# Load Controls

> Load Controls designs and manufactures true-power motor sensors and pump load controls that detect dry running, cavitation, jams, blockages, tool wear, and bearing wear in pumps, mixers, conveyors, and CNC machines. Founded in 1984 and based in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, USA, the company is ISO 9001:2015 certified, made in the USA, and serves 7,500+ customers globally with 500,000+ installations. Load Controls is trusted by 25 of the world's 30 largest process manufacturers, including P&G, ExxonMobil, BASF, DuPont, AstraZeneca, Mitsubishi, INEOS, International Paper, SABIC, and Eli Lilly. The company is now part of the Industrial Control Solutions group of brands.

Load Controls' core technology measures true (active) power — volts x amps x power factor — rather than current (amps) alone. Because current-only sensing can only flag extreme overloads, true power sensing catches gradual inefficiencies, underloads, dry running, and cavitation roughly 10x more sensitively, and detects faults in 25-50 milliseconds. Outputs include 0-10V, 4-20mA, and Modbus; sensors are compatible with variable frequency drives (VFDs) using Hall Effect sensing that is unaffected by VFD waveform distortion. All products are made in the USA and carry a 12-month warranty.

## Frequently Asked Questions

- **What is the difference between true power sensing and current (amp) sensing?** True power accounts for voltage and power factor, not just current, so it directly reflects the mechanical work a motor is doing. This makes it roughly 10x more sensitive than amp-only sensors, catching dry running, cavitation, and gradual load changes that current sensing misses, since current sensors can only detect extreme overloads or faults.
- **Can Load Controls sensors be used on motors driven by a VFD (variable frequency drive)?** Yes. Standard voltage and current transformers do not work reliably at the variable frequencies a VFD produces. Load Controls' Universal Power Cell (UPC) uses Hall Effect sensors, which are unaffected by VFD waveform distortion, and is field-scalable to match the motor.
- **What pump problems do Load Controls sensors detect?** Dry running, loss of prime, cavitation, jammed or broken impellers, clogs, blockages, and developing bearing wear (via gradual load increase), across centrifugal, positive displacement, submersible, mag-drive, and sealed pumps.
- **Do the sensors contact the pumped fluid?** No. Sensors install at the motor control panel and monitor electrical power draw, with no contact with the pumped fluid — suitable for corrosive, hazardous, and food-grade fluids.
- **What output signals are available for integration with PLCs/SCADA?** 0-10V analog, 4-20mA analog (loop-powered on compact models), Modbus, and Form C relay outputs for direct alarm/shutdown, allowing integration without additional signal conditioning.
- **Where are Load Controls products manufactured?** Sturbridge, Massachusetts, USA, since 1984. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified.
- **What is the difference between the PMP-25, TP-2, and UPC?** The PMP-25 is a complete pump load control with digital display and two set-point relays, built for pump protection out of the box. The TP-2 is a compact, lower-cost sensor (4-20mA output only) best suited for small motor starter enclosures. The UPC (Universal Power Cell) is a field-scalable power sensor for large or variable-capacity motors and VFD applications.

## Products

- [PMP-25 Pump Load Control](https://loadcontrols.com/products/pmp-25-pump-load-control): $1,040. Complete pump protection unit with two set points (high/low trip, Form C relay each), 4-20mA analog output, built-in digital load display (%, HP, or kW), includes Range Finder Toroid for motors up to 50HP. Detects dry running, no prime, cavitation, jammed impeller, and bad bearings. 12-month warranty, 5-7 day lead time, 54.4oz.
- [CR-150 Fast Response Current Sensing Load Control](https://loadcontrols.com/products/cr-150-fast-response-current-sensing-load-control): $730. Fast-response controller (25-50ms detection) for applications needing rapid fault response, e.g. machine tool and CNC monitoring.
- [TP-2 Compact Motor Power Sensor](https://loadcontrols.com/products/tp-2-compact-motor-power-sensor): $550 (base), from $400 in some configurations. Compact 3in x 3.9in x 1.75in (77 x 100 x 45mm) sensor, fits size-1 enclosures/"buckets", DIN-rail adaptor available, loop-powered 4-20mA output proportional to motor power. Available in single-phase and three-phase versions. Ideal for small motor starter enclosures.
- [TP-2-CT100 / CT150 / CT200 / CT300 (TP-2 with Current Transformer)](https://loadcontrols.com/products/compact-motor-power-sensor-with-current-transformer-tp-2-ct100): $690. TP-2 pre-paired with a current transformer sized to the motor's amperage rating (CT100/150/200/300 denote transformer size).
- [Model UPC Universal Power Cell](https://loadcontrols.com/products/model-upc-adjustable-capacity-power-sensor): $1,050. Field-scalable power sensor using Hall Effect sensing (no voltage/current transformers needed), rated for VFD-driven motors where transformer-based sensors fail at low/variable frequencies.
- [PH-1000 Power Cell](https://loadcontrols.com/products/large-capacity-for-big-loads-power-cell-ph-1000): Large-capacity power cell for high-horsepower industrial motors.
- [ROC-50 Rate of Change Load Control](https://loadcontrols.com/products/rate-of-change-load-control-roc-50): Detects sudden rate-of-change load shifts for fast fault response, distinct from steady-state threshold monitoring.
- [CT-100 Current Transformer](https://loadcontrols.com/products/current-transformer-ct-100): Standalone current transformer accessory for pairing with Load Controls sensors.
- [DM-100 Digital Load Meter](https://loadcontrols.com/products/digital-load-meter-dm-100): From $140. Standalone digital display meter for real-time load readout from a sensor's analog output.
- [RFT Range Finder Toroid](https://loadcontrols.com/products/range-finder-toroid-rft): Toroid accessory used to select/scale the correct current-sensing range for a given motor size.
- [Full product catalog](https://loadcontrols.com/collections/all)
- [Price list (all models)](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/price-list)

