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

[terragady]

basically with passive buzzer arduino needs to send a "tone" frequency, so you have to program it and you can have many sounds with different frequencies, you can play some melody, but this buzzer will not play if you only connect it +12 and GND. Active has built in oscilator (sound generator) which doesnt need any signal from arduino, only on and off, and it will play connected to +12 and GND (it will only make "beeeep")

 

[SBOB]

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.

Taking a look at this now,

Doing a bit of continuity testing of the board, without the mega attached I can see that
- I have connectivity between the incoming +12v socket pin on the board and the VIN pin going to the mega,
- but not with the -12v pin to the GND pin going to the mega

on a voltage measurement I seem to be seeing the same +12v at both the GND and the VIN pins with respect to the incoming -12v from the power supply, both with and without the Mega attached (and verified 12v at power supply)

I cant see the tracks leading to these pins, but I would expect that seeing the same reference voltage on both GND and VIN pins to the mega would be the issue, but I am not sure where I can determine the cause of this issue is coming from

I also get positive continuity between the +12v and GND but only occasionally (like after I have not tested for a minute).. This could be capacitor behaviour but I dont remember my uni electronics course that well


Answers to other questions below for further info

1 the power in circuitry on the Mega is at fault

possible. It powers fine via the 5v USB power but I dont have an alternate 12v source to try with

2 the solder on the socket or the Vin pin is poor and needs to be re- flowed

The socket seems to be fine based on a multimeter continuity test from pins to the solder below and a visual inspection as well as testing the Vin pin v pad

3 power socket not making good connection

The connection seems fine based on continuity test between power supply, socket and solder connection under pin

4 the Arduino power Vin pin not making good connection

Doesnt seem to be the case based on test between 12v in pin and Vin solder point on based on Mega when board attached or the GND between under the board the the GND solder point on the Mega (cant find another point on the board to ref GND from)

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.

As per the kit, so yep, plastic standoffs but the screws supplied were metal

6 the track could be damaged.

cant visually see the track which goes from +/- 12V to the VIN/GND connection to the mega



Zwitter/Lael,
Any ideas how I can go about resolving this based on the info above?

And as a separate query
Is the +/- 12v used anywhere else on the board apart from going directly to the Mega? If this 12v is removed and the mega powered via its own power inputs, should all the other functionality work as expected??

 

[zwitter]

Hi SBOB

Your terminology makes me laugh and cringe all at once!

-12 as you call it is actually 0v or gnd or common.

Yes the cap will / can stuff up your measurements as it charges from the voltmeter when you measure.

The 12 v does go to the transistor that drives the relay and maybe the buzzer to.

Would help if you answered all the questions I asked. This is not a complex board so the easy bits to check are often the cause. I have seen huge networks brought undone due to the simplest little thing....

James


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[SBOB]

Hi SBOB

Your terminology makes me laugh and cringe all at once!

-12 as you call it is actually 0v or gnd or common.

cringe away.. i probably should have written the points in more engineering terms but was just trying to get the points across
considering im a control systems engineer (but more code/telemetry than electronics...in fact, 0 electronics) but its a weekend so i was lazy and just trying to dump a bunch of info that hopefully you or lael might be able to point me in a 'fix' direction...
I'm assuming these things don't come with any kind of 'warranty' so its currently a pretty expensive controller thats lasted 2 brews

The 12 v does go to the transistor that drives the relay and maybe the buzzer to.

Would help if you answered all the questions I asked. This is not a complex board so the easy bits to check are often the cause. I have seen huge networks brought undone due to the simplest little thing....

i dont think i missed any? which question did i miss (apart from not having an alternate 12v power supply to try and power the mega with but via the VIN/GND pins)

I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be seeing a +12v reference on both the 'Vin' and 'GND' pins to the Mega with reference to the 12v power supplies GND
(this occurs both with and without the mega on board, so that should rule out any 'issue' on the mega I would think)


there doesn't appear to be any damage to the board, but i'm unable to remove the screen to visually inspect the bottom of the board, but its been mounted from day 1 and not moved) so what could possibly cause
- seeing +12v on both Vin and GND pins on the board (without the mega attached)
- seeing no continuity between Vin and GND under normal conditions
- seeing no continuity between GND input on board and GND pin to mega (i would have assumed a common GND but dont not sure)

 

[zwitter]

Hi SBOB

There are many GND pins on the Arduino R3 and even more on a MEGA I suggest you print a page like this http://pighixxx.com/unov3pdf.pdf

The actual input we use is called Vin and is connected to the power in socket (green 2 pin at the left hand bottom corner of the shield board) + pin.
Next to the Vin pin on the Arduino are 2 GND pins and the next pin is +5V and next to that a +3.3V pin.
There are other GND and +5v pins but not used by our circuit. The GND pin on the opposite side of the Arduino is not connected to anything on our board.
You should have continuity from the power in + pin to the Vin pin on the Arduino and also continuity for the power in - (ground, 0V) pin to the two GND pins next to the Vin pin on the Arduino socket.
Depending on your dexterity with the volt meter you can either measure this with or with out the Arduino plugged in and power on or off but there are risks. if you short out these pins things break.

