Our team of experts at United Automation have decades of experience in the power control industry and are the people to ask with any issues customers may have.
If you have a question or query, please have a look through the top 10 questions or you can use the form below to email us directly.
Top 10 Questions Asked to the Team
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Why use 2-leg control?
Why do you recommend 'High-Speed Fusing' or 'Semiconductor Fusing' for many of your controllers?
I am located in Adelaide, Australia, and I wondered where can I get spare parts for my PR3-E-36KW HVAC controller?
Why do you recommend that 'Heatsink' compound is used for installation of your QVR controllers?
What installation information should I expect with my FC36M 3-phase driver card?
Why do I need a filter when using some of your products?
Do you have a 24hour Technical Helpline & do you charge for this service?
How can I calculate the controller rating I need for my 3-phase heater load?
Why is the 'Soft-Start' function so important to the Infresco models you advertise?
Are there any maintenance issues with your Thyristor controller range?
Why use 2-leg control?
This term is used in the control of 3-phase resistive loads, where there is NO fixed Neutral point. Only two of the three phases need to be switched so the Thyristor controller required is less costly.
Why do you recommend 'High-Speed Fusing' or 'Semiconductor Fusing; for many of your controllers?
Most of the power controllers manufactured by United Automation, use semiconductor devices (triacs or thyristors) to switch the current. These devices are not always protected by slower rated fuses and therefore need the correct type & rating for the application. Please let me know your specific details and I will recommend the best fusing. If the controller does not come complete with suitable fusing we will recommend which rating to use.
I am located in Adelaide, Australia, and I wondered where can I get spare parts for my PR3-E-36KW HVAC controller?
Most of the typical spare parts for this type of unit (e.g. Fuses & Semiconductors) would be available from worldwide distributors such as RS Worldwide (www.rswww.com)
Why do you recommend that 'Heatsink' compound is used for installation of your QVR controllers?
These type of controllers (and many others from our range) have an internal semiconductor device to control the power to your load. When in operation, this generates heat, which needs to be dissipated to a suitable heatsink & the open air. To ensure that the heat is transferred between the controller and the heatsink as efficiently as possible, we advise the conductive paste between the two surfaces.
What installation information should I expect with my FC36M 3-phase driver card?
For this control card we have a general data-sheet (X10248) and a detailed 10-page installation manual (X20004) which will give you all the set-up parameters and specifications. These documents are also available to download from our website.
Why do I need a filter when using some of your products?
All the 'Phase-Angle' controllers we manufacture, will generate RFI and, therefore, to meet the current European legislation (EMC Standards) we need to either provide a controller with integral filtering (e.g. QVR-TB-RFI) or recommend an external filter solution. Please let me know your particular circuit conditions and I will be able to advise you.
Do you have a 24hour Technical Helpline & do you charge for this service?
No, we do not have dedicated staff to respond to telephone enquiries 24 hours a day. Most of our technical data is available on line and we will respond to any request rapidly. We do NOT charge for our technical help.
How can I calculate the controller rating I need for my 3-phase heater load?
If the 3-phase load is configured in a Delta or Star arrangement, the calculation is as follows;
Total Power (KW) = Supply Volts (V) x Line Amps (A) x 1.73
So an 18KW load, connected to a 415vAC supply will need a 25Amp controller.
Why is the 'Soft-Start' function so important to the Infresco models you advertise?
These type of controllers are usually used on Infrared Quartz Halogen heater lamps whose characteristics are that there is a High-Inrush current surge, on switch-on. The Soft-Start feature minimises the effect of this surge and helps prolong the lamps life.
Are there any maintenance issues with your Thyristor controller range?
In general terms, the Thyristor controls are extremely robust and should not need much maintenance apart from checking for moisture, dust or corrosion. Where a cooling fan is fitted, this will have a certain life-expectancy and will need to be replaced after so many hours of operation (typically a HAC fan will have a life-expectancy of 30 to 40,000 hours.)