TUNGSTEN-Halogen Light Controllers

MERCRON’s Tungsten Light Controllers regulate the tungsten light-source with a high-frequency, sinusoidal waveform, reducing both start-up shock and long-term filament erosion, resulting in a 50%-to-100% INCREASE in usable lamp life.




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Tungsten / Halogen Considerations:

Facts:

The Tungsten / Halogen light-source is a long-standing, incandescent lamp, made desirable for Machine Vision applications by MERCRON, since it -

  • Main source of infrared light
  • Ideal point sources for fiber optic applications, to mention only one
  • When MERCRON's Tungsten Controller is not satisfied with the light output, the All's Well Signal will alert the operator, eliminating incalculable false rejects, and unnecessary downtime
Our Solutions to "Otherwise Problems”:
  • Tungsten lamps are subject to mechanical deterioration: socket degradation and filament corrosion, which compromise light output and shortens lamp life.
    MERCRON Tungsten Controllers compensate for these irregularities with high-frequency drive and instantaneous light regulation.
  • When MERCRON-regulated and when hooked up in series, all the lamps maintain a constant brightness, regardless of any of the above-mentioned mechanical issues.
MERCRON-regulated TUNGSTEN Lamps: Before & AFTER
Any light-sources has its pros and cons.
The most appropriate lamp is determined by several factors:
  • color of target
  • background color
  • color sensitivity of both the detector and the camera
  • color temperature of the lamp itself
Regardless, MERCRON allows the System Designer to capitalize upon its positives, and goes a long way to eliminate its negatives.
Strong Points

  • Small and simple
  • Continuous spectral output
  • Perfect for small target illuminations and fiber-optic bundles
Potential Drawbacks

  • Requires extra filtering
  • Doesn't have much blue output
  • High levels of infrared
  • Non-linear correlation of color temperature and power levels
  • Erratic light-output in vision applications (see below)*
  • Ordinary short lamp life (see below)*

But when regulated at high-frequency by MERCRON…

  • Start-up “shock” is reduced, thereby contributing to non-erratic light output
  • Typical socket corrosion* is countered, thereby contributing to non-erratic output
  • A 50%-to-100% increase in useable lamp life is obtained

Tungsten Light Controllers

As long as the lamps are connected in series, MERCRON’s Light controllers can regulate any combination of lamps that equal the light controller’s model number, encoded to indicate total wattage and voltage.

For example, a TXC300 will regulate either:

  • 1 x 300W / 72V lamp
  • 3 x 100W / 24V lamps
  • 4 x 75W / 18V lamps
  • 6 x 50W / 12V lamps
  • 12 x 24W / 6V lamps

MERCRON’s Light controllers are voltage tolerant. A 300-watt lamp load could operate over a range of 60-to-84 volts; e.g., six 50W/10V lamps could be used instead of six 50W/12V lamps. (There is some tolerance on total wattage as well).

Y-models - which include onboard power factor correction - are generally required when multiple lamp controllers are used in a single installation, and/or for operation in Europe. Their model number’s prefix will be TY.

When ordering, be sure to specify correct version: 120 VAC or 230 VAC. MERCRON will confirm the prefix of the correct model number.

Model Can
Regulate		 Lamp Type
Extra-Bright / Halogen		 Wattage
(total)		 Voltage Dimming
Range		 Power Level
TXC50-12 1
2		 50W / 12V
25W / 6V		 50
50		 12
12		 100:1
-		 I
I
TXC50-20 1 50W / 20V 50 20 100:1 I
TXC75-50 1
4		 75W / 50V
20W / 12V		 75
80		 50
48		 100:1
-		 I
I
TXC100-12 1 100W / 12V 100 12 100:1 II
TXC150-20 1
1
1
2		 150W / 18V
150W / 20V (DLL)
150W / 24V (EKE)
75W / 10V		 150
150
150
150		 18
20
24
20		 100:1
-
-
-		 II
II
II
II
TXC240-144 1
3		 240W / 144V
75W / 48V		 240
240		 144
144		 100:1
-		 IV
IV
TXC300-50 1
2
4		 300W / 50V
150W / 25V
75W / 12V		 300
300
300		 50
50
48		 100:1
-
-		 IV
IV
IV
TXC300-72 1
6
12		 300W / 72V
50W / 12V
25W / 6V		 300
300
300		 72
72
72		 100:1
-
-
TXC300-120 1 300W / 72V 300 72 100:1
TXC500-120 1
2
5
6
12
14
20		 500W / 120V
250W / 60V
100W / 24V
80W / 19V
42W / 10V
34W / 9V
25W / 6W		 500
500
500
500
500
500
500		 120
120
120
114
120
126
120		 100:1
-
-
-
-
-
-

TUNGSTEN Light-Controllers' Dimensions

Overall:
Regular Metal Box:
9.5" X 5.125" X 2.625"
(241 X 130 X 67 mm)
Long Metal Box:
11" X 5.125" X 2.625"
(279 X 130 X 67 mm)
Weight:
4 - 5 lbs
(1.8 - 2.3 kg)
Mounting:
3" X 8-32 or 10-32 bolts

Mechanical Specifications

Some of our customers over the past 30 years: