperature of each
zone. (Pg 14)
IM-218/3-10
1
Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Sentry micro processor, our most advanced generation of digi-
tal temperature controllers. As you read the manual, have your controller in front of you so
that you can try out the keys.
The controller display messages are limited to four characters. For this reason, the messages
appear cryptic: IdLE instead of “Ready to begin,” CPLT instead of “Fired successfully to
completion,” RA1 instead of “Enter rate for first segment.” If at any time you are confused by
these messages, turn to Appendix A: Display Messages on pages 22 - 23.
The front cover is a quick guided tour of the controller. The back cover is a quick guide to
programming, to be used after you have learned the programming in-
structions on page 8. Do not worry if
you hear a click-
Do not worry if you hear a clicking noise during operation. Mechanical ing noise during
relays click as they turn the heating elements on and off. This is normal. operation. Me-
The warranty on your Sentry controller does not cover damage from chanical relays
overfiring, regardless of the circumstances. It is the operator’s responsi- click as they turn
bility to make sure the kiln turns off at the end of the firing. the heating ele-
ments on and off.
If you purchased the TnF 2 portable controller, you should find a TnF 2
installation instruction sheet in addition to these instructions.
Instructions for multiple-zone kilns are included in this manual on pages 13 - 14. If you are
not sure whether your kiln is multiple-zone, look into the firing chamber. If you see two or
three thermocouple tips, your kiln is multiple-zone. If you see only one thermocouple, skip
multiple-zone instructions.
New features introduced with Sentry software version 18D: The Rate option (page 16), rate
shown in Present Status (page 12), firing cost calculation (page 16),
Do not leave the TCL alarm (page 21), PF1 alarm (page 20), and 2 segments added to
kiln unattended, the User 1 program for a total of 20 (page 7). To check the software ver-
especially near sion of your Sentry, press the OPTIONS key repeatedly until SOFT ap-
the expected pears. Press ENTER. Your controller’s software version will appear.
shut-off time. Be 18D and later versions include the new features.
there to make
sure the kiln Once you learn the basic features of the Sentry, you will be able to
turns off. control every stage of firing. This offers learning opportunities and
convenience difficult to imagine with a manual-controlled kiln.
©2001, by Paragon Industries, Inc. IM-218/3-10

2 Ramp-Hold
 Contents
Getting Started. . . . . . . . 5
Room Temperature
and Humidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Thunder Storms and
Power Surges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Time and Temperature Display. . 5
The IdLE Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Thermocouple Inspection . . . . . . 5
Preventing an Overfire. . . . . . . . . 6
Theory of Operation . . . . . . . . . . 6
Programming
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . 7
The Stop/Back Key . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Correcting Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Canceling a New Program . . . . . 7
Storing “User” Programs . . . . . . 7
Firing a Stored User Program. . . 7
Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Programming Steps . . . . . . . . . . 8
Repeat Firings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Program Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Programming a
Cooling Segment . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
CPLT Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Temperature Overshoot . . . . . . 10
Starting a Firing in a Hot Kiln . . 10
AOP Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
A Practice Program . . . . . . . . . . 10
Sample Firing
Programs . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Heat Treating D-2 Steel . . . . . 10
Glass Fusing Firing Schedule 10
Glass Slumping
Firing Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Other Features . . . . . . . 11
The Add Time Key. . . . . . . . . . . 11
Delay Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Present Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Temperature Alarm . . . . . . 12
Estimating the Firing Cost. . . . . 12
Skip Segment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Editing the Current Segment
During Firing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Multiple-Zone Kilns . . . 13
An Overview of Multiple-
Zone Firing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Thermocouple Failure
In a Multiple-Zone Kiln . . . . . . . 13
Power Output Lights . . . . . . . . . 13
Testing Multiple-Zone
Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
DIFF / Zone Temperature
Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
T123 / Zone Temperature
Display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The Options Key. . . . . . 14
TCOS / Thermocouple Offset . . 14
Calibrating Thermocouple
Offset With a
Digital Pyrometer . . . . . . . . . . 14
Setting Thermocouple Offset . 15
Multiple-Zone
Thermocouple Offset . . . . . . . 15
CHG- / Selecting °F or °C . . . . . 15
°F/°C Temperature
Conversion Formula . . . . . . . . 15
TC / Thermocouple Type . . . . . 15
AOP / Auxiliary Outlet . . . . . . . . 16
RATE / Types of Rates . . . . . . . 16
COST / Electric Cost
Per Kilowatt-Hour . . . . . . . . . . . 16
KW / Kilowatts Used to
Calculate Firing Cost. . . . . . . . . 16
Id / Computer ID . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
TEdE / Temperature Deviation . 17
SFTY / Maximum Temperature . 17
ELEC / Electronics
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
LOCK / Program Lock . . . . . . . . 18
CFG / Configuration Code . . . . 18
SOFT / Software Version. . . . . . 18
TEST / Element Test . . . . . . . . . 18
RST / Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Error Messages . . . . . . 19
FTC / Failed to Cool . . . . . . . . . 19
FTH / Failed to Heat . . . . . . . . . 19
LTdE / Low Temperature
Deviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
PF / Power Failure . . . . . . . . . . . 19
TC with Lines / Multiple-Zone
Kiln Thermocouple Failure . . . . 19
- - - - / No Thermocouple. . . . . . 20
BAdP / Bad Programming . . . . 20
ETH / Electronics Too Hot . . . . 20
FAIL / Thermocouple Failure . . 20
FTL / Firing Too Long . . . . . . . . 20
HTdE / High Temperature
Deviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
PF1 / Power Failure. . . . . . . . . . 20
PF 2 / Power Failure . . . . . . . . . 20
PF 3 / Power Failure . . . . . . . . . 20
TC 2 / Thermocouple Failure . . 20
TCL / Thermocouple Lag . . . . . 21
LId / Missing Connector Pin . . . 21
TCdE / Uneven Multiple-Zone
Temperatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
TCR / Thermocouple
Leads Reversed. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Power Failures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
When the Kiln Shuts
Off Too Soon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Appendix A:
Display Messages . . . . 22
Appendix B:
Upgrading Instructions 24
Upgrading the DTC 100, 600, 800
and 1000 Series to the Sentry
Appendix C:
User Program Records 26
Appendix D:
Quick Programming. . . 28
3
Safety
The warranty on your Sentry controller does not cover
damage from overfiring, regardless of the circumstances.
It is the operator’s responsibility to make sure the kiln
turns off at the end of the firing.
Follow these safety rules in addition to the ones in your
kiln or furnace manual:
When the kiln is not in
use, disconnect the power
and keep the lid or door
closed. (For larger kilns
with heavy cordsets, we
recommend a power
disconnect box near the
kiln.)
Do not leave the kiln unattended, especially
near the expected shut-off time. Do not leave a
kiln turned on at your studio while you are at
home sleeping.
Wear firing safety glasses when looking into the
peephole of a hot kiln.
Do not touch hot sides of kiln or furnace. Keep
unsupervised children away.
Install your kiln or furnace at least 12 inches
from any wall or combustible surface. (See
manufacturer’s recommendation for your
model.)
Do not open lid or door until kiln or furnace has
cooled and all switches are off.
Fire only in a well-ventilated, covered and pro-
tected area away from flammable materials.
Keep cordset away from hot sides of kiln or fur-
nace.
DANGEROUS VOLTAGE! Do not touch heat-
ing elements with anything. Disconnect kiln or
furnace before servicing.
Do not operate if the controller itself is hotter
than 158°F / 70°C. (See instructions on page 18
for checking circuit board temperature.) Never
allow the firing room temperature to exceed
110°F / 43°C. (Measure room temperature
three feet from the kiln.)
Stop a firing by pressing the STOP button, not
by disconnecting the power. In certain condi-
tions, the controller will interpret a power inter-
4 Ramp-Hold
ruption as a power failure and turn the kiln back
on when you reconnect the power.
Place the kiln on the stand recommended by the
manufacturer. When a kiln is safety tested by
UL, the lab fires the kiln on the stand designed
for the kiln. Cinder blocks or bricks can inhibit
the flow of air under the kiln. They can also
change the kiln’s heating characteristics.
Place the kiln on a non-combustible surface.
Keep the kiln lid or door closed when the kiln is
not in use. This keeps dust out of the kiln. Also,
should someone turn on the kiln while you are
away, the closed lid will keep the heat safely in-
side the firing chamber.
Never place anything on the kiln lid, even when
the kiln is idle. If people become accustomed to
placing papers and other objects on the kiln,
they may forget and do that while the kiln is fir-
ing.
Remove all tripping hazards from around the
kiln. Keep the kiln’s supply cord out of traffic ar-
eas.
Avoid using extension cords.
Never fire tempered glass inside a kiln. It could
explode.
Greenware, which is unfired clay, must be bone
dry before firing. Moist greenware can explode
inside the kiln, damaging the ware and the kiln.
Place a piece of greenware against the inside of
your wrist. If it feels cool, it is too wet to fire.
Store kiln shelves in a dry area. Moist shelves
can explode inside a kiln.
If you smell burn-
ing plastic, turn
the kiln off. Exam-
ine the wall outlet
and supply cord for
signs of burning.
Never place extra
insulation around
the kiln in an attempt to conserve energy. The
extra insulation can cause the wiring and the
steel case to over-heat.
Chapter 1 When the Sentry sends a signal to
I
the relays, all three lights appear.

