Thanks to @Christian for doing some exciting reading/research and wire wrangling, @tom.bloom for providing some big wire, and anyone else who was involved, were happy to report that the kiln is hooked up and working properly.
@ScottS ran a test Cone 5 glaze fire on Sunday while he was working in the building to monitor for issues (aka blazing ball of fire… for example) with a couple of witness cones and a few of pieces he glazed and everything worked great!
Witness cones are calibrated to a specific cone firing and show whether or not the expected amount of heat over time was encountered at the location they were placed in the kiln. As seen here, the cone should bend over and just about touch. If it doesn’t go all the way over then you have an under fire. If it lays over flat like a sad bit of melted plastic, then you have an over fire. This is pretty good.
Great progress everyone!!!