My FULL-ON electric build thread

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I havent gone through all 16 pages yet (but I definitely will) how did you mount the touchscreen in your panel ?
 
kosmokramer said:
I havent gone through all 16 pages yet (but I definitely will) how did you mount the touchscreen in your panel ?

An opening that fits the screen of the monitor is being cut out of the door of my control panel. The monitor has 8 mounting holes around the perimeter as it was pulled from a similar application.
 
An opening that fits the screen of the monitor is being cut out of the door of my control panel. The monitor has 8 mounting holes around the perimeter as it was pulled from a similar application.

Ahhh thanks,,I really like the design and was thinking of doing something similar with the panel, just trying to figure out how to mount a touchscreen
 
Very busy week for the build so this is going to be a long update, now where to start?

I finished the water cabinet and installed it. Connecting all of the water lines and components will take a little longer as I am still waiting on the water storage tank. The sink is now attached to something and finally feels sturdy. Also, I will no longer be fumbling around looking for paper towels!

Brewery_Cabinet_Finished.jpg


The shelves turned out great and I think they will be very useful. The cross bars are 1/2" stainless tubing for a bit of added flare. The board sticking out at the very top is a swing arm that will have some places to hang hoses from. This will allow me to disconnect everything at the end of the day and hang dry them. On the right side is where all of the solenoid valve controlled outlets will be located.

Next, I received a package from Zach at Stainless Brewing that contained a very custom coil for the HEX tank as well as a couple custom inlet tubes for my HLT and BK. He did great work on all three.

Custom_Stainless_Tubing.jpg


I will be posting more on how these will be used in the future. If you need stainless tubing or components definitely check his site out! The coil was one of the last remaining question marks for this build that I now get to cross off the list.

Coil inside my 24qt HEX pot:
HEX_Coil1.jpg


Today I received one of the most exciting packages from UPS in a very long time. My control panel door that was waterjet cut finally arrived so I got right to work putting the components together:

HMI_Assembled1.jpg


Everything fits like a dream, it is very rewarding to see the hours and hours spent modeling, designing, and choosing parts pay off with something tangible. The enclosure and door will be painted black like my power control box. Some up close shots of the switches and indicators:

HMI_Front_Close.jpg


HMI_Front_Close2.jpg


Everything on the inside of the door is a very tight fit but it works. I have a lot of work ahead of me wiring and testing it all.

HMI_Door_Inside1.jpg


Taking a day trip tomorrow so I have to wait impatiently to continue working on this. There will be a lot going on over the next few weeks.
 
Ludicrous speed!

Sweet panel. The look is unique and awesome.

It'd be sweet if you could get the startup of that screen to do the plaid bit in Space Balls.
 
jtkratzer said:
Ludicrous speed!

Sweet panel. The look is unique and awesome.

It'd be sweet if you could get the startup of that screen to do the plaid bit in Space Balls.

*blink* :)

This is a thread I wish I had found after the project was finished. The waiting feels like I am stuck in-between tv seasons. Haha No breaks! Keep cranking out episodes for us!
 
Makes me think of the Dog from the movie Up.

This build would be hard to put a price tag on as many of the components were snapped up through deals that came along at the right time. For example, most of my tri-clamp parts were purchased on eBay and the timing/pricing of those can be hit or miss. One day you might find a Tee for $10 or if you wanted to purchase it retail it could go for $35. There is thousands of dollars tied up in items just purchased regularly and it is hard to keep track of all the little items purchased through many trips to Lowes or HD. I am really in this for the adventure/challenge, there are obviously many ways to produce an awesome system without some of the costs I have incurred.

That being said, I have built up the front panel potentiometer assemblies:
Potentiometer%20assemblies.jpg


Still waiting on the front door to begin assembling everything. Over time more items on the control board are being tested. The solenoid valve control circuits work well and so does the serial port for comms with the PC. Next on the software hitlist is the 1-wire comms for the temp sensors.


Ok, but then a good question would be, would you do this for someone for the right price?
 
Awesome! That panel looks like something from a 70's era Mad Scientist's Lab!:mug:

Keep in mind the flux capacitor wasn't invented by Doc Brown until the early 80's, so this has to be after that!

