New BruControl Build

[adman]

The last thing I did was to plug the power cord in and start running some continuity checks for ground. I clipped one test lead to a door latch, and started probing around. i was most concerned about the kettles, but they have 0Ω resistance to the latch. Same with everything I checked, except...

I'm going to have to run a bunch of green jumpers all over the place to ground the rack. It has these stupid little plastic wedges that set the shelf height. Unfortunately, the manufacturer didn't have the common damn courtesy to use conductive wedges, so now I have to run jumpers to each leg and to each shelf. I may cheat and just drill and tap the legs, and use a nut/bolt/fender washer clamp for the shelves. Tacky and ugly, but effective. And better than flopping around on the garage floor, wishing I could administer an AED to myself.

Hi @GParkins,

Curious if you have any pictures of how you grounded your wire shelves. I'm planning on using a wire shelving unit as you did, and they all seem to come with the same plastic sleeves, isolating each shelf and leg. Some conductive shelf sleeves exist, but they're pretty expensive and hard to get. My thought is similar to the one you described here--drilling into each leg and tying a ground wire to each shelf. Ugly, yes, but better than the alternative.

Thanks,
-Adam

 

[GParkins]

No pics, but there is an added benefit of drilling and tapping: If you run a screw into the leg just below the plastic inserts, you have an emergency backup if one of the little inserts fails with a kettle full of boiling wort.

 

[just_looking]

Hi @GParkins -

I followed your build and just completed a similar HERMS build.

I’m having issues with my PID setup. I’m using the defaults as suggested by Brundog (30-1-5) but it doesn’t seem to be working as I would expect.

As the PID approaches the desired temp is doesn’t reduce the power and overshoots the temp. What are you using for your PID settings?

 

[BrunDog]

What is the size of your mash (in actual liquid amount), what is the size of your HERMS (in actual liquid amount), how fast would you guestimate you are recirculating, and how much power if the HLT operating with?

One quick tip is to limit the max integral to 50%, or even lower.

 

[just_looking]

My mash was 5 gallons of water with 9 pounds of grain in a 20 gallon kettle and my herms was 8 gallons of water in a 15 gallon kettle. I would guess I’m circulating at approximately 12 quarts a minute (I’m putting in a flow meter today). The HLT is using a 5500 watt heating element.

 

[BrunDog]

Could you post up a graph of the mash temp? You can create it if you go back in time.

Also, where is the temp probe located that the PID is referencing?

 

[just_looking]

Here is the graph. The temp probe is on my MLT measuring the output from the herms coil as it enters the MLT. Looking at it graphically it doesn't look like such a wide temp swing. I was trying to mash at 150. This was my first run so I learned a ton from it. Just want to make sure my settings are appropriate.

 

[BrunDog]

Looks like some massive temp swings... can't tell the peaks and valleys there, but I am suspecting they are high. Can you look to see how high and low by removing the fixed range of the graph?

That said, this may be noise or a loose connection. A curve should have no dramatic variation over time. The interface's algorithms will respond to noise as part of the signal. If you send us the data file from this time frame, we can look at that in more detail.

What temp sensors are you using?

 

[just_looking]

The spike before is pre-strike temp (160) and after is mash out (170). The mash time was about 12:30 to 1:30 in the graph. I'm using PT-100 probes from Auber. I would be happy to upload the data file from that time frame but all the files in that folder have the same date and time stamp.

 

[BrunDog]

Email the configuration file (.brucfg) and all the files from the particular day of interest. State the name of the temp probe in the email.

 

[just_looking]

Email sent to brucontrol info address.

 

[BrunDog]

Hi @just_looking... thanks for sending the file. Here is the graph I pulled out from 12:00pm to 7:30pm that day for the device "Mash Temp".

I'm not sure where the problem is that you are saying. I see what looks to be normal-ish cycling over the course of time between 12:30 and 1:30. The temps reported here are swinging from 150.65 to 152.20. Above you said 150, so this is slightly higher than that.

It looks like you are using an RTD sensor with normal calibration, and this sensor "Mash Temp" drives the "HLT Heat PID". Where is this sensor mounted - at the exit of the HERMs or somewhere else? Was is set for 150?

 

[just_looking]

Hi @BrunDog - I appreciate you looking at the file. I checked my variables in my script and my mash temp was set at 150. The exit of the HERMS goes directly to a tee on the MLT. The "Mash Temp" sensor is mounted in that tee. I'll be brewing again this weekend and I'll watch the process a little closer.

 

[augiedoggy]

Maybe tweaking the P I D values will help a bit to help with any overshoot? regardless a degree or so swing is kind of normal.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Just posting to follow this interesting thread...