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

[zwitter]

Hi Smokomark

Have you run setup?

Plea see the comments above and advise the he same answers please.
Experience etc.
I assume when you say both LEDS work, that they are both bent same way and work in H but not in P?

You have not altered the arduino mega as it was sent out by Lael and myself?

Etc
Regards
james


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[Smokomark]

Hi James,

Yes I have gone through the setup.
Both LEDS work but only in H not in P
My understanding is that the LED forms part of the circuit so if there is no power there then the relay will not click.

Everything is as I received it in the post, no modifications no updates.

Cheers,
Smoko

 

[zwitter]

Hi Smokomark

Do you have the board powered by USB cable or the 12v power supply?

The relay / pump circuit uses the 12v to switch the relay on so it will not switch if powered by the USB cable.

The heater circuit uses 5v so usually it will work on USB power.

I still need to know what equipment and experience you have so can get you to check other things.

Where on this planet are you?

James


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[Smokomark]

I'm in Brisbane James.
Board is powered via 12v

Equipmentwise I have a multimeter and soldering iron.
I managed to build my original Mathos controller a couple of years back, That's the only electronic thing I've played with for ten years or so.

Cheers,
Smoko

 

[zwitter]

No worries Mark

I will get my board infront of me tonight and make some suggestions as to what to measure. The possible suspect is the transistor that switches the relay on and off.

There are jumpers for 5 and 12volts on some boards as there was a choice of relays way back. That will need to be set for 12v. But not sure if the shipped version had this soldered or not. Will check.

What version software is loaded in the Arduino?

Will probably PM you tonight.

James


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[SBOB]

Lael/Zwitter/anyone else who might offer some tips

It seems my brauduino is suffering some issues
Today during the heat up to mash temps the screen went black/no power and nothing was being powered via the relays.
Quickly reverted to STC1000 temp control for now, so at least the brew day isnt 'dead'

Anyway, debugging the issue:

Pulling it apart and doing some diagnosis
- 12v power supply is working and supplying 12v (measured at both the power supply and the pin/header onto the board
- the arduino mega/board powers up fine via USB and goes through ArdBir boot screen to the menu
- via mains power the mega/board does not power up
- without the mega on the board, measuring the voltage at the 5v and 3.3v pins shows 0v

so without knowing the schematics of this board, it would seem that something between the 12v in and the power to the mega has failed

Any ideas where to look?
(sent a PM to lael about this also)


*******
And as a follow up
An hour or so later, powering it up and the board powers up from mains/12v on a first attempt but failed on subsequent power up attempts a minute later

So there is obviously some component or track which is border line working/ having issues when the temperature is raised or after being powered/under load for a period of time

Any ideas?

 

[zwitter]

Hi SBOB
Thats no good. I assume it hasbeen working for some months now?
The 12 v goes to the Arduino board and is stepped down on that board to the 5v. I would suspect could be the Arduino board. They do fail. If you have a spare you could swap but otherwise I will dig mine out tonight and send a few things to check first, i am away this weekend.

I killed my last Arduino Mega cause I put it back and got the pins wrong after helping another brewer with a problem, another $20 for a new one. The Arduino R3 will work with the current release of software.

James


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[SBOB]

Hi SBOB
Thats no good. I assume it hasbeen working for some months now?
The 12 v goes to the Arduino board and is stepped down on that board to the 5v. I would suspect could be the Arduino board. They do fail. If you have a spare you could swap but otherwise I will dig mine out tonight and send a few things to check first, i am away this weekend.

I killed my last Arduino Mega cause I put it back and got the pins wrong after helping another brewer with a problem, another $20 for a new one. The Arduino R3 will work with the current release of software.

James


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nope, been working fine up until todays brew (but thats only like 2 brews)

The fact the arduino powers up fine via USB led me (possibly wrongly) to believe it was an issue with the connection board, but I guess it could be the arduino's 12v->5v circuitry thats the issue


Do you know what pins on the board carry the 12v to the arduino?
If the 12v power goes straight from board to the arduino mega (and there isnt something which prevents the voltage on the pins without a mega attached) i should be able to verify the 12v is getting to the pins to power the arduino as a start

 

[SBOB]

checked the 'Vin' pin which is the pin which should have 12v on it and it doesnt measure any voltage, but not sure if it only powers that pin when there is a load/board attached or it should always be 12v with respect to gnd

**
as another test I powered the arduino via USB and the rest of the system via 240/12v supply and it works as expected
- arduino powers up and boots via USB.
- control of manual heater function operates SSR
- 240v is passed from inlet to outlet

So to me that says arduino is functioning and either

1) arduino's 12v->5v conversion has failed/blown (possibly due to power supply giving it more than 12v at some stage and causing it issues)
or
2) board connection from 12v in to the 12v to the arduino has failed somewhere

not sure how I diagnose whether its 1 or 2

 

[zwitter]

Hi SBOB

Well the 12v goes directly from the power in socket on the shield board to a capacitor and then around the edge of the board directly to the Vin pin. So not much to go wrong there.