As always flyingbeer, you have made me proud to be an Earthling.
 
Ok, but then a good question would be, would you do this for someone for the right price?

Everyone has a price... but I honestly don't have enough time attend to my own matters. If you need assistance or have specific questions please let me know, you can PM if you want. Advice is cheap, however, time is a precious resource.

Thanks to everyone else as usual, the kind words keep me chugging along. Before the weekend hits I should have the heat exchanger tank done, brazing the fittings tonight or tomorrow night. I will be sure to post pictures.
 
A couple days overdue but here goes. The heat exchanger (HEX) tank is nearly complete, only the drain is left to be finished. This was the most complicated of all of my vessels with a SS coil, water inlet, float switch, temperature sensor and heating element.

HEX_Brazed.jpg


HEX_Brazed2.jpg


HEX_Brazed3.jpg


The tee on the top output is to monitor the temp of the mash returning to the MLT. The coil can be quickly removed by taking apart two interior triclamps. Water inlet has a 1/2" camlock to barb fitting which will be connected to a waterline and then to one of my solenoid valves. Brazing was a bit of a pain due to the small gauge of the pot walls.

Water tank for the RO system should arrive tomorrow, I hope to have the water system assembled by the end of the week.
 
TheFlyingBeer,
This is a beautiful build, amazing in all aspects. Do you have a full system pic with the new heat exchanger pot?

-G
 
TheFlyingBeer,
This is a beautiful build, amazing in all aspects. Do you have a full system pic with the new heat exchanger pot?

-G

A full system picture will take a little while. I have to mount the pumps and finish up the plumbing before it will all be assembled again.
 
HMI_Assembled1.jpg


Everything fits like a dream, it is very rewarding to see the hours and hours spent modeling, designing, and choosing parts pay off with something tangible. The enclosure and door will be painted black like my power control box. Some up close shots of the switches and indicators:

HMI_Front_Close.jpg


HMI_Front_Close2.jpg


Everything on the inside of the door is a very tight fit but it works. I have a lot of work ahead of me wiring and testing it all.

HMI_Door_Inside1.jpg


Taking a day trip tomorrow so I have to wait impatiently to continue working on this. There will be a lot going on over the next few weeks.

I want one!!!
 
I don't know whether I missed it or if you talked about it, but what are you using to control the ScreenKeys? I ended up with a few that I didn't use on a project, and I'd like to incorporate them into my controller box. I don't mind trying to figure out the driver software, but it would be nice to get a little nudge in that direction.
 
I don't know whether I missed it or if you talked about it, but what are you using to control the ScreenKeys? I ended up with a few that I didn't use on a project, and I'd like to incorporate them into my controller box. I don't mind trying to figure out the driver software, but it would be nice to get a little nudge in that direction.

Unfortunately that is the one part of my system I can't go into much detail as it is my company's design (prototype but still proprietary). I can say generally that a microcontroller talks to each key and registers key presses, data is sent to and from the brewery controller and the key controller over a USB serial data-stream. Bitmaps can be loaded and sent for each key. The datasheets of the keys themselves would be the place to start.
 
Quick update. The ~19 gallon RV water tank came in tonight so I marked off some gallon lines and installed the inlet and outlet.

RODI_Water_Tank.jpg


Inlet comes from the DI cartridge and is connected to a float valve that shuts off the RODI system when the tank is full. Outlet is connected to a pump and then to a solenoid valve that controls my HLT water level. I still need to secure the tank in place but at least now the plumbing can be finished.
 
Do you have a link to where you purchased the tank?

I use RO for brewing but with my household setup, it takes nearly a day to collect 18 gallons of water. I was thinking about getting a pump to increase my output but if I could just run to a storage tank that would be ideal.

What's your plan for the tank? Are you going to have it full at all times?

The tank that my RO system uses is pressurized in some way. I assume you're using some kind of self-priming pump to get the water out?
 
I went right to the manufacturer for the tank: Ronco
They can install any fittings needed, in my case I had a 4" inspection window installed in the top so I could place the float valve and clean when needed. The prices are their website are not correct, my tank (B211) was around $160 shipped.

There are a ton of people on saltwater reef forums that use food grade garbage bins to store their RODI water.

