Thermostat

Here introduce the temperature regulator(Thermostat) which used a thermistor for the temperature sensor. This circuit can control a outside system by driving a relay when the temperature of the thermistor becomes a setting temperature. The strict temperature setting can not be done with this circuit like the thermometer. The resistance value of the thermistor changes by the ambient temperature. This circuit changes the change of the resistance value into the change of the voltage using the transistor. Then, it compares that voltage and the voltage of the setting temperature using the voltage comparator and it drives a relay. It is a relatively simple circuit. With this circuit, the difficult point is to handle an analog signal (the temperature change). The characteristic of the thermistor, the transistor and so on has an influence on the performance of the equipment just as it is. Even if the thermistor or the transistor of the same name is used, the same performance (the setting temperature range and so on) isn't sometimes gotten. The design to have considered the ruggedness of the part is possible. This time, I made a circuit based on the result which measured the characteristic of each part. I think that this way becomes reference as the case when there is not data of the part.

Heat Sensitive Switch

At the heart of this heat-sensitive switch is IC LM35 (IC1),which is a linear temperature sensor and linear temperature-to-voltage converter circuit. The converter provides accurately linear and directly proportional output signal in millivolts over the temperature range of 0°C to 155°C. It develops an output voltage of 10 mV per degree centigrade change in the ambient temperature. Therefore the output voltage varies from 0 mV at 0°C to 1V at 100°C and any voltage measurement circuit connected across the output pins can read the temperature directly.

The input and ground pins of this heat-to-voltage converter IC are connected across the regulated power supply rails and decoupled by R1 and C1. Its temperature-tracking output is applied to the non-inverting input (pin 3) of the comparator built around IC2. The inverting input (pin 2) of IC2 is connected across the positive supply rails via a voltage divider network formed by potmeter VR1. Since the wiper of potmeter VR1 is connected to the inverting input of IC2, the voltage presented to this pin is linearly variable. This voltage is used as the reference level for the comparator against the output supplied by IC1. So if the non-inverting input of IC2 receives a voltage lower than the set level, its output goes low (approximately 650 mV). This low level is applied to the input of the load-relay driver comprising npn transistors T1 and T2. The low level presented at the base of transistor T1 keeps it nonconductive. Since T2 receives the forward bias voltage via the emitter of T1, it is also kept non-conductive. Hence, relay RL1 is in de-energised state, keeping mains supply to the load ‘off’ as long as the temperature at the sensor is low.

Conversely, if the non-inverting input receives a voltage higher than the set level, its output goes high (approximately 2200 mV) and the load is turned ‘on.’ This happens when IC1 is at a higher temperature and its output voltage is also higher than the set level at the inverting input of IC2. So the load is turned on as soon as the ambient temperature rises above the set level. Capacitor C3 at this pin helps iron out any ripple that passes through the positive supply rail to avoid errors in the circuit operation. By adjusting potmeter VR1 and thereby varying the reference voltage level at the inverting input pin of IC1, the temperature threshold at which energisation of the relay is required can be set. As this setting is linear, the knob of potmeter VR1 can be provided with a linear dial caliberated in degrees centigrade.

Therefore any temperature level can be selected and constantly monitored for external act ions like turning on a room heater in winter or a room cooler in summer. The circuit can also be used to activate emergency fire extinguishers, if positioned at the probable fire accident site. The circuit can be modified to operate any electrical appliance. In that case, relay RL1 must be a heavy-duty type with appropriately rated contacts to match the power demands of the load to be operated

Thermostat for 1KW Space Heater (SCR controlled)

Thermostat for 1KW Space Heater (SCR controlled)

Below is a thermostat circuit I recently built to control a 1300 watt space heater. The heater element (not shown) is connected in series with two back to back 16 amp SCRs (not shown) which are controlled with a small pulse transformer. The pulse transformer has 3 identical windings, two of which are used to supply trigger pulses to the SCRs, and the third winding is connected to a PNP transistor pair that alternately supply pulses to the transformer at the beginning of each AC half cycle. The trigger pulses are applied to both SCRs near the beginning of each AC half cycle but only one conducts depending on the AC polarity.

DC power for the circuit is shown in the lower left section of the drawing and uses a 1.25uF, 400 volt non-polarized capacitor to obtain about 50mA of current from the AC line. The current is rectified by 2 diodes and used to charge a couple larger low voltage capacitors (3300uF) which provide about 6 volts DC for the circuit. The DC voltage is regulated by the 6.2 volt zener and the 150 ohm resistor in series with the line limits the surge current when power is first applied.

The lower comparator (output at pin 13) serves as a zero crossing detector and produces a 60 Hz square wave in phase with the AC line. The phase is shifted slightly by the 0.33 uF, 220K and 1K network so that the SCR trigger pulse arrives when the line voltage is a few volts above or below zero. The SCRs will not trigger at exactly zero since there will be no voltage to maintain conduction.

The upper two comparators operate in same manner as described in the "Electronic thermostat and relay" circuit. A low level at pin 2 is produced when the temperature is above the desired level and inhibits the square wave at pin 13 and prevents triggering of the SCRs. When the temperature drops below the desired level, pin 2 will move to an open circuit condition allowing the square wave at pin 13 to trigger the SCRs.

The comparator near the center of the drawing (pins 8,9,14) is used to allow the heater to be manually run for a few minutes and automatically shut off. A momentary toggle switch (shown connected to a 51 ohm resistor) is used to discharge the 1000uF capacitor so that pin 2 of the upper comparator moves to a open circuit state allowing the 60 Hz square wave to trigger the SCRs and power the heater. When the capacitor reaches about 4 volts the circuit returns to normal operation where the thermistor controls the operation. The momentary switch can also be toggled so that the capacitor charges above 4 volts and shuts off the heater if the temperature is above the setting of the pot.

Electronic Thermostat and Relay Circuit

Electronic Thermostat and Relay Circuit

Here is a simple thermostat circuit that can be used to control a relay and supply power to a small space heater through the relay contacts. The relay contacts should be rated above the current requirements for the heater.

Temperature changes are detected by a (1.7K @ 70F) thermistor placed in series with a 5K potentiometer which produces about 50 millivolts per degree F at the input of the LM339 voltage comparator. The two 1K resistors connected to pin 7 set the reference voltage at half the supply voltage and the hysteresis range to about 3 degrees or 150 millivolts. The hysteresis range (temperature range where the relay engages and disengages) can be adjusted with the 10K resistor between pins 1 and 7. A higher value will narrow the range.

In operation, the series resistor is adjusted so that the relay just toggles off at the desired temperature. A three degree drop in temperature should cause the relay to toggle back on and remain on until the temperature again rises to the preset level. The relay action can be reversed so it toggles off at the lower end of the range by reversing the locations of the 5K potentiometer and thermistor. The 5.1 volt zener diode regulates the circuit voltage so that small changes in the 12 volt supply will not effect operation. The voltage across the thermistor should be half the supply or about 2.6 volts when the temperature is within the 3 degree range set by the potentiometer. Most any thermistor can be used, but the resistance should be above 1K ohm at the temperature of interest. The series resistor selected should be about twice the resistance of the thermistor so the adjustment ends up near the center of the control.