3E Brewery going ELECTRIC!!!

First things first I need to thank Ohio-Ed and CodeRage for the inspiration and excellent documentation of Ed's build. There are too many other HBT members that I've stolen ideas from (Pickles hop stopper) that if you feel left out I'm sorry, but thanks for letting me steal!

It's time to begin the marathon brew rig build!

Got most of my electric parts and gadgets in the mail over the last few weeks, keggles are in the garage ready to be sliced and diced.

Here's my stash from automation direct


SSR's and goodies for BrewTroller


One of the 2 chugger pumps I'll be using


and the 16x20x8 Stainless Enclosure I scored for $60 shipped from fleabay:rockin:


More pics and tons of questions to come! Thanks for all your help HBT!!!

First question. I screwed up when I ordered my contactor for my E-Stop and I got a 3 Pole with a 220V coil.
The contactor I got has an AC1 rating of 50A and an AC3 rating of 32A. Since the majority of the load at any given time is from the elements I think this will work.

I think I can make this work by not using the third set of contacts and energizing the coil with 250 like shown in the drawing. Below are pics of the contactor and a drawing. If the drawing looks familiar I stole it from Ohio-Ed and modified to fit my system (thanks Ed!!!!). Does this drawing look right?? Thanks!!!


the contactor


the coil

EuBrew, you're welcome.

I'm glad you're able to get something out of the HBT collaboration that went into my build.

I think you should be ok with the 220v contactor coil but the circuit will depend on the rating of the R1 relay contacts. Just make sure R1 is rated for 220v.

I'm very interested to follow your progress... I was back and forth on using a BCS-460 or Brewtroller.

Ed

I'm pretty sure I have the same relay and base CodeRage recommended for your build on pose #85 from your thread.

I know the coil is rated for 120V which is why I have the drawing at the coil the same as yours with L2 and neutral going to the coil. The base says 5A @ 250VAC, see pic below.


Does this mean the base can handle 250 vac?? This is where I'm getting confused. IF this is the case is the drawing correct with getting 250V at the main contactor?

It looks like the relay in your pic has "120vac" on the plastic wrapping on the coil. Are you sure you have the QM2N1-A220 relay?

Your base should be fine. If you have the 220v relay, your drawing should be fine.

Ed

I see EuBrew is a fellow AutoCad user also.

Ohio-Ed said:

It looks like the relay in your pic has "120vac" on the plastic wrapping on the coil. Are you sure you have the QM2N1-A220 relay?

Your base should be fine. If you have the 220v relay, your drawing should be fine.

Ed

Click to expand...

No I do have the QM2N1-A120. This is what is a little confusing for me. The base is rated at 250VAC @ 5A correct? The coil requires 120VAC to energize correct? This is the way I have the drawing. 220 coming to the contacts L1 and L2 for the base and 120 across the coil L2 and Neutral. I'm going to start adding the other components to the drawing today hopefully I can get the relay thing sorted out.

EDIT: I just realized I neglected to order my 2A breaker for the E-Stop circuit and the selector switch for the BK/HLT so I think to make my life easier I'll just order a new contactor with a 120V coil, new drawings to come.

Sawdustguy, yes I also "use" AutoCad. I'm not very proficient, but I can wade through some 2D drawings.

EuBrew said:

No I do have the QM2N1-A120. This is what is a little confusing for me. The base is rated at 250VAC @ 5A correct? The coil requires 120VAC to energize correct? This is the way I have the drawing. 220 coming to the contacts L1 and L2 for the base and 120 across the coil L2 and Neutral. I'm going to start adding the other components to the drawing today hopefully I can get the relay thing sorted out.

EDIT: I just realized I neglected to order my 2A breaker for the E-Stop circuit and the selector switch for the BK/HLT so I think to make my life easier I'll just order a new contactor with a 120V coil, new drawings to come.

Sawdustguy, yes I also "use" AutoCad. I'm not very proficient, but I can wade through some 2D drawings.

Click to expand...

My bad... looks like you are golden. My reply this morning was from my bad memory (thinking you had 220v R1 instead of 220v coil on the contactor).

So, your base is fine, R1 and your drawing should be fine.

FYI... Not sure what your electrical requirements are, but I ended up with a contactor from AuberIns.com;
http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=164

Ed

I thought the drawing was right, but I'm still going to go ahead and get the 120V contactor to make life a little easier since I have to place another order with automation direct anyway.

Thanks Ed!

UPDATE: Well kind of......

I've been working on converting the drawing I stole from Ed's BCS-460 build to my BrewTroller build and I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around how BrewTroller interfaces with the 3 Position selector switches for my heating elements, and how to run my pumps power from the breaker to BrewTroller for it to control through the 3 position selector switches as well.

I'm good wiring my 12VDC valves and 12VDC stir motor for my HEX through the relay board, but again interfacing the board with the switches is giving me a headache, these will be on off on toggle switches.

Here's what I have for drawings.

