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How to Hook Up a PID Control to a Watlow Heating Element

Control systems form an integral part of electric devices that are used to regulate a single variable. One of the most common types of control system is known as a proportional-integral-derivative, or PID, controller. These controllers are often used to regulate temperature through the use of a thermocouple, or temperature sensor, and heater. Watlow heating elements come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but all heaters only have two terminals, which simplifies connection to a PID controller.

Things You'll Need

Thermocouple

Instructions

- 1
  Read the PID controller documentation to check which thermocouple type is supported by the PID controller. Connect the correct thermocouple to the input of the PID controller.
- 2
  Connect the positive terminal of the Watlow heating element to the positive terminal of the PID controller output. Connect the negative terminal of the heating element to the negative terminal of the PID controller output.
- 3
  Switch on the PID controller. Set the desired temperature by changing the setpoint. The PID controller starts outputting a current to the heater until the desired temperature is obtained.

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