Latest Electrical Power Control Articles

Linear and switch-mode power supplies provide direct current to power control components and electrical devices. Learn…

Linear and switch-mode power supplies provide direct current to power control components and electrical devices. Learn about the differences between the two power supplies and which one is best for your control system.

Coil, field winding, rotor, stator, eddy current… When it comes to motors, there are numerous terms that describe the…

Coil, field winding, rotor, stator, eddy current… When it comes to motors, there are numerous terms that describe the theory of operation, but what is inside a 3-phase motor? Take a look, and learn how they work.

Siemens introduces a new addition to the Reyrolle protection product line that is capable of being installed in remote…

Siemens introduces a new addition to the Reyrolle protection product line that is capable of being installed in remote locations with the ability of dual-power sources.

CUI Devices has further expanded its power relay products. Suited for high-level current switching, the new line of power…

CUI Devices has further expanded its power relay products. Suited for high-level current switching, the new line of power relays offers max switching currents from 5 A to 40 A.

Programmable Logic Control (PLC) systems are the core of most industrial control systems that drive modern manufacturing.…

Programmable Logic Control (PLC) systems are the core of most industrial control systems that drive modern manufacturing. In this Control Automation video, we discuss the wiring process for buttons, switches, and discrete sensors, applicable to virtually every PLC.

Learn about proportional gain and proportional band, two key proportional control concepts, to better understand the most…

Learn about proportional gain and proportional band, two key proportional control concepts, to better understand the most popular control system method in industrial automation.

Most engineers are not intimidated by simple mathematics, but when designing mission-critical systems, it’s important…

Most engineers are not intimidated by simple mathematics, but when designing mission-critical systems, it’s important to have easy access to reliable tools and calculators. Introducing our first new set of tools designed for control engineers.

Control Automation is proud to announce updates to several chapters of our popular online textbook. Check out the…

Control Automation is proud to announce updates to several chapters of our popular online textbook. Check out the improvements in the PLC, Feedback Control, and Power Generation sections.

Relay and other coil devices pose a few confusing questions: How can the relay still work if you connect a DC supply in…

Relay and other coil devices pose a few confusing questions: How can the relay still work if you connect a DC supply in reverse? How can an alternating voltage attract and hold the load consistently?

The PCU400 can handle all known industrial protocols and forward them to the master station to get an effective…

The PCU400 can handle all known industrial protocols and forward them to the master station to get an effective connection between the SCADA system and the data from the manufacturing or system process.

COSEL welcomes its new power supply lineup, the WDA series, for industrial applications. The AC/DC DIN-rail power…

COSEL welcomes its new power supply lineup, the WDA series, for industrial applications. The AC/DC DIN-rail power supplies feature improved efficiency to help manufacturers reduce costs.

The control and visualization of power plant processes through SCADA improves the supervision, coordination, and security…

The control and visualization of power plant processes through SCADA improves the supervision, coordination, and security of the power system operations.

Schaffner releases new power connector, expanding on their IEC lock connector offerings to prevent accidental unplugging…

Schaffner releases new power connector, expanding on their IEC lock connector offerings to prevent accidental unplugging and for reducing electrical noise.

The diverse power terms in electrical generation systems include active, reactive, and apparent power, all of which lead…

The diverse power terms in electrical generation systems include active, reactive, and apparent power, all of which lead to the introduction of ‘power factor’ effectiveness in an AC circuit.

Grounding transformer connections presents its own set of challenges. This article addresses these challenges and several…

Grounding transformer connections presents its own set of challenges. This article addresses these challenges and several common configurations for control transformer grounding.

Today’s digital multimeters (DMMs) are inexpensive, accurate, and easy to use, but sometimes a problem with the circuit…

Today’s digital multimeters (DMMs) are inexpensive, accurate, and easy to use, but sometimes a problem with the circuit or the measurement can cause incorrect readings. Learn to interpret and fix these problems.

Learn about power side and ground side switching and how designing these circuits to have predictable failures from the…

Learn about power side and ground side switching and how designing these circuits to have predictable failures from the beginning helps in system maintenance and troubleshooting.

The CTRL F3 series reviews field studies and failures in the field focused on control fails, fixes, and facts. This…

The CTRL F3 series reviews field studies and failures in the field focused on control fails, fixes, and facts. This article covers an explosion at an industrial sawmill.

DC voltage systems exist to provide controllers and field devices with stable power, but it is not always clear when…

DC voltage systems exist to provide controllers and field devices with stable power, but it is not always clear when these systems should be bonded with the earth ground of the AC line voltage supply.