Common Electrical and Sensor Problems

Electrical problems related to barrel heaters, band heaters, and instruments occur constantly in most production lines. In most cases, the problem is easily identified and fixed. For example, most barrel heaters are configured with a current meter on the control panel. If the controller is calling for heat on the zone and the meter 

Thermocouples and wire leads require constant maintenance due to wire breaks and malfunctioning thermocouples. In most cases, the root cause of the problem is easy to determine. When a thermocouple loses continuity the instrument panel typically reports either an open circuit or a very negative temperature. A more difficult but also common problem occurs when the control thermocouple is not located close to the heating element on the control system. In this case, it is possible for the thermocouple to be influenced by another heated control zone while allowing its control zone to operate at temperatures that can be either very hot or very cold. Such cold conditions can cause the polymer to solidify in the transfer line while a hot condition can cause the resin to degrade. During the installation and startup of new equipment, it is important that the thermocouples are matched with the proper controller and control zone. 

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