Anyone Using A Bcs-460?

[egolds77]

Just wondering if anyone has a BCS-460 controller running their HERMS or RIMS and what they think of it?

Any photos of setups?


It looks great I think, vary adaptable and controllable, providing great information about your brew day for analysis later to fine tune things if needed.


:icon_chickcheers:

 

[egolds77]

Well I just ordered a BCS-460 controller, 2 X 6'' temp probes and 2 X 4'' temp probes.

I will follow up with a post with pics once it is all up and running on my HERMS.

This project should be a hell of a learning curve for me, but I always have fun along the way too.

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[browndog]

Looking forward to your posts Elton.

cheers

Browndog

 

[JonnyAnchovy]

Great! also looking forward to reading a review. I'm planning in venturing into the dark world of RIMS sometime early next year......

 

[egolds77]

My BCS-460 and temp sensors arrived yesterday. Have been playing around with the computer and iphone, setting them up so they communicate with each other.


I have one temp sensors connected and is working great. The temp response time is really quick and accourate. Have had it in a glass of water with an alcohol thermometer and a meat thermometer.
The Temp sensor reads the same as the alcohol thermometer and the meat thermometer is a degree less, 19 C and 18 C respectively. I trust the alcohol thermometer's reading.

At the moment I'm going to setup it up in manual mode so I can monitor tempuraters and set/control heating. You can automate things but it's what I need now in manual mode so I'm happy with that.
The automate mode will be handy when fermenting and setting temperature profiles for the fridge to follow during fermentation. I'm definitely interested in that ability.

Will take some photos once it'll all set up and running

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[egolds77]

The BCS-460 and temp sensors arrived. Have fitted the sensors to the MLT outlet, HLT outlet, HEX outlet, and to the refrigerator. I'm now waiting on the SSR relays to arrive so that the BCS-460 can control the heating elements of the HLT and HEX and compressor of the refrigerator. I'm not sure yet whether I'll have the pump controlled by the BCS-460 or a manual switch.

The screen shot of the BCS-460 in manual control mode. I'll be running with this intially when I start brewing. I'm still setting up the processes and states that semi-automate the brewing process.

I've got a few more fittings to buy and wire up the controls and the system will be ready to brew.

If you are interested in the BCS-460 check out their website

www.embeddedcontrolconcepts.com

 

[egolds77]

The SSR relays arrived. Found a suitable aluminium component rack case from Dick Smith's. Bought 4 single switch power points from Bunnings and 2 - 25m power leads to run my heating elements, which run off a power point outside the garage, hence the length of the power leads.

I bought 4 green beval lights to fit into the front of the case to visually show when each component is on. The relay's do have a LED on the top of them to show when they are one but you can only see that when you look through the slits on top of the case.

Did a test run of it all this evening. Heated water in the HLT and the HEX to 77C and 67C respectively. The system provided great control and maintained the temp well using PID control. The fridge is maintaining the 11C +/- 1.5C (this diviation can be narrowed) that I set using diferrential control.
The pump was operated using direct ON/OFF control through the BCS software.

I'm totally happy with the BCS and it's function and capability, which I'm yet to fully utilize. The main thing is it's finally installed and working.

 

[egolds77]

The readings from the BCS during HLT, HEX and Fridge temp control.

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

That looks great Elton. If you don't mind me asking how much did that setup cost? (For the sensors, ssr relays, bcs-460)

Thanks.
Farside.

 

[egolds77]

The BCS was $187 USD and each temp sensor was $16 USD. I got the SSR's from ebay. They came with heat sinks and cost $64 USD for the 4 of them.

You can do without the wireless router fi you plug the BCS directly into your laptop.

 

[egolds77]

Added the green bezal lights to indicated when each component is switched on. You can also see the red LED on the SSR for the Fridge circuit and the green bezal illuminated.

If an electrican can help me with this quary. The green bezal lights work as intended when each component is switched on and of by the SSR's. However if I unplug the component then the green bezal lights illuminate as if the component was switched on. I'm scratching my head here because when I look at the circuit there shouldn't be getting power unless the SSR's are making a circuit.

I downsized my HEX pot from a 19L to a 9L with about 5.5m of 1/2'' copper tubing in it and a 2200-2400W element after reading some TOPICS.

I ran a test with the BCS running the show. I started with 15L of water, the HEX temp @ 53C and the MLT @ 50C in 50L esky. I triggered the BCS to run the element using PID, monitoring HEX outlet temp sensor set to 67C. It got there in about 20 mins using the HEX for heating of the water and the MLT temp was 0 - 0.2C different, maintaining it well.
I only did the temperature ramping to give me an idea of what is possible with the system. It was with make shift PVC tubing which was too long and un-insulated, so the results were surprising how close the temps of the HEX and the MLT were.

 

[eccsynd]

Solid state relays (SSRs) have the somewhat non-obvious 'feature' of a minimum load current. This rating is different for each SSR, so I'm not sure what it is for yours, but the Crydom SSR's that I've used list 40mA Minimum Load Current.

