3V upgrade to 50L on gas

[seehuusen]

thanks, a picture tells a 1000 words!

I'll check with Martin at NHB and get what I need from there

 

[seehuusen]

Hey guys,

Well, I've now started development on the Arduino, so far I've started coding and wiring the stand-alone version.
I'm still waiting on a few bits to arrive, but the code should be done within the next week or so I hope.

Cheers
Martin

 

[seehuusen]

OK, minor update

First step is ready in code, having 3 settings, in this case for LED intensity, which will be changed to temperature at a later stage.
This value will then be fed into two places, first of all the PID formula, secondly a digital display.

There are a few more things to code.

Sections will be:

1. Controlling setting the temperature parameters - Done, just using LEDs intensity instead of a temperature value.
2. Displaying values on a digital display
3. Combining 1 & 2, to display intensity levels/ temperature on the digital display
4. Adding a timer feature to the above
5. Creating the PID logic
   This is where maths begins... There are other examples out there for the Arduino, but I am wanting to create my own library.
   The logic is pretty straight forward, PID not really being a name, but referring to the formula, e.g. it's consisting of 3 pieces, Proportional Term, Integral Term and Derivative Term
   Or explained in human terms, you're driving at one speed and desire another, the difference determining how much throttle to apply and for how long.
6. Adding the temp sensor.
7. Replacing LEDs for SSR and putting together the HERMs

That's the plan so far anyway, let the fun continue

I also got the element on the weekend, $7.50 for the whole kettle with a 2.2Kw element, K-mart this one came from if anyone is interested in one themselves.

Cheers
Martin

EDIT: I was going to use an LED digital type display for the temperature, thinking it would be easier. Doing a trial this arvo, I found that unless I use a shift register chip, I'll run out of pins on the normal Arduino board... So I'll probably end up using the LCD display I ordered instead. It's like the old Nokia 3310/5510 phone displays... They're back-lit with cool blue light, and I can put a hop-cone logo on it on start up

 

[seehuusen]

I got a bit more done last night.
I've added a start button for my program, so I can now setup the time and intensity, then run that by the push of a button.

Basically I'll be able to set the temperature desired, then the duration, and finally hit start, and off it goes

List of to do's:

1. Controlling setting the temperature parameters - Done, just using LEDs intensity instead of a temperature value.
2. Displaying values on a digital display
3. Combining 1 & 2, to display intensity levels/ temperature on the digital display
4. Adding a timer feature to the above - Done, used serial communication to my computer to write the output values.
5. Creating the PID logic
   This is where maths begins... There are other examples out there for the Arduino, but I am wanting to create my own library.
   The logic is pretty straight forward, PID not really being a name, but referring to the formula, e.g. it's consisting of 3 pieces, Proportional Term, Integral Term and Derivative Term
   Or explained in human terms, you're driving at one speed and desire another, the difference determining how much throttle to apply and for how long.
6. Adding the temp sensor.
7. Replacing LEDs for SSR and putting together the HERMs

 

[hapitan]

Is the code published on GitHub or somewhere? Love to have a look!

 

[seehuusen]

Hey mate,

Welcome to the forum

There are several sites that have similar projects, some of them do list the code they've done to achieve this.
Generally speaking, most of them use an LCD display and make up shields for the Arduino.

Personally I've decided to do my code from scratch, because I like the challenge.
While I'm waiting on bits to arrive, I'm doing both an LED digital display and later a Nokia LCD screen...
I'm working on the display now, using a switch register I can control the LED digital display with just a few ports on the Arduino.

The temp sensor I am going to use is coming from China, I think it might arrive some time next week... along with sd-card slots for data logging, wireless module for serial communication, Nokia Display and a few other bits and pieces

I'm not in a great hurry, but I am happy to share my code and list of items when I've completed the project.

Cheers
Martin

 

[seehuusen]

a bit of an update

I got the element out of the kettle, this is what it looks like

I also managed to do some more code, and I now have a digital display with timer functionality.
I'm about to combine the two applications, timer and Buttons/LED intensity/duration

I still have a few ports left on the Arduino, but in a pinch, I could salvage 4 pins from the LED display by using another shift register.

I'm bottling up the first brew today, and then hoping to put another brew over this weekend, I've got an IPA I've been playing around with

Cheers
Martin

 

[seehuusen]

first brew bottled, very happy with flavour and clarity

 

[hapitan]

Hey mate,

Welcome to the forum


...

I'm not in a great hurry, but I am happy to share my code and list of items when I've completed the project.

Thanks! Been lurking a while - decided to register (then lurked some more).

Your project is looking great. Can't wait to see how it all turns out.