So there could be a few explanations for the problem
1 the power in circuitry on the Mega is at fault
2 the solder on the socket or the Vin pin is poor and needs to be re- flowed
3 power socket not making good connection
4 the Arduino power Vin pin not making good connection
5 are you using plastic standoffs? As the power track runs under the standoffs and if plastic no problem. But if brass or steel standoffs then they could rub on the track and potentially break the track or could short the track with a cover or another track? I recommend ONLY plastic screws and standoffs to be used.
6 the track could be damaged.

Take a close look and see what you can find.


James

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[SBOB]

Thanks.. Away for work for a few days so I'll check those suggestions when I'm back

 

[A.B.]

maybe a bargain for those in the thread:

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/245358

Arduino UNO R3 + 2.4 Inch TFT LCD Touch Screen shield AU$15.36 (with code) and free shipping

 

[CoxR]

Hi guys, I have the controller from the initial shipment and have never used it, I have had it wired by an electrician and is ready to go but just have not gotten around to re terminating my plus for the element and pump with the supplied connectors.
Anyway my brewery is expanding and am now heading down the 3 or 4 V HERMS road. Right now I have all the gear I need PID's and enclosure to start building a control panel for the new rig, so the question is should I try to incorporate this controller or pass on the never used but fully wired controller for the original purchase price?
Cheers gents.

 

[terragady]

Hi guys, I am building the controller (ardbir, brauduino) with designing my own PCB board. I am really confused with used MOSFETs and transistors.
On one board, the earliest ones, there are only transistors - BC337 exactly. Later on some of them were changed for MOSFETs for example IRFZ44N which in my opinion is quite bad choice for arduino because its Vgs is 10-20V which arduino obviously cannot give (GTO board, Q3 and Q4). Sometimes there is resistor between arduino pin and MOSFET, sometimes there is no but is from pin to GND connection with resistor. Finally on some there are both resistors existing, from pin to MOSFET and from pin to GND. What I should choose? Basically I would like to keep BC337 everywhere (buzzer, SRR Heater) but change it form something more powerful to drive a small pump (max 0,7A 12V) directly from board not using relay.

View attachment OpnArdBir - Bom.bmp

 

[dblunn]

Why don't you use 2N7000 for the low current (200mA) and IRF510 (5A) for the bigger stuff. They are both enhancement mode FETs so you don't need any current limiting resistors between the Arduino pin and the gate of the device. The single sided board looks easier to make,
Dave

 

[terragady]

hmm ok, but isn't BC337 rated with higher current? 800mA? Woudn't it be better? If not, is 200mA enough for standard 12V buzzer and SSR for heater? So how to wire them? Seems like the middle option should be best (from my drawing)? Or I can skipp the connection to GND or it is required? What resistor to use there (if to use)? 1M?

2 layer PCB is not a problem since I will be sending it to a PCB house


Oh and which buzzer to pick? SImple 12V piezo is fine or I need active buzzer with built in oscilator?

 

[terragady]

oh and just realized that probably logic level FET's will be better? Less heat etc? Some from IRL family?

 

[dblunn]

Enhancement mode FETs are easy to use, the have virtually no current flow into the gate so you can just connect them straight to the output pin of the mpu. I can't remember what the current draw of the SSR is but it is just a opto-isolator so 20mA would be plenty I think. Jaycar sell the 2N7000 for 75c so they a cheap and easy to get. I've never had pcbs made before, is it expensive and difficult?
Dave

 

[terragady]

I am paying for PCBs 17-20$ for 10pcs.
And I am ordering FETs from china anyway so I can choose which I want

I thought that logic level are better than enhancement because they work the same way just need less potential to "activate" the MOSFET? Where usually 4-5V is enough whereas in standard mode you can use 5V sometimes but it won't give you best current flow and it will heat more. For small stuff you are right I will probably choose something like 2n7000

About the resistor as on 2nd example, is not it for discharging whatever left on MOSFET?

How about buzzer? Active or Passive? They are 50c so maybe I will just order 2 and check

 

[dblunn]

I don't think you have to worry about discharging the voltage on the gate of the fet, writing a low to port of the mcu will take care of that. What is the difference between active and passive buzzers? Do you have to pulse one type?
Dave