BrewTroller Control Panel Build - Page 5

jcdillin · 05-29-2009, 12:08 PM

Yeah i'm pretty sure they are diaphragm, well as far as cleaning goes I plan to fill one vessel with hot PBW and then just circulate it to the various vessels. Since the manifolds are so small I could just slip a silicone tube off and backflow it if I had any clogging issues.

jcdillin · 05-29-2009, 12:11 PM

So I ran the system up to 180F last night and did some water tests with water recirculation, everything ran perfectly and the valves are working very very well.

Now I just need to finish testing the volume measurement and I might be able to brew this weekend.

I had to swap out my water heater element because it was rusting like there is no tomorrow.

**pompeiisneaks** · 05-29-2009, 05:10 PM

Awesome! I can't wait to see the full run of a solenoid controlled fully automated, pressure sensor brewtroller! Puts my manual QD switcheroo and manual valve open/close to shame

I'll tell you, I've already, more than once, accidentally leaked a bit of hot HLT water or MLT wort out forgetting to close valves

moosecaboose · 05-29-2009, 08:15 PM

What was your source on the valves? How much do they cost? IM having my stand welded up now so IM in the planning process of where I want the valves and pumps. I would like to get this all mounted and holes drilled into the stand then take it apart and send it off to powder coat.

jcdillin · 06-01-2009, 12:26 PM

Let me see if I can find the source, it was from a company called Kaling in china. After shipping they came to about $39 a piece.

jcdillin · 06-04-2009, 04:39 PM

did some testing of the pressure sensors yesterday, just have to calibrate them again. But otherwise came out great.

YouTube - BrewTroller First Volume Measurement Test

**kladue** · 06-04-2009, 05:32 PM

Nice, looks like the pressure sensor resolution is about 22 counts to the gallon?. I am waiting to hear the results from a test run with mash and pump running to see if there will be any pressure influence from false bottom suction.

Jonathon · 06-04-2009, 07:13 PM

Looking great mate,
One thing I have had a lot of trouble with is these types of pressure sensors used as level indicators. During testing with water they were fine until you heat it up, it played havoc with my readings. With the change in temp the air in the tubing to the sensors would expand then as it cooled retract sucking in liquid up the tubes, this would sometimes not clear once empty due to the surface tension of the liquid up the tube making them very unreliable. I have seen setups with a constant air supply or "bubble" to combat this situation. I ended up giving it away and sticking with resistive static level probes.
Cheers
Jonathon.

jcdillin · 06-09-2009, 05:10 PM

Yeah I noticed the volume does rise a bit with the heat, also rises if you your lids on too tight. My main concern is with the initial fill volumes and the sparge amounts. If I can get those accurately I don't really care what it reads during the brew.

We shall see once it brews a batch

Stachelrodt · 07-09-2010, 05:11 AM

Just in case this might solve the problem. you are in fact using pressure sensors? that can be why the heat especially when a lid is on changes what it does, water expands with heat and pressure defiantly builds very little, but if the numbers are small then i would hack it up to something along those lines

By the way i joined and an building a similar set up and am very inspired by what you've done. Especially the float sensor! Was something I just didn't see!