I do like Arduino projects.

 

[seehuusen]

Thanks Hapitan
I do like the challenge, hence why I'm doing it from scratch rather than hacking something together that someone else did (and subsequently ending up with something you don't fully understand how it works)...

I've merged most of the code I've done so far, and here is a quick youtube clip of it working so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVcxNAF7uo8

Cheers
Martin

 

[a1149913]

Hey seehuusen, any updates? Would love to see how the setup is progressing. Unfortunately the picture links seem to be broken.

 

[seehuusen]

Hey seehuusen, any updates? Would love to see how the setup is progressing. Unfortunately the picture links seem to be broken.

Hey mate,

I've been really busy with work lately, and I haven't progressed with the project.
I do hope I can get a few hours of dev in soon though.

As for the pictures, yep, my bad, they're on my web server, which just had a burnt out PSU... I'm either going to source a new one, or just bite the bullet and purchase a server in the amazon cloud...

On a side note, I've now put 4 or 5 brews through the setup, and I'm very happy with its performance. Efficiency is up too, about 80% I think on the last brew day.

Cheers
Martin

 

[hapitan]

You can get a server on DigitalOcean for $5. Or a Sydney server with Vultr for $5. (Per month).

Both are great in my experience.

 

[seehuusen]

Thanks for the links, $60/year is a great price!

 

[seehuusen]

images are back up
I will be starting to code some more now that work has calmed down a bit and I actually have a bit of brain power left over at the end of the day (at least until I get into my 8% Baltic Porter haha)

Also, I brewed up a lager yesterday. I wanted to have a middy that'd be OK to drink several of over the chrissy period.
80% Pilsner and 20% Pale malt, with POR as bittering (15IBU) and Sterling for flavour (8.5IBU at 15mins).
I was only supposed to get a 3.4% beer, but ended up having nearly 80% efficiency, so I just diluted it a bit in the fermenter It'll now be about 3.7% abv, which is still OK for a sessionable beer.

With the HERMS, that efficiency will probably increase a bit more, so I'm keen to get rolling on the Arduino project.
At least my manual single infusion mashes seem to be getting better and better efficiency wise, happy with that!

Cheers
Martin

 

[seehuusen]

I've now gotten the temp sensor wired in, and will start the process of setting up the LCD screen.
Then it's not far away from getting the PID logic and permanently solder it all together for a test run.
I still need to make the HERMs unit, and I'm still toying with ideas for what container to use to hold the water.

The missus is even getting excited about this, as we can use my mashtun as a Sous Vide nom nom nom haha

 

[TidalPete]

I still need to make the HERMs unit, and I'm still toying with ideas for what container to use to hold the water.

Probably only thin stainless but there's always insulation. Not a bad price though. ------ http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/281110660066?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[Yob]

I recently found a $40 5lt birko urn I've converted, working well, it's only single walled but have insulated it.. Very pleased indeed.

 

[seehuusen]

thanks for the ideas fellas, I'm leaning towards the bain marie solution, but would prefer a square container with a lid, as it'd provide a better mounting surface for the element I bought...
I guess I could just mount it in the bottom and mount the HERM on the side of my brewery stand too.

 

[seehuusen]

I got stuck at the electronic side of things. I require a specific chip, which I've ordered. Unfortunately, that order comes from the UK and who knows when that'll arrive in Oz during the silly season...

Pissed off that I couldn't get moving on the PID build, I decided to put the plan on the side and just hook the Arduino up to a .NET application and run it all from there.
I'd heard a lot about this being difficult, and initially I did look into things like Firmata. There's even a port over to VB.NET, which is what I prefer to use. Honestly, I couldn't get it to work, I didn't know what the fella had done, but the Arduino didn't react to any of the code transmitted to it from the application. I could see it arriving, but nothing would happen.

So what do you do? You code something up from scratch, that's what
My Arduino now has some simple code in place that accepts commands coming in via the serial port, which is then able to turn on and off things like LEDs and elements.
Outgoing communications are also possible, again via the serial port.

This is what it looks like at the moment, infant stages, but the basics are there to control an element.

I have wired up a temperature probe (DS18S20) and two LEDs.
If the temp is higher than 33.00C then the green LED will go on, good fun sitting in an office at those temps...
Ahhh QLD how I love thee, but also beer, delicious cold beer :chug:

So next is to and in the complete PID algorithm along with entry points for Kp, Ki and Kd values. Also somewhere to enter the mash steps' temp values,
I've looked at creating a gauge for the temps, ala Keg Kings one that goes on the physical mash tun... We'll see how keen I get... I do want to keep a graph logging the temps though.

Cheers
Martin