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

[lael]

You can skip steps in the set up, so just do the length of time you want and skip the rest.

It is normal to control the tps starting low and going high though. Did you want to start high and let the temp drop?

 

[Kingy]

Sorry yea I set the mash in temp high so when I add the grain it cools to mash temp. But I can't set any of the rests lower than 67.5° even when I skip them. (So my actual sacch temp would be 67.5° bcoz the controller won't go lower) or do I set the mash in temp at my sacch rest temp and let the pid rise after I dough in.

 

[lael]

Yeah, I've always mashed in lower and let it rise. I've never tried a single infusion or with mash in that high. I'm sure single infusion will be fine. Does such a high mash in cause any clumping etc?

 

[Kingy]

Ok cool when I'm not step mashing my strike water is eg. When desired mash temp is 68° my strike water is 73.3° (using a grist ratio of 3l/1kg)

I've worked it out it. seems I can't set the strike water higher than 3.5° above my desired mash temp with the controller.

 

[nfragol]

Hi guys,

Finished the wiring of the box and thought I'd upload a couple of photos to get some input.

Black wire is live, blue is neutral and yellow/green is ground.

Looking at the 240V picture, top connector is pump, below we have right connector power, left connector heat. On the bottom the aux power and heat
are connected with they're neutral and ground but not live.

The way i have wired it up is that i use the top SSR for the pump and the bottom SSR for the Heating element.

On the 12DC part i have bridged the power + side to one side of the pump input and the other side goes to the SSR. The return side from the SSR to the return side of the 12V input connector.

I turned it on without connecting the pump and heat and it seems to work correctly. (both SSRs light up when turning on pump and heat accordingly).

As long as someone doesn't see anything wrong with my wiring, i will plug it in to my Grainfather to see how it goes.

Thanks

 

[nfragol]

One question,

Is there a special ardbir version for the grainfather ? I keep seeing a reference to ardbir-gf edition.

If that's the case, whats the difference between the 2 and where can i get it from ?

Thanks again.

 

[lael]

Looks good! Looks neat. I don't notice anything wrong - but as always, I would recommend getting an electrician to check these things.

oh - and GF edition - I'm unsure about that one...

 

[freelander2002]

One question,

Is there a special ardbir version for the grainfather ? I keep seeing a reference to ardbir-gf edition.

If that's the case, whats the difference between the 2 and where can i get it from ?

Thanks again.

I did the google and it seems that the hype are from someone that have just added the text "Ardbir+Grainfather" to the loading screen for Ardbir. Otherwise just the latest released version of Ardbir........

 

[nfragol]

Ok, thanks.

Couldn't understand if I was missing something or not.

 

[freelander2002]

Ok, thanks.

Couldn't understand if I was missing something or not.

At current time the information I gave are correct.BUT they are planning several boards https://www.facebook.com/OpenArdBir/?fref=ts

 

[BeerIsGood]

Has anybody retrofitted the Brauduino controller on the 35 L Keg King Robobrew system or started planning such a venture?

I'm curious to know if it would be an easy-to-implement and effective replacement for the existing control system for the two (1900W + 500W) elements. Of course, I would need to fit a pump and piping/hosing for recirculation, but that doesn't look complicated.

Note: I haven't actually got a Robobrew (or a Brauduino kit). I'm just thinking that Robobrew + Pump + Brauduino kit as a very appealing balance of cost, difficulty, time, and brewability outcome.

Feel free to talk me out of it.

 

[lael]

I would talk you into it
I think it is a great idea!

 

[freelander2002]

Has anybody retrofitted the Brauduino controller on the 35 L Keg King Robobrew system or started planning such a venture?

I'm curious to know if it would be an easy-to-implement and effective replacement for the existing control system for the two (1900W + 500W) elements. Of course, I would need to fit a pump and piping/hosing for recirculation, but that doesn't look complicated.