Getting Started
Room Temperature
and Humidity
It is okay to store the Sentry at sub-zero
temperatures. But before operating, raise the
room temperature to at least 32°F / 0°C.
Note: The Sentry will register sub-zero °F / °C
temperatures. However, 32°F / 0°C is the low-
est recommended operating temperature.
The circuit board is rated for 176°F / 80°C
maximum operating temperature. However,
the maximum recommended temperature is
158°F / 70°C, measured at the controller inside
the kiln switch box. To lower the temperature,
open windows and use a fan to blow air across
the kiln’s switch box louvers. (See page 18 to check circuit
board temperature.)
High humidity will not adversely affect the Sentry unless
water condenses on the circuit board. In this case, do not
fire the kiln until the moisture has evaporated from the
board.
Thunder Storms and
Power Surges
Unplug the kiln when not in use, especially during thun-
der storms and in areas with frequent power surges. If the
kiln is part way through a firing when a storm begins, it may
be okay to continue the firing. When the kiln shuts off, dis-
connect the power.
CAUTION: When firing the kiln during a storm, do
not leave the kiln unattended!
Time and Temperature
Display
Center Dot: Time
A center dot appears during
time display. It separates hours
from minutes (i.e. 1 hour, 30
minutes displays as 01.30). During temperature display,
the dot disappears.
Three-Light Display
The Sentry turns on the
heating elements intermit-
tently through relays. Power
output lights appear in the
right side of the display when the Sentry sends a signal to
turn on the relays.
I The top light indicates power to
the top section of the kiln, the middle light power to the
middle section, and the bottom light power to the bot-
tom section. (Two-zone kilns: Ignore the center light.)
Note: Though power output lights are on, mechanical
problems can prevent the relays from turning on.
Single Right-Hand Dot: °C
When temperature is dis-
played in °C, a dot appears in
the lower right. In °F display, it
disappears. You can choose
between Fahrenheit and Celsius display. See page 15.
Operation Begins from the
IdLE Display
The controller displays
when you first apply
power to the kiln. Operation
begins from . You can’t
fire the kiln until ap-
pears.
I If you press during a firing, will appear.
To get back to , press .
I If the display shows an error message such as in-
stead of , see pages 19 - 21.
I (firing completed) appears at the end of a firing.
To make appear, press any key.
I If you do not touch the keys for one minute during pro-
gramming, the controller will go back to . The
controller will also discard the program you were enter-
ing and retain the previous program in memory.
Thermocouple Inspection
The small rod protruding into the firing chamber is the
temperature sensor, or thermocouple.
CAUTION: Bumping the thermocouple can push it
out of the firing chamber. This could cause an overfire!
The controller does not contain an alarm to detect this
type of failure. Bumping the thermocouple could also
cause inaccurate readings.
Thermocouples come in different widths. The wider the
thermocouple, the farther it should extend into the firing
chamber. A ½” - ¼” diameter thermocouple should extend
into the firing chamber about 1”. A 1 8” thermocouple
should extend into the chamber ½” - 5 8”. (Do not be con-
cerned if your thermocouple extends into the firing cham-
ber even farther.)
Keep shelves, posts and ware 1” - 1 ½” away from the
thermocouple. Keep an extra thermocouple on hand, es-
pecially if you fire hotter than 2000°F / 1093°C.

5
 If you are using a portable, separate controller, you will can also have a hold. Shown in the chart in the left column
need to install the thermocouple onto the kiln. See the sep- is a segment with a target temperature of 1250°, a rate of
arate TnF 2 installation instructions. 625°, and a hold of one hour.
The two parts of a segment:
Preventing an Overfire I : The temperature changes.
Even though a digital controller turns off the kiln auto- I : The temperature remains the same.
matically, you should monitor the kiln during firing. This is
to prevent a possible overfire. Heating rate is figured in degrees per hour. The recom-
mended heating rate for the material you are firing is usu-
Remain nearby while the kiln is firing. ally available from your supplier. It also varies
Check the kiln occasionally. depending on the thickness of the material.
“Rate” is how
Set the temperature alarm (page 12) to many degrees per A segment can have only one ramp and
remind yourself to check the kiln. If you only one hold. Therefore, if you need more
hour the kiln will
are too far away to hear the alarm, you than one hold, you will have to add additional
might try using a baby monitor. climb in temper-
segments to the firing. Firing to a temperature
ature. (Or how at a single rate would need only one segment.
After the kiln fires to completion, dis- fast it cools
connect the power. It is okay to turn off Reasons to add more segments:
the power to the controller while the
during a con- I To change the heating rate.
kiln cools to room temperature. trolled cooling.) I To add a hold somewhere below the
shut-off temperature.
Theory of Operation I To control the cooling rate.
The temperature you are firing to is called The diagram below shows a 3-segment firing. Two seg-
the target temperature. After the Sentry reaches the target ments were used on the way up in temperature. Another
temperature, it can also hold that temperature. segment was added for controlled cooling.
The Sentry fires at a controlled heating rate. The rate is To figure how many hours a segment will take to fire,
figured in degrees per hour. If you selected a rate of 100° subtract the current temperature from the target tempera-
per hour, it would take 10 hours for the furnace to reach ture and divide the result by the heating rate. In the dia-
1000°. Rate is similar to miles per hour. gram in the left column, the firing time is 1250° - 80° (room
In summary, the Sentry does three basic tasks: temperature) = 1170 ÷ 625 = 1.87 hours.
1) It fires at a controlled heating rate, or speed, mea- After the Sentry has finished firing the last segment, it
sured in degrees of temperature change per hour. will turn off power to the heating elements.
2) It fires to a target temperature.
3) It can hold the target temperature.
The Sentry fires in segments, or stages. A segment is a
controlled heating rate to a target temperature. A segment

Here is a simple 3-segment program. Segments 1 and 2 each have

a hold. Segment 3 is a controlled cooling segment.

This segment will reach the target temperature of 1250° in 2 hours, then
hold that temperature for 1 hour.

6 Ramp-Hold
Chapter 2 available—use only the number needed. Often one seg-
ment is all you will need.

Programming
When you program a firing, you will be asked to enter a
rate for each segment. Step 7, Programming Instructions,
next page, shows you how to zero out the segments you

Instructions
don’t need.
When entering a program for the first time, press after
appears. Your first firing will be stored as Program
Before using your Sentry, read all of this 1.
chapter. Have your controller in front of Each time you store another program, select the next
you so that you can try out the keys as you available number, such as 2, at the prompt. Select-
read. ing a number for a new program over-writes (erases) any
program stored there. Write down your user programs for
The Stop/Back Key quick reference. (Make copies of the blank form on page
26.)
You can stop a firing at any time by
pressing . Note: For repeat firings that you don’t want to inad-
vertently change, see Program Lock, page 18.
If you enter Options, you do not have to go through all
the prompts to get back out. Press to go to .
During programming, the key will take Firing a Stored User Program
you back one programming step with each key press, so it is After you enter a new program and the display shows
easy to make corrections. , the new program is in memory and ready to fire.
Selecting a different stored program takes only seconds:
Correcting Entries From press .
If you enter the wrong temperature, rate, etc., while pro- will appear. Enter the program number (1 -
gramming, enter 0000. Then enter the correct numbers be- 9).
fore pressing .
If there are no changes Keep a record of
Canceling a New Program to the program, press
twice. will
your stored pro-
If you do not touch the keys for one minute during pro- grams and all
appear. The controller
gramming, the controller will go back to the display. is ready to fire your se- your firings.
The controller will also discard the program you were en-
lected program. To be- Write down the
tering and will retain the previous program in memory. results of each
gin firing, press
This is useful if you change your mind during program- once. firing. This may
ming and decide to keep the previous program. Instead of become invalu-
completing the new program, wait a minute and let the Note: Use Program Re-
controller return to . view, page 9, before firing. able later.
See also “Repeat Fir-
ings,” page 9.
Storing “User” Programs
To program the controller,
press .
must appear. From
will appear. The controller is ready
Rate
for you to choose a stored program or to enter a new one. Each segment must include a rate, which is the firing
(See next page for program- speed of that segment. We measure rate as degrees per
hour. This is similar to miles per hour; just replace miles
ming instructions.) When USER ap- with degrees. During programming, enter the rate when
The controller can hold 9 pears, the con- appears. ( will also include the segment num-
programs in memory. They troller is asking ber: etc.)
stay in memory even when the you to select a
power is turned off. Stored The diagram on the next page shows three rates. A rate
programs are numbered 1
stored program. of 1000° per hour will reach 1000° in 1 hour. A rate of 500°
through 9. User program 1 can If you have none will reach 1000° in 2 hours. A rate of 333° will reach 1000° in
have up to 20 segments. User in memory, press 3 hours.
programs 2 - 9 can have 10 seg- 1 and enter your If you want the furnace to fire at full speed, enter a rate
ments each. You don’t have to first program. of 9999. See Programming Steps, step 3, next page.
use all the segments

7
 Programming Steps
Use these instructions for your first firings. Later
you may prefer “Ramp-Hold Shorthand Instruc-
tions,” back cover.
As you follow these steps, you will see values (tem-
peratures, rates, etc.) from the last firing. To use
these again, press . To program a controlled
cooling, set the segment to a lower target tempera-
ture than that of the preceding segment.
To fire without Alarm or Delay: Follow steps 1
through 7. Then press once.
Apply power to the kiln. then
will appear. (Press if does not
appear.)
Note: In Program Review, a heating rate of 9999 is
Press . will appear. Enter a program
displayed as . When a kiln is heated at full
power, it may overshoot the target temperature, espe- number from 1 to 9.
cially in the lower range. To avoid this, add an extra Press . will appear. Enter firing
segment with a slower rate for the last 50 degrees of rate for segment 1 (temperature change per
temperature rise. hour: from 1° to 9999°).
CAUTION: The Sentry includes error messages to Press . (or ) will appear. En-
warn you when the kiln is at the wrong temperature. ter the target temperature of segment 1.
Firing the kiln at full rate turns off some of these warn-
ings. See TEdE Temperature Deviation, page 17, and Press . will appear. Enter seg-
HTdE High Temperature Deviation, page 20. ment 1 hold time in hours / minutes (e.g. 12
hours, 30 minutes = 12.30). No hold = 00.00.
If you are not sure how fast to fire, remember an old fir-
ing adage: When in doubt, slow it down. Press . If appears, and you have
an AOP receptacle on your kiln, use the 1 or
Note: At the time that you purchase the controller, the 2 key to select ON or OFF. Press .
factory can set up your controller to calculate rate in (For more details on AOP, see page 16.)
one of three ways: 1) degrees of temperature change per
hour 2) degrees of temperature change per minute, or Continue entering values for the segments
3) elapsed time needed to reach a temperature. The needed. When appears for the first
normal setting is degrees per hour. If you are having segment you don’t need, press , then
problems entering rate, check the RATE option to be . will appear. The kiln is ready
sure your controller is set for degrees per hour, page 16. to fire.
(This note applies only to 18D and later software ver- press . will appear.
sions. All pre-18D controllers figure rate only as de- Enter alarm temperature. (Enter to turn
grees per hour. See page 18, SOFT option, to look up alarm off.) Then press . will ap-
software version.) pear.

