Running a Nyle L200 in the winter

[WoodenHead]

This is the first winter I am running a load in my kiln.  The temperatures were hovering around freezing (a warm spell! :D) when I loaded it.  I fired the kiln up yesterday, but I kept encountering a problem with the kiln temperatures (dry and wet bulb) reading low (i.e. around freezing).  This causes the controller to beep and open all relays, including the relay for the heater.  Because the temperatures were relatively warm and the kiln is well insulated, the heat from the fan motors fortunately was enough to raise the temperature of the kiln bit by bit.  Finally today (24hrs later), the wet bulb temperature was warm enough to enable the controller relays and the heater to turn on. 

Does anyone else use their Nyle L200 in colder climates?  Isn't there a "catch 22" situation going on?  (i.e. In order for the heater to turn on I need the kiln hot enough to allow the controller to turn the heat on, but the kiln isn't hot enough...)  How do others get around that situation?   

[CHill8903]

Ive run into the same situation. Ive found the simplest way to get around it is to put a light bulb in the kiln, like a portable shop light, and put the probes against it.  Thats worked for me to give the computer a false reading and allow the heater to kick on.  The coldest ive tried it is in the teens, not sure how it would work in real cold weather.  I load with a forklift, so whenever possible Ill pull a load and get a new one in right away while there's enough heat to get it started without the hassle.

[Sawdust Lover]

I had this problem last week when I loaded my 200 for the first time. It was below 0 and I filled it with frozen wood. Not knowing anything about the kiln I figured out that the dry bulb had to be at 32 deg. The only way I could tell that was by looking in at the coils and a little part of them would turn red when I put my hand around the dry bulb. I stood in the kiln for over an hour with my hand on the dry bulb getting the temperature up to 32 deg. I called Nyle and asked them about this and they were unaware of it. The next day when I talked to them they had talked to the maker of the controller and learned that the kiln will not start heating on it's own until the temperature is up to 32 deg.

[WDH]

I use a small portable electric heater to pre-heat my chamber for my L53.  Makes the heat up go much faster. 

[Sawdust Lover]

I use a small portable electric heater to pre-heat my chamber for my L53.  Makes the heat up go much faster.

Makes more sence then standing in a cold kiln with your hand on the dry bulb for over an hour.

[Escavader]

On our big nyles kilns we use a oil furnace to preheat the chambers I also use the steam boiler we can take 15000 feet of green frozen iced up Popsicles of pine and have the chamber at 90 in 3 hours after that they pretty much heat themselves  one would think a small torpedo heater would work wonderful for a smaller kiln