Note: I haven't actually got a Robobrew (or a Brauduino kit). I'm just thinking that Robobrew + Pump + Brauduino kit as a very appealing balance of cost, difficulty, time, and brewability outcome.

Feel free to talk me out of it.

This is basicly the brewer i have. Shitty thermostat ( reads wrong and does not re engange defore temperature drops 4 degrees). Have replaced all internals with the kit lael have made availible, works like a charm

 

[freelander2002]

pictures here http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/88675-the-brauduino-matho%E2%80%99s-controller-buildadvicequestion-thread/page-18

 

[BeerIsGood]

I would talk you into it
I think it is a great idea!

Thanks. I've mostly talked myself into it. I'm working on my final system design and costing before diving in to buy anything. Not much design, mainly costing. Household budgets and all.

This is basicly the brewer i have. Shitty thermostat ( reads wrong and does not re engange defore temperature drops 4 degrees). Have replaced all internals with the kit lael have made availible, works like a charm

I had already looked at your pictures with much interest, but the different brand name through me off. Does yours also have two different sized elements? If so, how does the Brauduino handle controlling them both at the same time?

 

[MastersBrewery]

Thanks. I've mostly talked myself into it. I'm working on my final system design and costing before diving in to buy anything. Not much design, mainly costing. Household budgets and all.


I had already looked at your pictures with much interest, but the different brand name through me off. Does yours also have two different sized elements? If so, how does the Brauduino handle controlling them both at the same time?

Controlling two elements is simple with the kit Lael put together(infact Lael deliberately designed it to take 2 elements and more). Now there's always more than one way to skin a banana so how you want to do that is up to you. It's your banana spit to eat we're quite happy to head you in the right direction for implementation.

 

[lael]

Yeah, the kit was designed to control two elements. I use one in the kettle for mashing and one over the side for the boil. The power draw of the elements doesn't matter. The SSRs and power sockets are rated to 20A or more by the manufacturers. @240v that allows 4800w per circuit. note: you need to be able to power your unit from your houses' power which is normally 10A per circuit

 

[freelander2002]

Thanks. I've mostly talked myself into it. I'm working on my final system design and costing before diving in to buy anything. Not much design, mainly costing. Household budgets and all.


I had already looked at your pictures with much interest, but the different brand name through me off. Does yours also have two different sized elements? If so, how does the Brauduino handle controlling them both at the same time?

Yes it does have two different sized elements. I just let the controller adjust the power, kept the switches in to later possible revert back to original if I choose to use it purly as a sparge water heater when i have finished building my new rims set up , possible a 80 liter setup. Still in the planning phase of that one...
I have seen this design (brewer) with different names, always same parts used and it looks as they all are made at same factory. Same parts and same techical solutions ..

 

[Ferg]

I brewed a stone & wood clone on Friday as per Snows recipe elsewhere on this forum. When I was finished I noticed I had burnt some crud onto my element. I think there could have been several different ways it could have happened so I will list them and ask what people think would be the most likely explanation so I can try and solve it for next time:

1. the recipe contains 40% wheat
2. there is a pump break every 15mins for 2mins
3. the element was probably on throughout the boil (60mins)
4. I had issues with cooling, the trub would have been left on the element for roughly 30mins

I don't have enough experience with beer to be able to tell when exactly it happened. I didn't notice any burnt smells during the mash but then again I had supped a few by that stage. There is a pronounced bitterness to the wort right now but again I dont have the experience to know if this is from the burnt crud or my late hop additions that sat for way too long..

Cheers.

 

[The Judge]

Finally, after fixing up a short-circuited element and getting back onto electric brewing from a temporary gas set-up, I plugged in the Brauduino to my 3V system.

Had 0.5°C overshoot at each step (which I'll adjust for next brew) however I had a whopping 81% efficiency. That's a huge jump from a typical 75% on my rig. I put it down to not taking any shortcuts (especially during sparging), because the controller did all the work for me very happy.

.