The Brauduino (Matho’s Controller) Buy thread

[zwitter]

Lael was putting kits together. Send him a message.
James
zwitter


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[lael]

I'm working on something super exciting. Well.. I think so. Laser cut box, power supply, SSR, switches and connectors and arduino mega and pre-constructed PCB... Still sorting out a couple of sources. I'll need 30 people to commit up front to make it possible. Working on final costs, but somewhere around $145 I think ( depending on how much I can get the various parts for this might go up or down... I'm most of the way there). I'm trying to find a power supply that will allow enough space to allow two SSRs for those who want to run two heating elements, or to run the pump through an SSR. Box is the same as I posted of my controller above, with 20x4 LCD to boot. The aim is that you receive all the parts needed, and the PCB ( the part that most struggle with) is already built. You wire it all together and presto! Controller ready to brew!

So I guess... Put your name down on a list and PM me

 

[Kingy]

I'm interested [emoji106]

 

[lael]

Ok - here is the list - feel free to PM me, but I'll send details to you once I've got it all sorted. So add yourself here:
I've added those that have expressed interest so far.
When adding yourself - quote the previous post and then delete the quote section so nobody gets dropped off the list. For ease -

1. Lael x2
2. natdene
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add more as needed... more is better!

 

[ArnieW]

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[The Judge]

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[MastersBrewery]

Post 1000,
I had hoped it would have been with some pic's of my clone, alas STILL with Fabricators, anyway Lael will this be able to handle two elements, just finished off my high voltage box and I'm concerned it's a little tight in there, so I'm looking at something bigger for HV.
To explain further my controller sits in a case all by it's lonesome connects to a separate HV box via Ethernet 3 SSR's and 12v transformer inside. I'll get some pic's up tomorrow.

MB

 

[Mitchlj73]

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[NealK]

I have completed my build and everything seems to work well. All I changed was to upgrade the ac connections to be 15amp
The only issue I have now is that the temperature reading is about 2 degrees low (reading 66 but actually 68 and boils at 96.5). Is there a setting somewhere to calibrate the temperature probe?

Just bumping this to see if there is any way to calibrate the temperature probe?

 

[tateg]

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[eresh666]

A built PCB would do me wonders due to all the dramas I'm having with my average soldering skills atleast the shield is still intact!

 

[djar007]

I jave ine brother . Where yoy at

 

[LiquidCurrency]

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[lael]

Post 1000,
I had hoped it would have been with some pic's of my clone, alas STILL with Fabricators, anyway Lael will this be able to handle two elements, just finished off my high voltage box and I'm concerned it's a little tight in there, so I'm looking at something bigger for HV.
To explain further my controller sits in a case all by it's lonesome connects to a separate HV box via Ethernet 3 SSR's and 12v transformer inside. I'll get some pic's up tomorrow.

MB

Hi Masters, that is the plan... But it depends on whether I can fit it in. I don't want to go larger as the volume increases very quickly and the box starts to feel too large. What size is your HV box?

I've got a spare 150x200x100 Box with a clear lid that is too large I'd be happy to . The box I'm trying to get Everything in is roughly 160 x 130. It is as large as I would like to go.

 

[marksy]

I'm working on something super exciting. Well.. I think so. Laser cut box, power supply, SSR, switches and connectors and arduino mega and pre-constructed PCB... Still sorting out a couple of sources. I'll need 30 people to commit up front to make it possible. Working on final costs, but somewhere around $145 I think ( depending on how much I can get the various parts for this might go up or down... I'm most of the way there). I'm trying to find a power supply that will allow enough space to allow two SSRs for those who want to run two heating elements, or to run the pump through an SSR. Box is the same as I posted of my controller above, with 20x4 LCD to boot. The aim is that you receive all the parts needed, and the PCB ( the part that most struggle with) is already built. You wire it all together and presto! Controller ready to brew!

So I guess... Put your name down on a list and PM me

What is the actual kit your working on? I`m trying to read through the posts, trying to find if its for any type of electric brewery ie 3V or just a 1V.

Cheers

Chris.

 

[rafinus]

Lael,

Please put my name, but I really need talk to you about shipping to Brazil...and customs

tnx

 

[rafinus]

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[marksy]

Lael,

Please put my name, but I really need talk to you about shipping to Brazil...and customs

tnx

Hey dude I'm Brazil right now. Down on copacabana.

 

[bcavan]

I ordered this ebay item 271061312409 and another like 121189232611.
They mostly use the same chip so text should be ok. May need to check the backlight connections and adjust the brightness pot or maybe the resistors connected to the adjustment pot. Many of us can assist with that or probably even help with the solution if you can present the problem with details.

James
Zwitter


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Hi James,

Thanks for your feedback.
I've been trying to figure out which components need to be modified to adjust the LCD backlight brightness, which I think is controlled by pins 15 & 16 - I figure R6 120ohm resistor is the likely candidate, can anyone confirm this?

These are the comparison photos showing the difference in brightness between the 16x2 screen that I got with my kit and the 20x4 screen that I ordered from Modtronix_au on ebay:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/prten9b4wqxn4ds/Photo%2011-06-2014%2023%2026%2011.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vicdv6j3frizqrf/photo%202.JPG

As you can see the 16x2 screen worked perfectly while the 20x4 backlight is quite dim.
The operating parameters for Voltage & current obtained from the 16x2 and 20x4 data sheets (see attached) do vary quite a bit between each screen, eg:

16x2 voltage range 3.3-3.7V
16x2 current range 28-40 mA @ 3.4v
(I measured the voltage on the shield across pins 15 & 16 at 3.74v, haven't figured how to measure the current but I'm assuming its within the range listed)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/q5fwq23164t1cjt/Photo%2011-07-2014%2008%2013%2052.png


20x4 voltage range 4-4.4V
20x4 current range 224-420 mA @ 4.2v
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1te5y5pn3qyd8qg/Photo%2011-07-2014%2008%2008%2007.png

The big difference in current might explain why the pot needs to be adjusted to the limit to get the text to display, otherwise there is no text visible, and at no point does the contrast turn the whole screen black like it did with the 16x2 screen.

Would I be right in saying that the voltage controls the brightness of the backlight?
i.e. 3.74V gives perfect backlight brightness for 16x2, but would be below the ideal range for the 20x4.

And I assume that the pot adjusts the current through pins 15&16?

Any further feedback would be much appreciated guys,

Thanks,

Brendan.



Message edited to add photos and complete the text.

 

[zwitter]

Hi Brendan

Yes it is the pins 15 and 16 that control the backlight. The pot does the contrast.

Resistor R6 a 120 ohm controls the current to the backlight. Simple ohms law.

So if 16x2 wants 3.5v @ 30mA then with a 5 v supply and 3.74 on the pins gives 5-3.74=1.26v across the 120ohm resistor using ohm's law gives 1.26/120=10.5mA
Maybe a lower value resistor could be used if you needed greater brightness?

The 20x4
So 5 - 4.2 =0.8v and a current of 280mA gives a calculated resistance for R6 of 2.86 ohms so closest standard value would be 2.7ohms and a bit brighter or 3.3ohms and a bit dimmer. Power or wattage of resistor would be current squared times resistance so quarter watt resistors would be fine.

In practice you could put additional resistor across the existing R6 or pull it out and put a lower value resistor in its place. Depending how bright you want the display and resistors at hand will determine what you can do.

With resistors, putting 2 resistors in parallel halves the resistance, so if you put a second 120ohm resistor in parallel with the existing one you will halve the resistance to 60ohms and double the current. Putting them in series doubles the resistance and halves the current.

Google ohms law or ohms triangle!

James
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