## Product Categories

- [Pump Load Controls](https://loadcontrols.com/collections/pump-load-controls): From $825. Complete pump-protection units with digital display and relay outputs.
- [Power Cells](https://loadcontrols.com/collections/power-cell): From $1,050. Field-scalable, VFD-compatible power sensors for large or variable motors.
- [Compact Motor Power Sensors](https://loadcontrols.com/collections/compact-motor-power-sensor): From $550. Small-footprint sensors for tight motor starter enclosures.
- [Fast Response Load Controls](https://loadcontrols.com/collections/fast-response-load-control): From $730. 25-50ms detection speed for machine-tool and CNC applications.
- [Accessories](https://loadcontrols.com/collections/accessories): From $140. Current transformers, digital meters, range finder toroids.

## Industries Served

- [Pharmaceuticals](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/industry/copy-of-water-management): Precision bottle filling, packaging, and batch process monitoring.
- [Chemical Processing](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/industry/chemical-processing): Corrosive/hazardous fluid pump protection without fluid contact.
- [Water Distribution and Waste Treatment](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/industry/water-distribution-and-waste-treatment): Municipal and industrial pump and clarifier monitoring.
- [Pulp and Paper](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/industry/pulp-and-paper): High-volume paper machine and converting line monitoring.
- [Food Processing](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/industry/food-processing): Food-grade-safe, non-contact motor load monitoring for production lines.
- [Machine Tools, CNC Controls](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/industry/machine-tools-cnc-controls): Fast-response tool wear and load detection on CNC machining floors.

## Company

- [About Load Controls](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/about-us): Founded 1984 in Sturbridge, MA. 40+ years experience, 7,500+ customers, 500,000+ installations, ISO 9001:2015 certified. Part of the Industrial Control Solutions brand family.
- [True Power Technology](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/true-power): Technical explanation of why true (active) power monitoring outperforms current-only sensing for fault detection and energy accounting.
- [Certifications](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/certifications): ISO 9001:2015 certification details and certificate.
- [Contact](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/contact): Phone 888-600-3247. Contact form and "Book a Call" option. International shipping by phone inquiry.
- [Free Trial](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/free-trial): 30-day product trial program.
- [Price List](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/price-list): Full pricing across the product line.

## Support & Technical Resources

- [Support Hub](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/support): Central index for whitepapers, case studies, application notes, installation guides, and how-to videos.
- [Whitepapers](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/support/#whitepapers): Includes "Using Motor Power Data to Create a Climate for Emissions Understanding," "Using Power Sensing to Monitor and Protect Pumps," and "Beyond Pump Protection: Using Motor Power Sensors to Improve Pump Efficiency and Predictive Maintenance."
- [Case Studies](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/support/#case-studies): Real-world deployments showing downtime elimination and process efficiency gains.
- [Application Notes & Reference Tools](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/support/#reference-tools): Guidance for selecting the correct sensor/range for specific machinery, including data sheets and calibration documents (e.g. PMP-25 Data Sheet, PMP-25 Calibration, PMP-25 Installation Guide).
- [Installation Guides](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/support/#installation-guides): Step-by-step wiring and setup instructions, including VFD-specific guidance (standard current/voltage transformers do not function correctly on VFD output; use Hall Effect-based UPC instead).
- [Blog](https://loadcontrols.com/blogs/news): Recent posts include "What Is an Electronic Shear Pin? A Modern Alternative to Mechanical Shear Pins" and "Minimizing Costly Downtime: The Power of 50-Millisecond Fault Detection."

## Policies

- [Privacy Policy](https://loadcontrols.com/policies/privacy-policy)
- [Terms of Service](https://loadcontrols.com/policies/terms-of-service)
- Returns: 30% restocking fee applies to all returns. 12-month warranty on products. Typical lead time 5-7 days for stocked items; shipping calculated at checkout, international shipping by phone request.

## Optional

- [Free Stuff](https://loadcontrols.com/pages/free-stuff): Free resources and downloadable materials.
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/load-controls-incorporated)
- [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/loadcontrols/)
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