Anyone using High Gravity's EBC II Control?

[noise]

I don't feel like dismantling mine right now for a photo, but I can say that I'm happy with the EBC II. It was a simple way to get into electric and has served my simple eBIAB needs quite well so far. Can you build it cheaper? of course, but at least in my case the time-to-brewing factor took over and I consider it a sound purchase.

 

[Chriso]

Here it is:
View attachment 50535

OK, I am resurrecting two threads in one day, Bad Chriso! But I have a question for you. I am trying to understand the schematic. I am not very experienced with electricity at all - I only work on computers, not "electronics".

Above, the "Plug2" is filled in with dark black, not hollow - I am guessing that means "Male" plug, not female. Ok, Great.

So, based on that guess, I take it that the Male Plug2 plugs in to the Female Recept2, which is marked Heat. And all of this is controlling one of the two HOT legs on Recep3. Have I got that correct so far?

So what happens is, you flip Switch 2, and it takes 120V from one of the two HOT lines, applying it to Plug2 - which, in turn, powers the 120V coil found onboard the 240V 30A Relay. The relay, once powered, then provides energy through the DIAC and TRIAC circuitry (the Infinite Power Control portion of the box), therefore continuing on to the "missing" leg of Recep3, completing the circuit and energizing the element.

My question is simply... did I understand that correctly? I've spent weeks trying to figure out what is accomplished by plugging itself... into itself.

I really don't think a PID is necessary for what I want to do - a huge waste of money in my situation since I don't plan to control mash, control temp in any way, and have a stand-alone HLT that has nothing to do with the BK Controller - and that a PWM circuit is more than adequate for my needs.... problem is, as stated, I don't do "electronics", I don't solder, I just know how to swap out whole parts for whole parts. (e.g. video card, power supply unit, etc.) Thus, my apologies for the terribly basic question.

Sub-Question: If you do this on your own, inside of an enclosure - you would theoretically just run wire from the On/Off switch that powers the SSR + PWM circuitry - directly to the SSR - thus, eliminating the 120V outlet and 120v plug, but providing the same functionality.

Is that description of how it's done also correct?

Finally, finally thinking that I see how all this comes together... Gawd I'm bad at this. :-S

 

[jCOSbrew]

The EBC II design is intended for use with a standard RANCO or similar temp controller allowing you to turn the heat on/off based on temperature. You "plug the EBC into itself" when you don't have or don't need temp control.

Check out the high gravity site for info and videos of their products.

If you were designing you own control panel you could replace the EBC external temp control feature with an internal PID.

 

[Chriso]

That makes a lot more sense! So if your goal is to add a Ranco or Johnson unit, you would plug the 120V "pigtail" in to your Temp Controller, and then the controller would plug into the marked "heat" outlet.

And likewise, if you were building your own EBC II from scratch and never planned to add a Ranco/Johnson/etc. into it - you could eliminate the outlet and the plug, by simply using a switch, and running the output of the switch directly to the SSR 120V Coil. Correct?

The entire point is that I *don't* want to use a PID and simply put it into Manual Mode the entire time I'm using it. Instead, I want to go the PWM route, which as far as I can tell, the "Infinity Control" is a PWM - except, using DIAC/TRIAC instead of the individual componentry on a DIY board. (Again - do I have that correct? I'm guessing / interpolating.)

I'm starting with analyzing/understanding the EBC II because I think it, in its' limited scope and function, will help me understand the basics that I keep failing to "get". Once I understand how this works, I hope to take it the next step further, by applying what I learned from the EBC II, to a completely DIY PWM circuit a la "Walker 555 IC PWM" that everybody says to search for (which, ironically, makes the original post very hard to find).

 

[jCOSbrew]

My implementation of the variable element control was to use a phase angle SSR. Search for "voltage resistance SSR" on ebay or amazon, they are about the same price as a regular SSR.

The PWM circuit + SSR accomplishes the same thing.

 

[Chriso]

Yeah - Just stumbled (back) across your build thread (again) and am re-reading / figuring out what the phase angle SSR's do. That might be a great way to skip having to solder. I made a note to myself in my pre-build planning thread. Thanks for pointing that out!

And thanks for helping me understand what is happening with all of this - Really, trying to discern "what does what, how, and why" is the hardest part of this job!