Smart Ephys TC02 Temperature Controller User Manual
- June 5, 2024
- Smart Ephys
Table of Contents
** Smart Ephys TC02 Temperature Controller
**
Imprint
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of
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of Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH.While every precaution has been taken in the
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© 2021 Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH. All rights reserved.
Printed: 23.02. 2021
Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH
Aspenhaustraße 21
72770 Reutlingen
Germany
Phone +49-71 21-90 92 5 – 0
Fax +49-71 21-90 92 5 -11
sales@multichannelsystems.com
www.multichannelsystems.com
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Introduction
About this Manual
This manual comprises all important information about the first installation
and the proper usage of the temperature controller TC02. It is assumed that
you have a basic understanding of technical terms, but no special skills are
required to read this manual. Make sure you read the “Important Information
and Instructions” prior to install or to operate this temperature controller.
The thermocouple function is added to the standard temperature controller TCX
in revision REV G. The devices with a series number higher than SN 2000 are
equipped with this function.
Important Information and Instructions
Operator’s Obligations
The operator is obliged to allow only persons to work on the device, who
- are familiar with the safety at work and accident prevention regulations and have been instructed how to use the device;
- are professionally qualified or have specialist knowledge and training and have received instruction in the use of the device;
- have read and understood the chapter on safety and the warning instructions in this manual and confirmed this with their signature.
It must be monitored at regular intervals that the operating personnel are working safely. Personnel still undergoing training may only work on the device under the supervision of an experienced person.
Important Safety Advice
- Warning: Make sure to read the following advice prior to install or to use the device and the software. If you do not fulfill all requirements stated below, this may lead to malfunctions or breakage of connected hardware, or even fatal injuries.
- Warning: Obey always the rules of local regulations and laws. Only qualified personnel should be allowed to perform laboratory work. Work according to good laboratory practice to obtain best results and to minimize risks.
The product has been built to the state of the art and in accordance with recognized safety engineering rules. The device may only
- be used for its intended purpose;
- be used when in a perfect condition.
- Improper use could lead to serious, even fatal injuries to the user or third parties and damage to the device itself or other material damage.
Warning: The device and the software are not intended for medical uses and must not be used on humans. Malfunctions which could impair safety should be rectified immediately.
High Voltage
Electrical cords must be properly laid and installed. The length and quality
of the cords must be in accordance with local provisions.
Only qualified technicians may work on the electrical system. It is essential
that the accident prevention regulations and those of the employers’ liability
associations are observed.
- Each time before starting up, make sure that the mains supply agrees with the specifications of the product.
- Check the power cord for damage each time the site is changed. Damaged power cords should be replaced immediately and may never be reused.
- Check the leads for damage. Damaged leads should be replaced immediately and may never be reused.
- Do not try to insert anything sharp or metallic into the vents or the case.
- Liquids may cause short circuits or other damage. Keep the device and the power cords always dry. Do not handle it with wet hands. Make sure the device and your experiment are set up in a way that makes it impossible that any liquid spills onto the device or drips into the device from the surface of the table.
- Do not short-circuit the outputs of the device.
Requirements for the Installation and Operation
Warning: Improper use (especially a too high setpoint temperature or an inappropriate channel configuration, for example, a too high maximum power can lead to overheating the heating element. Overheating can lead to fire hazards and even fatal injuries. Only advanced users should edit the channel configuration and only with extreme care.
-
Make sure that the device is not exposed to direct sunlight. Do not place anything on top of the device, and do not place it on top of another heat producing device. Never cover the device,
not even partially, so that the air can circulate freely. Otherwise, the device may overheat. -
The connected heating elements produce heat and can get hot during operation.
-
Do not touch the connected heating elements during operation and do not store flammable materials nearby.
-
Check in regular intervals that the connected heating element does not overheat.
-
Regard the specifications of the connected heating element.
-
Use and keep the device only in a dry environment. Fluids or damp air may damage or destroy the device. Spilled liquid can damage or even completely destroy the electronics of the instrument. Avoid it by all means.
-
Edit the channel configuration only if necessary, and only with extreme care. Test new configurations under personal supervision before operating the instrument unsupervised.
-
The “Maximum Power” of the channel configurations should not exceed a value that is safe for use with the connected heating element, the temperature protocol, and the experimental setup.
Guarantee and Liability
The general conditions of sale and delivery of Multi Channel System MCS GmbH
always apply. The operator will receive these no later than on conclusion of
the contract. Guarantee and liability claims in the event of injury or
material damage are excluded when they are the result of one of the following.
