The Brauduino (Matho’s Controller) Build/Advice/Question Thread

[zwitter]

Breakbeer

When powering the mega on USB there is no 12v so the relay will not click, lcd may not work etc the shield board uses the 12v to power the interfaces to the SSRs, relay etc.

The old arduinos had a DC socket on them but still depened on how the shield was designed as to whether the extra bits will function or not as the power circuit is low amperage and not designed for big loads.

Usb is designed to make programming easy not to power whole device.
James


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[lael]

Great work! Nice to hear it was simple

Success! Even though it took me a couple of tries. I turned it around & it still didn't light up, unplugged it & tried again & she now lights up like a Christmas tree.

Feeling a bit stupid but also relieved

 

[bigmacthepunker]

So I've finished wiring it all up and everything is working fine except for the pump control.

I've checked and checked the wiring and it all seems ok. I've checked that the relay is working with nothing connected to it. I.e. it goes open circuit and closes with nothing attached to it. There is also only 240v on one of the wires when not connected to the relay. As soon as I connect the plug to the board I get 240v on the pump outlet all the time.

You can hear the relay clicking when pressing the pump button.

It's got me a bit stumped!

Any ideas?

Hi marc280,
What is the voltage output of the power supply. I had the same problem because I had a 5v power supply not the recommended 12v. It' s not enough power for the relay to work correctly.
Pm Lael if this is the issue.
Cheers
Bigmac

 

[lael]

Hi marc280,
What is the voltage output of the power supply. I had the same problem because I had a 5v power supply not the recommended 12v. It' s not enough power for the relay to work correctly.
Pm Lael if this is the issue.
Cheers
Bigmac

Yep - bigmac came around this evening. Sorted it out, but took some time to realise that I'd shipped the kit with the wrong power supply (very unexpected). There may be a couple out there, so it is worth checking.

I was scraping around for more 12v power supplies and obviously grabbed a couple of my 5v ones from my arduino stuff without realising it.

 

[marc280]

So I just checked the power supply and that is a 12v one so all good there.

James, I checked all the connections like you suggested and they all check out ok.

I even meggar tested the relay itself to see if it would play up when volts are out on and it checked out ok.

Seems weird, with the pump plug disconnected and the unit powered up you get the relay to toggle as it should and only 240v on one side of the plug. With the pump plug plugged into the board you then get 240v on both sides of the plug even with the relay toggling on and off...

 

[MitchD]

Sounds like you are missing a neutral. Try using a multi meter on ohms and checking from the incoming neutral terminal to all neutral points. Then check neutral to active.

 

[marc280]

I've checked between the incoming neutral and all neutral points. I get about 0.2 ohms. Between active and neutral I get no reading, but I would have thought I should at least get a reading across the power supply so that might be something to look at.

I bought two kits so I got the second board out and I'm getting the same results. So chances are there must be something wrong with the wiring.

 

[gap]

I am getting this message when trying to verify the new version of ArdBir

Arduino: 1.6.6 (Windows 7), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Mega or Mega 2560, ATmega2560 (Mega 2560)"

WARNING: Category '' in library OneWire is not valid. Setting to 'Uncategorized'
open NUL: The system cannot find the file specified.
Error compiling.

I have OneWire in the Audino library

Any clues as to my problem , could somebody verify where I should be finding this library.

 

[SBOB]

I am getting this message when trying to verify the new version of ArdBir

Arduino: 1.6.6 (Windows 7), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Mega or Mega 2560, ATmega2560 (Mega 2560)"

WARNING: Category '' in library OneWire is not valid. Setting to 'Uncategorized'
open NUL: The system cannot find the file specified.
Error compiling.

I have OneWire in the Audino library

Any clues as to my problem , could somebody verify where I should be finding this library.

libraries are here
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v290helbdkm7tkm/Brauduino_Libraries.zip?dl=0

 

[gap]

I am still getting the same error message.

I copied the libraries into Program Files/Arduino/Libraries.

