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

Australia & New Zealand Homebrewing Forum

Help Support Australia & New Zealand Homebrewing Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Hi all :)

Controller works perfect and extremly happy with it... However..... I see the Grainfater promotes a version with bluetooth and the pissabollty to load recepies from ex Beersmith.... Anyone know what board and so on they use ? and if its possible to implement with the Brauduino ?
 
The hardware side is available, the software hasn't been written for this implementation. There is software for the ArdBir board for wifi (no integration of Beersmith) however simple web based control of the unit. (so anything with a browser on the network). Note the wifi implementation uses unique software on the controller itself, the controller is then connected to a Wes Mos D1 and that handles the server and wifi (though with very limited space). The pinout on our board is different to the board this software was written. I was looking at seeing if I could port it to support our board over the coming summer.

I have no idea what GF have done with their board, and probably a quick rewire to your hardware with their controller would work.

Mike
 
I've got a strange problem with my controller. Cant run newer versions, like 2.8.3RC on it. The PWM menu shows no values, so I am unable to do adjustments. With 2.6.62 I can do them just fine. Any ideas? I have a 16x2 screen and all setup adjustments are equal with both versions.
 
I had the same problem. It's in the way they coded the display, the value characters are off the side. I changed the language setting to Italian, set my parameters then reflashed it to English. Eventually I just upgraded to the 20*4 screen
 
MitchD said:
I had the same problem. It's in the way they coded the display, the value characters are off the side. I changed the language setting to Italian, set my parameters then reflashed it to English. Eventually I just upgraded to the 20*4 screen
Ah, figures. Not a big deal, gonna see about updating the screen. Not a priority though - beer comes first ;)
 
claypot said:
Scrambling screen??

Hey all I have been dragging the chain getting my unit set up but finally have it running.
I have suffered the fateful scrambled screen. First brew I had to power down then back up several times, bugger.
It only happens when the heating is on and pump starts or stops as has been mentioned here.
I am using a chugger 240v pump.
I removed the cover and separated the 240v from 12v and run with the cover off but still same issue.
I am happy to rewire the pump via the second SSR via 12v from the board as I won't need a second element. BUT does anyone know if this is a sure fix for this problem as I am pretty time poor at the moment. Or is the problem likely something else?
Thanks again,
Clayton.
Hey all, Just a follow up on the above.
I fitted a small SSR via the relay to switch the pump and haven't had any screen scrambles since. (as per Zwitters instructions / pics earlier except I left the relay on the board) I'm stoked.
So it looks that for me the scrambling must of been caused by the 240v at the board via the relay.
I used a cheapy off ebay $6.
20161111_121356_resize_20161114_1819291.jpg
 
Hi Claypot

Just wondering if you left the relay and just triggered the SSR from the input that drives the relay or did you use the relay to switch 12v or 5v to drive the SSR?

I guess it will work either way but the first would be better.

Glad it works

Zwitter
James


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
zwitter said:
Hi Claypot

Just wondering if you left the relay and just triggered the SSR from the input that drives the relay or did you use the relay to switch 12v or 5v to drive the SSR?

I guess it will work either way but the first would be better.

Glad it works

Zwitter
James


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Hey James,
I used the relay to switch 12v from the transformer to the SSR. ( still using relay, you here it switching. Just took 240v + off the board and replaced with the 12v)
I just went with what was easier for me.... however soldering the wires to the SSR pins was a test of patience!!
I heat shrinked it after as you did.
 
Hi claypot

The reason the relay was on the board was to support people using the LBP little brown pump or similar 12v pumps. But could also be used for 240vac pumps.

Switching the 12vdc pump was ok but switching 240vac it depended on what point of the cycle the voltage was at when the relay opened and closed. We put the resistor and capacitor on the output as a snubber and it generally worked fine if you kept the wiring separated from the circuit board and temp wiring etc. the pump wiring acted like an antenna and would potentially create the scrambled screen.

I did ask the ArdBir team to refresh the display every so often but they advised the way the code was written it was too hard to do. If they could have refreshed the display after any pump switching you would never have even seen a scramble.

There was discussion about changing the pump to an SSR drive but the LBP side won the day. I did do a show and tell re adding a small SSR for the pump and described how to run the second big SSR for the pump.

Trust me there was a lot of testing of different pumps and circuit routing for the scrambling issue.

Glad yours is working well.

James
Zwitter


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
zwitter said:
Hi claypot

The reason the relay was on the board was to support people using the LBP little brown pump or similar 12v pumps. But could also be used for 240vac pumps.

Switching the 12vdc pump was ok but switching 240vac it depended on what point of the cycle the voltage was at when the relay opened and closed. We put the resistor and capacitor on the output as a snubber and it generally worked fine if you kept the wiring separated from the circuit board and temp wiring etc. the pump wiring acted like an antenna and would potentially create the scrambled screen.

I did ask the ArdBir team to refresh the display every so often but they advised the way the code was written it was too hard to do. If they could have refreshed the display after any pump switching you would never have even seen a scramble.

There was discussion about changing the pump to an SSR drive but the LBP side won the day. I did do a show and tell re adding a small SSR for the pump and described how to run the second big SSR for the pump.

Trust me there was a lot of testing of different pumps and circuit routing for the scrambling issue.

Glad yours is working well.

James
Zwitter


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Hey James,
Cheers for the details. I'm pretty happy with the way its all turned out. I agree that going with the extra options to use the LBP was the way to go.
I've found the whole project an excellent exercise, I've refreshed some old skills and learnt some new! Was good to be able to see the finished product and know how it all works. Once again thanks to all involved for all your time and input!!
 
The stainless skin fittings were just some i got from a local marine shop.

I fabbed the legs up myself. Got a mate to weld them as I don't have a TIG.

Reasonably pleased with the outcome so far, just trying to get on top of a couple of minor leaks.
 
Back
Top