Arduino for kegerator temperature control.
- Thread starter Orfy
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
Crazytwoknobs
Well-Known Member
Spaghetti?
Nwcw2001
Well-Known Member
Check out what I found! Another use for those amazing Arduino's!
http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2007/10/08/arduino-beer-thermostat/
John
http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2007/10/08/arduino-beer-thermostat/
John
I've spliced together this week's link of the moment three times now.
And killed my response in the process....olllllo said:
...and it appears that it's gone for good, so I'll type more...
I love these little boards. You could easily make a multi-stage lagerator controller that would provide real-time feedback and monitoring. The kegerator controller seems like it's a bit of a waste, given the Arduino's capabilities, but hey, whatever floats your boat!
For the price and ease of use, you can't beat a Ranco, but the Arduino sure is fun to tinker with.
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
Perhaps the Arduino board can be used to intercept your post and re-direct it.
Grimsawyer
Well-Known Member
I hit the first link and started reading. My head hurts. All this thinking measuring soldering and tinkering... I look at what was built and you know what I think? Wow, that looks like hell. the wires are all over the place. no order to them. Wrap them babbies up! THEN take a picture! Sure, electrical current dosn't care but come on! Make that look nice! I'm kinda OCD when it comes to wires. Too many home electronic devise Spaghetti messes has turned me more neurotic than a cat with a patch of fur left that it can't reach!
e lo
Well-Known Member
Man, I love this idea. Just love it. I've been looking for an excuse to buy an Aduino for a while. I have no programming experience (well, other than BASIC when I was a kid,) and this seems like a fantastic way to learn.
adx
Well-Known Member
I was thinking of doing the same thing for mash temperature control, but I can't find a temperature probe that is liquid immersible for a reasonable price. I know Yuri has a DIY thermister in an epoxy casing, but I wanted something made. I did find the probes for the Love is only $6, but then you don't have any spec sheet to give you the thermistor's response curve. So frustrating.
I'd make ya one for a couple of bucks. I have some spare parts lying around. I find that mine is a bit slow to respond, but I think I could improve that with a smaller casing and less epoxy.adx said:
BTW, it's not a thermistor, it's a digital temperature sensor that integrates REALLY well with the Arduino.
scoates
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2007
- Messages
- 53
- Reaction score
- 1
Hi all,
I'm the author of that article, and the guy with the messy wires in his basement (-:
I usually hang out on the green board when I have time, but stumbled onto this thread this week.
It was lots of fun to build. I also control my fermentation fridge with the same controller (which is currently out of commission because it's so cold in Montreal in the winter). I'm going to add a heating pad or other heat source to the inside of the fridge so that I can control ferment temperature more accurately.
I clicked through Yuri's pages, and it seems we're much on the same wavelength (but you're much better at it than me (-; ).
About the messy wires: I like them, thank you very much! (-: They look messy, but they're actually well-organized into breakout blocks that are labeled. I will probably wrap them up and stick the whole thing into a project box in the next few months, though. As it stands, it's a great way to show off that I didn't CHEAT and use an off-the-shelf controller. (-:
Since I wrote that article, I added a temperature display, which you can see here (but my camera sucks, so it's not very clear):
I'm getting an electric kettle next week, so I'll be using the Arduino for that, too. I'll eventually also control my yet-to-be-acquired-pump/sparge with it. Lots of fun.
It also has a web interface:
(ignore the dead time.. the computer it's plugged in to also sucks).
Any questions, I'm happy to answer.
Yuri: your probe looks like a much better solution than my thermistor+divider.. I might try to build something similar over the holidays, but I don't have much experience with op-amps to get the output up to a usable level.. thoughts on that?
Oh, I'm also an active member of the MontreAlers.
S
I'm the author of that article, and the guy with the messy wires in his basement (-:
I usually hang out on the green board when I have time, but stumbled onto this thread this week.
It was lots of fun to build. I also control my fermentation fridge with the same controller (which is currently out of commission because it's so cold in Montreal in the winter). I'm going to add a heating pad or other heat source to the inside of the fridge so that I can control ferment temperature more accurately.
I clicked through Yuri's pages, and it seems we're much on the same wavelength (but you're much better at it than me (-; ).
About the messy wires: I like them, thank you very much! (-: They look messy, but they're actually well-organized into breakout blocks that are labeled. I will probably wrap them up and stick the whole thing into a project box in the next few months, though. As it stands, it's a great way to show off that I didn't CHEAT and use an off-the-shelf controller. (-:
Since I wrote that article, I added a temperature display, which you can see here (but my camera sucks, so it's not very clear):
I'm getting an electric kettle next week, so I'll be using the Arduino for that, too. I'll eventually also control my yet-to-be-acquired-pump/sparge with it. Lots of fun.
It also has a web interface:
(ignore the dead time.. the computer it's plugged in to also sucks).
Any questions, I'm happy to answer.
