Kiln Disaster & Melted a Days Work :(

I bought this Prometheus Pro 1 kiln at the Enamellers Guild Conference. I was quite excited about it (I'd been looking for a more transportable kiln and without vat this was a bargain!)
Above you can see the picture of it's first firing ~ with an empty chamber, just in case!. As some of you know I normally fire at 950 degrees, for 1 to 2 hours. This has worked fine in my Paragon SC2 ever since I got it (a number of years ago).....A jeweller friend of mine was round (we were doing some tube setting together) but as it was a brand new kiln I still checked the piece after about 20 minutes. At this point, looking through the little view hole, it was fine & pristine..... Another 20 minutes later and the piece was the puddle of molten fine silver you can see above.

We left the door open as the metal was literally hissing and bubbling...This picture was taken after the shock & "Oh my Gods" had died down and after I went and got my camera (and it's STILL molten).

Once it had cooled you can see why we were so worried - the metal had been melting it's way through the tile!!!

The supplier said that I should only fire at 800 and he wasn't suprised it melted. When I pointed out fine silvers melting point was higher than 950, the return answer was that was didn't matter as the instructions say to fire Art Clay at 800........but,

needless to say I'll now be firing at 899oC in my "big boy" and a little less in the Prometheus
Nic xx

P.S> If anyone knows how to get a lump of tile off a very melted 4 1/2 hours work please let me know....(and if you like the "Break The Rules" art then visit http://www.fredbabb.com/)