Matho's controller

[arzaman]

Very very cool after the completion of my single vessel braumeister clone controlled by SESTOS PID regulator Im moving to and Arduino based controller too !

Single Vessel Braumeister Clone

I love arduino philosophy and I come from the town (Ivrea) where arduino team has developed the board and the system (I live not so far from Arduino Road.. )

A part from this I would like to evolve the system replacing the static PID temperature control with a time based programmable system (mashing steps , boiling) and in the future also some flow and valve automation.

Off course Im following your brauduino project as well other project (brewtroller, habs..) in order to get inspiration, ideas, suggestions..

I have just sourced an arduino board and some shield (display, temperature sensor) and Im playing with basic sketch.. just to getting started and understand the basic concept and I/O management features

As soon as I have passed the getting started phase maybe I can contribute to this thread and project

Thank you from Italy matho for sharing your development, code, details..I hope to start a international collaboration

Davide

 

[matho]

Very very cool after the completion of my single vessel braumeister clone controlled by SESTOS PID regulator Im moving to and Arduino based controller too !

Single Vessel Braumeister Clone

I love arduino philosophy and I come from the town (Ivrea) where arduino team has developed the board and the system (I live not so far from Arduino Road.. )

A part from this I would like to evolve the system replacing the static PID temperature control with a time based programmable system (mashing steps , boiling) and in the future also some flow and valve automation.

Off course Im following your brauduino project as well other project (brewtroller, habs..) in order to get inspiration, ideas, suggestions..

I have just sourced an arduino board and some shield (display, temperature sensor) and Im playing with basic sketch.. just to getting started and understand the basic concept and I/O management features

As soon as I have passed the getting started phase maybe I can contribute to this thread and project

Thank you from Italy matho for sharing your development, code, details..I hope to start a international collaboration

Davide

hey Davide,
good to hear from you again, I have finished the code and I'm fairly sure that it will work but I haven't tested it on a real setup because my original controller is working fine and I don't want to change it over. So what would be really great is when a few of us who have built or are building a single vessel brewery start to use the brauduino shield and code and start giving feedback on it.
The arduino platform is great, the support for it really helps to get started and the language is easy to learn, I only started learning the language 6 months ago. It will be great to have your feedback on this.

cheers
steve

 

[arzaman]

I haven't tested it on a real setup because my original controller is working fine and I don't want to change it over. So what would be really great is when a few of us who have built or are building a single vessel brewery start to use the brauduino shield and code and start giving feedback on it.

Hi Steve I'm more or less in the same condition...my rig works fine with Sestos PID controller..I have done 5 or 6 batches with good result and disassembling it seems not such a good idea..but you know the DIY virus should be manged and so I need to built somethingand Arduino is a so stimulating toy !

To tell you the truth the first idea behind the Arduino board is the automation of my conical fermenter peltier chiller

I don't want to go off topics ..In the following just some reference of my last creationThe idea is to use an immersion water chiller inside the conical fermenter and recirculate cold water. The cooling is provided by a peltier air-water heat exchanger using a technology for PC watercooling (overclocking CPU)

Full photo album

The system has been tested with last batch and works fine, very compact, low noise, easy to mange..efficency not so bad.. some videos of the setup

Conical fermenter peltier chiller video


I have sourced a coolit The coolIT exchanger that is a very nice piece of engineeringcurrently I'm controlling the unit via it's own controller that can be configured by software PC via USB but it can works also stand aloneBut off course I'm not able to "program" the controller behavior ..so the idea is to replace with Arduino board + a DC motor shield for managing PWM power applied to peltier cell as well fan and pump speed

I don't know if I need to develop a specific shield for such an application (need some power drivers for peltier cells)but your solution for the single vessel rig stimulate me to work in parallel on both idea..

As soon I have acquired basic knowledge of arduino programming for sure I will play with your code and provide any feedback!

Davide

 

[matho]

Hi Steve I'm more or less in the same condition...my rig works fine with Sestos PID controller..I have done 5 or 6 batches with good result and disassembling it seems not such a good idea..but you know the DIY virus should be manged and so I need to built somethingand Arduino is a so stimulating toy !

To tell you the truth the first idea behind the Arduino board is the automation of my conical fermenter peltier chiller

I don't want to go off topics ..In the following just some reference of my last creationThe idea is to use an immersion water chiller inside the conical fermenter and recirculate cold water. The cooling is provided by a peltier air-water heat exchanger using a technology for PC watercooling (overclocking CPU)

Full photo album

The system has been tested with last batch and works fine, very compact, low noise, easy to mange..efficency not so bad.. some videos of the setup

Conical fermenter peltier chiller video


I have sourced a coolit The coolIT exchanger that is a very nice piece of engineeringcurrently I'm controlling the unit via it's own controller that can be configured by software PC via USB but it can works also stand aloneBut off course I'm not able to "program" the controller behavior ..so the idea is to replace with Arduino board + a DC motor shield for managing PWM power applied to peltier cell as well fan and pump speed

I don't know if I need to develop a specific shield for such an application (need some power drivers for peltier cells)but your solution for the single vessel rig stimulate me to work in parallel on both idea..

As soon I have acquired basic knowledge of arduino programming for sure I will play with your code and provide any feedback!

Davide

awesome looking bit of kit there Davide, I think I have the same power supply, is that a 30A 12v switch mode power supply, I have been using it to power some peltiers to cool a fermentation chamber

thanks for sharing

cheers steve

 

[arzaman]

awesome looking bit of kit there Davide, I think I have the same power supply, is that a 30A 12v switch mode power supply, I have been using it to power some peltiers to cool a fermentation chamber

thanks for sharing

cheers steve

Hi Steve

It seems we are working same project on both side of the worldI have deployed a pelteir fermentation chamber me too..!

