Zizzle's Brewbot

[Zizzle]

The aim is an automated, unattended brew.

Random requirements:
- self contained: no PC hardware
- all electric
- tight arse budget - recycle old junk

Use case is:
- Night before: crack the grain & put it in the mash tun.
- Weigh hop additions and add to brew bot
- Punch in desired final volume and mash/boil times.
- Punch in start time

Wake up in the morning to a finished brew and run it into a cube for no chill.

First stage was the brew stand. I went to the local scrap metal yard and got some angle iron off cuts. Hack them up and gave them a hit with the mig:

Decided to go nice and short so there is low center of gravity & I can easily see inside the vessels.

Next step was to take over the kitchen table with gear. Garage is too greasy for this work:

Got and old computer case and folded it into a case for the brewbot brains:

Not pretty I know, but cheap and will be hidden and painted.

Not the automated valves: decided to got for gate valves since they require less torque to actuate than a ball valve and are cheaper too. Using windscreen wiper motors to drive them.

First hack up the tap handle:

Then weld up a little frame out of angle iron scraps to hold them:

The brains are coming along nicely:

Atmel Atmega128 micro controller, 5 relays, 3 more yet to add. 240x64 pixel lcd.

 

[bonj]

Looking good! Can't wait to see how you do the unattended hop additions.

 

[Jye]

Not the automated valves: decided to got for gate valves since they require less torque to actuate than a ball valve and are cheaper too. Using windscreen wiper motors to drive them.

Coming along nicely

Did you find a cheap source of wiper motors? Last time I looked they wanted about $25 each And have you tried them with a ball valve since they have a lot of torque?

 

[Zizzle]

You've got me having second thoughts now Jye.

Maybe I'll try a pair of ball valves for the next pair of valves. Brewbot's going to have 4 valves: 2 on the input side of the pump from HTLT and mash tun, and two on the output side to the mash tun and boiler. And a solenoid for mains cold water in.

As for the wiper motors, I had those two laying around. They are spares for a classic car, so I do feel a little guilty. Should be able to pick up another pair pretty cheaply too. I haven't modified or damaged them, so can back out if it doesn't work.

 

[browndog]

How do you automaton guys account for stuck sparges ?

cheers

Browndog

 

[mayzi]

How do you automaton guys account for stuck sparges ?

cheers

Browndog

'spose they would have to rig up some sort of alarm, that'd be nice to get dragged out of bed at 2 in the morning...... SWMBO would be over the moon I'm sure.

 

[Darren]

Boil over would be interesting!

cheers

Darren

 

[Screwtop]

Boil over would be interesting!

Darren's batting for the negative side again, thats new!


Hey Zizzle, how about solenoid valves, have a look halfway down the page HERE

Screwy

 

[Zizzle]

If I could source them cheaply I would be all for solenoids. I've already got a cheap plastic one for cold mains water in, but I doubt it would stand up to hot water for very long. It also wasn't that cheap. The dual wiper motor + gate valve setup in the photos cost less.

As for a stuck sparge or a boil over, I've never had either so far. I'm hoping that won't change.

But yeah, I plan an alarm for any problems (stuck valves?).

SWMBO would rather me get out of bed for a few minutes while she is sleeping than spend a whole day brewing that is for sure.

I think for a quite a few brews, brewbot will have to be monitored pretty closely to sort out any bugs.

 

[devo]

"The aim is an automated, unattended brew."

I thought attending to it was half the fun of brewing?

 

[Zizzle]

The choice for some, since they don't have a spare 4-5 hours for each brew, is a quick & easy brew, or no brew at all.

I'm choosing quick & easy. I can still enjoy the recipe formulation and results.

 

[brettprevans]

Zizzle

That is ace. its the sort of thing that you need to built trial, fix any bugs then patent and sell the rights to. Im sure theres a hell of a lot of lazy HBs out there that have $$$ to spend on something like that. You could go on the ABC's 'New Inventor' program!

seriously nice work.

 

[ArnieW]

If I could source them cheaply I would be all for solenoids. I've already got a cheap plastic one for cold mains water in, but I doubt it would stand up to hot water for very long. It also wasn't that cheap. The dual wiper motor + gate valve setup in the photos cost less.

As for a stuck sparge or a boil over, I've never had either so far. I'm hoping that won't change.

But yeah, I plan an alarm for any problems (stuck valves?).

SWMBO would rather me get out of bed for a few minutes while she is sleeping than spend a whole day brewing that is for sure.

I think for a quite a few brews, brewbot will have to be monitored pretty closely to sort out any bugs.

Hey Zizzle,

I've got a cheap plastic one for hot liquor in as well and have never had trouble with it. I've been running it for probably 5 years.

And for those pessimists - boil overs can be controlled with power management and sensors or by just getting a nice big kettle. And stuck sparges - yeah, who needs them. A stuck sparge is more related to system design than anything. [Waiting for flames to arrive h34r: ] Seriously though, I had a rotten brew the one before last - but it was due to poor fittings and air getting into the inlet side of the pump. I've just done my regular 40% wheat Hefe with a great recirc rate and no discernable compaction of the grain bed. My false bottom does have something like a 55% open area though.

I don't generally brew overnight, but the automation bits on HERMAN allow me to brew on a day off and go out and walk the dogs, do a bit of housework or yardwork, slow down and have a beverage etc. without things being difficult. But I still like to hang around and smell the grains and hops and marvel generally at the process of creating divine nectar.

cheers

 

[ArnieW]

Looking good! Can't wait to see how you do the unattended hop additions.

Hey Bonj,

check out this:

http://users.tpg.com.au/adsl2y58/userfiles...s/154_5489.html

We've had great success with that unit. Fun to watch it in action too!

 

[Zizzle]

Great link Arnie, I hadn't seen that photo set before. I got some good ideas out of it.

I have seen your hop adder before. Top idea, though I will probably got for a DC motor and some notches in the rotating disk that activate a microswitch. Stepper motors are a PITA.

So your level sensors work on the water conducting when it is in contact with the brass rods?

I got my valves acutating last night. Seems to work well enough.

 

[mikem108]

Thats an awesome piece of work Arnie!

 

[gnewell]

Hey Bonj,

check out this:

http://users.tpg.com.au/adsl2y58/userfiles...s/154_5489.html

We've had great success with that unit. Fun to watch it in action too!

That's brilliant Arnie!! I'm slowly getting my stuff together to build something similar. I'll be going the Maxim / Dallas 1-Wire route for the PC Interface and doing all the control and intelligence via PC / Laptop. Already got my USB to 1-Wire interface: http://www.maxim-ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/3834

Question for you:
How do you go about cleaning all that equipment and pipes after your brews done. And emptying the mash tun for that matter.

Geoff.

 

[oldbugman]

Well the way I drink and dance around on a brew day I think I might look into a hop adder.

Might just use a couple of electro mechanical timers

 

[Zizzle]

Already got my USB to 1-Wire interface: http://www.maxim-ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/3834

You know with about $5 worth of components you can drive the 1-wire bus from any PC RS232 port?

http://www.linuxfocus.org/English/November...rticle315.shtml

 

[bonj]

That's some nice work Arnie.

RS232 kind of rules out any modern laptop. Although any still functional 486 (running Linux of course) should be more than capable if you don't need a GUI interface.