- Improper use of the device.
- Improper installation, commissioning, operation or maintenance of the device.
- Operating the device when the safety and protective devices are defective and/or inoperable.
- Non-observance of the instructions in the manual with regard to transport, storage, installation, commissioning, operation or maintenance of the device.
- Unauthorized structural alterations to the device.
- Unauthorized modifications to the system settings.
- Inadequate monitoring of device components subject to wear.
- Improperly executed and unauthorized repairs.
- Unauthorized opening of the device or its components.
- Catastrophic events due to the effect of foreign bodies or Acts of God.
Installation and Operation
Welcome to the Temperature Controller TC02
Warning: Improper use, especially a too high setpoint temperature or an inappropriate channel configuration, for example, a too high maximum power, can lead to overheating the heating element. Overheating can lead to fire hazards and even fatal injuries. Only advanced users should edit the channel configuration and only with extreme care.
The temperature controller TC02 is used to control the temperature of a connected heating element. The device is available with two output channels.The thermocouple function is added to the standard temperature controller in revision REV G. Devices with a series number higher than SN 2000 are equipped with this function. The TC02 is designed for use with Pt100 sensors, which allow a very precise temperature recording and control. Pt100 sensors feature the highest available accuracy and linearity over a wide temperature range. All heating elements that are part of products from Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH are equipped with Pt100 sensors. Please see the manuals of the heating elements that you are going to use for details. The TC02 uses a Proportional-Integrator (PI) based technology. The setpoint temperature is reached fast and the accuracy is extraordinarily high. The outputs are galvanically isolated against ground, that is, the TC02 does not interfere with the experimental setup. The TC02 is a general purpose temperature controller for use of almost any kind of heating element. The PI coefficients are preset in the channel configuration defaults for MCS products. You can set up your own custom configurations to use the temperature controller for your specific heating elements. Preset configurations are available for use with the heating elements that are part of the following products provided by Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH.
- MEA2100: compact stand-alone system for recordings from microelectrode arrays with 60, 2 x 60 or 120 channels with integrated amplification, data acquisition, online signal processing, real-time feedback, and integrated stimulus generator.
- USB-MEA256: compact stand-alone system for recordings from microelectrode arrays with 256 channels with integrated amplification, data acquisition, and analog / digital conversion.
- MEA1060-INV: 60 channel preamplifier and filter amplifier for microelectrode arrays on inverted microscopes. The same channel configuration applies to MEA1060-INV-BC amplifiers.
- MEA1060-UP: 60 channel preamplifier and filter amplifier for microelectrode arrays on upright microscopes. The same channel configuration applies to MEA1060-UP-BC amplifiers.
- PH01: Perfusion cannula with heater and sensor.
- TCW1: Warming plate with heater and sensor.
- OP Table: Warming plate with heater and sensor and rectal thermometer with thermocouple sensor.
Note: Multi Channel Systems can provide a channel configuration for your application on request.
The TC02 heats actively, but the cooling is passive. Therefore, the minimum
temperature is defined by the room temperature. A room temperature beyond 5 °C
is not recommended.
For advanced applications, the TC02 can be remote controlled via the USB port.
The actual temperature values can be read on the connected computer and saved
as a text file. You can then import this file into your custom evaluation
software, for example to plot a temperature curve. You can also set up custom
programs for applying automated temperature protocols to the connected heating
element. Advanced hardware diagnosis features ensure a superior experimental
control.
Setting Up and Connecting the Temperature Controller
Provide a power supply in the immediate vicinity of the installation site.
- Place the TC02 on a dry and stable surface, where the air can circulate freely and the device is not exposed to direct sunlight.
- Plug the external power supply cable into the supply power input socket on the rear panel of the TC02.
- Connect the external power supply to the power outlet.
- Optional, for recording temperature curves or remote control: Connect the USB cable to a free USB port of the data acquisition computer.
- Connect the TC02 to the heating element. Use the cable that is delivered with the heating system or use a custom cable. The cable is plugged into the female D-Sub9 socket. (Channel 1 and Channel 2, if you have a TC02). See also chapter “D-Sub9 Pin Assignment” in the Appendix.
- Use of OP Table: Connect the TC02 to the heating element of the heating plate. Use the cable that is delivered with the heating system or use a custom cable. The cable is plugged into the female D-Sub9 socket labeled with “Channel 1”. Connect the TC02 to the rectal thermometer. Use the provided cable, and connect the rectal thermometer via the thermocouple connector (type T) to the socket labeled with “Thermocouple 1”.
