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Alpes Lasers · TC-3 User Manual

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Summary of Contents for Alpes Lasers · TC-3

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Page 2 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Table of Contents Introduction..................3 Safety Terms and Symbols..............4 Quick Start.................... 6 Installation.................... 7 Front Panel Operation................. 10 Settings and Menus................13 Rear Panel..................19 Connecting to the TC-3............... 20 Selecting the Fixture................21 Remote Mode Operation..............

  • Page 3: Introduction

    0.01°C resolution for both set point and actual temperatures • 60W (5A/12V) and 120W (10A/12V) output power Accessories Alpes Lasers also sells several accessories designed to work with the TC-3. These include: • TC-LLH cable This cable links the TC-3 controller to the Laser Laboratory Housing.

  • Page 4: Safety Terms And Symbols

    Storage of the unit outside the standard storage temperature or humidity rating, or prolonged storage under harsh conditions; • Failure to operate properly. If needed, contact your distributor or Alpes Lasers for service or repair to ensure the safety of the product is maintained.
  • Page 5 CAUTION There are no user-serviceable parts inside. All service and repair work shall be done by Alpes Lasers or personnel authorized by Alpes Lasers. Modifications done by non-authorized personnel will void the warranty. Please see the Service section later in this manual for instructions on...

  • Page 6: Quick Start

    Page 6 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Quick Start TC-3 was designed with ease of use in mind, and you will likely have little need for this manual for almost all of the features the unit offers. The main Starter Kit Manual contains a Quick Start section that contains specific features related to the lasers provided by Alpes Lasers –...

  • Page 7: Installation

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 7 and current begin driving the fixture to the set point you have chosen. Depending on the thermal size of your fixture, it may take seconds or several minutes to reach the set point. If you notice the temperature is oscillating around the set point and not stabilizing, you may need to adjust the Gain setting in the menu.
  • Page 8 Page 8 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Input Power Connector (IPC) Once the module has been removed, remove the small, white voltage selection tumbler from the module, and then re-insert so that the desired voltage is shown. Re-insert the module into the IPC. CAUTION Do not exceed 250VAC on the line input.
  • Page 9 TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 9 CAUTION Do not operate the unit above +40°C ambient, and ensure the instrument is properly ventilated, or the unit may overheat and possible damage to the instrument may occur. Rack Mounting Rack mounting kits (p/n 1401-RM-1 or p/n 1401-RM-2) for standard 19”...

  • Page 10: Front Panel Operation

    Page 10 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Front Panel Operation Operation of the TC-3 is very straightforward. The sections below will help familiarize you with the front panel, the display, and the menu structure. The front panel is designed for simplicity in operation. There are three buttons on the front panel: Output, Menu, and the adjustment knob.
  • Page 11 TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 11 error, press Menu button. To clear all errors, press the knob. A list of error codes can be found in the Error Messages section below. When the unit is in remote mode, the yellow Remote LED will be lit. More information about how the instrument behaves in remote mode can be found in the Remote Mode Operation section below.
  • Page 12 Page 12 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual No Set Point Error Because TC-3 Temperature Controller uses a digital PID loop, it will always stabilize at the set point, and you will never have a temperature offset, which is different that most other temperature controllers.

  • Page 13: Settings And Menus

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 13 Settings and Menus All parameters of the TC-3 can be viewed and changed within the menu. The menus are constructed with the most used parameters first. To change any setting, press Menu to enter the menu then rotate the knob to select the parameter to change.
  • Page 14 Page 14 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Menu Description Factory Default PID P The proportional term of the PID loop. Will only be available if Gain is set to PID. PID I The integral term of the PID loop. Will 0.01 only be available if Gain is set to PID.
  • Page 15 TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 15 Menu Description Factory Default R-High Lim R-High Lim is the sensor high limit. If 45kΩ operating in R Mode and the actual sensor measurement exceeds this value, the output will be turned off. R limits are not monitored in Ite Mode.
  • Page 16 Page 16 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Menu Description Factory Default Cable R The resistance of the cable and 0.0080Ω connectors, in ohms. This setting allows for accurate voltage measurement at the TEC by removing the voltage loss of the cable.
  • Page 17 TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 17 Menu Description Factory Default Comm Menu Communications Menu Baud This sets the baud rate for the RS232 9600 serial port. See the Computer Interfacing Manual which is included on the CD that accompanied this product.
  • Page 18 Page 18 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Menu Description Factory Default Knob Controls the adjustment speed of the Slow Speed knob. Possible values are slow, medium, and fast. Edit User Enable or disable editing of user calibration values. This is not a persistent value and will always resets to No on power up.

  • Page 19: Rear Panel

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 19 Rear Panel In addition to the input power connector described above, there are three connectors on the rear panel of the TC-3: Output connector, USB connector, and RS232 connector. TC-3 Rear Panel TEC Output Connector The Output connection is a female DB-15, and has the following pin- out:...

  • Page 20: Connecting To The Tc-3

    Interfacing Manual which can be found on the Arroyo Instruments Website. Connecting to the TC-3 Alpes Lasers carries two cable assemblies specifically designed for connecting the TC-3 to temperature controlled fixtures or devices. Part number TC-LLH is a meter cable, capable of up to 5A of TEC current, designed for use with Alpes Lasers LLH mount.

  • Page 21: Selecting The Fixture

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 21 Selecting the Fixture TC-3 has integrated support for other commencially available mounts, such as the 204 TEC Butterfly LaserMount. To simplify operation when using these mounts, you can change the Mount setting in the menu to the mount type you are using. By selecting a mount, the current limit, temperature limits, default gain, and sensor settings are automatically adjusted to values appropriate to the mount, and menu settings limited to the capabilities of the mount.