Hold press . will appear. En-

ter delay time (i.e. 12 hours, 30 minutes =
Hold is the length of time that you want the kiln to re- 12.30). Then press . will ap-
main at the target temperature. Hold is also called soak or pear. (Delay zeroes out after each completed
dwell time. Hold gives the temperature time to become firing.)
more even throughout the kiln. Hold can be used in either
heating-up or cooling-down segments. From press
In programming step 5 (see next column), enter hold once. will appear, then kiln tempera-
time. When hold is set to 99.99 hours, the Sentry will re- ture. If a delay was programmed, will
main at that temperature indefinitely until you press appear, then time remaining until start. To
. stop the firing at any time, press
When the Sentry is in hold during a firing, the display We recommend using Program Review (page 9)
will alternate between time left in hold and the tempera- before firing. When program fires to completion,
ture. will appear. Press . will appear.

8 Ramp-Hold
Repeat If you repeat the heat, then close it again.
This takes the glass down
It is easy to pro-
same firing pro- gram a con-
Firings gram often, use
rapidly through the
trolled cooling.
To repeat the last firing, devitrification range. To
press from . Program Lock so program a flash-cool, use a Simply enter a
The kiln will begin firing. that it cannot be rate of 9999. This shuts off target tempera-
Make sure you are repeat- inadvertently the heating elements during ture that is lower
ing the correct firing by us- changed. See that segment, allowing the than that of the
ing Program Review (next kiln to cool rapidly.
page 18. previous
page). For repeat firings Note: During fast cool-
that you don’t want to inad-
segment.
ing, do not open the door
vertently change, see Pro- a l l th e w a y . D o n o t
gram Lock, page 18. force-cool the kiln with a
fan.
Program Review Note: See Temperature Deviation (TEdE), page 17,
When you press to begin firing, the controller for information on error codes that may appear during
will fire the program that is in active memory. Program Re- “crash” cooling. To turn these codes off, program a
view shows the values for that program. The program in ac- crash cooling rate of 9999. This turns off TEdE error
tive memory is— codes only for that particular segment. The TEdE
I The program that was fired last, or codes still work on the hold and the other segments.
I The program that was selected since the last firing. Suppose you enter a cooling rate that is faster than the
Start Program Review from , or while firing, by kiln can cool? Depending on the rate you enter, you may
pressing . get an alarm message. (Press to turn off the alarm.)

Programming a
Cooling Segment CPLT Message: Firing
For controlled cooling, program a segment to a lower
target temperature than that of the preceding segment. Completed
When the firing has success-
Example: You fire at a rate of 500°F per hour to 1450°F fully completed, the Sentry will
with your first segment. Then you want the kiln to cool at a shut off power to the elements.
rate of 100°F per hour down to 700°F. Here is how you Then four messages will cycle
would program the two segments: one after the other:
Rate Temp.
Segment °F/°C °F/°C Hold (complete)
1 500 / 277 1450 / 788 00.00 Firing time in hours and minutes
2 100 / 55 700 / 371 00.00 The temperature reached during the last segment
The first segment is the heating segment. The second The current kiln temperature
one is the cooling segment. The controller does not use mi-
nus numbers for cooling. Just enter a lower target tempera- Note: After the kiln fires to completion, disconnect the
ture than that of the previous segment. power. It is okay to turn off the power to the controller
while the kiln cools to room temperature.
If you prop the lid or
door for a fast cooling, pro-
CPLT means the Note: (See
gram a fast cooling rate for kiln has fired to page 18 to find software version) If appears im-
that segment. If you lower completion and mediately after you press , it is because all pro-
the temperature quickly by the heating ele- grammed temperatures are lower than the current kiln
propping the lid but pro- ments are turned temperature. If the alarm sounds (see page 12), and
gram a slow cooling rate, the off. To make then the kiln fires to completion, you will see in-
controller will just raise the stead of . Press . will appear.
temperature again. IdLE appear,
press any key.
Example: Some glass art-
ists flash-cool the glass just
after it fuses. They open the
door a few inches to remove

9
Temperature Overshoot
When a kiln is heated too fast, it may overshoot the tar-
Chapter 3
Sample Firing
get temperature, especially in small kilns at lower tempera-
tures. To avoid this, add an extra segment to slow the firing.

Programs
The segment with the slower rate should begin approxi-
mately 40° - 60° below the final target temperature.

Starting a Firing in a Hot Kiln These sample firing schedules illustrate different ways
Sometimes a firing begins in a hot kiln after a power fail- to program the Sentry. When designing a firing schedule
ure or other interruption. In this case, the Sentry will begin for materials you are unfamiliar with, or when using one of
firing from the first segment that matches the current tem- these schedules, always test-fire samples first. This is be-
perature. See Power Failures, page 21. cause these generalized schedules may not exactly suit the
materials that you fire in your kiln.
AOP Fan For practice, you might want to enter these programs
The optional AOP (auxiliary output) is a special-order even though you may never actually use them.
electric receptacle mounted in the kiln’s switch box. This
Heat Treating a Knife Made from
receptacle can power a kiln vent or external alarm. (See
Options, page 16.) During programming, will appear
D-2 High Carbon Steel
Rate Temp.
for each segment ( etc.). Use the 1 and 2
Segment °F / °C °F / °C Hold
keys to select On or Off for each segment. will ap-
pear only if the AOP has been activated in the AOP Op- 1 9999 1800 / 982 00.20
tion. 2 9999 400 / 204 00.00
3 500 500 / 260 5.00
A Practice Program Wrap the knife blade in heat treating foil. (The foil pre-
vents carbon scale from forming on the steel.)
Set the alarm to 1800°F / 982°C. Place the knife in the
kiln. Heat at FULL rate to 1800°F / 982°C. When the alarm
sounds, get ready to remove the knife. After 20 minutes of
hold time, open the furnace door, remove the knife, and
leave the door half open.
CAUTION: Wear high temperature heat-resistant
gloves when removing the knife blade from the furnace.

To practice using the controller, we will enter a program Remove the blade from the heat treating foil. Place the
that includes three segments. The last segment is a cooling knife on knifeholders, which allow air to circulate around
segment. the blade. Place a fan several feet from the blade. Point the
blade toward the fan so the air flows parallel to the blade
Using the programming instructions on page 8, enter length. Cool the blade rapidly to room temperature.
this firing schedule. Then use Program Review to check for
accuracy. CAUTION: If the air hits the blades sideways, the
chance of warpage increases.
USER = 1 If you fire at a Leave the kiln door half open until the temperature
RA1 = 250 very rapid rate, drops to 400°F / 204°C. Place the knife back inside the fur-
°F 1 = 750 the kiln may mo- nace. Segment 3 will heat the kiln to 500°F / 260°C. Leave
Hd 1 = 00.00 mentarily over- the knife in the kiln for 2 hours. Remove the knife. Let it
RA2 = 900 shoot the pro- cool to room temperature. Place it back inside the kiln for
°F 2 = 1425 grammed target another 2 hours. Then remove the knife.
Hd 2 = 00.30 temperature. To Glass Fusing Firing Schedule
RA3 = 150 avoid that, use a Rate Temp.
°F 3 = 750 Segment °F / °C °F / °C Hold
slower rate.
Hd 3 = 00.00 1 250 / 138 750 / 398 00.00
RA4 = 0
2 900 / 500 1425 / 773 00.30
Note: Enter 0 for the rate in segment 4. This zeroes 3 9999 / 9999 1050 / 565 00.00
out all the segments past segment 3.
4 150 / 83 750 / 398 00.00

10 Ramp-Hold
 Stained glass, 1 8", 2 layers, full fuse. The fusing tempera-
ture will vary depending on the brand of glass, the batch, Chapter 4
Other Features
and even on the color. Vent the lid. Set the alarm to 500°F.
When the alarm sounds, close the lid from venting position
and insert peephole plugs.
Set the alarm again, this time to 1350°F. When it sounds,
check the glass through the peephole. When the glass fuses
to your satisfaction, write down the temperature and hold
The Add Time Key
This key adds 5 minutes to a hold. It is
time for future firings, and press , then (Skip Seg-
designed for ceramists who watch witness
ment).
cones and for glass artists who inspect the
This will advance the kiln to segment 3, a flash cooling glass near the end of firing.
segment. Lift the kiln lid slightly or open the door ajar until
During a firing, press .
the temperature drops to 1050° F. Then close the door / lid.
The kiln will cool slowly through the annealing range, then
, and time in With the Add
turn off. hold, will appear. Time button, you
Note: A cooling rate of 9999 (FULL) shuts off the Press again. The time can add time to a
warning alarm (error message) that sometimes shown will increase by 5 hold. With the
sounds during rapid cooling. This turns off the alarm minutes. editing feature,
only for that particular ramp. The alarm codes still To return to the temper- you can change
work on the hold and the other programmed segments. ature display, press both target tem-
For details about error messages, see pages 19 - 21. or wait 1 minute. perature and
Glass Slumping Firing Schedule Note: Add Time will add hold.
Rate Temp. 5 minutes to hold even if
Segment °F / °C °F / °C Hold no hold had been pro-
1 250 / 138 750 / 398 00.00 grammed. After hold time displays, 5 minutes are
added with each press of the key.
2 900 / 500 1250 / 676 00.30
3
4
9999 / 9999
150 / 83
1050 / 565
750 / 398
00.00
00.00
Delay Fire
This delays the start of the firing by the
Stained glass, 1 8", 2 fused layers, 12" circular pieces, amount of time entered. Use it to fit a fir-
slumped into a bowl. Set the alarm to 500° F. When the ing into your schedule or to take advan-
alarm sounds, close the lid from venting position and insert tage of lower electric rates at night. Delay zeroes out after
peephole plugs. each firing. Therefore, it must be programmed again for
Set the alarm again, this time to 1150° F. When it each firing. The maximum delay is 99 hours and 59 min-
sounds, check the glass through the peephole. When the utes.
glass slumps into the bowl, write down the temperature First, enter the program you are going to fire.
and hold time for future firings, and press , then
(Skip Segment). From press . Enter delay time (i.e., 5 ½ hours
= 05.30). Press .
This will advance the kiln to segment 3, a flash cooling
segment. Lift the kiln lid slightly or open the door ajar until To begin Delay, press once from .A
the temperature drops to 1050° F. Then close the door/lid. Delay count-down timer will appear.
The kiln will cool slowly through the annealing range. Note: Press during delay to end the delay and
Then it will turn off and cool to room temperature. begin the firing. (You could also press to end the
Note: A cooling rate of 9999 (FULL) shuts off the delay and then to begin the firing.)
warning alarm (error message) that sometimes
CAUTION: For safety, do not leave the kiln alone
sounds during rapid cooling. This turns off the alarm
during a delay or a firing. We cannot guarantee your
only for that particular ramp. The alarm codes still
kiln against overfiring even though the controller is au-
work on the hold and the other programmed segments.
tomatic. The operator assumes full responsibility for
For details about error messages, see pages 19 - 21.
shutting the kiln off at the proper time.