Is that correct?

 

[lael]

Hi gap,

that's right - just delete the old folders that are there (JUST the ones you are replacing - eg: OneWire, PIDv1) and then copy and paste them in. Windows should ask you to for admin, hit ok, and you should be good to go.

 

[SBOB]

also make sure you close the arduino software and re-open it... i found it only validated/sanity-checked libraries on startup (at least on mac)

 

[marc280]

I had a bit more of a look at the issues I'm having with the pump circuit, and I found something interesting with the relay. I don't have the pump setup on my rig yet so I've only been measuring the voltage output to the pump. However, I connected a 700W drill up to the pump output to test what would happen when I put load on it. When doing this the drill runs fine with the pump on, so tick there. With the pump supply off the drill doesn't have enough power to start but you can hear it trying to start up.

So it seems there is some leakage current getting through the relay when it is switched off.

Not sure how this is going to go with the pump seeing as it should only have a small current draw.

Anyone else found something similar?

 

[zwitter]

Hi marc280
There is a snubber circuit across the relay and that will allow a small leakage but should not cause an issue.

It would have been preferable to put snubber on the pump and tune for the load of the specific pump. We chose the values based on standard pumps like chugger, march 809 etc. also the snubber allows use of DC 12 volt LBP etc

Try it with the pump and it should be fine.

James


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[bigmacthepunker]

I had a bit more of a look at the issues I'm having with the pump circuit, and I found something interesting with the relay. I don't have the pump setup on my rig yet so I've only been measuring the voltage output to the pump. However, I connected a 700W drill up to the pump output to test what would happen when I put load on it. When doing this the drill runs fine with the pump on, so tick there. With the pump supply off the drill doesn't have enough power to start but you can hear it trying to start up.

So it seems there is some leakage current getting through the relay when it is switched off.

Not sure how this is going to go with the pump seeing as it should only have a small current draw.

Anyone else found something similar?

Hi Marc280.
I just tested my controller with a multimeter. Both the outlet sockets measure approx 250 v in manual mode with no load. The pump socket powers a STC1000 and can't be switched on or off. The snubber circuit explains that. The heater outlet socket switches the STC off and on the the button is pressed. The heater socket measures 248v in the off position and 251v in the on position with no load. Hopefully I can test it on my Grainfather tonight. Hopefully this reassures.
Cheers
Bigmac

 

[zwitter]

Hi bigmacthepunker

SSRs need a load. They are not switches. This is normal. Some have snubber circuits built in and others components to bias the triac or SCRs that do the switching. Thes switch 40 amps a couple of mA leakage is fine. You should never touch the outputs when the controller is plugged in.

The snubber is a resistor and a capacitor across the switch part of the relay to quench the spark as the contacts open and close as the spark damages the contacts.

I have never seen a pump with electronic speed control like a drill so do not think this is an issue.

If used as per the design it should be fine.

James zwitter


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[bigmacthepunker]

Thanks Zwitter,
I'm in the backyard now testing the Brauduino on the Grainfather now. I'm super happy. Hopefully I can put it through it paces with a real brew over the weekend.

 

[SBOB]

that green LED... it blinds, it blinds

 

[bigmacthepunker]

The Brauduino on it way to producing my first brew in my Brainfather. 31 mins to boil finishes. A few more PID adjustments needed as it is currently struggling to get to the boil stage by 0.5 of a deg. I patched a direct lead to the element to jump it into boil stage then connect back 3 mins later. This is the first time using the Grainfather as well. So everything is new. All looking good so far.

 

[lael]

Looks fantastic! What settings did you use?

The Brauduino on it way to producing my first brew in my Brainfather. 31 mins to boil finishes. A few more PID adjustments needed as it is currently struggling to get to the boil stage by 0.5 of a deg. I patched a direct lead to the element to jump it into boil stage then connect back 3 mins later. This is the first time using the Grainfather as well. So everything is new. All looking good so far. ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1449310881.938325.jpg