I think initially I will turn on the system a day or so before brewing to fill up the tank and then drain at the end of a brew cycle. I don't think there is any harm in keeping the tank full at all times so it may just stay full. RO water shouldn't go stale, especially in a sealed tank. A small vent is going to be added to the top to prevent vacuum when pumping.

The pump is made for this kind of purpose. It is called a demand pump and has a built in pressure switch that turns off the pump when the output side reaches a set pressure (i.e. the output valve turns off).
 
I completed Pump1's mount and placed it for a test fit:
PUMP1_Mounted3.jpg


Each of the four legs are bolted to the table top with some rubber spacers in between to minimize vibration and noise.

PUMP1_Mounted1.jpg


The HEX tank fits right above the pump, there isn't wiggle room but it all fits well. The black wrapping around the silicone tubes is to prevent kinks, commonly used in water cooled PCs.

Finally, a shot of the HLT, HEX, and MLT.

PUMP1_Mounted2.jpg


I'm not going back to work until Wednesday so I hope to wrap up all of the plumbing/tubing for the system this weekend. I am very excited to see everything coming together.
 
Are those skateboard wheels mounted between the rotors? Definitely a genius design. What kind of flow rates do you get with it?
 
I think the are.....very nice. I guess if you have a reversable motor you and put in or take out with the flip of a switch and only one hose change.
 
Are those skateboard wheels mounted between the rotors? Definitely a genius design. What kind of flow rates do you get with it?

I think the are.....very nice. I guess if you have a reversable motor you and put in or take out with the flip of a switch and only one hose change.

Yep, longboard wheels to be exact. I have a lot more details on the pumps in this thread: cake-pan-skateboard-wheel-bike-brakes-homemade-peristaltic-pump.

I think the pumps could achieve multiple gallons per minute. I am using large stepper motors so the speed can be precisely controlled in both forward and reverse. The idea is to eventually keep track of the pumped volume. There is a second pump that will be mounted below the brew kettle.
 
...back to the ScreenKeys for a second...

After a few days tinkering with the keys, I got an FPGA-based driver working. Now that I figured out all of the idiosyncrasies, they're pretty nice to work with.

A few questions though...

What did you end up using them for? From the looks of your panel, you're going to use them to show temp. Are you actually using the button function of them? Also, where did you find the nice flip-up covers for them?

Thanks.
 
...back to the ScreenKeys for a second...

After a few days tinkering with the keys, I got an FPGA-based driver working. Now that I figured out all of the idiosyncrasies, they're pretty nice to work with.

A few questions though...

What did you end up using them for? From the looks of your panel, you're going to use them to show temp. Are you actually using the button function of them? Also, where did you find the nice flip-up covers for them?

Thanks.

Sounds like you are making more progress on them than me. Once I got the initial test out of the way they were designed in and I haven't touched them since.

The five keys above the switches will most likely display element duty cycle % or vessel temperature. The pumps keys may display speed or rate. For the pumps I envision the button press will change from forward to reverse... haven't put much thought into them actually. I was handed the keys so I naturally decided to add them somewhere into the brewery. Lastly, I think the four keys on the right of the control panel will be used to control the various solenoid valves for water supplies and drain.

The covers came with the switches, don't know where to find substitutes.
 
I now realize what you meant about the keys being a little tricky. The required information was technically all there in the data sheet, but there were some very important things that were buried in obscure footnotes.

If there's anyone out there who happens upon this post and wants low-level and higher level driver files for the ScreenKeys written in LabVIEW, I'm happy to share. I'll probably post them on the NI FPGA community page, but I'll have to clean them up a little first. I'll link to that when I get it done.

It's kind of a pain to get from image to 108 byte data array that represents all of the pixels. I've also written a few LabVIEW VIs that help with that. I probably should go one step further and make an executable that takes a 36x24 pixel image and spits out the 108 byte array.

I saw in earlier posts that you were using LabVIEW's Statechart Module for your high-level control. Is that still the plan, to use Statechart for the supervisory control?
 
It's kind of a pain to get from image to 108 byte data array that represents all of the pixels. I've also written a few LabVIEW VIs that help with that. I probably should go one step further and make an executable that takes a 36x24 pixel image and spits out the 108 byte array.