I will point out I did not design this board, I did have some input into the design but did not do the layout and I would have done some of it a little differently but the board does work.

As far as a warranty. No this was a group buy. I know the time and money expensed by members of the team who put this together and trust me it made a huge loss.

I personally have assisted any member who asks to resolve their problems. I can answer many questions and will repair any unit sent to me within reason. I have as mentioned in this thread blown up my own unit a few times in the pursuit of assisting others.

I had to buy an additional Arduino Mega as I, just once, plugged it in incorrectly following testing for a fellow member. I have a pile of non functional Arduinos from this project. And temp probes. It was my design change that has saved all of you from suffering the same fate.

I have been crazy busy at work with ISO audits etc but may have some time in the next week if you want to contact me and can see what we can arrange to help sort this problem.

james

 

[zwitter]

Hi all Braumiser controller users. I have seen a few people blow up an Arduino or more and thought this article may point out just how fragile they can be.
http://www.rugged-circuits.com/10-ways-to-destroy-an-arduino/
Those guys make a "tougher" version but as the R3 can be bought for $6 and a MEGA delivered for $17 in a couple of days probably not worth while.

It is worth noting plugging the USB in to an Arduino while it is connected to the rest of the controller is not a good practice and may cause problems. Probably better to unplug it for programming or potentially have the controller powered from its own 12v supply but that too may have issues. I personally remove the Arduino and program then plug back into the controller.

james

 

[SBOB]

Hi SBOB

There are many GND pins on the Arduino R3 and even more on a MEGA I suggest you print a page like this http://pighixxx.com/unov3pdf.pdf

The actual input we use is called Vin and is connected to the power in socket (green 2 pin at the left hand bottom corner of the shield board) + pin.
Next to the Vin pin on the Arduino are 2 GND pins and the next pin is +5V and next to that a +3.3V pin.

As far as a warranty. No this was a group buy. I know the time and money expensed by members of the team who put this together and trust me it made a huge loss.

I personally have assisted any member who asks to resolve their problems. I can answer many questions and will repair any unit sent to me within reason. I have as mentioned in this thread blown up my own unit a few times in the pursuit of assisting others.

I have been crazy busy at work with ISO audits etc but may have some time in the next week if you want to contact me and can see what we can arrange to help sort this problem.

Thanks for the assistance Zwitter
I've also been in contact with Lael debugging some of the issues as he got in contact with me yesterday
From another testing it shouldn't be an arduino issue as I have powered it directly via Vin/GND pin connections to the 12v power supply without issue (while not on the board).

The fact I see +12v on both the Vin and GND pins on the arduino board ,and no continuity between 0V power socket and the Arduino GND makes me unsure where in the simple path the issue could be coming from.

Hopefully I wont need to take you up on your repair offers, but might if the problem solving doesn't identify the problem

 

[marksy]

Thanks for the assistance Zwitter
I've also been in contact with Lael debugging some of the issues as he got in contact with me yesterday
From another testing it shouldn't be an arduino issue as I have powered it directly via Vin/GND pin connections to the 12v power supply without issue (while not on the board).

The fact I see +12v on both the Vin and GND pins on the arduino board ,and no continuity between 0V power socket and the Arduino GND makes me unsure where in the simple path the issue could be coming from.

Hopefully I wont need to take you up on your repair offers, but might if the problem solving doesn't identify the problem

What do you get if you measure GND (DC side) from PSU to the GND that you are finding 12V on?

 

[kwinchee]

HI guys
Im racking my head going crazy with this one
I have an older version of the controller I was given by a member here. 2.1 pcb

I have everything going and it all seems to wok except the temp.
on ardbir it always reads 90.00 and on the old brauduino firmware always 85.00

However if I use the 1wire dallas sample sketch and set it to pin 11 the temp readings start rolling in (no changes to wiring) so everything appears to work.