Operating the Temperature Controller
Starting the TC02
All functions are set in the menu of the TC02, including switching the TC02 on
and off. If the TC02 is switched off, it goes into standby mode. The
instrument and display are only switched off completely when the TC02 is
disconnected from the power supply. Most of the power consumption of 6 W in
standby mode is used by the power supply unit. In the main menu on the
display, select On / Off. The TC02 starts to control the temperature on the
selected channels immediately. If the TC02 is connected properly, the actual
temperature and the setpoint temperature are displayed in the “Temperature
Control” view.
General User Interface
The front screen display shows the actual temperature and the setpoint
temperature. You can enter the next menu levels by pressing the “Select”
button. Go to a menu command with the “Up” and “Down” buttons and press Select
to select the command highlighted by an arrow and to enter the next menu
level. The functionality of the button array on the front panel is described
in the following.
-
Up
Goes to the menu command above or increases the displayed parameter value. Tip once to increase the value in a small single step, press longer
for larger steps. -
Down
Goes to the menu command below or decreases the displayed parameter value. Tip once to increase the value in a small single step, press longer for larger steps. -
Select
Press this button to switch from “Temperature Control” view to the “Main” menu. Selects the command highlighted by an arrow in the menus and enters the next menu level. -
Back
Leaves the menu level and goes back to the next higher menu level. Settings that were selected or modified are applied and saved automatically when leaving a menu.
TC02 Menus
Press the “Select” button to enter the “Main” menu. The other menu levels are
shown in the following illustration.
Setting a Temperature
Important: Please note that there will always be an intrinsic offset between the setpoint and the actual temperature of the connected heating element, depending on the heating element used, the proximity of the sensor to the heating element, and the experimental setup. This offset needs to be determined empirically and taken into account when programming the temperature settings. The accuracy of the TC02 ensures that this offset remains stable in a fixed experimental setup, provided that the environmental conditions, for example, the flow rate, are not changed during the experiment.
- Press the “Select” button to enter the main menu.
- Move the arrow to the desired channel by pressing the “Up” and “Down” buttons, for example to Channel 1.
- Press the “Select” button. The “Channel” menu is displayed.
- Move the arrow to “Set Temperature” and press the “Select” button. The current setpoint temperature is displayed.
- Modify the displayed value by pressing the “Up” and “Down” buttons.
- As soon as you leave the menu, the new setpoint temperature is saved. If you do not press
- button in the time range of a minute, the new setpoint temperature is also saved, and the screen is reset to the “Temperature Control” view.
Channel Configuration
Warning: Improper use, especially a too high setpoint temperature or an inappropriate channel configuration, for example, a too high maximum power can lead to overheating the heating element. Overheating can lead to fire hazards and even fatal injuries. Only advanced users should edit the channel configuration and only with extreme care.
We recommend to use the factory default settings for use with MCS products.
You can modify these settings with the “Edit” command, if required. If you
want to restore the factory default settings, select the configuration that
you would like to reset, and then select “MCS Defaults”. For safety reasons,
the “Edit” menu is locked each time the TC02 is switched off. You need to
unlock
it first by selecting “Unlock Edit” in the “Setup” menu. The channel
parameters are changed in the same way than the temperature. From the
“Channel” menu, go to “Configuration”, select “Edit”, and then select the
parameter that you would like to change, and modify it with the “Up” and
“Down” buttons.
The following parameters can be modified:
- Proportional gain
- Integrator gain
- Maximum power
Example:
You are using a MEA1060-UP amplifier for upright microscopes on channel 1, and
a perfusion cannula PH01 on channel 2 of a TC02. You have to configure each
channel for the appropriate instrument. Select, for example MEA2100 for
channel 1 and PH01 for channel 2 in the “Channel Configuration” menu of the
TC02.
Note: The factory default parameters were optimized for an ambient temperature. The configuration for use with the PH01 were optimized for a medium flow rate. Under extreme conditions, you may have to adjust the configuration for your experimental setup.
Hardware Diagnosis
This menu should be used for reviewing parameter settings or check the hardware performance in case that you observe any trouble with the instrument. Each channel can be checked separately. If the problem persists, please contact your local retailer. The highly qualified staff will be glad to help you. Keep the displayed information at hand when contacting customer support. There are four separate screen views with different sets of information in the “Diagnosis” menu. You can toggle between the views by pressing the “Up” and “Down” buttons.