11
Present Status
Press during a firing to display the
segment that is firing. One of the follow-
ing messages will appear:
I , the segment number, and rate: The Sentry is in
the ramp part of a segment. (See charts, page 6.)
I and segment number: The Sentry is in the hold
part of a segment.
The controller returns to normal display after 5 sec-
onds.
Note: Present Status shows the actual firing rate of
the current segment instead of the rate you pro-
grammed. If you think your kiln is heating or cooling
too slowly, compare the rate shown in Present Status
with the rate you programmed for that segment. This is
another reason you should always keep a written re-
cord of your firing programs.
Note: Pre-18D software versions show the pro-
grammed rate in Present Status. Software version 18D
and later controllers show the rate actually achieved in-
stead of the rate you programmed. (See page 18, SOFT
option, to look up software version.)
Present Status is useful when firing a program that con-
tains heating and cooling segments. Without Present Sta-
tus, it might be easy to lose track of which segment is firing.
The Temperature Alarm
The alarm sounds and flashes
when the kiln reaches the alarm tempera-
ture that you enter. Use the alarm to alert
you to check the fusing or slumping of
glass or to remove a knife blade from the
furnace at the end of heat treating.
You can enter only one alarm temperature at a time.
However, after the alarm beeps, you can set the alarm for
another temperature, as many times as you want, during
the firing. Entering an alarm temperature automatically
erases the previous alarm
temperature.
Use the alarm to
Note: The alarm tem- remind yourself
perature that you set dur-
that the kiln is
ing a firing must be higher
than the current display
getting close to
temperature. The alarm the shut-off tem-
is designed only for higher perature. Always
temperatures and not for check the kiln
cooling temperatures. before it shuts
After the alarm beeps, off.
the alarm temperature will
stay in memory for future
firings until you replace it with a new temperature.
Monitoring the Alarm from a Distance
Place an inexpensive baby monitor near the kiln. From
another location in your building, you will be able to hear
the temperature alarm beeping and the the relays clicking.
Setting the Alarm From Idle
From , press . will appear alternat-
ing with the last alarm temperature entered.
Enter alarm temperature. Press . will
appear. (If you do not want to use the alarm, set the
alarm temperature to . This setting will disable
the alarm.)
Note: Your controller’s maximum temperature is
shown in the option (page 17). If you enter an
alarm temperature that is higher than the maximum
temperature, the alarm temperature will automatically
change to the controller’s maximum temperature.
When the alarm sounds, shut it off by pressing any key
except . (Pressing while an alarm sounds will
shut off the kiln.)
Note: If the alarm sounds as soon as firing begins, it
is because the alarm was set to a temperature below the
current temperature.
Setting the Alarm During Firing
The alarm beeps while the kiln is firing. Press .
Enter the new temperature.
Press . The kiln will continue firing.
If you touch , enter a new temperature, and forget to
press , the controller will merely continue firing
without resetting the alarm.
Estimating the
Firing Cost
Note: This feature is included with software version
18D and newer controllers. To look up your software
version, see page 18.
The Sentry controller can figure the electrical cost of a
firing. Set up the controller as follows:
In the option, enter the cost of a kilowatt-hour
of electricity. See page 16.
In the option, enter the wattage for your kiln. See
page 16.
After the kiln fires to completion, will flash. Press
the key. The cost of electricity to fire the last load will ap-
pear. To return to temperature display, press .
Note: If you enter the kiln wattage in the option
but you do not enter cost per kilowatt-hour in the
option, the controller will display kilo-
watt-hours instead of firing cost.

12 Ramp-Hold
Skip Segment Chapter 5
Skip Segment works only during fir-

Multiple-Zone
ing. It jumps the firing from the current
segment to the next one.

Kilns
Note: Skip Segment does not skip from a ramp to a
hold. It skips to the next segment.
To skip a segment, press . will appear, then the
current segment. Press . (If you change your mind
and don’t want to skip that segment, don’t press af- An Overview of Multiple-
ter appears. Instead, press again. The firing will
continue in the same segment.)
Zone Firing
If you are not sure how
Skip Segment skips to the ramp of the next segment many zones your kiln has,
from either a ramp or hold of the current segment. Look into the look into the firing cham-
firing chamber. ber. The number of thermo-
Skip Segment Example The number of couple tips indicates the
For more examples, see Chapter 3. thermocouple number of zones.
I You have pro- tips indicates the In single-zone kilns, the
grammed 1425°F for glass fusing, followed by a segment number of zones. Sentry measures tempera-
for controlled cooling. Watching the glass through the ture from one location.
peephole, you notice that the glass edges have rounded When the controller turns
nicely at 1315°. Use Skip Segment to end the firing seg- on the heat, all the elements
ment and begin the one for slow cooling. turn on.
Note: Make a note of the temperature at which the With two- and three-zone kilns, the Sentry measures
glass fused. Program that temperature for the next fir- temperature from each individual zone. It then adjusts the
ing of that type of glass. heat separately for each zone to improve temperature uni-
formity.
Editing the Current To maintain even temperature, the Sentry calculates
Segment not only temperature difference between zones, but also
length of time needed to change temperature. By carefully
During Firing timing heat output, it maintains even temperature with a
While the kiln is firing, you can change minimal loss in firing speed.
the target temperature and hold time of the current seg- Note: Multiple-zone kilns use the same programming
ment. (You can edit only the segment that is firing. To edit instructions as single-zone kilns.
other segments, wait until the firing has progressed to
those segments.) Note: Firing a Ramp-Hold program at FULL rate
Even if the current segment has already started its hold (9999) shuts off multiple-zone control for that firing.
time, you can still edit the segment’s target temperature. The kiln then fires as a single-zone kiln.
You can raise or lower the target temperature. The con-
troller will go back out of hold and fire to the new target Thermocouple Failure
temperature at the original rate. (You cannot edit the rate,
however.)
In a Multiple-Zone Kiln
In a multiple-zone kiln, if a thermocouple fails, the fir-
During firing, press . ing will continue as a single-zone kiln so long as one ther-
The display will show the target temperature of the mocouple still operates. will appear, alternating
current segment. Use the number keys to change the with the thermocouple that failed. (See page 19 for multi-
temperature. Then press . ple-zone thermocouple error messages.)

The display will then show the hold time (or 00.00 if
there is no hold time) of the current segment.
Change the time, if needed, and press . The
kiln will resume firing.
Power Output Lights
The three lights on the right of the temperature display
turn on when the controller sends a signal to the relays.
I When the Sentry sends a signal to
the relays, all three lights appear.
I The top light indicates power to
the top section of the kiln, the middle light power to the

13
 Chapter 6
middle section, and the bottom light power to the bot-
tom section. (Two-zone kilns: Ignore the center light.)

The Options
Note: Though power output lights are on, mechanical
problems can prevent the relays from turning on.

Key
I When a zone temperature is too low, its indicator light
will flash rapidly. The heating elements in that zone will
stay on continuously, and the controller will attempt to
balance the heat in the other two zones. The Options key gives you access to a list of special fea-
tures. With each press of the Options key, you will see the
Testing Multiple-Zone display code for the next option.

Elements When you find the option you want to use, press
.
When relays or thermocouples are connected to the
wrong controller terminals, zones will show a wide temper- Use the and keys to select changes within the
ature difference. To wire the kiln properly, trace the switch option.
box wiring with the kiln’s wiring diagram. Also, see “Ele-
After making a selection for an option, press
ment Test,” page 18.
. The display code for the option you just
changed will appear. You are then ready to go to
Multiple-Zone Options the next option.
Note: If you select a change for an option but don’t
press , the change will not go into effect.
These options appear only on multiple-zone kilns. They
are accessed by pressing the Options key. There are two ways to get out of Options and back to
:
DIFF / Zone Temperature Press .

Difference Do nothing for 60 seconds in Options. You will au-

tomatically be taken out of the Options display and
View Maximum Temperature Spread
For a two-zone kiln, this option shows temperature dif- back to .
ference between the zones. For a three-zone kiln, it shows Note: If you are firing the kiln while in Options, press-
the highest temperature difference between any two zones. ing takes you out of Options and back to the fir-
If the temperature shown is larger than expected, go to op- ing display. But it does not stop the firing.
tion T123 to view the temperature of each zone.
Press
Press .
repeatedly until appears. TCOS / Thermocouple Offset
Calibrate the Thermocouple(s)
The maximum difference in temperature between The thermocouple is the rod protruding into the firing
any zones will display. (Example: = 3°) chamber. It measures temperature. Thermocouples can
“drift” as they age, causing a shift in temperature readings.
T123 / Zone Temperature Thermocouple Offset calibrates the controller to compen-
sate for drift.
Display Note: The thermocouple must protrude into the firing
View Temperature of Each Zone chamber the correct distance: 1” for ½” - ¼”-wide
Press repeat- thermocouples, 1 2" for 5 8" - 1 8”-wide thermocouples.
edly until appears.
Press . Calibrating Thermocouple Offset
With a Digital Pyrometer
The temperature for each You can calibrate Thermocouple Offset using a cali-
zone will display one af- brated digital pyrometer. One way to calibrate your pyrom-
ter the other, cycling for one minute. Then normal eter is to take it to a heat treater or other location that has a
temperature display will return. For example: calibrated controller you can trust. Take a reading from a
I Top zone: furnace with your pyrometer. Either zero it out to match
I Middle zone: the calibrated controller on the furnace, or write down the
temperature difference between your pyrometer and the
I Bottom zone: reliable source. Store your pyrometer. Use it only for cali-