  • Page 22: Installing The Usb Drivers

    Page 22 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Installing the USB Drivers Using the TC-3 via USB is just as simple as using the serial port. In fact, once you have installed the USB drivers, the instrument will appear as a virtual serial port that you can use just like a normal serial port.

  • Page 23: Working With Thermistors

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 23 Working With Thermistors TC-3 is designed to work with negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors, such as the BetaTHERM 10K3A1 thermistor. A thermistor works by translating temperature into resistance, with resistance decreasing as temperature increases (hence the ‘negative coefficient’).

  • Page 24: Working With Rtds

    Page 24 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual required temperature range. The typical setting is 100μA, but your application will determine the actual needs. The Steinhart-Hart Equation As can be seen from the temperature versus resistance graph above, resistance varies inversely with temperature in a non-linear fashion. This relationship can be accurately modeled by polynomial equations, and one such being the Steinhart-Hart equation: =A+B *ln ( R )+C *ln ( R )
  • Page 25 TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 25 TC-3 automatically determines which equation to use based on the conditions at the time of the measurement. 2-Wire versus 4-Wire Measurements One concern in using RTDs are their relatively low resistance (typically 100Ω...

  • Page 26: User Calibration Of Resistance Sensors

    Page 26 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual User Calibration of Resistance Sensors In some applications, having the ability to compensate, or calibrate, the sensor measurement is desired, such as referencing to an internal standard or to match the readings of another instrument. This is supported on the TC-3 by using the Sens Cal M and Sens Cal B...

  • Page 27: External Fan Control

    350mA to an external fan. When using the TC-3 with mounts that require a fan, no additional external power supply is needed. The housings used by Alpes Lasers do not incorporate fans. Fan control is setup in the menu using the Ext Fan, Ext Fan Pwr, Ext Fan Mode, and Ext Fan Off settings.
  • Page 28 Page 28 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual remaining running for an addition number of minutes as defined by the Ext Fan Off setting. Cool Fan is turned on whenever the TEC output is on and cooling, off otherwise. Heat Fan is turned on whenever the TEC output is on and heating, off otherwise.

  • Page 29: Resistive Heaters And Heat/Cool Only Modes

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 29 Resistive Heaters and Heat/Cool Only Modes TC-3 supports temperature control using resistive heaters instead of Peltier coolers. With resistive heaters, cooling is obviously not possible, and the TC-3 must be configured to not attempt to cool the output, or a run-away condition will occur when the cooling current actually causes additional heating.

  • Page 30: Using The Autotune Function

    Page 30 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual To manually adjust the PID, start by changing the I and D values to zero, and adjust the P value so that it reaches the set point as quickly as possible without overshooting the set point an unacceptable amount.
  • Page 31 TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 31 The instrument will ask for the AutoTune test point. You will want to select your typical operating point. If you will be operating at two or more set points, you will usually want to select the set point furthest away from ambient.

  • Page 32: Using The Autotune Function Remotely

    Page 32 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual of resolution is displayed, but additional resolution is available by viewing the PID parameters in the menu. The Gain setting will be changed to PID. If the AutoTune process fails, the instrument will display an E-436 AutoTune Failed error message and turn the output off.

  • Page 33: Compensating For Cable Resistance

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 33 Compensating for Cable Resistance Because the high currents the TC-3 can drive through the Peltier, the voltage loss through the cable and connectors of the system can significantly affect the TEC voltage measurement. In most cases, accurate voltage measurements are not needed, and the default compensation of the instrument is sufficient.
  • Page 34 Page 34 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual To manage this internal thermal load, the TC-3 relies on two methods of power control: a tunable power supply and current limiting. Where possible, the internal power supply will be adjusted down to minimize the thermal load inside the instrument.

  • Page 35: Specifications

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 35 Specifications All values relate to a one-hour warm-up period. Description TC-3 Drive Channel Current Range (A) Compliance Voltage (V) Max Power (W) Resolution (A) 0.01 Accuracy ( [% set point + mA]) 0 + 30 ±...
  • Page 36 Page 36 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Resolution (mV) Accuracy ( [% reading + mV]) 0.3 + 1 ± AD590 Bias (V) Range (µA) 173 – 473 Resolution (µA) 0.01 Accuracy ( [% reading + µA]) 0.03 + 0.1 ±...

  • Page 37: Error Messages

    TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 37 Error Messages Error Description Cause Code General Error The error code is non-specific, and is generally used when no other error code is suitable. Message too long The message is too long to process (USB/Serial only).
  • Page 38 Page 38 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Error Description Cause Code Sensor changed, The sensor type was changed, causing output turned off the output to be turned off. Temperature was The temperature went out of tolerance out of tolerance, and the output was turned off.

  • Page 39: Maintenance, Calibration And Warranty

    On the web: http://www.alpeslasers.ch In all cases, Alpes Lasers requires a return materials authorization (RMA) number. You must contact Alpes Lasers and obtain an RMA number prior to returning your instrument, or the shipment may be rejected and sent back to you.
  • Page 40 Page 40 · TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual Warranty Alpes Lasers warrants that this product will be free from defects in material and workmanship and will comply with Alpes Lasers’ published specifications at the time of sale for a period of one year from date of shipment.
  • Page 41 TC-3 Temperature Controller User’s Manual · Page 41...

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