Section 1: Quick Operating Instructions
The three steps below are the basics of using your temperature controller. The User’s Manual is a reference that
explains the controller more fully as well as some of its more sophisticated features. It’s recommended that new
users unfamiliar with process controllers read the entire manual carefully. The controller is preprogrammed
for use with heating mantles fitted to round bottomed flasks running “typical” organic reactions (i.e., non-
polymeric reactions in solvents such as THF, toluene, DMF, etc.). If the controller is used with this type of
reaction, the 3 steps below will help you get started.
To use heaters other than heating mantles:
See Section 2.
Do not use the controller to heat oil baths:
See Section 3.2 & Appendix I.
For instructions about the cooling outlet:
See Section 3.4.
For polymer synthesis, atypical, expensive, or safety critical reactions:
See Appendix II.
1
Place the thermocouple in the solution being heated. Place at least the first 1/4” of the thermocouple
directly in the solution being heated. Thermocouples can be bent without harming them. If you’re
heating a corrosive liquid, use Teflon coated thermocouples. If you are heating a sealed reaction, see
Section 4.2.
2
Set the power level switch to the
volume of solution being heated
(not the size of the flask being used). The
power level switch can be thought of as a
solid state variac. Volume ranges are printed
above this switch as a guide to select the
correct power level since it’s easier to guess
the volume being heated than the appropriate
“percent power” to apply to a heater. ‘Heat
Off’ turns off the heater so the controller
displays temperature only. All new users
should read Section 3.6.
1-10 ml
10-100 ml 50-500 ml
300 ml-2 L
> 2 L
Output
Power Level
Heat
Off
A power
is equivalent to
setting of.....
a variac setting of:
1-10 ml
3%
10-100 ml
10%
50-500 ml
25%
300 ml - 2 L
50%
> 2 L
100%
TIP
: Because the power switch
acts like a variac, if the reaction
is heating too slowly or you need
more power (e.g., heating to high
temperatures), give the heater
more power by turning the power
level up one setting. If the
reaction needs less power than
normal(e.g., heating to low
temperatures (<60
o
C) or the
temperature overshoots the set
point excessively, turn the power
down one setting.
DO NOT
set
the power switch on a setting too
high initially to heat the reaction
quickly and then lower it to the
correct setting, this degrades
heating performance.
3
Enter the setpoint
(i.e., the desired
temperature). Hold in the
❊
button and
simultaneously press the
key to increase or the
▲
key to decrease the setpoint. The setpoint can
▼
be seen at anytime by holding in the
❊
button, the
setpoint appears as a blinking number in the
display.
*
8 0. 0
5