14 Ramp-Hold
brating controllers. Thus, it remains a reliable calibration adjusted (i.e. ) will appear. Select another
standard. thermocouple by pressing or return to
by pressing .
Note: The temperature at which you calibrated your
digital pyrometer should be the same temperature you
use to check the controller’s temperature readout. Ex- CHG- / Selecting °F or °C
ample: If you took a reading from a reliable source at The controller operates in your choice of Fahrenheit or
2000°F, you should check your controller reading at Celsius temperature. In °C display, a lighted dot appears in
around 2000°F. the lower right. In °F, it disappears. To switch from °F to °C
or vice versa:
Mount the thermocouple of the calibrated pyrometer in
the firing chamber near the Sentry’s thermocouple. With From , press repeatedly until
the Sentry on hold, compare readings between the Sentry appears.
and the calibrated pyrometer. Adjust Thermocouple Off-
Press . Use the and keys to select or
set to compensate for any temperature difference between
.
them.
After selecting one of the above, press . Press
Note: You can also return your controller to the fac-
to return to .
tory to have it calibrated on certified test equipment.
Setting Thermocouple Offset °F/°C Temperature Conversion Formula
Below are formulas for converting temperature be-
You can enter a temperature change up to 45°F / 25°C
tween °F and °C. Converting a firing rate requires a differ-
higher or lower than the zero factory setting.
ent formula than converting a firing temperature:
From , press repeatedly until
appears. Firing Temperature
(Example: “Fire to 1600°F.” 1600°F = 871°C)
Press . , or a thermocouple offset
number, will appear. (°C x 1.8) +32 = °F
(°F - 32) ÷ 1.8 = °C
Using the and keys, enter the new offset. (See
chart below.) Press . will appear. To Firing Rate and Temperature Change
return to , press . (Example: “Fire at 200°F per hour” or “Fire 200°F hotter.”
200°F = 111°C)
Thermocouple Offset Settings
°F Setting °C Setting Result °C x 1.8 = °F
C 0 C 0 No adjustment °F ÷ 1.8 = °C
H 1-45 H 1-25 Kiln will fire hotter
C 1-45 C 1-25 Kiln will fire cooler
TC / Thermocouple Type
Thermocouple Offset Examples Select Type-K, -S or -R Thermocouple
Setting Result The Sentry can use Type-K, -S or -R thermocouples. If
H 1 Kiln will fire 1° hotter you specialize in firings above 2200°F / 1204°C, you should
H 17 Kiln will fire 17° hotter use the Type-S or -R. Type-K is best suited for tempera-
C 12 Kiln will fire 12° cooler tures below 2200°F /
1204°C.
Multiple-Zone Thermocouple Offset S-Type The controller cannot
From , press repeatedly until detect the type of thermo-
appears. couple installed in your
K-Type kiln. So if you change the
Press . (top thermocouple) will ap-
pear. thermocouple to a differ-
The S-Type thermocouple has a ce- ent type, be sure to select
While displays, press . The other ramic sheath. Most K-Type the new thermocouple
thermocouple(s), then , will appear with thermocouples have a metal sheath. type in TC option.
each press of the key:
Note: Ask your kiln supplier if you are not sure about
Three-zone kilns:
the type of thermocouple in your kiln.
Two-zone kilns:
CAUTION:
When the correct thermocouple appears, press If you select Type-S or -R,
. but your kiln is wired with a Type-K, your kiln will
Using the and keys, enter the new offset. (See underfire. If you select Type-K and your kiln is wired
charts above.) Press . The thermocouple you with a Type-S or -R, your kiln will OVERFIRE. After

15
 using the Reset (RST) option (page 18), use the TC (Degrees of temperature change per hour)
option to select the correct thermocouple. Reset (Degrees of temperature change per minute)
changes the thermocouple selection to Type-S.
(Elapsed time needed to reach a temperature)
From , press repeatedly until
Only the factory can change the type of rate used in your
appears. controller.
Press . Use the and keys to select Note: If your controller uses TIME rate, enter the
or . hours/minutes that each segment will take to reach its
After selecting one of the above, press . target temperature. (Example: 1 hour, 30 minutes =
Press to return to . 01.30.)

AOP1, AOP2 /Auxiliary Outlets COST / Electric Cost Per

Select Vent Fan or Alarm for the Auxiliary Outputs
The optional AOP1 and AOP2 (Auxiliary Outputs) are
for electrical receptacles mounted in the kiln’s switch box.
The outlets can each power a kiln vent or an external
alarm, such as a bell. (The AOP outlet is a special-order
option that might not be included on your kiln.)
The choices in the AOP1 and AOP2 options:
I This choice sends power to the AOP re-
ceptacle whenever the alarm sounds. (See Tempera-
ture Alarm, page 12.) Plug in a loud bell to alert you,
from a distance, that the kiln has reached the alarm
temperature. (Controllers with pre-20A software: Se-
lect .)
I Use this setting if your kiln does not
have the AOP outlet.
I This option adds a
prompt for fan ( ) to each segment during pro-
gramming (page 8). (Controllers with pre-20A soft-
ware: Select or —whichever appears.)
From , press repeatedly until
or appears.
Press . Use the and keys to select
or .
3 After selecting one of the above, press . Press
to return to . Press
RATE / Types of Rates
Note: This feature is included on controllers with
software version 18D or newer. To look up your soft-
ware version, see the SOFT option, page 18.
The standard method of programming firing rate is
degrees of temperature change per HOUR. At the factory,
we can set up your controller to calculate rate instead as de-
grees of temperature change per MINUTE, or as
ELAPSED TIME needed to reach a temperature. The
RATE option shows you which method your controller
uses:
From , press repeatedly until
appears.
Kilowatt-Hour
Note: This feature is included on controllers with
software version 18D or newer. To look up your soft-
ware version, see the SOFT option, page 18.
The controller can figure the cost of a firing if you enter
the cost of electricity for your area (and kiln wattage—see
next option). The cost of electricity is figured in kilo-
watt-hours (KWh). A kilowatt-hour is 1,000 watts of elec-
tricity running for 1 hour. (10 – 100-watt light bulbs glow-
ing for one hour consume 1 KWh of electricity.)
To find what the power company charges you for a kilo-
watt-hour, look at your electric bill, call your power com-
pany, or visit their website. The electric rate may vary de-
pending on the time of year and amount of electricity you
use. In the summer, rates in some areas are higher. Also,
add the other costs listed on your electric bill, such as
power transmission charges, taxes, etc.
From , press repeatedly until
appears. Press .
From an electric bill, enter the cost of a kilo-
watt-hour. Place cents to the right of the decimal.
Round off fractions. (Example: Enter 9.25 cents
per kilowatt-hour as 00.09.) Press .
to return to .
Note: You can enter the cost in U. S., Canadian, or
Euro cents, British pence, Indian paisas, or any other
money system that is based upon 100 units (i.e. 100
cents = 1 dollar.) If your system is based upon 1000
units, such as the Libyan dirham, the Oman baiza, or
the Kuwait fil, divide the cost by 10. Example: Enter
140 as 00.14. Then multiply by 10 the cost of a firing
shown in the controller display.
KW / Kilowatts Used to
Calculate Firing Cost
Note: This feature is included on controllers with
software version 18D or newer. To look up your soft-
ware version, see the SOFT option, page 18.

Press . You will see one of the following: To figure the cost to fire your kiln, the controller needs
to know how many kilowatts your kiln uses. Look at your
16 Ramp-Hold
kiln’s electrical data plate. It is usually on the side of the Note: On controllers that have pre-18D software, the
switch box. The data plate lists the watts, amps, and volts. If TEdE setting also affects the HTdE High Temperature
watts are not listed, multiply amps x volts. (Example: 15 Deviation alarm (page 20). On 18D and later control-
amps x 240 volts = 3,600 watts.) lers, the HTdE setting is always 100°F / 56°C.
Divide the wattage of your kiln by 1000, which gives the Some people worry when , or ap-
kilowatts. (Move the decimal point 3 spaces to the left.) pears. They wonder if something is wrong with the kiln.
Examples: Here are four ways to stop the alarm messages from ap-
pearing during routine firings:
10,800 watts ÷ 1000 = 010.8
Test your kiln to find its fastest firing rate and
4,800 watts ÷ 1000 = 004.8
its slowest cooling rate. Then program the controller using
800 watts ÷ 1000 = 000.8 rates within the range of the kiln’s heating/cooling capac-
Enter that amount in the KW option: ity. Example: If your fastest heating rate is 600° per hour,
enter a rate no faster than 600°.
From , press repeatedly until
appears. Press . Set the deviation temperature to a higher
number in the TEdE option. The higher the number, the
The controller shows 4 digits for entering kilowatts: less likely that an alarm message will appear.
. Enter kilowatts for your kiln.
Set the deviation temperature to 0 in the
Press . TEdE option. This turns off the FTH, FTC and LTdE
alarms (page 19). We do not recommend a 0 setting.
Press to return to .
Program a segment at FULL rate (9999°).
Note: Please do not confuse kilowatts with kilo- This will shut off the deviation alarms for that segment.
watt-hours. A kilowatt is 1,000 watts. A kilowatt-hour (However, deviation alarms will continue to work during
is 1,000 watts powered for one hour. the hold and all other segments with slower rates.)
To view the cost of a firing, press the key after the kiln CAUTION: The High Temperature Deviation
has fired to completion and flashes. (HTdE) alarm shuts off the kiln to prevent an overfire.
On controllers with pre-18D software, entering a tem-
Id / Computer ID perature deviation of 0 turns off this important alarm!
Enter an ID Number for Connection to a Computer On all controllers, entering a FULL rate also turns off
This feature is for assigning an identification number, this alarm for the segment with the FULL rate.
from 1 to 15, to the controller. It is used only for hookup to Changing the Deviation Temperature
a personal computer, which requires an optional kit.
From , press repeatedly until
From , press repeatedly until appears.
appears.
Press . Change the deviation temperature.
Press . Use the and keys to select an ID The higher the number, the less likely you will acti-
number from 1 to 15. Press . Press to vate the alarms.
return to .
Press . Press to return to .