Yuri: your probe looks like a much better solution than my thermistor+divider.. I might try to build something similar over the holidays, but I don't have much experience with op-amps to get the output up to a usable level.. thoughts on that?
Oh, I'm also an active member of the MontreAlers.
S
ClutchDude
Well-Known Member
that is pretty neat
I ordered a LM34 for my arduino and grabbed a SSR. I'm a beginner at this electronics but I think I can manage it.
Did y'all find you needed a heatsink for cooling?
I ordered a LM34 for my arduino and grabbed a SSR. I'm a beginner at this electronics but I think I can manage it.
Did y'all find you needed a heatsink for cooling?
scoates
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2007
- Messages
- 53
- Reaction score
- 1
New version of my code, here:
https://svn.caedmon.net/svn/public/beer_thermostat/
I've upgraded/updated many parts. Here are some that come to mind:
- Changed my thermistors to LM35, Yuri-style
- Added control for my fermentation chamber (fridge + heater)
- Serial LCD display
- minimum toggle times (on/off for a minimum of 5 minutes)
- Serial data querying/debugging
- User-settable temperature ranges, without reset. Stored in EEPROM so they persist past power failure.
- Complete code rewrite for much cleaner C++ (though it's _much_ more complicated now).
I haven't updated the display side, so that data is getting old and stale, but it's stopped freezing my beer (due to timer rollover), so that's good! (-;
S
https://svn.caedmon.net/svn/public/beer_thermostat/
I've upgraded/updated many parts. Here are some that come to mind:
- Changed my thermistors to LM35, Yuri-style
- Added control for my fermentation chamber (fridge + heater)
- Serial LCD display
- minimum toggle times (on/off for a minimum of 5 minutes)
- Serial data querying/debugging
- User-settable temperature ranges, without reset. Stored in EEPROM so they persist past power failure.
- Complete code rewrite for much cleaner C++ (though it's _much_ more complicated now).
I haven't updated the display side, so that data is getting old and stale, but it's stopped freezing my beer (due to timer rollover), so that's good! (-;
S
GreatWhiteSlark
Active Member
Thanks scoates. The code helped visualize things much easier.
Unfortunately, I think my LM34CZ is bum. It's putting out 1.008V at around 66F, which is 100.8( unless I'm being a noob(quite likely) since I'm converting of 10mv = 1F). It's sat there next to the cold floor's air current and not changed at all.
My connection is 5v+ to LM34 pin 1, 2 goes into analog 0 and 3 goes to 2k resist. then to ground.
EDIT: Dang it! My roommate didn't log out of my compy!
Unfortunately, I think my LM34CZ is bum. It's putting out 1.008V at around 66F, which is 100.8( unless I'm being a noob(quite likely) since I'm converting of 10mv = 1F). It's sat there next to the cold floor's air current and not changed at all.
My connection is 5v+ to LM34 pin 1, 2 goes into analog 0 and 3 goes to 2k resist. then to ground.
EDIT: Dang it! My roommate didn't log out of my compy!
Scoates, Thanks for the post (and the uCHobby article). I don't know if anyone (or you) is still looking at this thread considering it's age but I thought I would post first then PM if no response.
I am interested in using the Arduino for fermentation control as well but I would like to use multiple channels (ultimately I will have 4 fermenters that I'd like to control individually). Can this be "easily" done with your code?
I'm new to programming the Arduino but I have some experience in Java, C++, and VB. Eventually I would like to write a Java or VB program to monitor the temps as well.
I am interested in using the Arduino for fermentation control as well but I would like to use multiple channels (ultimately I will have 4 fermenters that I'd like to control individually). Can this be "easily" done with your code?
I'm new to programming the Arduino but I have some experience in Java, C++, and VB. Eventually I would like to write a Java or VB program to monitor the temps as well.
phillc
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2008
- Messages
- 143
- Reaction score
- 1
And they are wonderful little chips. Using them in my "in progress" project. Here are a couple pics of my probes. Inspired by a post of Yuri's, actually. They have yet to be tested, but I don't anticipate any issues. They are 1/2" by 6" 316 stainless steel pipe with the temp sensor inserted and then the end is filled with food grade silicone. Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures. They will be held in place by 1/2" stainless compression fittings. The connector is a simple molex PC power connector I used to keep it modular. Only 3 of the 4 wires are used.
Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3
Phill
Mylo
Well-Known Member
Well, I AM doing the same thing for the mash temp control. I am using some probes by Auber Instruments : http://www.auberins.com/index.php?m...id=107&zenid=13407cdf0c803100fa0e452de5deae94
They are a little pricey, but I love the quick disconnects. It's too bad they can't sell me just the thermowells and connectors. They come filled with RTD sensors which I am immediately desoldering all that stuff and replacing it with the Dallas One Wire Semis - which already have established arduino code libraries.
Mylo
Sawdustguy
Well-Known Member
Or you can buy a Fermtroller which is Arduino based and the software is already written. http://www.brewtroller.com
