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

[zwitter]

Hi ramu gupta

Does the temp probe actually read the temperature?

In manual mode you need to set the temp and that must be higher than the current temperature for the element to be turned on. It is not just an on and off function it is a PID temperature controlled heating.

James
Zwitter


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[ramu_gupta]

Ah James - I think you are spot on.
The temperature was being displayed and the set temp was lower than the current temp.

Thanks so much.

Always something to learn.

John

 

[matho]

This is so cool, a big that thanks to Lael and Zwitter and a lot of others for taking this project much much further than I could possibly have done. A massive thank you to all of those that have helped others to sort out problems with their brauduino's. So after my daughters brain injury it has taken me a long time to get back to brewing but now we are in our new house and settling in I'm getting my brewing mojo back and I have been brewing with the braumiser a bit. I have a couple of changes to the original code I want to do but I probably won't push them because the code has evolved so much from my hack job. One thing I want to add is if I set a stage time to 0 it pauses for me and I'm seriously looking into Bluetooth. One last thing is a get a real buzz that this has gone global.

 

[malt junkie]

This is so cool, a big that thanks to Lael and Zwitter and a lot of others for taking this project much much further than I could possibly have done. A massive thank you to all of those that have helped others to sort out problems with their brauduino's. So after my daughters brain injury it has taken me a long time to get back to brewing but now we are in our new house and settling in I'm getting my brewing mojo back and I have been brewing with the braumiser a bit. I have a couple of changes to the original code I want to do but I probably won't push them because the code has evolved so much from my hack job. One thing I want to add is if I set a stage time to 0 it pauses for me and I'm seriously looking into Bluetooth. One last thing is a get a real buzz that this has gone global.

Received wifi boards in the post yesterday.

I started the original thread beging you for your originalboard.(still in use). Seems only appropriate I return the favour, should have every thing together in the next week or so. Then a quick functionality test. This board is proto 1 there's a few things I want to upgrade/change for rev 2.

Cheers
Mike

 

[matho]

Those boards look good Mike! The changes I'm making will be a personal thing as its more about me learning how to do it than the outcome. I'm really keen to get my teeth into the Internet of things.

 

[gap]

Those boards look good Mike! The changes I'm making will be a personal thing as its more about me learning how to do it than the outcome. I'm really keen to get my teeth into the Internet of things.

Great to see you on here again Steve, and glad you have the brewing mojo back again.
Regards
Graeme

 

[zwitter]

This is so cool, a big that thanks to Lael and Zwitter and a lot of others for taking this project much much further than I could possibly have done. A massive thank you to all of those that have helped others to sort out problems with their brauduino's. So after my daughters brain injury it has taken me a long time to get back to brewing but now we are in our new house and settling in ......

Hi Matho

Wow like being touched by brewing royalty!

It has been truly amazing working with all these great people on this project. I have met heaps of really amazing people and connected with brewers around the world. Really thank you for the original.

Actually one person I have not met is you. I really hope you and your daughter and family are all doing well. You never know where life leads you but maybe one day, who knows.

All the very best

James
Zwitter


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[barneey]

Me again :unsure:

I set up to brew this morning and used the delay function, 8+ hrs. When I went out to the BM clone this morning the water was at strike temp but the display was scrambled and flickering, I simply unplugged the unit and powered on again = all was back to normal. Is there a likely cause to this problem?

Many Thanks

 

[zwitter]

Hi Barney

Scrambled screen was a bad problem early on in this controllers history.

Firstly the fault is scrambled LD but the software does keep running in the background.

We put a snubber circuit on the relay contacts as we found it was switching 240v pumps that caused the problem. We varied the values for best results. Your board does have a snubber. It is the big yellow cap and resistor next to the relay.

The other main thing was physically separating the cabling. So all 12volt and control cabling was run separate from the 240volt cabling. Also advised to keep the cabling short. Can put a slight twist in the cables or bunch the different groups with cable ties but as long as they are physically separated and the 240v is kept away from the circuit boards it eliminated the problem.

The reason the cabling is important and the snubber is that when relays switch, they do it regardless of the point in the cycle of the ac voltage. So sometimes it may switch at a low voltage in the cycle and high voltage at other times. Plus the reverse EMF (electro motive force) from collapsing magnetic fields etc from the motor and you get sparks across the relay terminals. Sparks generate radio waves, EMP (electo magnetic pulse) in fact spark gap was the initial global wireless transmission system used for morse code so is very efficient. The problem in the controller is it is "received" by the sensitive circuits in the Arduino and LCD and causes the scramble. The wires act like aerials to transmit and receive.

The board used a relay as some people wanted to use the LBP little brown pump 12volt. The alternative is to use SSR solid state relay and an ac pump like the Chugger or the 809 etc. SSR will turn on at any point in the voltage wave but will only turn off as the voltage crosses zero, so no spark and no interference.

Two ways to do this.

