Sprint Electric 370, 400, 800, and 1200 Series DC Drives

The Sprint Electric 370, 400, 800, and 1200 range provides compact analogue DC drive solutions for controlling small permanent-magnet, shunt-wound, and suitable universal DC motors. Designed for industrial control applications where straightforward speed regulation, current limiting, and reliable motor control are needed, these single-quadrant drives cover continuous output currents from 3.7A to 12A.

Industrial Motor Warehouse supplies Sprint Electric DC drive products for UK industrial applications, including machinery upgrades, replacement controls, and OEM applications. The range includes open chassis-mount drives as well as enclosed variants, giving engineers flexibility when specifying a DC motor drive for new or existing equipment.

Sprint Electric DC Drive Range

The 370, 400, 800, and 1200 controllers share a compact design philosophy but also provide different current and motor-power capabilities. Selecting the correct model should be based on the motor’s armature voltage, continuous armature current, supply requirements, feedback method, and application duty rather than simply choosing the highest current-rated drive.

Technical Features Across the 370-1200 Range

The precise feature set varies between models, but the range incorporates functions that are intended to simplify integration into industrial control systems.

Armature Voltage and Tachogenerator Feedback

Depending on the model type and configuration, feedback can be selected between armature voltage and tachogenerator feedback.

Armature voltage feedback can provide a straightforward speed-control arrangement, while tachogenerator feedback can provide a more direct indication of motor speed for applications requiring improved regulation.

The 400, 800, and 1200 also incorporate adjustable IR compensation to improve speed regulation when using armature-voltage feedback.

Adjustable Acceleration and Deceleration

Controlled acceleration and deceleration help prevent abrupt changes in motor speed. This can be particularly important on machinery with significant inertia, mechanical gearing or a process that needs controlled speed transitions.

The 370 provides an adjustable acceleration range, while the 400/800 family provides user-adjustable acceleration and deceleration settings.

Current Limiting and Motor Protection

Current limiting is an important part of DC motor control because excessive armature current can result in overheating and mechanical stress.

The 400, 800, and 1200 provide adjustable maximum motor current settings, with motor overload signalling available to support machine control and monitoring. The 1200 also provides additional signals for displaying motor speed and load.

Analogue Control Inputs

The 400, 800, 1200 range can be integrated into wider control systems using analogue references. The 1200, for example, provides 4-20mA and 0-20mA loop input capability as standard, alongside facilities for speed and torque-related control.

This makes these drives suitable for applications where the DC motor needs to respond to a PLC, analogue controller, potentiometer, or other machine-control reference.

Choosing Between the Sprint Electric 370, 400, 800, and 1200

Current requirement is one of the first parameters to check. A 370 is suitable where the motor’s continuous armature current is within 3.7A. Its compact 100mm x 100mm x 42mm footprint can be useful where control-panel space is limited.

The 400 increases continuous output to 4A and adds features such as additional input/output signals, selectable feedback, and torque-control functionality.

The 800 provides up to 8A continuous output for motors requiring more current while retaining the compact analogue-drive architecture.

The 1200 extends the range to 12A and is specified for motors up to 1.8 kW under its 200-264VAC supply configuration. It also provides a broader set of control and monitoring functions.

For all four models, engineers should check the motor’s rated armature voltage and current, supply voltage, feedback arrangement, acceleration requirements, and environmental conditions before selecting a drive.

Open Chassis-Mount for Enclosed DC Drive?

Spring Electric offers these controllers in both open chassis-mount and enclosed configurations.

Open chassis-mount units are intended for integration into a control panel or machine enclosure. They can be appropriate for OEM machinery and retrofit projects where the engineer is responsible for the surrounding electrical protection and installation arrangement.

The enclosed versions package the controller into an IP40 aluminium enclosure and are available as E and ER variants. The E versions provide forward-only control, while ER versions incorporate reversing functionality. Sprint Electric states that the enclosed 370E, 400E, 800E, and 1200E/ER products use 110-240VAC input and provide output-current ratings from 3.7A to 12A depending on model.

Applications for a DC Motor Speed Controller

A DC motor speed controller such as the Sprint Electric 370-1200 range can be used where a machine needs adjustable and regulated speed from a brushed DC motor.

Potential applications include:

• Conveyor and material-handling machinery
• Small process machinery
• Printing and converting equipment
• Packaging machinery
• Pumps and fans using compatible DC motors
• Winding and tension-control applications
• OEM machine control panels
• Replacement of older analogue DC motor controls
• Machinery requiring controlled acceleration and deceleration

The 400, 800, and 1200 models include torque-control functionality intended for basic winding or tension-control applications, with overspeed limiting.

Brushed DC Motor Controller Selection

A brushed DC motor controller must be matched to the characteristics of the motor and the machine rather than selected solely by physical size.

Before ordering, check:

Motor current: The drive’s continuous output-current rating must accommodate the motor’s rated armature current.

Armature voltage: Confirm that the drive’s available armature voltage is compatible with the motor.

AC input: The 370-1200 family supports different supply ranges depending on model and configuration, including 110/120V-class and 230/240V-class operation.

Feedback: Determine whether armature-voltage feedback or tachogenerator feedback is appropriate for the application.

Direction: The standard range is single quadrant. If reversing is required, determine whether an external reversing arrangement or an enclosed ER variant is appropriate.

Duty: Consider acceleration, deceleration, peak torque, starting load, and the expected operating cycle before finalising the drive rating.

Sprint Electric DC Drives for UK Applications

For UK machinery builders, maintenance engineers, and electrical components, the Sprint Electric 370, 400, 800, and 1200 series provides a practical analogue platform for small DC motor applications.

These drives can be particularly relevant when maintaining existing DC machinery where replacing the complete motor-control architecture with an AC inverter and induction motor is unnecessary or commercially impractical. They can also provide a compact control solution for OEM machinery built around permanent-magnet or shunt-wound DC motors.

Buy Sprint Electric 370, 400, 800, and 1200 DC Drives

Industrial Motor Warehouse provides access to the Sprint Electric range for engineers and businesses sourcing DC motor-control equipment in the UK. Whether you need a compact Sprint Electric DC drive for a small permanent-magnet motor or a higher-current 1200 controller for an industrial application, the correct model depends on the complete motor and machine specification.

For technical assistance with selecting a DC motor drive, contact Industrial Motor Warehouse with the motor nameplate details, existing drive information, and application requirements. This allows the replacement or new installation to be specified against the actual electrical and mechanical demands of the machines.