Diagnosis 1: Measured Values
This diagnose screen view is used for checking the temperature sensor.
-
Temperature
Actual temperature -
Resistance 2
Cable resistance high side of sensor, see also chapter “D-Sub9 Pin Assignment”. -
Resistance 1
Cable resistance low side of sensor, see also chapter “D-Sub9 Pin Assignment”. -
Resistance X
Sensor resistance plus cable resistance -
Resistance S
Sensor resistance -
Board Temp
Board temperature: The TC02 will switch off the channel outputs and go into stand-by mode when the board temperature reaches 90 °C
Diagnosis 2: Controller Settings
This diagnose screen view is used for reviewing and checking the user
settings.
-
Setpoint Temp
Setpoint temperature -
P Gain
Proportional gain -
I Gain
Integrator gain -
Max Power
Maximum output power
Diagnosis 3: Controller Output
This diagnose screen view is used for checking the operation of the internal
controller.
-
Power Set
Output power set by the controller. -
Power Out
Actual output power (product of Current Out and Supply Voltage) -
Duty Cycle
PWM Duty cycle (internal value) -
Current Out
Current through the primary coil of the isolating transformer -
Supply Voltage
Supply voltage (from power supply)
Diagnosis 4: Heating Element
This diagnose screen view is used for checking the connected heating element.
-
On/off
Current channel state -
HE Voltage
Output voltage applied to heating element -
HE Current
Output current applied to heating element -
HE Resistance
Heating element resistance (voltage-current ratio) -
HE Power
Output power delivered to heating element (voltage-current product), should be 80 – 90 % of Power Out, depending on heating element resistance)
Controlling the Temperature Controller via TCX-Control Software
Instead of configuring your TC02 via the front panel controls, you can also
connect it to a PC with standard USB 2.0 cable and use the software TCX-
Control. With this software, you can control all functions of one or more TC02
and it is also possible to read out the actual temperature values on your
computer and save the data as a “.txt” file. Then you can import this file
into your custom evaluation software, for example, to plot a temperature
curve. However, the TC02 is also fully functional without the USB 2.0
interface.
Setting up the TCX-Control Program
Connect the Temperature controller to a USB port of your computer. Start the
setup program. This will install TCX-Control on your hard disk drive. Once you
connected the TC02 to your computer via USB port, a hardware install dialog
will appear. Follow the instructions on the screen to install the driver for
the Temperature Controller.
General User Interface of TCX-Control
Below you can see the main user interface of TCX-Control. The TCX drop down
menu shows the serial number of all connected temperature controllers. If you
operate more than one temperature controller at a time, you can select here
which one you want to monitor.
Two windows show the temperature on the two channels. The scaling of the
y-axis is adjusted automatically. The x-axis shows the absolute time taken
from the system clock. The scale of the time axis can be altered in the
“Scale” drop down menu. Find in each channel window a “Power” button to
activate and deactivate the respective channel. The status “Off / On” is
displayed.
If a channel is deactivated, the status “Off” is displayed above the “Power” button. Additionally the status “Off” is displayed in red letters in the “Setpoint” window in exchange for the setpoint temperature. The actual temperature is displayed as a number and plotted against time. Click the “Info” button to display the “About” dialog, which shows basic information about the TCX software.
In the select “Device” drop down menu, it is possible to select the type of instrument connected to the respective channel.
Temperature values can be logged to a temperature file. Select a time interval
and a file name and press the “Start Logging” button. Time and temperature
values will be logged at the selected frequency. The extension of the file is
“.txt”.
With the “Export Data” option it is possible to start temperature logging
retrospectively. When pressing the “Export Data” button, all data from the
memory of the TCX-Control software up to the present time is exported to a
file. Memory starts when the TCX-Control (not the channel!) is turned on. The
memory holds a maximum of 24 hours of data. If the TCX-Control software has
been running more than 24 at the time the export function is used, only the
last 24 hours will be saved. The frequency is fixed to 1 second. The extension
of the file is “*.txt”.
Extended Information
It is possible to display the extended information with all parameters from
the TC02. Click “Show extended information” button in the main menu.
These values can be saved to an ASCII file by pressing “Export diagnostics”. The default settings for P and I coefficients and maximum power for the different devices can be modified under “Device” in Configuration”.