TEdE / Temperature Deviation Note:

56°C.
The factory default TEdE setting is 100°F /
Adjust Temperature Sensitivity of Error Codes
The temperature that the controller is trying to reach, at The Fail to Heat code appears during
any given time, is called the set point. During heating or a firing when the kiln cannot heat as fast as programmed.
cooling, the set point changes at the rate you programmed. The Temperature Deviation is set to 100°F / 56°C.
During a hold, the set point remains steady. The Fail to Heat code will appear if the temperature is
The Sentry shows error messages when it can’t maintain 100°F / 56°C or more below the set point.
the set point temperature. The cushion, or leeway, allowed
before an error message flashes is called Temperature De-
viation. When the temperature is off target by more than
SFTY / Maximum
the Temperature Deviation setting, the alarm sounds. Temperature
Temperature Deviation affects these error messages (see View the Kiln’s Maximum Operating Temperature
page 19): From , press repeatedly until
Fail to Heat appears. Press . The temperature displayed is the
maximum operating temperature programmed in the Sen-
Fail to Cool try for your kiln. (This temperature is also shown on the
Low Temperature Deviation kiln’s electrical data plate.) It can be altered only at the fac-

17
tory. The controller will not fire hotter than that tempera-
ture. Press . Press to return to .
TEST / Element Test
Test the Heating Elements and Relays
This test is useful when measuring the wall receptacle
ELEC / Electronics voltage under load, and amperage with an ammeter. On a
Temperature multiple-zone kiln, the test helps determine if the relays
and thermocouples are wired to the correct zones. If you
Check the Circuit Board Temperature
High temperatures in the switch box can damage the test thermocouples with a cigarette lighter or other heat
controller circuit board, which is rated for 176°F / 80°C source, use this option.
maximum operating temperature. To lower board temper- Single-Zone Kiln
ature, use a fan to blow air across the kiln switch box into From , press repeatedly until
the louvers. (But do not blow air into the kiln’s peepholes.) appears.
When firing several kilns, position them at least three feet
apart to allow adequate air circulation. Press . will appear, alternating with
kiln temperature. The elements will turn on for
From or while firing, press repeatedly two minutes. Press any key to abort the test.
until appears. Press . The temperature of
the circuit board will appear. Press . Press to Multiple-Zone Kiln
return to . From press repeatedly until
appears.
CAUTION: Do not operate the kiln if the ELEC
display is above 158°F / 70°C. Press . will appear, alternating with
the temperature of the top zone. The elements will
LOCK / Program Lock turn on for two minutes. Then will appear,
with temperature for the middle zone, and
Make a Program Tamper-Proof with temperature for the bottom zone. (A
With Program Lock activated, stored programs cannot
two-zone kiln shows and displays
be altered or removed from memory. Use Program Lock
only.)
for repeat firings that you don’t want to inadvertently
change. During the two-minute test, press any key to end a
zone test. The controller will then begin to test the
Note: Program Lock does not save a delay setting.
next zone.
While a program is locked, you can enter a new delay.
AOP Outlet
From , press repeatedly until After the above test, kilns equipped with the AOP outlet
appears. will display for two minutes to test power to the
Press . (locked) or (unlocked) AOP outlet.
will appear.
To change the setting, press three times.
RST / Reset
Reset the Controller to Most Factory Defaults:
Press . Press to return to . Perform Only When Requested by a Technician
Reset does the following:
CFG / Configuration Code I Selects Type-S thermocouple.
Information for Technicians I Selects °F.
From , press repeatedly until I Erases any thermocouple offset.
appears. Press . The factory configuration code will
appear. Press . Press to return to . The I Erases User programs stored in memory.
configuration code can be changed only at the factory. I Changes Temperature Deviation (TEdE) back to the
factory setting of 100°F / 56°C.
SOFT / Software Version CAUTION: If your kiln uses a Type-K thermocouple,
From , press repeatedly until the Sentry will underfire after a reset! Use the Thermo-
appears. Press . The software version will appear. couple option (page 15) to select Type-K again.
Press . Press to return to .
From , press repeatedly until
appears.
Press . Use the or key to select or
.
After selecting one of the above, press .
Press to return to .

18 Ramp-Hold
Chapter 7
Error
Messages
I Error messages are accompanied by an alarm.
I Non-interrupting messages do not stop the firing. Ter-
minating error messages do.
I FTH, FTC, and LTdE error messages are based upon
the adjustable setting in the Temperature Deviation
(TEdE) option (page 17).
Note: On controllers with pre-18D software, the
HTdE error message is also based on the TEdE option.
Non-Interrupting
Error Messages
Press to silence the alarm. (Do not press
to silence the alarm.) The error message will remain but
the kiln will continue firing. Even though the following er-
ror messages appear, the kiln will continue its normal oper-
ation. The messages are only to alert you that the kiln could
not cool or heat as fast as you had programmed. But they
will not shut off the kiln or affect the firing in any way.
Definition of “Set Point”
The temperature that the controller is trying to reach, at
any given time, is called the set point. During heating or
cooling, the set point changes at the rate you programmed.
During a hold, the set point remains steady.
FTC / Failed to Cool
I During a cooling-down ramp, the programmed rate is
faster than the kiln can cool. The temperature is above
the set point temperature by more than the deviation
setting. (See Temperature Deviation, page 17.) Pro-
gram a slower cooling rate.
Note: On controllers with 18D and later software:
Use Present Status to compare the actual rate of the
current segment with the rate you programmed. (See
page 12.)
FTH / Failed to Heat
I During a heating-up ramp, the programmed rate is
faster than the kiln can heat. The temperature is below
the set point temperature by more than the deviation
setting. (See Temperature Deviation, page 17.)
Program a slower rate. Or check for worn or burned out
elements, defective relays, low voltage and defective ther-
mocouple.
Note: On controllers with 18D and later software:
Use Present Status to compare the actual rate of the
current segment with the rate you programmed. (See
page 12.)
LTdE / Low Temperature
Deviation
I During a cooling-down ramp or a hold, the temperature
is below the set point temperature by more than the de-
viation setting. (See Temperature Deviation, page 17.)
Check for worn or burned out elements, defective re-
lays, low voltage and defective thermocouple.
Note: During a firing, Present Status shows the ac-
tual firing rate of the current segment instead of the
rate you programmed. If you think your kiln is heating
or cooling too slowly, compare the rate shown in Pres-
ent Status with the rate you programmed for that seg-
ment. This is another reason you should always keep a
written record of your firing programs. (Pre-18D soft-
ware versions show the programmed rate in Present
Status rather than the actual rate. See page 18, SOFT
option, to look up the software version.)
PF / Power Failure
alternating with normal display means the power
failed during firing. After power was restored, the firing re-
sumed.
TC with Lines / Multiple-Zone
Kiln Thermocouple Failure
The kiln will continue to fire as long as at least one ther-
mocouple is working. The lines following “TC” represent
the position inside the kiln of the thermocouple(s) that
failed.
Top line = top thermocouple
Middle line = middle thermocouple
Bottom line = bottom thermocouple
Top thermocouple failed
Middle thermocouple failed
Bottom thermocouple failed
Top and middle thermocouples failed
Top and bottom thermocouples failed
Top, bottom and middle thermocouples failed
On Sentry controllers with pre-18D software, “TC” is
followed by a number and a line. You can check the soft-
ware version of your controller by using the SOFT Option.
See page 18.
Multiple-zone controllers with 18D or earlier solftware:
TC 1¯ Top Thermocouple Failed
TC 2- Middle Thermocouple Failed
TC 3_ Bottom Thermocouple Failed
19
Terminating Error
Messages
and error messages
turn off the kiln and flash the following:
I Total firing time in hours and minutes
I The kiln shutoff temperature
I The current kiln temperature
- - - - / No Thermocouple
After the controller was plugged in, it could not detect a
thermocouple.
BAdP / Bad Programming
I
Causes:
A program has been entered with 0 rate in the first seg-
ment.
I When you press , all programmed temperatures
are below the current kiln temperature.
ETH / Electronics Too Hot
I The circuit board temperature is above 176°F / 80°C.
To lower board temperature, use a fan to blow air across
the kiln switch box into the louvers. (But do not blow air
into the kiln’s peepholes.) If you have more than one kiln in
the room, place them at least 3 feet apart. Never allow the
firing room temperature to exceed 110°F / 43°C. (Measure
room temperature 3 feet away from the kiln.)
FAIL / Thermocouple Failure
The controller is no longer receiving voltage from the
thermocouple. Causes:
I Defective thermocouple
I Disconnected thermocouple lead wires
I Defective board
I Electrical noise
FTL / Firing Too Long
I The temperature change is less than 27°F / 15°C per
hour and the firing time is two hours longer than the
current segment was programmed to fire. This message
can appear during heating-up or cooling-down seg-
ments. sometimes appears because the cooling
segment was programmed faster than the kiln could
naturally cool down.
I will flash if you program a cooling segment tem-
perature that is below room temperature. When
appears, press . TC 2 / Thermocouple Failure
20 Ramp-Hold
Check for worn or burned out elements, defective re-
lays, low voltage and defective thermocouple. Reprogram
a slower rate in heating-up and cooling-down segments.
Note: To avoid messages, try firing the kiln at a
slower rate.
Note: During a firing, Present Status shows the ac-
tual firing rate of the current segment instead of the
rate you programmed. If you think your kiln is heating
or cooling too slowly, compare the rate shown in Pres-
ent Status with the rate you programmed for that seg-
ment. This is another reason you should always keep a
written record of your firing programs. (Pre-18D soft-
ware versions show the programmed rate in Present
Status rather than the actual rate. See page 18, SOFT
option, to look up the software version.)
HTdE / High Temperature
Deviation
Causes:
I During a heating-up ramp or a hold, the temperature is
100°F / 56°C above the programmed temperature.
I During a cooling-down segment, the temperature is
100°F / 56°C above the segment’s starting temperature.
I A fast rate caused the controller to overshoot the target
temperature.
I A relay is stuck in the closed position sending power to
the elements.
See “Power Failures,” next page.
Note: You can disable the HTdE alarm for a segment
by programming a FULL rate (9999°). HTdE will con-
tinue to operate during the hold and in all other seg-
ments that have slower rates.
PF1 / Power Failure
The power failed during a controlled cooling segment.
The kiln temperature was below the last active cooling seg-
ment temperature when the power came back on. The kiln
will not resume firing. See “Power Failures,” next page.
PF 2 / Power Failure
The power failed. The kiln temperature was below
212°F / 100°C when the power came back on. The kiln will
not resume firing. See “Power Failures,” next page.
PF 3 / Power Failure
The power failed. The temperature dropped 72°F / 40°C
while the power was off. The kiln will not resume firing.
See “Power Failures,” next page.
The thermocouple of a single-zone kiln failed while the
controller was at .
TCL / Thermocouple Lag
The heating rate is slower than 9°F / 5°C per hour and
the kiln temperature is more than 100°F / 56°C away from
the programmed temperature. The TCL becomes inactive
above 500°F/260°C.
Causes:
I On kilns that use a portable controller, the thermocou-
ple fell out of the firing chamber.
I A bare spot on the thermocouple lead wires has
touched a grounded object inside the kiln switch box
causing the thermocouple to short out.
I will flash if you program a cooling segment tem-
perature that is below room temperature. When
appears, press . 72°F / 40°C or more.
I Check for worn or burned out elements, defective re-
lays, low voltage and defective thermocouple.
Note: The TCL alarm is available only on software
version 18D or later. You can check the software ver-
sion of your controller by using the SOFT Option. See
page 18.
LId / Missing Connector Pin
On the back of the Sentry circuit board, at the top right
side, is a small two-pin terminal. If the connector on that
terminal is missing, will appear in the display during
firing. The elements will not turn on. (If the two-pin con-
nector is missing, you can buy another from a computer
supply store.)
TCdE / Uneven Multiple-Zone
Temperatures
The zones of a multiple-zone kiln are firing unevenly.
Causes:
I A burned out element or relay
The thermocouples and elements are improperly
I
wired. A thermocouple is turning on the elements to the
wrong zone. For instance, if the top thermocouple turns
on the bottom elements, the kiln will fire out of balance.
When zones are out of balance by 180°F / 100°C,
will appear in the display.
Visually compare the wiring of the thermocouples, re-
lays and elements in your kiln to the kiln’s wiring diagram.
Also, use the Element Test option shown on page 18.
TCR / Thermocouple Leads
Reversed
Check that the thermocouple lead wires are connected
to the correct terminals. See your wiring diagram.
Power Failures
The Sentry handles a power failure in two ways:
After a brief power failure, the controller continues
firing as before. It shows a normal temperature dis-
play alternating with .
After an extended power failure, or
will appear. The kiln will NOT resume firing.
The kiln will remain turned off after a power failure un-
der these conditions:
I The kiln will remain off if the temperature is below
212°F / 100°C when the power comes back on.
I The kiln will remain off if the temperature dropped
When the Sentry aborts a firing after a power failure,
the display will show the following:
I or
I Total firing time before power failed
I Temperature at the time of power failure
I Current kiln temperature
To resume firing, press . The kiln will begin fir-
ing again from its present temperature. For example, the
kiln reached 1000°F / 538°C when power failed. The tem-
perature is 800°F / 426°C when you turn the kiln back on.
Firing will resume from 800°F / 426°C. You need not cool
the kiln to room temperature before starting a ceramic fir-
ing over unless you decide to use new witness cones.
When you resume firing by pressing , the con-
troller begins firing in the first segment that has a higher
target temperature than the current kiln temperature.
However, if the power failed during a ramping down (cool-
ing) segment, the controller will resume firing from the
same cooling segment.
When the Kiln Shuts
Off Too Soon
Ceramic Firings
If the kiln fires to completion before the pyrometric wit-
ness cone bends, you can turn the kiln back on and keep fir-
ing. Simply program a hotter temperature. Then from
, press . The kiln will begin firing, taking up
where it left off.
Note: By looking at the witness cones through a peep-
hole, you will know if the kiln shuts off too soon.
Wrong Thermocouple Type
If a Type-K thermocouple is installed on your kiln, but
Type-S is selected in Options, the kiln will continually
underfire by a wide margin. (The kiln will overfire if
Type-S is installed and Type-K is selected.) See page 15 to
check the thermocouple type selected in Options.
21
Appendix A: Display Messages
Message Definition Page Reference
Message Definition Page Reference
Abort 5
Electronics Too Hot 20
The firing was stopped.
The Sentry circuit board is too hot, so the kiln shut off.
Alarm 8, 10, 11, 12
Thermocouple Failed 5, 20
ALAR appears either when you are entering an alarm tem-
perature or when the alarm is sounding during a firing. To The thermocouple failed. This can be due to a broken ther-
stop an alarm, press any key except STOP. If the alarm goes mocouple, loose thermocouple connection on the back of
off when you first begin firing, it is because it was set for a the controller, disconnected thermocouple wire, or a defec-
lower temperature than the present temperature. tive controller.

