I have a Watlow F4 Temperature controller (full Part No. F4PH-CAAA001RG). I
want to connect a solid state relay to its "Switched DC" output so I get
zero crossing switching but I'm unsure if this requires a SSR with random or
Zero Crossing switching. The manual doesn't help:
http://www.watlow.com/literature/pro...ers/f4pe_d.pdf

The F4 manual does mention "Burst Fire" which uses zero crossing detection,
so I suspect that the switched DC output can drive either type of SSR so
long as the controller and SSR are connected to the same mains supply so the
phases are matched.

Or have I misunderstood what's going on?

Thanks,

Scrim

Scrim wrote:
I have a Watlow F4 Temperature controller (full Part No. F4PH-CAAA001RG). I
want to connect a solid state relay to its "Switched DC" output so I get
zero crossing switching but I'm unsure if this requires a SSR with random or
Zero Crossing switching. The manual doesn't help:
http://www.watlow.com/literature/pro...ers/f4pe_d.pdf

The F4 manual does mention "Burst Fire" which uses zero crossing detection,
so I suspect that the switched DC output can drive either type of SSR so
long as the controller and SSR are connected to the same mains supply so the
phases are matched.

Or have I misunderstood what's going on?

According to the product brochure,

http://www.watlow.com/literature/spe...winf4p0403.pdf

the controller you have is rated 100-240V AC/DC and has one
open-collector DC output, with an update rate of only 20Hz.

If you wanted the controller to detect zero-crossing, apparently you
would need a different controller, the one with the solid-state relay
output.

To use the controller you have, I would suggest connecting a
solid-state relay with its own zero-crossing detection.

In article , "Scrim" wrote:
I have a Watlow F4 Temperature controller (full Part No. F4PH-CAAA001RG). I
want to connect a solid state relay to its "Switched DC" output so I get
zero crossing switching but I'm unsure if this requires a SSR with random or
Zero Crossing switching. The manual doesn't help:
http://www.watlow.com/literature/pro...ers/f4pe_d.pdf

The F4 manual does mention "Burst Fire" which uses zero crossing detection,
so I suspect that the switched DC output can drive either type of SSR so
long as the controller and SSR are connected to the same mains supply so the
phases are matched.

Or have I misunderstood what's going on?

I don't even know what their ramp and soak mean. When I use a linear ramp
controller, I feed the DC control voltage to a Mosfet to control voltage linearly.

Yes, a SSR with zero crossing turn on at the zero point, and off at the zero point.

We use linear ramps so it has no switching noise.

greg

"GregS" wrote in message
...
In article , "Scrim"
wrote:
I have a Watlow F4 Temperature controller (full Part No. F4PH-CAAA001RG).
I
want to connect a solid state relay to its "Switched DC" output so I get
zero crossing switching but I'm unsure if this requires a SSR with random
or
Zero Crossing switching. The manual doesn't help:
http://www.watlow.com/literature/pro...ers/f4pe_d.pdf

The F4 manual does mention "Burst Fire" which uses zero crossing
detection,
so I suspect that the switched DC output can drive either type of SSR so
long as the controller and SSR are connected to the same mains supply so
the
phases are matched.

Or have I misunderstood what's going on?

I don't even know what their ramp and soak mean. When I use a linear ramp
controller, I feed the DC control voltage to a Mosfet to control voltage
linearly.

Yes, a SSR with zero crossing turn on at the zero point, and off at the
zero point.

We use linear ramps so it has no switching noise.

greg

Thanks folks. I've also just worked out that the P in F4P (as apposed to an
S or D) means this isn't a ramping controller as I'd assumed. It seems
Watlow like to keep their guidance cryptic for some reason!

Scrim