Many temperature problems in a plant are found too late because the only record is a handwritten log sheet or a single reading on a controller. A test rig, an environmental chamber, a plant-room manifold or an equipment cabinet often needs several temperatures watched at once, shown to the operator at the panel and stored for later analysis, without a PC permanently attached. In Pakistan, that need comes up in OEM panel building, HVAC plant, laboratories, automotive and appliance test benches and marine engine rooms.
This note looks at the Lascar EL-SGD 70-ATP, a four-channel temperature data logger built into a 7" capacitive touchscreen panel display. Figures come from the Lascar EL-SGD 70-ATP datasheet (Issue 2, 10/2018) hosted on our product page and from the current Tetracon product pages. Where we give general engineering advice, it is labelled as general. No performance claim here goes beyond the manufacturer's published data.
Why log temperature at the panel
- Operators see the trend, not just the number. The EL-SGD 70-ATP shows real-time readings for up to four channels, live trend graphs and real-time data analysis on the panel itself (datasheet). An operator can see a temperature drifting long before it trips an alarm on a controller (general).
- The record stays with the machine. Up to 100,000 readings per channel are stored in the logger (datasheet). A test rig or chamber keeps its own history, ready to download when a batch, test or complaint needs evidence (general).
- One cut-out instead of four instruments. Four thermistor channels, the display and the logging live in one panel-mount module (datasheet). That saves panel space and wiring compared with separate indicators and a stand-alone recorder (general).
How the EL-SGD 70-ATP works
The EL-SGD 70-ATP is based on Lascar's PanelPilotACE platform. Each kit includes the 7" PanelPilotACE display with mounting kit (SGD 70-A), a four-channel thermistor add-on board (S70-TP), four 1 m thermistor probes with 3.5 mm plugs (EL-P-TP) and a mini USB cable (datasheet). The probes plug into the NTC1 to NTC4 sockets, and the logger can be set for one, two, three or four channel logging in Celsius or Fahrenheit (datasheet).
The supplied probes measure from -40 to +125 °C with an internal resolution of 0.01 °C and an accuracy of ±1.0 °C (datasheet). That ±1.0 °C applies between -5 and 40 °C without offset calibration; across the full -40 to +125 °C range it applies with offset calibration applied (datasheet footnote). Logging rates run from 15 seconds to 12 hours. The module is a USB slave: connect a PC or laptop to the rear USB connector and use Lascar's free Device Utility software to extract logs as text files in comma-separated format for a spreadsheet (datasheet). Advanced users can redesign the screens and logging behaviour with the free drag-and-drop PanelPilotACE Design Studio software (datasheet).
Lascar EL-SGD 70-ATP at a glance
| Item | EL-SGD 70-ATP datasheet |
|---|---|
| Type | Four-channel temperature data logger with 7" capacitive touch display, panel mount (PanelPilotACE platform) |
| Channels | Up to 4 thermistor channels (NTC1-NTC4); 1, 2, 3 or 4 channel operation; °C or °F |
| Supplied probe range | -40 to +125 °C (-40 to +257 °F) |
| Internal resolution | 0.01 °C (0.01 °F) |
| Accuracy | ±1.0 °C (±1.8 °F) between -5 and 40 °C without offset calibration; between -40 and +125 °C with offset calibration applied |
| Memory | 100,000 readings per channel |
| Logging rate | 15 seconds to 12 hours |
| Display / software | Real-time readings, live trend graphs, real-time data analysis; free Device Utility (download) and PanelPilotACE Design Studio (customisation) |
| Communications | USB (USB slave, rear connector); logs extracted as text files, comma-separated |
| In the box | SGD 70-A 7" display with mounting kit, S70-TP four-channel thermistor board, 4 x EL-P-TP 1 m thermistor probes with 3.5 mm plug, mini USB cable |
| Outside dimensions | 186 x 122 x 21 mm (7.3 x 4.8 x 0.8 in) |
| Panel cut-out / panel thickness | 179 x 115.5 mm (7.0 x 4.54 in); panels 0.5 to 4.0 mm thick, fixed with four bracket clips and grub screws |
The datasheet does not give an ingress rating, an operating temperature range for the display or a hazardous-area approval, so treat the EL-SGD 70-ATP as a safe-area panel instrument mounted in a clean, protected enclosure and check the environment with us before you specify it (general reading of the datasheet).
Where it fits
- HVAC plant and building services. HVAC monitoring is a listed application (product page). Supply and return temperatures on a chiller, an air-handling unit or a heat exchanger can be shown and logged on the plant-room panel, giving a record for commissioning and fault-finding (general).
- Process control panels, PLC and HMI builds. Process control and automation and PLC, HMI and data acquisition are listed applications (product page). Panel builders can add an independent four-point temperature record next to the control system, useful when the PLC does not store history (general).
- Scientific equipment and laboratories. Listed on the product page. Ovens, water baths, chambers and stability cabinets within the -40 to +125 °C probe range can be monitored at four points from one display (general, range from datasheet).
- Automotive and appliance test rigs. Automotive test systems are a listed application (product page). Engine-bay, coolant, cabin or compressor temperatures on a test bench can be trended live and downloaded after each run (general).
- Marine monitoring. Also listed on the product page. In engine rooms and on board, the logger belongs inside a protected console or enclosure, since the datasheet gives no ingress rating (general).