The sample sketch reports I have a DS18B20

Ive tried searching to no avail! please help my STC1000 shit itself so this is my top priority now

 

[dblunn]

I think 85C is the default reading when no measurement was actually made, however the test sketch seems ok? Check your board (hardware) profiles on the firmware build. It could be for a different board and using the wrong pin to read it. Also check the data line to the probe has a 4.7k (or there abouts) pullup to 5V, maybe it is a parasitic/Active mode issue.

 

[zwitter]

Hi kwinchee
Dblunn is correct. If you get 85 it usually means you have let the smoke escape and you need a new probe. But if the onewire shows correct temp then that will not be the case.

I assume you are trying to upgrade the firmware to the latest ArdBir release. When you go to compile there are some directives that need to be set for language and LCD size and PCB!
My guess is that either the board you have uses a different pin for the temp or that you are selecting the wrong board for the hardware you have. I do not have a list of the pins per option but there have been lots of different ones. I think the matho one is original? I do not think we have changed in the land of OZ. but you could search the sketch to see in the pcb selection section which one selects which pin.

I do not think it is a serious problem but I would disconnect the pump and element while you figure it out.

There were some text bugs in the last version I loaded but it still works OK.

I have a pile of dead temp probes from the early testing.

Cheers
James


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[zwitter]

Duplicate

 

[kwinchee]

Hmmm, I have triple checked all the pin configurations in the sketch
Its 11 for the probe and all the buttons and leds work so Im really stumped

If I set the dallas test sketch to pin 11 and I open serial monitor I see temp readings popping up constantly and if I hold the probe the temp changes.
But when I set any of the ArdBir or Brauduino or Brewmanic sketches for temp on pin 11 I just get the constant value.

I have the wires from the probe +:red d:yellow -:black

Could I make it use less bits?

 

[SBOB]

What do you get if you measure GND (DC side) from PSU to the GND that you are finding 12V on?

Thats where I was seeing 12v, BUT

I power it up today to double check and it powers up today.
Today, I see +12v/0V on the Vin/GND pins, along with continuity between +12V socket and VIN and 0v socket and GND (whereas previously there was no continuity on the GND side and I was seeing a +12V reference on both VIN and GND with respect to the DC power supplies 0V)

Crazy and no idea what that means in regards to the board circuit, or what could be causing a fault thats intermittent

 

[Mardoo]

Is it a BCAK issue?

 

[SBOB]

Is it a BCAK issue?

I think you mean pebcak issue and nope.. This isn't the how to wire a pid thread

 

[dblunn]

Hmmm, I have triple checked all the pin configurations in the sketch
Its 11 for the probe and all the buttons and leds work so Im really stumped

If I set the dallas test sketch to pin 11 and I open serial monitor I see temp readings popping up constantly and if I hold the probe the temp changes.
But when I set any of the ArdBir or Brauduino or Brewmanic sketches for temp on pin 11 I just get the constant value.

I have the wires from the probe +:red d:yellow -:black

Could I make it use less bits?

Could it be something as strange as too much capacitance on your wiring such that the probe can't keep up? Perhaps the probe is responding but has not made/completed a measurement so responds with the default value. Can you check to code and maybe slow the 1-wire it down a little.
Dave

 

[zwitter]

Hey dblunn

Adding the serial monitor will significantly slow the program down in the Arduino. Do you have a second temp probe? Try a swap.
Do you have an osciliscope? Could watch the line and see the data ?
I guess the timing might be an issue but if you have not changed the sketch then it should work.
Have you tried a different arduino?
Is the pull up resistor on the board?
These things can cause issues when you are prototyping but generally they are simple and faults tend to be things you have forgotten or overlooked.

It is really hard to suggest much more.
I have just chucked the old ones when I get the 85 and replace and they work.


I have built a brewpi and it allows the temp probes to be wired in parallel and then use the unique address of each to distinguish the readings, really cool. Just add another and name it.

James

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[terragady]

Hey, just a though,

can you use ESP8266 (or any board with it with usb and pinheads) instead of Arduino? This will be great as it has more memory and WiFi capability so you can send everything to the net to for example graph the temps

 

[MastersBrewery]

Hey, just a though,

can you use ESP8266 (or any board with it with usb and pinheads) instead of Arduino? This will be great as it has more memory and WiFi capability so you can send everything to the net to for example graph the temps

The esp8266 shield does not replace the arduino, it can be added by stacking on to or wiring to the arduino. There is a thread on here somewhere where the esp8266 has been used for brewpi. Can't link from the phone sorry.