Use of the OP Table
The “OP Table” consist of a heating plate for keeping the animal warm, and a
rectal thermometer for measuring the body temperature of the animal. Both
elements are equipped with a thermo sensor. The heating plate has a Pt100
sensor together with a resistance heating element. The rectal thermometer has
a thermocouple sensor. Connect the heating plate via the D-Sub 9 connector to
channel 1 of the TC02.
Connect the rectal thermometer via the thermocouple connector to channel 1
socket. Please read chapter “Setting up and Connecting the TC02”. Enable the
check box “Enable Heater Temperature Limit”, and select a temperature limit
from the “Heater Temp Limit” drop down menu. This way you make sure that the
temperature of the heating plate will not increase too much during the heating
phase, and the animal will not suffer.
Enable the check box “Use Thermocouple as Temperature Senor” if you want to
use the thermocouple sensor of the rectal thermometer. If the check box is
disabled, the sensor of the heating plate is used for temperature control. To
control the settings of both parameters, they are displayed in the “Extended
Information” menu.
Firmware Upgrade
If you like to use a device from Multi Channel Systems MCS GmbH, which is not
available in the settings of your temperature controller (for example the
TCW1), you probably need to upgrade the software and the firmware and you have
to reset the TCX.
- Software: Install the appropriate software version (for example TCX-Control software Version 1.3.4 and higher).
- Firmware: Click “Show extended information” in the main menu of the TCX-Control program. Additional windows appear, click button “Firmware Updates”.
- The “Firmware Update” dialog appears.
- Click the enabled buttons “Update” if necessary, one after the other. The firmware is adapted automatically. The status will be displayed in the status bars.
- Reset the temperature controller: In the main menu display of the TC02 device select “Setup” and “Factory Reset” to apply the new firmware with MCS default settings for all periphery devices.
Appendix
Control via Front Panel
Version: Standard
Version: Customer III
D-Sub9 Pin Assignment
Pins 1 to 4 of the female D-Sub9 input connector should be connected to the
temperature sensor, and pins 7 and 8 to the heating element. The other three
pins are not needed for operation.
TC02: D-Sub Pin Assignment
Note: A four-wire circuit is required for use with Pt100 sensors. Each of the two pairs assigned to pins 1/2 and 3/4 have to be connected together in close proximity to the PT100 sensor for proper operation. The current flows through the sensor from pin 1 to 4, and the voltage is measured between pins 2 and 3. The resistance between pin 1 and the sensor is measured as Resistance 1, and the resistance between pin 4 and the sensor is measured as Resistance 2, see also chapter Hardware Diagnosis.
Parameter Ranges
The setpoint temperature and the PI coefficients can be modified in the
following ranges. The maximum power of the TCX is 30 W. If you connect a
device with a maximum power less than 30 W, please decrease the maximum power
to protect the device against destruction.
-
Parameter Range
-
T
0.0 to 105.0 -
P
0.1 to 99.99 -
I
0.01 to 100.0 -
Power
0 to 30 W
MCS Default PI Coefficients
Note: The following PI parameters have been optimized at an ambient temperature of 25 °C, the PI coefficients for use with the PH01 at a flow rate of 3 ml/min. You may have to adjust these PI coefficients for your experimental setup, especially if the ambient temperature or the flow rate differ at large from those used by MCS. Using suboptimal PI coefficients can lead to an oscillation of the actual temperature, which is harmless, but may result in an unwanted behavior of the temperature controller.
Technical Specifications
-
Operating Temperature
10 °C to 40 °C -
Storage temperature
0 °C to 50 °C -
Dimensions (W x D x H)
170 mm x 224 mm x 66 mm -
Weight
1.5 kg -
Supply voltage and current
24 V and 4 A -
Desktop AC Power Adapter
85 VAC to 264 VAC @ 47 Hz to 63 Hz -
Sensor type
Pt 100 -
Measuring method
four wire measuring bridge -
Measuring temperature range
0 °C to 105 °C -
Number of output channels
2 -
Output voltage
max. 24 V -
Output current
max. 2.5 A per channel -
Output power
max. 30 W per channel -
Resistance of heating element
5 – 100 Ω -
Control range
Ambient temperature (min. 5 °C) to 105 °C -
Control interface
USB 2.0 -
Thermocouple probe connectors
Type T -
TCX-Control
Version 1.3.4 -
Operating system
Microsoft Windows ® Windows 10, 8.1, and Windows 7 (32 or 64 Bit), English and German Version supported Firmware Version > 1.3.4 and higher
Contact Information
Local retailer
Please see the list of official MCS distributors (sales info) on the web site.
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References
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