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Arduino Universal Power Control (UPC) board

Published: 06 June 2019
Last updated: 01 March 2023
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The UPC is an Arduino board, complete with power supply, triac power control, display and menu buttons. Because of the many built-in functions you can quickly and easily create all kinds of useful electronic devices. See the open source PCB Eagle files on GitHub. It includes Gerber files for let making the PCB.

This product is no longer for sale since 7-2020.

Arduino Power Control BoardArduino Power Control BoardArduino Power Control BoardArduino Power Control Board

Front plate for Hammond caseFront plate for Hammond case

The Arduino Universal Power Control (UPC) board has the following features

  • TFT display
  • Menu buttons
  • Integrated 3.3V power supply
  • Power control which can handle high inductive loads
  • Buzzer 
  • Single board that fits into a standard Hammond Electronics enclosure
  • Breadboard for custom modifications
  • Arduino ATmega328 with bootloader, programmable via the Arduino IDE 
  • Optional temperature sensor input DS18B20 (software not implemented)
  • MAX6675 thermokoppel board connector
  • Optional custom digital output 3.3V (software not implemented)
  • Zero cross detection

The Arduino UPC board is already prepared for these applications:

  • Spot welder controller
  • Vacuum pressure controller
  • Thermocouple temperature controller
  • Smart solid state relay or dimmer
  • Reflow oven controller

Front panel for the Hammond Electronics enclosure with self tapping screws

See the article about the spotwelder controller.

Front panel with self tapping screws

Hammond enclosure

The PCB fits exactly into the Hammond Electronics 1591XXSGY enclosure.

Fits into this Hammond caseFits into this Hammond case

Snubberless triac

Standard TRIACs have turn-off problems with inductive loads. Therefore, a high power alternistor is used here, also named as:

  • Snubberless triac
  • Three-quadrant triac
  • High commutation triac
  • Alternistor

Alternistors can be purchased through Mouser as well as on eBay.

The RC snubber network R14 and C4 protects the circuit from voltage transient spikes. The FTDI connector J2 is for re-programming. The ISP connector J9 is for burning the Arduino bootloader.

Spot welding pulse timer control panel with TFT display circuitSpot welding pulse timer control panel with TFT display circuit

Connectors

  • J1 vacuum sensor
  • J2 FTDI programming by the Arduino IDE
  • J3 temperature sensor DC18B20
  • J6 rotary encoder
  • J7 vacuum pressure controller PCB
  • J8 MAX6675 thermokoppel board connector

Optional mounting of heavier triacs

On the circuit diagram, 3 triacs are drawn, but only one has been mounted (with TO-220 housing). Optionally, a heavier triac can be mounted with a TO-218 or D2PAC housing. 
For big spot welders, take the BTA100-800B, it's for sale on AliExpress. Mount it on a heatsink and wire it to the PCB.

Drilling the Hammond Electronics enclosure front panel

The Arduino UPC board is made to fit into the standard Hammond Electronics enclosure nr. 1591XXSGY:

Hammond Electronics enclosure front panel drillingHammond Electronics enclosure front panel drilling

Arduino Universal Power Control drilling holesArduino Universal Power Control drilling holes

To print out at 1:1, open this PDF FILE.

Arduino MAX6675 thermokoppel board interface

For Arduino applications that require a thermokoppel, a MAX6675 board can be inserted as shown here:

Arduino MAX6675 thermokoppel board interfaceArduino MAX6675 thermokoppel board interface

Programming by the Arduino IDE

For programming the UPC board by the Arduino IDE, you need a 3.3V FTDI breakout module and a female header. Note that there are fake 3.3V FTDI breakouts: Fake FTDI adapter 5V/3.3V breakouts without regulator.

Programming the Arduino Universal Power Control boardProgramming the Arduino Universal Power Control board

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