Temperature controller with 2A output ugrade - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: rockwell
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2021, 06:32:27 pm
content: I have a proportional integral (pi) temperature controller.Maximum regulated power output is 12V 2A.I need to control 24V 8A, is there a way to "boost" the output channel?

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2021, 06:51:23 pm
content: Many PID regulators use a PWM ouput and not truely analog / linear drive. True linear 12V 2 A would be rare.With a PWM ouput is can be relative simple to also allow higher power. This can be an extra MOSFETs switch or maybe if the circuit permits just a larger MOSFET at the existing controler.

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2021, 07:28:34 pm
content: In fact most would output simple voltage. You can use a relay to get 8A. Solid state relay is better. We never use the output from our temperature controller to turn on/off the heater directly. Always with a relay. Well if you say it's PWM then it is of a very long period often as long as 20 seconds. 1 second is on the short side. Few would use period of less than 1 second.

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2021, 09:47:38 pm
content: Quote from: rockwell on May 20, 2021, 06:32:27 pmDescribing the application might help. For example is this a unitized controller board or is the output stage separate. Industrial applications often use separate output stages (solid state relays -SSR-) that interface via common control signal voltages. If that was the case you simply would buy a new SSR to drive the 24 V load.If this is a unitized controller you may have a more difficult challenge. The best approach then depends upon the control board but it MAY be possible to drive a SSR directly from the current output. That is there are many SSR's out there that can be driven via a 12 VDC control voltage

author: WattsThat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2021, 10:00:43 pm
content: As Wizard69 asked, what are you controlling?Temperature?Pressure?Flow?Speed?A link to the controller and hopefully it’s operating manual would be a great starting point.

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2021, 10:56:04 pm
content: Quote from: WattsThat on May 20, 2021, 10:00:43 pmDidn't the OP said it's a Temperature Controller?

author: rockwell
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 08:35:31 am
content: It's for controlling temperature.The controller I use is a NPI TC-20 (https://www.npielectronic.com/product/tc-10-20/)For me important is the analog control this resulting in low noise, so on/off with relay is no option for me.I use this controller in a heated chamber for metrology use.But the max. output is only 12V 2A and I need more.

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 01:07:45 pm
content: Reading the manual now I don't know how to do it either. If the heater takes AC voltage you can use a phase angle controller. Most phase angle controllers can take 0-10VDC input so you may need a voltage divider to scale the 0-12V output from your controller to 0-10V. However I don't know of a device that control DC power via voltage input.

author: rockwell
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2021, 01:42:46 pm
content: Thanks for your reply, but that sounds complicated to me. I will try to find some more information about phase angle controller.