BCS/Brewer's Hardware Beef

Let me first say - I really do like my BCS. Once you understand how to program the system, it's a snap to reconfigure and because it runs off-line you can just start a process and walk away. Nice. . . Really looking forward to the 4.0 upgrades that have been talked about.

My beef is really with Brewer's hardware - I think. Not to be confused with Brew Hardware - Bobby's done well by me!! I bought my BCS460 several years back along with 4-5 white cabled thermoprobes. They aren't particularly sturdy (pretty crappy to be honest), but they're decent enough if you're careful. Well I wasn't, and I eventually broke the wiring right where the cable enters the probe body. Total loss (and yes I tried to get inside). So, no big deal, right? Just jump on-line at BH and order replacements. Problem is - and this wasn't obvious until I ran a firmware update on my BCS (another beef for another time ), the new probes are not the same as the old ones. They have a different transistor and the coefficients are actually different. WTF?? Why was this change made? This means I need to keep track of which probe I'm using and change the coeffs in the system settings file every time I plug in a probe. Dumb. . .

The good news was I was able to create two system.cfg files. One uses the new probes (and their coeffs) and runs my brewery; the other uses the white probes (and a different set of coeffs) to run my fermenters. The bad news is, I'm one broken/bad probe away from being screwed on the fermenter side, and these probes ain't cheap!

Ok. Rant over. Call this a PSA for BCS probes. Perhaps someone out there will read this thread and have an ahhh - that's why my probes are way off - moment. I did. . .

Thanks for listening (reading)
PLOVE

PLOVE said:

The bad news is, I'm one broken/bad probe away from being screwed on the fermenter side, and these probes ain't cheap!

Click to expand...

Not really. How about $5 per probe -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1m-NTC-Ther...sor-10K-1-3950-Waterproof-Probe-/400618558583
or
http://www.ebay.com/itm/waterproof-...hermistor-probe-10K-1-precision-/171199824174

If you gonna have it dirty cheap ($0.2 per piece) you can make it yourself. You just need a thermistor - http://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-10k-OHM-NTC-Thermistor-Resistor-NTC-MF52AT-10K-5-3950-1-/140748275841

Just solder 2 wires and put it in SS or copper tube. Then seal you probe with silicon. To make it react faster add some thermal paste on thermistor head before inserting it in a thermowell.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Thermal...gned-for-CPU-Heat-Sink-1-2g-Hot-/350791740134

Before Brewers Hardware (BH) bought BCS/ECC, the probes from ECC were as you said "aren't particularly sturdy". At that time you could also buy the custom probes from BH, but you needed to manually set your coefficients. Once BH bought BCS/ECC, it didn't make sense to continue to supply the crappy probes when they already had their own. The BH probes are much better built and come in way more configurations. I was at their place a couple of weeks ago and saw some new ones that even have a built-in quick disconnect on the end of the probe. Those were sweet!

Yeah, it's a PIA if you're on the old ones and mixing new ones, but that's how progress works.

I'm thinking that if you're going to build your own, $2 for the real deal is more of a bargain than getting $.02 chinese ones that will lead to the same missmatch of coefficients the OP has issues with.

https://www.brewershardware.com/THERM10KNTC-1.0.html

Just my $.02

That's what I'm doing.

MrNatural said:

I'm thinking that if you're going to build your own, $2 for the real deal is more of a bargain than getting $.02 chinese ones that will lead to the same missmatch of coefficients the OP has issues with.

https://www.brewershardware.com/THERM10KNTC-1.0.html

Just my $.02

That's what I'm doing.

Click to expand...

ha-ha If you take a look to page you mentioned it says
"Vishay 10K NTC Thermistor"
And Vishay is a Chinese manufacturer. So you actually buying the same chines parts just 10 times more expensive.

Brumateur said:

ha-ha If you take a look to page you mentioned it says
"Vishay 10K NTC Thermistor"
And Vishay is a Chinese manufacturer. So you actually buying the same chines parts just 10 times more expensive.

Click to expand...

No you are wrong!... they are 100x more expensive!