First is something that is actually done! My control panel layout. The textured outline is the foam on the back side of the panel.


Next is my main drawing. I think I'm pretty solid on my high voltage wiring but if anyone sees anything alarming let me know. The low voltage is giving me a headache like I said.


Finally I have a breakout drawing of 1 output of the 16 Port Relay board showing wiring for a valve. I'm a little lost how to wire the DPDT on off on toggle from the three pin header. The drawing shows one of the heat output headers as well, still confused how this corresponds to the 3 Position Selector Switches. I think I've got the wiring for the SSR's correct but please take a look in the main drawing.


Long and short, I'm progressing but I need some direction on how BrewTroller interfaces with the switches. If I were just wiring the switches without BrewTroller I'd be fine, the low voltage is confusing the crap out of me!

Just looked a the pic of the drawing and it's too small to see I have a PDF but it's 37KB. Crap, any ideas how to attach the drawing???

Thanks!!

Brew On!!

I think you may have to host it on an external site and link to it.
I used mediafire.com

So it ends up looking like:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/w52yyy3l3md/Panel v5.1 Wiring v1.5.vsd

Ed

Thanks Ed, here's a link http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?dppnxsxs8o1s7m7

I see you have to download it to view it correct?

Yes, you have to download. When I selected download, it allowed me to open the PDF.

I'm not familiar with the brewtroller, but the AC looks good to me. You could run one pump off L1 and one off L2, for balance, but that is really minor.

So... the low voltage... yep needs some work

I'm assuming the brewtroller output is +12vdc... looks like you have +12vdc going to both sides of the SSRs ??

I'm assuming you can replicate the switches in my drawing and substitute the BCS outputs for the brewtroller outputs.

Ed

I think I made a major breakthrough on my low voltage at least for wiring the switches for my pumps and valves. Since I'm sourcing my valves and switches from the BT store the switches I am looking at are DPDT and the connections from the headers only have three wires so it finally sunk in that I just use one side of the DPDT switch for the three wires essentially making it a SPDT switch for my purposes, DUH!!!

Have a question about wiring my pumps to the panel though. Is there any reason I can't use XLR connectors like Kal did for his temp probes? From the Switchcraft website they are rated for 125V and 15A. I like the idea of the locking connection they have and they just look cool.


Plus if I use 6 pole connectors for my valves I can wire 3 valves off these, they are rated at 7.5A @125V. Since I have 10 valves I'd like to use as few connectors in the panel as possible.

EuBrew said:

I think I made a major breakthrough on my low voltage at least for wiring the switches for my pumps and valves. Since I'm sourcing my valves and switches from the BT store the switches I am looking at are DPDT and the connections from the headers only have three wires so it finally sunk in that I just use one side of the DPDT switch for the three wires essentially making it a SPDT switch for my purposes, DUH!!!

Have a question about wiring my pumps to the panel though. Is there any reason I can't use XLR connectors like Kal did for his temp probes? From the Switchcraft website they are rated for 125V and 15A. I like the idea of the locking connection they have and they just look cool.

Plus if I use 6 pole connectors for my valves I can wire 3 valves off these, they are rated at 7.5A @125V. Since I have 10 valves I'd like to use as few connectors in the panel as possible.

Click to expand...

Don't ya love it when the light bulb comes on

A couple thoughts on using XLR connectors for your pumps;
I agree they look cool.

If you use them on your pumps, you lose the ability to run the pump from anything but your panel. You also will not be able to run a pump from your panel without re-wiring it first (in case you have to replace or bowrrow a pump).

I don't know if running power through a XLR is "normal" and may catch someone unfamiliar with your system off guard? (kinda like getting shocked by a garden hose)

Ed

Not really worried about rewiring the pumps as they just have pigtails on them now anyway. XLR PLUGS Have power running through them all the time see microphone. Plus the amp draw on a motor is only 1.4 amps. You lost me on the garden hose thing.

EuBrew said:

Not really worried about rewiring the pumps as they just have pigtails on them now anyway. XLR PLUGS Have power running through them all the time see microphone. Plus the amp draw on a motor is only 1.4 amps. You lost me on the garden hose thing.

Click to expand...

I think the jacks you mentioned will work fine from an electrical rating point.

LOL... The garden hose thing; nobody would expect a garden hose to have 120vac in it and would not handle it like they might an extension cord (they look at it and don't think, "electrical risk")... When they see a microphone jack, will they think 120vac? Maybe I should have used speaker wire as my example instead of a garden hose. There may be no risk what so ever, just showing my inexperience with XLR jacks.


Ed

After a little research I saw a thread on an electric guitar site that mentioned AC leaking from these connectors which would trip the GFCI, so back to the flanged inlets for the pumps and HLT stir motor.

I think I can still use these for my valves on the DC side of things. I'll have 10 valves and 1 small DC stir motor for my HEX coil tank so I really don't want to have 11 holes and connectors if I do each individually. I'm wondering how others have connected their valves back to the panel. Definitely using the XLR for temp probe outlets.