Practical notes for good readings
- Plan the offset calibration. The ±1.0 °C figure holds from -5 to 40 °C without offset calibration; outside that band the datasheet relies on offset calibration being applied (datasheet). For ovens, freezers or hot process points, budget a calibration check against a reference thermometer at the working temperature (general).
- Pick a logging rate to suit the record. At 100,000 readings per channel, a 1-minute rate gives roughly 69 days of data and a 15-second rate roughly 17 days before memory is full (general arithmetic from the datasheet figures). Download before the memory fills.
- Place probes where the process is, not where it is convenient. Fix thermistor tips in the air stream, liquid or surface you actually care about, away from heaters, doors and direct sun, and keep the 1 m leads tidy and clear of power cables (general).
- Prepare the cut-out carefully. Cut 179 x 115.5 mm in a panel 0.5 to 4.0 mm thick and secure the module with the four bracket clips and grub screws (datasheet). Leave access to the rear USB connector for downloads (general).
- Keep data handling simple. Device Utility exports comma-separated text that opens in a spreadsheet (datasheet). Agree a file-naming and backup routine with the QA or maintenance team before the first download (general).
- Check panel temperatures in summer. Pakistani control rooms, plant rooms and vehicle bays can run very hot in summer; mount the display in a ventilated or air-conditioned panel and confirm the panel environment with us before ordering (general).
Other Lascar temperature loggers and when to choose them
| Duty | Product | From the datasheet |
|---|---|---|
| Panel-mount, four points, live trends at the machine | Lascar EL-SGD 70-ATP | 4 thermistor channels, -40 to +125 °C, ±1.0 °C (-5 to 40 °C without offset calibration), 100,000 readings per channel, 15 s to 12 h, 7" touchscreen, USB |
| Portable two-point logging with an on-screen graph | Lascar EL-GFX-DTP+ | 2 thermistor probes, -40 to +125 °C, ±0.3 °C (-10 to 70 °C), over 250,000 readings, 2 s to 1 h, battery up to about 1 year |
| Two points streamed over WiFi with cloud alarms | Lascar EL-WiFi-DTP+ | 2 external thermistor probes, -40 to +125 °C, ±0.2 °C typical (-15 to +80 °C), logging 10 s to 12 h, EasyLog Cloud, app or PC, logger IP40 and probe tips IP67 |
| High temperatures beyond thermistor range | Lascar EL-USB-TC | K, J or T thermocouple; K-type -200 to +1350 °C (supplied probe 0 to 200 °C), ±1 °C logger only, 32,510 readings, 1 s to 12 h |
As a rule of thumb, choose the EL-SGD 70-ATP when the readings must be visible and recorded at a fixed panel, the EL-GFX-DTP+ when an engineer carries the logger from job to job, the EL-WiFi-DTP+ when remote alarms matter more than a local screen, and the EL-USB-TC for furnaces, kilns and other points above 125 °C (general).
What to send with an enquiry
- The application and the four (or fewer) temperature points you need to monitor, with their normal and extreme temperatures.
- The panel or enclosure: material thickness, available space for the 179 x 115.5 mm cut-out and the panel environment.
- The logging rate and how long the logger must run between downloads.
- Whether you need probe lengths or styles other than the supplied 1 m thermistor probes.
- Your calibration and record-keeping requirements, including any offset calibration points.
FAQ
What is the Lascar EL-SGD 70-ATP?
A four-channel temperature data logger built on Lascar's PanelPilotACE platform, with a 7" panel-mount capacitive touchscreen, a four-channel thermistor board and four 1 m thermistor probes. It shows live readings, trend graphs and data analysis and stores up to 100,000 readings per channel.
What temperature range and accuracy does it have?
The supplied probes measure from -40 to +125 °C with 0.01 °C resolution. Accuracy is ±1.0 °C between -5 and 40 °C without offset calibration, and between -40 and +125 °C with offset calibration applied.
How fast can it log?
The datasheet gives a logging rate from 15 seconds to 12 hours, with up to 100,000 readings stored per channel.
How is data downloaded?
The logger is a USB slave. Connect a PC or laptop to the rear USB connector and use Lascar's free Device Utility software to extract the logs as comma-separated text files for a spreadsheet.
What panel cut-out does it need?
179 x 115.5 mm, in a panel 0.5 to 4.0 mm thick. The module is held with four bracket clips and grub screws; outside dimensions are 186 x 122 x 21 mm.
Can the screens be customised?
Yes. Advanced users can customise the logging application with Lascar's free drag-and-drop PanelPilotACE Design Studio software.
Next steps
Tetracon (Pvt.) Ltd. is the sole authorized agent for Lascar Electronics in Pakistan and supplies EasyLog data loggers and panel instruments with local technical support. Send us your temperature points, panel details and logging plan, and we will propose the right logger. Use the contact page or see our services. Start with the EL-SGD 70-ATP, compare the EL-GFX-DTP+, EL-WiFi-DTP+ and EL-USB-TC, browse process instruments and environmental monitoring, or see all Lascar Electronics products and the full product catalogue. Related notes: WiFi temperature and humidity monitoring, industrial thermometer selection and humidity and temperature monitoring for pharma cleanrooms. Free technical guides are collected under Guides.