Auxiliary Output 8, 10, 16 Vent Fan 16

The AOP option is for kilns equipped with a special-order kiln
switch box receptacle called the Auxiliary Output.
Bad Programming 20
This message appears when a firing has been programmed
with 0 rate in the first segment or when all target tempera-
tures are lower than the current kiln temperature.
Configuration Code 18
This is an option that shows the factory configuration code
for your Sentry. This is for technicians who call the factory for
support.
The Fan option, accessed through the OPTIONS key, is for
kilns equipped with a special-order kiln switch box recepta-
cle called the Auxiliary Output.
Fan 8
If your kiln has the optional AOP outlet (for a kiln vent), the FN
prompt will appear for each segment during programming.
It is asking if you want the vent on or off for that segment.
Failed to Cool 17, 19
This error message means the kiln cannot cool as fast as the
cooling that you programmed.

Change °F / °C 15 Failed to Heat 17, 19

Choose between operation in degrees F or degrees C. The kiln cannot heat as fast as you programmed.

Electrical Rate 12, 16 Firing Too Long 20

Enter the electric rate shown on your electric bill. Example:
10.25 cents per KWh is entered as 10.25.
Completed Firing 5, 9
This means the firing completed normally as programmed.
These three messages will also cycle one after the other:
firing time in hours and minutes, the temperature of the last
segment, and the current kiln temperature.
Delay 8, 11
DELA is a timer that starts the kiln later. Delay time appears
in hours and minutes.
or Target Temperature 6
This prompt is asking for a target temperature. The number
is the segment of the program.
Temperature Difference 14
This option shows the maximum temperature spread be-
tween zones in a multiple-zone kiln.
Electronics Temperature 18
The Sentry circuit board is rated for operation at tempera-
tures up to 176°F / 80°C. When the circuit board gets hotter,
the Sentry shuts off. The ELEC option shows you the temper-
ature of the circuit board.
The temperature rise is less than 27° / 15°C per hour and the
firing time is two hours longer than the current segment was
programmed.
Full Speed 7, 8, 17
The rate, or temperature change per hour, is maximum.
Temperature Hold 8
When this message appears during programming, it is ask-
ing you if you want to hold, or maintain, the target tempera-
ture of that segment. If so, enter the length of hold time in
hours and minutes (Example: 1 hour 20 minutes = 01.20).
The number after Hd is the segment number. Each segment
in a firing is numbered.
High Temperature Deviation 17, 20
During a heating-up ramp or a hold, the temperature is
100°F / 56°C above the programmed temperature.
Computer ID 17
The ID option is for connecting the Sentry to a personal com-
puter.
Ready to Begin 5
The Sentry must display the IdLE message before you can
begin firing or programming.

22 Ramp-Hold
Message Definition Page Reference Message Definition Page Reference
Kilowatts 12, 16 Safety 17
The controller can figure the cost to fire your kiln if you supply This is the maximum temperature the Sentry is programmed
your kiln’s wattage. (See the data plate on the switch box.) for your kiln. It can be altered only at the factory.
Divide wattage by 1000 to get kilowatts. Enter that amount:
10,800 watts ÷ 1000 = 10.8 Skip Segment 13
If you press the Skip Segment key during a firing, SKIP will
Missing Pin 21 appear. If you press the key again, the firing will skip to the
When LId appears, a two-pin connector on the back of the next segment.
board is missing.
Software Version 18
Program Lock 18 This option shows the version of software loaded into your
With this option activated, a stored program cannot be al- Sentry.
tered or removed from memory.
Firing Started 8
Low Temperature Deviation 19 This appears when firing begins. Do not be concerned if it
This message appears when the kiln is below the takes a moment for the relays to turn on. The Sentry is pro-
temperature deviation setting in the TEdE option. cessing data.