FULL ALBUM

The main purpose was to keep the temperature constant regardless the external temperature (my cantina is too cold in winter and to hot in summer..) in a simple and effective wayavoiding to have two different devices one for cooling and the other one for heating. The peltier cells could be controlled electronically via and H-bridge circuit that simply reverse the polarity of the power applied the TEC cooler and reverse hot/cold face.

In this case I have used a specific controller ready made that implement PID logic, PWM power to TEC and H-bridge circuit. It can be programmed via serial interface and than it runs stand alone. In order to modify the set point I have used a digital resistor

The system works quite wellin a not too much delta temperature environmentbut is not so efficient since the fridge insulation is home-made and is not exactly A++ grade.

Anyway I use both conical fermenter and chamber depending on the beer style and temperature set. I have no plan to introduce arduino board in the chamber.

Ciao
Davide

 

[Dan Pratt]

Hi Matho,
Straight up, top marks for the time and effort on making single vessel brewing controllers. When you take the plunge and move to complete unit production I would be in on that for a purchase.
Again, well done.
And not to be rude but Arzaman, that looks like very complicated fridge. Eg a device used to control fermentation temps.

 

[arzaman]

And not to be rude but Arzaman, that looks like very complicated fridge. Eg a device used to control fermentation temps.

I suppose you are referring to the conical fermenter build upon a PC watercooling TEC systemapparently seems a nuclear reactor but I can assure that is quite simple and easy to usejust fill the circuit with water/glycol connect pump inlet outlet, configure set point via USB and pc software and provide power..very compact, low nois, low maintenance

Compared to other cooling system (ie fridge modification) peltire cells has some interesting pros

-No mechanical part with maintenance like normal compressor
-No hysteresis in switching on and off the engine
-Both cooling and heating capability
-fine power adjustment (PWM from 0-100%)
-Low Noise, compact size implementation

Off course you pay in efficiency.the possibility to control everything via software and simple electronics let me say that is less complicated than tweaking a fridge...an fine control of fermentation temperature in different external condition we know it's a key for good beer...

enjoy
Davide

 

[ArnieW]

I suppose you are referring to the conical fermenter build upon a PC watercooling TEC systemapparently seems a nuclear reactor but I can assure that is quite simple and easy to usejust fill the circuit with water/glycol connect pump inlet outlet, configure set point via USB and pc software and provide power..very compact, low nois, low maintenance

Compared to other cooling system (ie fridge modification) peltire cells has some interesting pros

-No mechanical part with maintenance like normal compressor
-No hysteresis in switching on and off the engine
-Both cooling and heating capability
-fine power adjustment (PWM from 0-100%)
-Low Noise, compact size implementation

Off course you pay in efficiency.the possibility to control everything via software and simple electronics let me say that is less complicated than tweaking a fridge...an fine control of fermentation temperature in different external condition we know it's a key for good beer...

enjoy
Davide

Thanks for sharing that Davide. I'll file those peltier ideas away for the day I have lots of time to experiment :blink:

 

[MastersBrewery]

Thanks for sharing that Davide. I'll file those peltier ideas away for the day I have lots of time to experiment :blink:

Arnie you couldn't be getting bored!!! already??

 

[blotto]

Sweet I have finished all my soldering, now to order the box and buttons I'm half way there!

 

[matho]

Sweet I have finished all my soldering, now to order the box and buttons I'm half way there!

awesome mate, were the instructions OK to follow?

cheers

 

[blotto]

awesome mate, were the instructions OK to follow?

cheers

Yeah Steve they were very easy. The only thing I did wrong was put the male header for the LCD display upside down to what the instructions said but I don't think it makes much difference. I was surprised how fast I got it done it only took about an hour or so and that was with me being super careful. The soldering iron you recommended worked like a charm!

 

[ArnieW]

Arnie you couldn't be getting bored!!! already??

Definitely not bored - too many ideas and not enough time!

 

[MastersBrewery]

matho,

when going over the instructions and scematics it was some what confusing as to the layout of the temp sensor pins on the header. Best I can figure is from "power in" end Pins Are 3,2,1. Can you confirm.

Thanks
Mike

 

[MastersBrewery]

Definitely not bored - too many ideas and not enough time!

so many toys! too little time!

 

[matho]

hey mike the ds18b20 should be wired up with - to pin 1, the data wire to pin 2 and + to pin 3, if you have the board so that the row of connectors are facing you then it will be connected to the 3 terminal connector (second from the left) with pin 3 connected to the left screw and pin 2 to the midlle screw and pin 1 to the right screw.



in the drawing the temperature sensor has the flat face up.

On the first batch of boards the markings for the temperature sensor was screwed up and didn't come out correctly but I made sure the next batch was correct, hop this clears things up.

cheers steve

 

[MastersBrewery]

thanks for the clarification

Mike

 

[matho]

To compile the code additional libraries will need to be installed, the instructions on how to install libraries are found HERE
and the libraries are the 'onewire' library found HERE and
the PIDV1 library found HERE

once they are installed you should be able to compile the code with out errors

cheers steve

 

[matho]

For anyone that might be thinking that I'll start selling completed unit's, I have been looking into the law and it would be illegal for me to sell a piece of equipment that controls or conditions mains power unless it has an approval number on it. To get an approval number I'll have to pay $450 for a 5 year approval and prove to the certifying body that the unit complies to AS 3100, which some tests are destructive. So given that I won't be selling a completed unit.

cheers steve

 

[MastersBrewery]

yeah they do that with all electrical stuff even big transformers the push em till they blow, blast proof room required! what a great job that would be