Wattco Control Panels In-Depth

Wattco control panels are designed to maintain reliable and efficient heat transfer in a heating system and to keep an industrial process running at full operational capacity.

A temperature control panel is designed to change the temperature of a space and the fluid contained within. These control panels detect the fluid’s temperature then compare it to what the control panel is programmed to hold as the desired temperature. If the two values are not equal, the temperature control panel will send a signal to the heating element to make the fluid reach the appropriate temperature.

Wattco control panels are designed to maintain reliable and efficient heat transfer in a heating system and to keep an industrial process running at full operational capacity. Wattco control panels and heaters have been keeping industrial fluids from chemical disintegration with precise heat control for over 40 years and we are constantly striving to improve our products and their performance.

We also offer entirely custom control panel manufacturing services to meet the exact requirements of your target application. Nearly every component of the control panel is customizable to suit hazardous environments or protect against moisture, dust, or other hazards.

Types of Wattco Control Panels

There are as many types of control panels as there are industries and applications, but they can be separated into five categories. These categories are listed below.

Temperature Control

A temperature control panel is designed to change the temperature of a space and the fluid contained within. These control panels detect the fluid’s temperature then compare it to what the control panel is programmed to hold as the desired temperature. If the two values are not equal, the temperature control panel will send a signal to the heating element to make the fluid reach the appropriate temperature.

Wattco-control-panel-front-view

Power Control

An electrical power control panel distributes and controls the flow of electrical energy through a system. It can be used to regulate current and voltage and deliver them to a subsystem or component as required.

Multi-Loop Controller

A multi-loop controller is a type of control panel used to control temperature or process components in an industrial system which has two or more control loops within one system or unit.

Process Controller

Process control is a facet of engineering related to ensuring the output of a process falls within the desired range by manipulating the system’s mechanisms and construction to stay within peak operational parameters. A process control panel is a tool which enables the engineer or technician to control process components.

Safety-Limit Controller

A safety-limit controller is designed to help prevent damage to a system and its components through a variety of control functions. For example, the safety-limit controller may monitor the current running past a section of a system and temporarily deactivate the flow of power to that section if the current reaches a level which could damage the system or harm someone.

Control Panel Construction

Although control panel construction materials differ depending on the application they are intended for, the basic design of most control panels is similar. The variations between models for different applications are listed below.

Control Panel Boxes

Our control panels are designed and built to deliver dependable performance consistently over a long operational life. We design and build our systems following NEMA standards – a set of standards defined by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association to delineate different grades of enclosures for electrical circuitry, often for industrial use. NEMA enclosures are designed and built to protect staff from unsafe exposure to electrical equipment and to protect the equipment from being damaged by environmental factors. Each level of NEMA standards is rated to prevent a different degree of adverse conditions. On the lower end of the protection spectrum, NEMA control panel enclosures are rated to protect against contaminants such as water, dust, oil, gasoline, acetylene, or other corrosive agents and gasses.

Below is a complete list of NEMA accreditations applied to control panel enclosures. Bear in mind that a NEMA box with a higher rating does not include all of the features of lower-rated NEMA boxes. For example, a NEMA 10 enclosure is rated for use in a mine and tested against the hazardous found in that type of environment, namely dust and dripping water. Although a NEMA 4 box is rated for those hazards and more, the NEMA 10 does not share those other qualities.