What is a kiln's pyrometer?

by Glass Fusing Made Easy

http://www.glass-fusing-made-easy.com/

A pyrometer is a device that measures the temperature inside your kiln. This unit will assist you in improving your firing results, and in enabling you to monitor your process.

Reliable and continuous measurement is essential for efficient control of the glass fusing or slumping operation. Take notes as you proceed with your firings.

This unit is easy to read and monitor. The gauge is much like a thermometer in reading the temperature and is usually broken up into units of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most kilns come with a stock equipped manually controlled infinite switch and a pyrometer with a thermocouple. The thermocouple is attached to one end of the unit with a cable. This is one continuous unit, to monitor your kiln.

While the infinite switch and meter are on the outside of your kiln to control and monitor the speed of your kiln heating up, the thermocouple is inside the kiln measuring the temperature.

These units work together to control the temperature of your kiln. This device will allow you to know the temperature of the air inside the kiln chamber throughout the complete firing progression. This unit is essential when you are firing glass. It will not allow you to know the temperature of your glass during the complete firing process, but the air inside the kiln.

There are two parts to this unit:

Thermocouple – A sensing probe that consists of two different metals that are welded together at the end. The thermocouple creates a small voltage when heated, which the controller translates to a temperature. It takes a hypersensitive instrument to read that small voltage. Because of this small voltage, the smallest amount of variation can make a deviation in the temperature reading. These are high temperature wires that are covered by a ceramic ring and placed inside the kiln.


Meter – This shows the temperature of the air inside the kiln and that is being registered on the thermocouple.


These units are different and can be off in temperature readings. Testing through different firings will enable you to know if the temperature of your particular unit is correct, or needs to be adjusted.