Soon.... Maybe I'll put some teasers in my old build thread.
BCS 2 Vessel No Sparge Garage Brewery Build
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Soon.... Maybe I'll put some teasers in my old build thread.
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
Cool!
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
so slight issue. Pretty sure the relay I purchased isnt working with the BCS. I did however manage to get the BCS up and running via wifi, go me and me semi IT skills. I assume the output on the BCS is too low to trigger the relay. I went ahead and dropped the coin for a DIN mount one that is recommended by ECC so we will see.
What are the specs on your relay? Are you trying to "trigger" the relay with 5V or "power" the relay with 5v? The relay coil uses more power than the BCS outputs provide. The outputs are only used to "trigger" the relay and the relay must have it's own power. The outputs of the BCS are limited to 20ma each. If you overdrive them, you run the risk of burning out the output driver circuit.
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poptarts
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/231289728781?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
That is my board. I do have a 12v power supply powering the board. then have wires running from the out on the BCS to the input on the board. Pretty sure I have it wired correctly and everything but the board shows no signs of life at all. It is wired similar to this image, 12v power supply though and bcs obviously.
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201224692713?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
This is the new relay that is in the mail. It actually specifies input amounts and I believe it will work as intended.
This is the new relay that is in the mail. It actually specifies input amounts and I believe it will work as intended.
There are many relays that will work, but many relay boards don't specify if they are triggered by a "high" or a "low" input trigger.
The Electronics-Salon boards specifically state:
IN-X: Control signal input, Low: relay OFF, High: relay ON.
Input control signal voltage:
0V - 0.5V Low stage (relay is OFF),
0.5V – 2.5V (unknown state).
2.5V - 20V High state (relay is ON).
The key is having a relay board that is triggered by the high (5V+) input voltage.
One thing that can also stop a board from working properly is by not having the grounds tied together. Do you have a jumper going from your 12V negative terminal to the BCS negative terminal? All grounds must be tied together.
The Electronics-Salon boards specifically state:
IN-X: Control signal input, Low: relay OFF, High: relay ON.
Input control signal voltage:
0V - 0.5V Low stage (relay is OFF),
0.5V – 2.5V (unknown state).
2.5V - 20V High state (relay is ON).
The key is having a relay board that is triggered by the high (5V+) input voltage.
One thing that can also stop a board from working properly is by not having the grounds tied together. Do you have a jumper going from your 12V negative terminal to the BCS negative terminal? All grounds must be tied together.
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
I didn't try this. Would this basically be adding the wire for the dashed black line in the picture I linked above?
Yes. For low voltage control systems to work together, they must all use a common ground.
This may or may not solve your issue though. Depends on whether or not the board is triggered by an active high.
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
Ok makes sense. I will give it a go tonight and see if that fixes anything or not. Like you said my relay has pretty much no information with it other than its 12v and I have that part right haha. Thanks for the help.
Looks like JonW has you covered. But your board in post 127 above will definitely not work while the one in 128 will. Also per JonW make sure all grounds are tied so you have one common reference.
-BD
-BD
The first board (blue one) could actually be modified to work, but it would take a bit of soldering. It's the opto-couplers that require the inverted signal, so you could just bypass them. You can remove all 16 opto-couplers and place a jumper over two of the pins. You can then run the BCS 5V trigger voltage right into the ULN2803 darlington drivers on the board (18 pin chips).
Best solution though - use the Electronics-Salon boards.
Well, if one were so inclined they could easily make a board from relays, resistors, and some transistors.
But that wouldn't be smart as you know. If it's been engineered for you, little sense in re-engineering it. Unless you are getting into the business of making relay boards.
-BD
But that wouldn't be smart as you know. If it's been engineered for you, little sense in re-engineering it. Unless you are getting into the business of making relay boards.
-BD
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poptarts
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Getting a common ground the board works perfect actually. I'm pretty impressed with the speed from turning on and off over the Internet and how fast it actually switches the relays. The other board already shipped out so I can't cancel. Idk if I should keep it or return it now. Logically it's a bit better quality but idk if it's worth it since it's the price of like 5 of the one I bought.
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
Ahh the invertation makes sense. I couldn't figure out why the light on the relay would fire when the button was white in the interface. I assumes the site was just funky and like pushing the green button would turn it on.
Either way it can be fine like you said do some rewire or just go hack mode swap what you intend to use the NO and NC outputs on each relay for.
The DIN mount on the better board is deffinatly a plus though. And I would hope a decent amount better quality from the price difference.
Your outputs are reversed because of the pull down resistors on the BCS outputs. So when the BCS output is off, the sinking relay board sees it as on. With dual throw relays it doesn't matter just know that on power off or process stop or pause they may switch when you don't want them to.
Use the Electronics Salon board and don't look back!
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poptarts
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poptarts
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poptarts
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This thing works flawless, rock solid crimps every time with minimal effort.
And better yet, no potential fires!
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poptarts
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Probes done. And if I stop posting it's because my wife killed me for making the living room a workshop.
View attachment 1449152479397.jpg
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What sensor is in the probes?
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
Not sure, they are these.
http://www.brewershardware.com/4-Temperature-Sensor-for-BCS-460.html
I believe these are what they claim to be.
http://www.brewershardware.com/THERM10KNTC-1.0.html
BeardedBrews
Well-Known Member
I think there are two mistakes you can make that will lead to certain wifely doom...
1. Let that hot glue gun dribble on the carpet
2. Trim stranded wires and leave all those little copper needles in the carpet fibers just waiting to attack her delicate toes.
1. Let that hot glue gun dribble on the carpet
2. Trim stranded wires and leave all those little copper needles in the carpet fibers just waiting to attack her delicate toes.
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
Hot glue is over a board, and I wield the mighty shop vacuum.
Gotcha. How are you installing them... Via compression fittings with o-rings?
Oh gotcha. Make sure you compare with an accurate thermometer like a thermapen. You want to make sure temperature is conducted properly from fluid to thermowell to probe to thermistor.
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
Yea without a doubt. I have some extra thermal paste if I need and my first batch is going to be starter wort that I will pressure can. So it should work perfect to test temps and everything and get a good feel for the system and allow me to make tweaks as needed before I brew something I care about.
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poptarts
Well-Known Member
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poptarts
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poptarts
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Just found an old desktop running vista for $30. Should make a nice garage computer. Pair with a clean build of windows or linux and an SSD I have lying around somewhere and I should have a decent internet browser / BCS display machine.
Hey PT why did u put SSRs right next to each other. Is heatsink small or did you not want to cut bigger hole in the plate?
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