What this means is the relay is in fact a solid state device, not a mechanical switch. So when in the OFF state the 2 terminals aren't physically disconnected, but put into a high impedance state. So if your lamps draw less than 40mA, then they will remain on when they are the only load. But if you plug in any real load (like a pump or heating element), then the lamps will work as expected.

This has stumped quite a few people, myself included. I always test everything electrical with a multimeter before plugging in anything real. And my meter always read ON no matter the state of the SSR. Until I plugged in a load, and then it worked perfectly.

If you still want the light to work with no other load, a properly sized (and rated) resistor could be used to draw the minimum load current. PM me if you need more details.

Cheers

p.s., First post! Great board.

 

[egolds77]

Well the HERMS is finally finished, well except for a trip to bunnings saturday morning to get a in-line tap for the inlet of the water filter and some that gray insulation foam tubing for the hoses. The maiden brew will be this sunday. . . and on sunday, he created beer.

All should go well as it's all been tested using the BCS-460 and runs really well. I've been playing around with the BCS's programming to semi-automate the brew day somewhat and it works great. I will have it in complete manual control for the first few brews until I'm confident the HERMS is running as it should and I've gone over my brew day notes to see how the HERMS is performing in this arrangement of components. Should be interesting.

It's been great putting everything together, especially the BCS-460 and it's control box, that was something different. Excited about finally tasting the fruits of my labour but also sad that all the project is finished. . . for now anyway :icon_cheers:

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[browndog]

Excellent work there Elton, I'm looking forward to hearing how it all works out with the test run.

cheers

Browndog

 

[egolds77]

An update on the madian brew day using the BCS-460.

The madian brew was a Dogfish Head 60min IPA.

It all went well. The temperature of the MASH was spot on 67 C and held there during the whole MASH, only wavering 0.2 C momentarily for a second then back to 67 C, so I was really happy with the temperature control that the PID control of the BCS applied.

I batched sparged, so I changed the external heat exchanger's element to 80 C and while recirculating with the sparge water from the HLT dribbling in, rinsing those sugars, also pumped the WORT into the Kettle at the same rate.

As the WORT was running into the Kettle I started heating using only rings 1 & 2 initially of the 4 ring burner with medium pressure regulator, eventually using rings 3 & 1 to maintain a rolling boil. I found that my evaporation rate greater than the 9% of BEERSMITH. It was boiling so hard with rings 1,2, & 3 that the WORT was bubbling out the top of the level sight tube. I finished up with only 18.5L in the fermenter @ 5 OG pts greater than desired, but once the 2L yeast starter was added the fermenter was 20.5L.

My WYEAST Ringwood 1187 starter has been very slow and sluggish so I hope it kicks off better now that it's in the fermenter. It had 24 Hrs in the starter and was only bubbling a few times per min. I followed WYEAST's starter instructions, scratching my head with it. If it doesn't take off by tomorrow afternoon then I'll have to bite my lip and add some Safale S-04.

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[egolds77]

Just wondering if anyone has purchased a BCS-460 in Australia?
I spoke to the developer and supplier from America and he said I'm the only OZ user.

I seriously can't promote this piece of gear more than I am but it is working so good, 0.2 degree C during the mash, I'm using a fan heater in my fridge to keep the temp up to spec during winter and it's awesome, constant temp control, I've set 20C and it's that all the time.

This system is so controllable through system programming down to the finist degree. I'd love to chat with some OZy users regarding usage and programming.

The best thing about this setup I can see for the future is that, no matter how large the system gets, to an extent, you can transfer the equipment to work for you no matter what size, just re-calibrate it to suit.

What are peoples thoughts?

 

[AndrewQLD]

Just wondering if anyone has purchased a BCS-460 in Australia?
I spoke to the developer and supplier from America and he said I'm the only OZ user.

I seriously can't promote this piece of gear more than I am but it is working so good, 0.2 degree C during the mash, I'm using a fan heater in my fridge to keep the temp up to spec during winter and it's awesome, constant temp control, I've set 20C and it's that all the time.

This system is so controllable through system programming down to the finist degree. I'd love to chat with some OZy users regarding usage and programming.

The best thing about this setup I can see for the future is that, no matter how large the system gets, to an extent, you can transfer the equipment to work for you no matter what size, just re-calibrate it to suit.

What are peoples thoughts?

I looked at getting this when it was still in development and even had a pre order on it. Then the dollar spiraled and I canceled the order, after all I didn't really need it. With dollar on the rise again I will be looking at placing an order and now you have worked out the kinks I know where to go for guidance
Your system looks great and I really like the graphical display too, thanks for sharing.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[jayh]

I realise this is a very old post , but had to thank Elton for his posts/pics. really helpfull atm. Am waiting my BCS-460 to arrive. and daunted by where to start wrt to wiring.
Thanks mate, if your still about.!

 

[mr_tyreman]

I use a BCS-462, its freakin awesome

 

[mr_tyreman]