One I documented and posted here some time back with a small SSR. Basically remove the relay and solder it in or can mount remote to the pcb as I did. Does require some soldering skills. Relay can actually be left in the board too if desired, just makes soldering a little trickier. THIS IS WHAT I DID ON MINE AND NEVER HAD A SCRAMBLE SINCE. Only had a rare one before but this is a 100% fix

Two is easier if you modify the wiring and use a big SSR to drive the pump. The latest version of our controller had 2 SSRs to drive 2 elements. The change was to use the relay to switch 12volts and the 12volts then used to drive the second SSR and the SSR then connected to switch the pump. Pump must be an ac type at 240v or 110 in USA etc.

There are other options like shielding. I have a piece of plastic between the pcb and the back of the box. A bit of the lidmof an old shirt box or the like is fine or if you can get some they make a fibre based material for the purpose and can get it with aluminium on one side or better still in the middle and earth the aluminium layer.

Ferrite beads / cores etc can help on the motor cabling.

Let me know

James
Zwitter
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[ramu_gupta]

Hello again

Playing around with a Pi Zero and want to use the spare temperature probe I got with this controller.

Can someone tell me the type of thermometer it is (DS18b20?) and the purpose of the resistor on the red wire?

Thanks

 

[zwitter]

Hi Ramu-Gupta

Yes is an18b20 the exact version I do not know. There are various tolerance versions but all work the same.

The resistor is to limit the current in the power positive lead. With the concentric plug it shorts out when inserted and removed and that could damage the sensor. So I put a resistor in the cable to reduce the available current. The 18b20 can operate with only 2 wires and very low voltage and current so it performs perfectly and now is virtually impossible to blow it up in normal use.

Before it would get damaged and show 85 or 0 permanaently.

Cheers

James
Zwitter

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[ramu_gupta]

Thanks again James.
Much appreciated.

 

[barneey]

Had a little time to play with the controller again, the scrambled screen issue is now fixed.

I now however have another problem the temp will read upto 50c and then gets stuck so at near boiling point it still reads 50c.

I am tempted to install another temp probe/ thermowell, just a quick question if using a standard 18b20 do I need to add a resistor 4.7k between the data & power?

Many Thanks

 

[zwitter]

Hi Barneey

As above the resistor is to prevent the temp sensor from being blown up as it is connected or disconnected. This was more of an issue specifically with the 2.5mm stereo plug / socket. But it cant hurt either.

So if you are going to hard wire or connect when off and not plug or unplug while powered on then no it is not required.

I have not heard of a temp probe that works up to a temp then stops. Maybe software?

James
Zwitter


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[barneey]

Thanks, I managed to get hold of a spare board that wasn't being used, the probe / temp issue still occurred. I have now taken out the original temperature probe, removed the jack plug and wired the new sensor into the green plug, so will not be fitting the old resistor as there is very little / no chance of disconnection unless the unit/box is open.

The new sensor, similar to this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DS18B20-18B20-1-WIRE-Digital-Thermometer-in-waterproof-casing-BRAND-NEW-UK-STOCK-/190784248550 requires a 4.7k resistor between the data & power so I have also hard wired this to the green plug, so far the unit appears to working fine without any modification to software (apart from the temp offset addition in the setup).

I am assuming the 4.7k resistor is the correct way to proceed, did the original one have one built in, or didn't need one?

I am still mystified why the original sensor had / developed a problem / if indeed it actually does or it was another gremlin in the system wiring somewhere, causing the issue. It wouldn't cost much for me to send you the probe if you wanted to carryout any experimental tests on the probe, just let me know.

I

 

[malt junkie]

The 4.7k resistor is already onboard there should be no need for another, though in real terms a second won't adversely affect readings.

 

[barneey]

Many thanks, have tested out the system and everything seems to be working fine again.

 

[lael]

Many thanks, have tested out the system and everything seems to be working fine again.

Hi Barneey,

In my experience those sort of gremlins are often related to tight wiring in the box putting strange pressure on wires.

The temp probe may have gone faulty over time - from memory I sent you a spare when I sent the kits over your way. Do you still have a spare?

 

[Jase]

Hi all,

Finally got an opportunity to brew on the new single vessel system. It was an awesome brew day, and even with a few teething problems it was the easiest brew day I have ever had.

The only issue I seem to have that the malt pipe wasn't draining fast enough. I had to adjust the mash in water volume to keep the mash level above the elements. I will either drill more holes or cut some slits in the bottom of the malt pipe. This should take care of all of the issues.

Massive thanks to all that help put this together, especially Lael. A champion bloke!!!!


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Cheers,
Jase

 

[Jase]

Hi all,

Finally got an opportunity to brew on the new single vessel system. It was an awesome brew day, and even with a few teething problems it was the easiest brew day I have ever had.

The only issue I seem to have that the malt pipe wasn't draining fast enough. I had to adjust the mash in water volume to keep the mash level above the elements. I will either drill more holes or cut some slits in the bottom of the malt pipe. This should take care of all of the issues.

Massive thanks to all that helped put this together, especially Lael. A champion bloke!!!!


View attachment 97707

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View attachment 97709

View attachment 97710

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Cheers,
Jase