I saw in earlier posts that you were using LabVIEW's Statechart Module for your high-level control. Is that still the plan, to use Statechart for the supervisory control?

I was lucky in the fact that the key control boards I have came with a converter utility to change BMPs to the correct byte arrays.

I still don't know what toolkits/modules will be used in LV. Due to my work, I have a lot of them available but I don't know much about any other than what can be found in the help documentation. Currently my focus has been on the physical/mechanical aspects of the build.

As a short side track I started programming the PIC18F2K22 on the main control board that will be used to run the pump stepper motors. The first PIC that was soldered using the toaster oven reflow must have had an issue as it would not discover during programming. I desoldered and replaced it with no other issues. My PIC knoweldge is a bit outdated so it will take me a while to get up to speed. As a first venture I made the motor controller pulse lines flash at a constant rate. More programming will come when time allows.

This past weekend I made pretty good progress on the stand plumbing. The BK drain was brazed and other components were mounted in place. I don't have any pictures at the moment but once a few more items are added I will be sure to share. To finish the stand plumbing I need to finish the second pump which is currently underway.
 
Any updates coming soon?

Lets just say the work/life balance has been leaning heavily towards the work side of things recently. I am currently on business travel again so things are moving a bit slowly. I brought my controller board and PIC programming equipment along with this trip. In my spare evenings in the hotel I am working on finishing up the pump stepper motor control code.

Back at home I am nearly done building the second pump and the plumbing is almost complete. Nothing to show yet as far as pictures are concerned.
 
Subscribed.....I wish my PhD EE buddy lived closer, we would have a blast building something. Till then I'll just pretend I know what is going on here. And as one other poster put it, I wish I found this when it was complete...its like waiting for a new season of a show.
 
Wow, truly inspiring build you have going here. My buddy and I are putting together an electric all grain setup too (though, quite a bit more crude than yours), using the arduino and labview. I've got the temp probes controlling the heating elements, the floating point valves opening and closing, and the pumps turning on/off. However, I'm a novice with labview and am not quite sure how to bring all components together in a single vi. I'm curious if you have your vi created yet, and if so, would be willing to share?

We've been working on our system on and off for the past year...and are ready to brew our first beer this weekend (though, mostly manual until we get the labview/arduino control piece all dialed in).

Again, congrats on all you've accomplished in such a short period of time. I've scoured the web looking at many a electric brewery system design, and yours is far and away the most impressive. Hope you post a brew-day youtube when you get it up and running!
 
I'm very impressed with your build. It is a real labor of love, and shows great craftsmanship.

Any plans on selling those little control boards for the valves? If you are considering it, count me in as a serious customer for a handful or more.

Prost!
 
Sorry folks, been an insane summer so far, I haven't put many hours into the brewery recently but there are a few updates I can provide.

Two weekends ago I painted the HMI enclosure black like the power control box. Here is the front panel being assembled to give you an idea of how it will look:

HMI_Front_Black1.jpg


And as I said before, the plumbing is almost complete. The next images show everything installed but the two pumps.

Whole setup:
Brewery_Plumbing1.jpg


Distribution line/valves and plate chiller. I tried to get the distribution line to slope downward to the right for easier cleaning:
Brewery_Plumbing2.jpg


BK drain, whirlpool return valve, and trub filter:
Brewery_Plumbing3.jpg


I'm curious if you have your vi created yet, and if so, would be willing to share?
Hope you post a brew-day youtube when you get it up and running!
Have you seen the Labview/Arduino bundle from SparkFun? Looks like a great way to get started.

To be honest, the only LV items I have right now are mostly for the GUI itself. The back ground processes and functionality are still a work in progress. Also, the PID portions I use require a rather expensive toolkit (thanks work!). If you want any of the GUI items I posted earlier I should be able to package them up at some point.

Any plans on selling those little control boards for the valves? If you are considering it, count me in as a serious customer for a handful or more.
Prost!
The PCBs are uploaded to BatchPCB so if they work and don't need any revisions I could easily allow others to buy them. I have no problem distributing design details or code... once it is created. The valve control functions are still months away unfortunately.

Next weekend should be pretty productive for the brewery (SWMBO is out of town), I will be sure to post some updates then.
 
Back
Top