Power Failure 20 Zone Temperatures 14

The power failed during a controlled cooling segment. The
kiln temperature was below the last active cooling segment
temperature when the power came back on.
Power Failure 20
The power failed. When power came back on, the tempera-
ture was below 212°F / 100°C.
Power Failure 20
The power failed and the temperature dropped 72°F/40°C.
Power Failure 21
There was a power failure during firing. The kiln continued fir-
ing after the power came back on.
Rate 7 temperature is more than 100°F / 56°C away from the pro-
RA 1, RA 2, RA 3, etc., appear during programming, in Pro-
gram Review, and in Present Status. When RA 1, 2, 3, etc.
appear during programming, the controller is asking you for
firing rate for each segment. Rate means how fast the firing
progresses, in degrees of temperature per hour. Every seg-
ment must have a firing rate. The number after RA is the seg-
ment number. Each segment in a firing is numbered. Pro-
gram Review shows firing rate after RA 1, 2, 3, etc. In Present
Status, RA 1, 2, 3, etc. means the segment that the firing is in
at that moment.
Reset 18
The RST option erases a thermocouple offset, selects °F op-
eration, erases stored programs, and selects Type-S ther-
mocouple. Note that if you use Reset, and your kiln is
equipped with a Type-K thermocouple, you must use the TC
option to select Type-K. (Reset selects Type-S as a safety
precaution. If you had a Type-S thermocouple and Reset se-
lected Type-K, your kiln would overfire. On the other hand, if
you had a Type-K thermocouple, Type-S selected would
underfire your kiln, which is better than overfiring it. The
K-Type thermocouple is standard on most kilns.)
This option shows temperatures in each zone.
Thermocouple Type 15
Choose between types K, S, or R thermocouple. It is impor-
tant to select the correct type, or the controller will not read
temperature accurately.
Uneven Temperature 21
This is an error message for multiple-zone kilns. It means the
temperatures of the zones are out of balance by 180°F /
100°C. This is usually caused by a miswired kiln or by a de-
fective relay.
Thermocouple Lag 21
The heating rate is slower than 9°F / 5°C per hour and the kiln
grammed temperature.
Thermocouple Offset 14
Adjust the controller’s temperature to compensate for tem-
perature drift, or aging, of a thermocouple.
Thermocouple Reversed 21
The thermocouple wires are reversed.
Temperature Deviation 17
The Sentry includes error messages to warn you that the kiln
is not maintaining the programmed temperature. The sensi-
tivity of the error messages is based on a temperature en-
tered in the TEdE option.
Element Test 18
This option is for testing the elements and thermocouples. If
you test a thermocouple with a lighter, the temperature dis-
play responds faster during Test than during IdLE display.
User Program 7
During programming, the USER prompt is asking you where
you want to place the program in memory. The Sentry has 9
spaces in memory. Keep a written record of the programs 1 -
9 in memory.
23
Appendix B: Upgrading Instructions
Upgrading the DTC 100, 600, 800 & 1000 Series to the Sentry
Unplug the kiln or disconnect the power. Remove CAUTION: Cut off the extra terminal(s) and jumper
the 4 screws holding the controller faceplate to the wire(s) unless they attach to
switch box. Gently remove the old controller. relays. Unconnected wires
that touch a grounded object
Disconnect the wires from the old controller. can damage your controller!
I f you r k i l n i s Attach the red wire termi-
top-loading and origi- nal(s) to the relay(s). Fol-
nally came with a low steps 6 and 7 for the
DTC 100 or 600, the black wire, which also
heat shield inside the goes to the relays.
switch box may need
to be moved to give Note how the white, orange, and blue wires of the
more clearance for old controller are connected to the transformer.
the new Sentry con- Removing and replacing one wire at a time, con-
troller. Measure the nect the Sentry white, orange, and blue wires to the
space between the transformer the same way. (See Transformers,
heat shield and the next page. Cut off the extra blue wire terminal if
front of the box. If the your transformer doesn’t need it.)
space is less than 1¾”, Remove the old wiring harness from the switch
remove the screws box. With the thermocouple wires and the Sentry
that hold the bottom of the heat shield. These connection plugs hanging out of the front of the
screws are on the sides near the louvers. Drill new switch box, move the box into place on the kiln. Ar-
holes in the switch box next to the bottom 2 holes range the wires so that when the switch box is fas-
used for the heat shield. Move the bottom of the tened to the kiln, the wires and wire nuts will not
heat shield back and fasten screws in the new touch an element connector or the kiln case. Install
holes. the screws that hold the switch box to the kiln.
Thread the Sentry Straighten the ends of the thermocouple wires.
wiring harness into
the switch box by in-
serting it in the open-
ing where the control-
ler goes. Let the end
with the plugs hang
out of the box.
Remove the switch
box from the kiln by
Lever type connectors: if the wire is The button-type thermocouple
removing the screws too thick, it will break the lever. Do connector: Press down, then insert
holding the box to the not force the lever downward. wires.
kiln.
Attach them to the thermocouple terminals on the
The red wire from the The extra wires tied to the harness
are for multiple-zone kilns and the bottom of the Sentry. (Use the center connectors if
old controller con- optional AOP electrical outlet. The your kiln has only one thermocouple.) Match the
nects to the relay(s). green grounding wire is connected color coding. Make sure the thermocouple wires
The red wire in the only if you use a computer interface. are tight and that there is no short.
Sentry wiring harness goes to the same relay termi-
nal. (See diagram, facing page.) You will notice Attach the two plugs
that the red Sentry wire has 3 push-on connectors to the back of the Sen-
with jumper wires. If your kiln has 3 relays, you will try controller. Care-
use all 3 push-on connectors, 1 for each relay. If fully insert the Sentry
you have 2 relays, cut off the last terminal and into the controller
jumper wire. If your kiln has 1 relay, cut off 2 opening on the switch
push-on connectors. Cut the wire close to the ter- box. Install the 4 cor-
minal that remains (see next photo). ner screws. Inserting the plugs on the back of
the Sentry.

24 Ramp-Hold
25
Appendix C: User Program Records
Date_______________________________ Date_______________________________

User Program 1 Optional

User Program 3
Optional
Rate Target Hold Time Fan On / Rate Target Hold Time Fan On /
°/Hour Temperature Hours.Mins Off °/Hour Temperature Hours.Mins Off

rA1 1 Hd1 . rA1 1 Hd1 .

rA2 2 Hd2 . rA2 2 Hd2 .
rA3 3 Hd3 . rA3 3 Hd3 .
rA4 4 Hd4 . rA4 4 Hd4 .
rA5 5 Hd5 . rA5 5 Hd5 .
rA6 6 Hd6 . rA6 6 Hd6 .
rA7 7 Hd7 . rA7 7 Hd7 .
rA8 8 Hd8 . rA8 8 Hd8 .
rA9 9 Hd9 . rA9 9 Hd9 .
rA10 10 Hd10 . rA10 10 Hd10 .
rA11 11 Hd11 .
rA12 12 Hd12 .
rA13 13 Hd13 .
Date_______________________________
rA14 14 Hd14 .
rA15 15 Hd15 . User Program 4
Optional
rA16 16 Hd16 . Rate Target Hold Time Fan On /
°/Hour Temperature Hours.Mins Off
rA17 17 Hd17 .
rA1 1 Hd1 .
rA18 18 Hd18 .
rA2 2 Hd2 .
rA19 19 Hd19 .
rA3 3 Hd3 .
rA20 20 Hd20 .
rA4 4 Hd4 .
rA5 5 Hd5 .
Date_______________________________ rA6 6 Hd6 .
User Program 2 rA7 7 Hd7 .
Optional
Rate Target Hold Time Fan On / rA8 8 Hd8 .
°/Hour Temperature Hours.Mins Off
rA9 9 Hd9 .
rA1 1 Hd1 .
rA10 10 Hd10 .
rA2 2 Hd2 .
rA3 3 Hd3 .
rA4 4 Hd4 .
rA5 5 Hd5 .
rA6 6 Hd6 .
rA7 7 Hd7 .
rA8 8 Hd8 .
rA9 9 Hd9 .
rA10 10 Hd10 .

26 Ramp-Hold
Index
A H R
AbRT, 5, 22 heat treating, 10, 12 rA 1, 7, 8
Add Time, 1, 11 hold, 6, 8, 11, 13 rate, 1, 7, 10, 12, 16, 17, 19, 20
ALAR, 22 HTdE, 20 relay, 24
alarm, 1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17 humidity, 5 Reset , 1
AOP, 1, 8, 10, 16, 18, 22 I RST, 1, 18, 23
Auxiliary Output, 16, 22
Id, 1, 17 S
B IdLE, 5, 22 safety, 4
baby monitor, 6, 12 J segment, 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13
bAdP, 20, 22 set point, 17, 19
J3-3, 18
C K
SFTY, 1, 17, 23
SKIP, 13, 23
Celsius, 5, 15
kilowatt-hour, 16
Skip Segment, 1, 13
CFG, 1, 18, 22
kilowatts, 17
SOFT, 1, 2, 18, 23
CHG-, 1, 15, 22
KW, 1, 12
software version, 2
clicking, 2, 12
controlled cooling, 8, 9, 13
L STOP, 4, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15
LId, 21 STRT, 23
COST, 1, 12
CPLT, 5, 9, 17, 22
LOCK, 1, 18, 23 T
LTdE, 17, 19, 23
D T123, 1, 14, 23

DELA, 8, 22
M target temperature, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13
memory, 7 TC, 1, 23
Delay, 1, 11, 18
multiple-zone, 1, 2, 13, 18 TC 2, 20
DIFF, 1, 14
E O TCdE, 20, 21, 23
TCL, 21
over-fire, 2, 4, 6
ELEC, 1, 18
TCOS, 15, 23
overshoot, 10
electrical cost, 2, 12
TCR, 21, 23
Element Test , 1 P TEDE, 17, 23
ETH, 20 peephole, 11
Temperature Deviation, 1, 9, 17
F PF, 19, 23
TEST, 1, 18, 23
PF 2, 20, 23
Fahrenheit, 5, 15 thermocouple, 1, 2, 5, 13, 14, 15, 18,
PF 3, 20, 23 19, 20, 21, 23
FAIL, 5, 13, 20
PF1, 20 Thermocouple Offset, 1, 14
firing schedule, 10
power failure, 4, 20, 21 thunder storms, 5
FN, 10
Present Status, 1, 12, 19, 20 TnF 2, 2
FTC, 17, 19
Program Lock, 7, 9, 18
FTH, 17, 19 U
Program Review, 1, 9, 10
FTL, 20 USER, 7, 8, 23
programming, 8
FULL, 8, 13, 17
pyrometer, 14
W
G wiring harness, 24
glass, 9, 11, 12, 13

27
Appendix D:
Sentry Ramp-Hold Shorthand Instructions
After you press the keys in the left column, the message to the right will appear.
KEYS TO PRESS DISPLAY COMMENTS
PROGRAM AND FIRE THE KILN.

Apply power to kiln Press Enter if IdLE does not appear.

4 Enter program number.

A number from 1 to 9 Program number appears.

ENTER Enter rate of segment 1.

Rate Rate appears.

ENTER Enter temperature of segment 1.

Temperature Temperature appears.

ENTER Enter hold time.

Hold time (0 if none) Hold time appears.

Repeat for other segments. Enter rate of 0 for 1st segment not needed.

ENTER The kiln is ready to fire.

ENTER Kiln is now firing.

SELECT AND FIRE A STORED USER PROGRAM.

Apply power to kiln Press Enter if IdLE does not appear.

4 Select a program number.

A number from 1 to 9 Displays the number you selected.

ENTER

STOP, STOP Selected program is ready to fire.

ENTER
The kiln is now firing. Press 6 for Program Review.

28 Ramp-Hold