13
FireLite
Furnace Operations Manual
Version 1.00.7 – 1/05
Skipping a Program Step
Manually override a program step and skip to the next step
by pressing the
/Skip
button.
Chapter Five — Maintenance
CAUTION: THE GASSES PRODUCED WHEN HEAT
TREATING REFRACTORY MODELS WILL DAMAGE
THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE QUARTZ TUBES IN
THE MUFFLE CHAMBER AND MAY CAUSE VACUUM
LEAKAGE. TO HELP EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE MUFFLE,
IT IS NECESSARY TO PREHEAT REFRACTORY MODELS
IN A BURNOUT FURNACE TO PREVENT THE GASSES
FROM DAMAGING THE QUARTZ GLASS IN THE
MUFFLE CHAMBER.
Cleaning Your Furnace
Your new furnace has been painted with an epoxy-based
paint and may be cleaned by using a soft cloth and kitchen
cleaners such as Fantastic
®
or Formula 409
®
. The front panel
should be cleaned with a window cleaner such as Windex
®
.
Never clean the display window with a dry cloth or tissue.
Always moisten the cleaning cloth with a cleaner such
as Windex
®
.
Chapter Four — Running a Program
To Start a Program:
1. Press the
Program Select
button.
2. Use numeric keypad to enter the desired program
number.
3. Press the
Start Program
button to begin the new
program.
To run the program currently on the two-digit display, simply
press the
Start Program
button.
When a program is finished, the four-digit display and the
Program Finish LED will flash and the furnace will play a tune
to let you know the program is finished. The furnace will
automatically cool down to idle temperature at this time.
The display will stop flashing and be ready for the next
input by pressing the
Enter
button.
The “program finished” tune can be customized to distinguish
one furnace from another. See
Chapter IV — Special
Functions
for details.
Replacing the Muffle
The FireLite furnace contains a muffle module designed for
simple service and replacement. The muffle module contains
the heating chamber and the thermocouple.
The replacement procedure is as follows:
1. Turn the power switch located at the rear of the furnace
to the
off
position. Remove the power cord from the wall
socket to prevent any chance of a shock hazard. Allow
the furnace to cool.
2. Remove the six Phillips-head screws holding the muffle
cover to the two upright brackets. Remove the muffle
cover by lifting it straight up until it clears the upright
brackets.
3. Remove the thermocouple connector from the column
by squeezing the two tabs and pulling away from the
column. Remove the heating element connector from
the bracket by squeezing the two tabs and pulling away
from the bracket. Remove the four large Phillips-head
screws on the top of the muffle. Grasp the handle on the
top of the muffle and lift vertically to remove the muffle
from the vacuum chamber.
4. Inspect the O-ring for damage and replace if required.
Clean the O-ring area and the sealing area of the new
muffle with a mild cleaning solution such as Windex
®
.
Lower the new muffle into the vacuum chamber with
the thermocouple and the heating element connectors.
These are keyed so it is not possible to plug them in
incorrectly.
5. Repeat step 3 in reverse order, reinstalling the muffle
screws and connectors.
6. Install the muffle cover by lowering it over the upright
column and aligning the screw holes. Install the six
Phillips-head screws that attach the muffle cover to the
upright column.
7. Plug the power cord back into the wall socket and turn
the power on. Observe that the temperature begins to
rise and stabilize at the entry temperature of the current
program.
8. Fire a chip of porcelain to test the firing temperature of
the new muffle. Adjust the calibration as described in
Chapter Four — Adjust Furnace Calibration to
Match Your Porcelain
.
