ARC PID User manual

© 2018 Activated Research Company, LLC | 1
ARC PID Controller User Manual
Manual ID: PA-MAN-IM12

© 2018 Activated Research Company, LLC | 2
Quick Start Guide
1. Connect Polyarc heater cable to back of PID controller
2. Turn PID controller using the power switch on the right.
3. Control the setpoint with the arrow buttons on the left. The Polyarc operating
temperature is 293 oC.
Installation Instructions
1. Make sure controller power button on the front of unit is in the “off” position (Figure 1)
(Figure 1)
2. Plug ARC PID controller into standard 120V grounded outlet.
3. Connect the Polyarc heater cable assembly into the back of the controller, aligning the
four pins in the cable’s connector with the four holes in the connector mounted on the
back of the controller. Once the connectors are aligned, push them together until they
stop, and tighten the locking nut on the cable connector to the controller to make sure
that the cable stays fully connected. (Figure 2)
(Figure 2)

© 2018 Activated Research Company, LLC | 3
4. Turn the controller “on”.
5. After a few seconds while the controller goes through an error-checking process, the
display will report the current Polyarc temperature in red digits on the left side (e.g. 32.7)
and the current set-point in green digits on the right side (e.g. 293.0). (Figure 3)
(Figure 3)
Note: due to the proprietary RTD used by the Polyarc, at room temperature the PID
controller will report a negative value (e.g. -25.4)
6. Set the temperature set-point by using the up and down arrows on the bottom right side
of the controller’s display. (Figure 4)
(Figure 4)
Note: do not press the two buttons on the lower left of the controller’s display, as these
are used for programming functions, and changing the controller’s parameters may harm
the controller and/or the attached Polyarc.
7. While the controller is on, a small red “1” will flash intermittently, at varying frequencies.
This is normal and is simply displaying the controller’s internal temperature control
activities.
8. If you wish to monitor the temperature of the Polyarc using the PID controller without
heating the Polyarc, use the down arrow on the controller to set the set-point to “0”, this
will allow you to make sure that the Polyarc is cooled-off prior to removal.

© 2018 Activated Research Company, LLC | 4
Removal of the Polyarc/Controller
1. Make sure that the Polyarc has been cooled to room temperature.
2. Turn of the PID controller using the switch on the front of the unit.
3. Disconnect the Polyarc heater cable assembly from the PID controller by first
unscrewing the nut on the connector, then pull the cable connector out of the controller
connector on the back of the box.
4. Unplug the controller from the 120V grounded outlet.
Replacing the Fuse
In the unlikely event that the controller display remains blank/dark after properly installing the
controller/Polyarc on your system and turning it on, the circuit protection fuse may have blown.
Each unit is shipped with a spare fuse to address these situations.
1. To inspect/replace the fuse, open the small spring-loaded fuse holder located on the
back-right side of the enclosure by inserting a small bladed instrument (e.g. screw driver)
in the slot in the middle of the holder, and while gently pressing it in towards the
enclosure, rotate it counter-clockwise until the tabs line up and the holder pops out of the
holder. (Figures 5 and 6)
(Figure 5) (Figure 6)
2. Remove the fuse from the holder and inspect its filament to confirm that it has blown (i.e.
the small wire in the middle of the fuse will be broken).
3. If the fuse is blown, insert the new fuse into the holder (direction does not matter), and
re-insert the fuse holder into the enclosure.
4. Prior to turning the PID controller back on, make sure that any potential causes that can
be identified for causing the fuse to blow have been addressed.