LORALIN
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 Off Grid Artist                                            

Firing a kiln on a generator

8/12/2020

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This little mini kiln above was used for glassware or metalwork by previous owners. It is one of three I use for cone 018 work. The round kiln on right is another 110 watt regular house plug kiln. It is the only one like that that can reach the temperature of a cone 5 firing so I use it for all three, 06,018,6
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OFF GRID CLAY SCULPTOR
     Yes its odd to be an off grider and a ceramicist. If you really make a lot of clay work you need a kiln of your own....I have 6! One installed at a family members home(my big one), two installed at my job  while taking care of my grandparents...and one in my new studio off grid.
    Last month I began a series of tests to see what kind of kilns my 7000 watt generator can handle. This little mini 120 watt kiln seen on left above, did a splendid job! Though I can only do one of the three temperature firings so far that I need for china painted porcelain work, its a relief that the most common firing, the 018 one for painting works like a charm. 
​     The mini glass kiln has only a 48 sq inch place to hold wares but its perfect when making a series in components like I am now. These parts of porcelain might take 2-5 layers and firings to finish.
     This kiln fires at aproxiamately one hour for a cone 018 china paint fire so its very cost effective to run a kiln on generator. Eventually for higher fires I may need to buy a gas kiln if I want to work from home only.
    If you fire higher temps, like to bisque ware or glassware, those firings are long...4-8 hours. I really don't want to hear a generator for that long, but could probably do it if I wanted.  Its been hard to find precedent on the web. I actually found no evidence of anyone regularly firing off a generator, so it must be rare.

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UPDATE 2024:
After settling my kilns back home (7 years they 'lived' at my second studio at my grandparents house in CA.) I hooked up my 120v medium mini kiln to my off grid system. Worried at first that it's draw would be too much, I carefully did the following.....
1. Plugged kiln into a 20amp outdoor plug at studio
2. Turned on my Honda 7000w generator
3. Turned on the 240 plug on honda to inverter to charge it while running kiln
4. turned on kiln for its 018 firing: a low fire as its a china painting one (dont dare to a long firing as in a 06 bisque as it would be too much generator noise for too long)
5. monitered closely the kiln, the inverter, the battery moniter
6. Kiln fired to 018 n 1.5 hours, so turned off 240 plug toggle(the load), then turned off generator and unplugged kiln.
​
OOPS! one big mistake later in second firing, I used a vacumn and other appliances in house while firing kiln and charging system through inverter.....the generator went into overload and though still running it had stopped charging the solar system. I never noticed, as I was not monitering it. The kiln proceeded to drain the battery fast. I caught it at 15% which is not good, but since it was a lithium battery it recovered.

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    Hi! I am an artist and a carpenter living in the woods of Washington! This is my off grid story.
    Check out my insta at https://www.instagram.com/mysticglenfarm/

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  • Home
    • Works in Progress in pics
    • About the Artist
  • Current work
  • New & Upcoming
  • Studio Stories
  • Portfolio
    • Creature Comforts
    • Oscines 2023
    • Sanctum 2023
    • WILD ORCHIDS 2022
    • Crystalis 2022
    • Vera Flos 2021
    • Orchidea Imaginarium 2021
    • Tulipa Imaginarium 2021
    • Dutch Master Studies
    • FOREST SPIRITS 2018 mini show
    • RISE 2017
    • DARK FOREST Spring 2016
    • FORESTMEN Fall 2016
    • SEAWOMEN 2015
    • Post Apocolyptic Icons Fall 2011
    • REBIRTH 2009
    • series pre 2009
  • Contact & commissions
  • Off Grid Blog
  • Gallery Shoppe