My Dad decided to give me my Christmas present early. So I brewed a test batch today, still some kinks to work out but went very well.
First brew on new control panel...
- Thread starter IPAfreek
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LarMoeCur
Well-Known Member
WoW! that one great Christmas Present! What did you brew?
Cool Dad!
Tell us more about the controller and system.
Tell us more about the controller and system.
OP
OP
I went ahead and brewed a porter, I had the ingredients lying around and needed to use it. I am not very versed in RasberryPi, but that’s what he built for me. Running RasberryPi 3 with craftbeer pi 2.2. Using it to control 3 24v dc pumps and 2 5500w heaters on my eHerms setup. Set up for 50amp 240 volt.
Thedutchtouch
Well-Known Member
awesome present... do you (or your dad) have any more info on the build? I'm 90% complete purchasing the components to build a pi based system myself, am particularly interested in the display screen (and the way it is mounted), and feedback on the SSR's/ temps inside the controller. I've been told mixed reviews on the ssr's mounted internally with those heatsinks, to the point that i am about to send them back and buy a larger external heatsink, but you seem to have had no issues with a brew with the single exhaust fan?
Speaking a little out of turn here, but take a close look and you'll see the SSRs for the HLT and BK are in their own small enclosure without a fan or even any other components. The other 40 amp SSRs in the main enclosure appear to be carrying very small loads just based on wire gauge, so the heat they generate will be minuscule if I had to guess.
No worries with overheating the pi with that set up.
No worries with overheating the pi with that set up.
OP
OP
Merry Christmas everyone! So all the high voltage 50 amp components are in a separate enclosure. The Pi unit has an intake and exhaust fan, pulls in air directly underneath the 40 amp SSRs. This unit does not get hot at all. I’ve got my dad compiling a list of everything in the unit so I can order spares and what nots along the way. As soon as I get that info I will have it posted!
Thedutchtouch
Well-Known Member
ah, didn't look closely enough at the pictures, so continuing with my external heat sink... but still interested in hearing more about the build/ screen
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
I had to do a doubletake on those "OMKON" relays 
at first I was like "I didnt know omron made ssrs of that type... Very cool build looks reasonably inexpensive to build yet very well done
at first I was like "I didnt know omron made ssrs of that type... Very cool build looks reasonably inexpensive to build yet very well done
OP
OP
I had to do a doubletake on those "OMKON" relays
I actually went a lot off your build, my Dad was the one that talked me into the Raspberry Pi set up. I used your DC pumps idea and ordered like 6 and modified the plugs so just in case one went out during a brew it is a quick fix. I am more of a hardware guy, my Dad loves the Pi setups. I originally bought a few PIDS to do all this, then while I was underway he took some parts I had laying around an incorporated them in his Pi control panel. The only reason he gave it to me early was I showed up to the house with yeast starter and all my grain.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
Well I retired my pids for an arduino based setup im using now as well... I was reluctant to jump into it but glad I did.. the pids work great but software opens up a lot more flexibility and options.
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