Hlt Controller

[matho]

i have almost finished my temp controller for my hlt
it uses a pic microcontroller, a ds1820 ic temp sensor and it drive a 16 amp triac

here's a few pics









sorry about the crappy pics

future plans is to add PID i have got the program just have to sort out a menu system
add a HLT volume gauge using load cells and a opamp going into one of the ADC inputs i have the circuit put together just have to add the load cells and calibrate and write the program. In the distance future add a second triac to control a heat exchanger for a herms system.
ill add some schematics when i have finished them.

cheer's matho

 

[Pumpy]

This looks cool Matho is it expensive do I have to be a comp nerd to install

pumpy

 

[woodmac66]

This looks cool Matho is it expensive do I have to be a comp nerd to install

pumpy

I am with you Pumpy I feel like a dummy just looking at the pictures !!!
Bloody awesome!

 

[Gout]

nice nice nice - work

an electronic eng i guess?

i made a custom controller but got lazy and went for a off the shelf PID. I wish i came up with something like you have made

beer control porn

 

[matho]

pumpy it cost about $60 all up

$15 for the ic
$25 for the lcd
$10 for the triac and optocoupler
$10 for the buttons and proto board

the box was in the bin at work but to buy would cost a bit the rest of the stuff was sourced from things lying around the house.
i used pic basic pro to write a program for it, i did a bit of basic programming when i was at school but i picked it back up faily easily
working out how to get the pic progammed without spending $100 on a programmer took a while but have got it sorted now and the circuit is very simple and the software is free. ill post more when i have finished some small things

cheer's matho

 

[matho]

an electronic eng i guess?

no just a sparky

 

[Pumpy]

pumpy it cost about $60 all up

$15 for the ic
$25 for the lcd
$10 for the triac and optocoupler
$10 for the buttons and proto board

the box was in the bin at work but to buy would cost a bit the rest of the stuff was sourced from things lying around the house.
i used pic basic pro to write a program for it, i did a bit of basic programming when i was at school but i picked it back up faily easily
working out how to get the pic progammed without spending $100 on a programmer took a while but have got it sorted now and the circuit is very simple and the software is free. ill post more when i have finished some small things

cheer's matho

I will get one and come and see you is hazelbrook Docs country ?

 

[Pumpy]

I am with you Pumpy I feel like a dummy just looking at the pictures !!!
Bloody awesome!

You make me feel not alone woodmac

 

[gap]

Hello Matho,

How are you? You have me interested even though I know crap all about this stuff.

The hop plants you gave me are battling on.

Regards

Graeme

 

[matho]

pumpy, im in the mid mountains full of hippies, stoners and metal heads :lol: ,mate when im finished if you like it i can program the PIC in about 1 min and the circuit is not very complicated.

gap I'm going well ,glad to hear about the hops mine got shreaded by a recent hail storm but they are bouncing back.
when im finished with my plans i can help you make one it just might take a while because i have been hitting it faily hard lately and i think swmbo is getting the shits so i might lay off the electronics for a few weeks maybe ill brew instead :lol:

cheer's matho

 

[andytork]

I built a similar one over Christmas. I went for the lowest cost option. Set myself a challenge of building the whole thing for under $20 each building 5+ (which included budget for a professional PCB etc)

I went the AVR (mega8) cpu, used relays instead of triac, a zener for the PSU etc

My costs were

AVR Mirco $2
Relays $2 ($1 each, one for heat, one for cool)
PCB $7
LCD $2 (used an 8x2 character)
DS18B20 $2.60 (Can get cheaper in qty, i only bought a couple)
Buttons $1
Case $2 (total design is smaller than a fridgemate)
Extras $3 (covers zener, resistors and capacitors)

Total came in just over $20, but I could have easily reduced cost by volume.

The program took me about a day to write , don't have any picture of final item as I never commisioned the PCB's so my proof of concept was on breadboard etc.

Here is the schematic (attached file , probably won't show in message)





Don't have any intention of building it properly as I have just ordered an arm controller board that I intend to use for my next project. So if you want to have a nosey at the code / schematics / PCB design drop me a PM and I can send over

Andy

 

[Gout]

well done lads - i am going to try talk my uni into letting me make a brewery for my final yr project - they most likly wont let me but if they do i would like to make something similar

 

[gap]

gap I'm going well ,glad to hear about the hops mine got shreaded by a recent hail storm but they are bouncing back.
when im finished with my plans i can help you make one it just might take a while because i have been hitting it faily hard lately and i think swmbo is getting the shits so i might lay off the electronics for a few weeks maybe ill brew instead :lol:

cheer's matho

Hello Matho,

Thanks for the offer . I am in no hurry , would appreciate your help at your convenience.

Regards

Graeme

 

[alowen474]

I can see the sheds and the silos and the yards, are you putting the animals in next?

 

[clintmo]

How do you use low voltage dc to control high voltage ac?

 

[andytork]

How do you use low voltage dc to control high voltage ac?

A triac or relay can be used to switch AC from DC , the OP used a triac, I used 2 relays (one for heat, one for cool)

my relays were 5vdc coil with 10amp 240vac switch contacts, you could also go solid state relay, but would have cost an extra $7 each for 20amp versions

Andy

 

[andytork]

Just a quick note on my circuit:

It contains 240 volt electricity to operate. The psu uses a transformerless zener circuit which means if not done correctly or becomes faulty has the potential to make the whole circuit (and anything attached to it) 240 volts.

DO NOT OPERATE WITHOUT AN ENCLOSURE, ALWAYS TREAT AS LIVE

Andy

 

[matho]

here are the schematics

the mainboard



the pushbuttons



and the output board




how the output board works is when the output pin goes low current starts to run thru the opto and the led which cause them to light up i put the led in to indicate if the output is on or off, the opto then drives the larger 16 amp triac this is exactly the same circuit that is in a SSR except the opto shows zero crossing circuit but the one i have does not have it.

cheer's matho

edit: a word of warning even when a triac is turned off there can be a leakage voltage so treat it as alive and put a switch on the incoming supply so you can isolate it.

 

[technocat]

How do you use low voltage dc to control high voltage ac?

With one of these, or a triac circuit as in a motor speed controller or a light dimmer.

View attachment 35028



<_<

 

[matho]

here is a corrected schematic of the main board



also here is the hex file and pic basic pro program

View attachment Hlt_controller.txt View attachment Hlt_controllerprgm.txt

here is also the circuit that i use to program the pic

View attachment picpgm_lvisp_v1.01.pdf

i didn't use the surface mount chip but a 7405N instead and the software can be found here it works very well and is cheap

cheer's matho