Cool about the sensors. I priced out a similar build months ago (don't recall BH selling sensors) and digikey was selling the silly 10k transistors for like $8 a piece. By time I added tubing, wire, and silicone for another $5, it was cheaper (time and labor) to buy them. $2 sensors are a game changer. I can see setting up a vice and cranking out 8-10 to have on standby.

And yes, I do really like the new BH sensors. I just wish these were standard when I first purchased my BCS. Complaining - yes; Ranting - yes. . . but I'm also brewing 20 gal of bourbon porter that will go in my new free to me oak barrel. Nothing could be sweater. . .

Looking forward to good thing form BCS. Thanks for the great solutions!

By the way, Vishay (a highly reputable manufacturer) is not Chinese. It is listed on the NYSE. The HQ is just down the road from me in Malvern PA.

Brumateur said:

And Vishay is a Chinese manufacturer. So you actually buying the same chines parts just 10 times more expensive.

Click to expand...

Sure about that?
http://www.vishay.com/company/about/

I think it is more about precision than country of origin. BH sensors are 1%. EBay from China are rated 5%-10%.
So, if you don't mind mashing at 164F or 142F, saving $1.98 makes sense.

But, if you don't mind splurging, Vishay here for $0.14, from ex-commies.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20x-Vishay-precision-10k-NTC-thermistor-/221353284428

Bottom line, a couple of bucks to avoid PLOVE's agony seems money well spent.

**edit**dangit, Alien beat me to it. never type before bed and submit when you get up

Brumateur said:

ha-ha If you take a look to page you mentioned it says

"Vishay 10K NTC Thermistor"

And Vishay is a Chinese manufacturer. So you actually buying the same chines parts just 10 times more expensive.

Click to expand...

So buying a Toyota is the same as buying a Subaru because they are both Japanese? Heck I might as well buy a VW and put BMW emblems on it for that matter. Save me over half the cost of an M3.

PLOVE, if you are interested I'll trade you my old style probes for the new ones.

They are already wired with 3 pin XLR, the white sheathing a little beat up but still work fine.

Right now I'm running 2 of 4 probes as the new, but Id like to have them all be the same.

Does BCS support pt100 probes yet?

Any hope for the next version?


Adam

Bsquared -

Thanks for the offer, but I politely decline. The old ones are really pretty crappy compared to the new BH offering.

You lucky dog with a new conical! Now you can definitely afford to replace your last two old sensors with new ones
Pete

PLOVE said:

Bsquared -

Thanks for the offer, but I politely decline. The old ones are really pretty crappy compared to the new BH offering.

You lucky dog with a new conical! Now you can definitely afford to replace your last two old sensors with new ones
Pete

Click to expand...

Thanks Pete, I thought I'd try...

Yep I was closing down my computer at work last night and saw there was a re-draw, so I checked, too me a few reads to make sure it was me. That was an awesome way to end the day!

Just nice to see one of these giveaways go to a regular contributor. I've followed your posts for years. Congrats!

What are you going to put in it first? Is this your first conical?
P

Thanks,

I have a more beer 15 gallon I got a year ago, it will be nice to have two so I can dump yeast from one and pitch right back into the other.

Right now it add quite a bit of time on the brew day to dump yeast, rack beer, rinse and count yeast then clean and sanitize the one conical and put a new batch into it.

Im going to do a belgian golden ale next, I have quite a bit noble hops I want to use.

PLOVE said:

Just nice to see one of these giveaways go to a regular contributor. I've followed your posts for years. Congrats!

Click to expand...

X2

Bsquared said:

I have a more beer 15 gallon I got a year ago, it will be nice to have two so I can dump yeast from one and pitch right back into the other.

Click to expand...

Allright, now I'm just double jealous. I take back everything I said about you being a great contributor

Hey. I've got an idea. You wanna straight up trade you 15 gal more beer conical for two of my super slick used 6 gal plastic fermenters? I'll even send the ones that don't have sour beer in them.
Deal?

Good luck with the Belgian!

Sold!