Here are some picture of my TC controller. I do not include a schematic, as
my arrangement was forced upon me due to the financial necessity of using what
parts I had and could scrounge and is not ideal. But this controller cost me
less than $50 US!! Basically, I didn't have any switches capable of handling
the load, so I had to use the ice cube style relays for each switch, making
for a complicated wiring diagram.
The PSU is controlled by the left variac, a 20 amp Powerstat. The SG vacuum
motor is controlled by the 4.5 amp variac on the right, also a Powerstat. The
red button is the momentary primary circuit activator, and the key switch on
the left is for continuous mode. The key on the right is the main power switch.
One green indicator shows when the unit is plugged in and the other shows power
on. Yellow indicators show when power is available to the variacs. The hour
meter tracks the PSU variac. The ammeter is connected so as to show total system
draw, and the voltmeter can display mains voltage or the output voltage of either
variac with the small on/on/on switch located to it's left. I really like this
feature. The fuses on the left are for the variacs, and there is a 25 amp circuit
breaker inside, not visible in the pictures. The switch on the left of the hour
meter enables/disables the PFC (power factor correction) capacitors.
There are RFI filters on both variac outputs, and if you look closely at the
second picture you will see MOVs (metal oxide varistors) sprinkled throughout
the system to ground any excessive voltages. The PFC caps are 6 multiple value
36/20uf motor run types, which is very cool as I can range my PFC values from
3uf to 336uf by changing the jumper wires. The switch controlling the PFC is
there for testing different values on different loads, and so I can use the
controller on other projects where PFC caps are undesirable.
The entire mess is enclosed in an ammunition box, courtesy of Uncle Sam. The
crossbar was welded on and removing it would have been a mess. Still, good boxes
are hard to come by, and it does have really nice handles and lid. Cooling is
performed by a 110V muffin fan, and the intake is positioned so as to pull the
moving air through the variacs, which generate the most heat.