Auberins EZboil for Step Mashing Only.

[petesgalaxy]

I disabled the relays. None of the settings worked right for temperature control. For grins and giggles I found an SSR at a local electronics store and hooked it up. Of course, it worked just like it's supposed to, except for that infernal pulsing that just chatters the heck out of that solenoid. So, I shut it down. I'm guessing there's no way to shut that off and make the SSR on/off, no pulsing. I think I'm going to check the internet for a non SSR, 12v powered relay that will switch 120v. Then it should work.

 

[doug293cz]

I disabled the relays. None of the settings worked right for temperature control. For grins and giggles I found an SSR at a local electronics store and hooked it up. Of course, it worked just like it's supposed to, except for that infernal pulsing that just chatters the heck out of that solenoid. So, I shut it down. I'm guessing there's no way to shut that off and make the SSR on/off, no pulsing. I think I'm going to check the internet for a non SSR, 12v powered relay that will switch 120v. Then it should work.

The EZBoil will try to switch the 12V coil mechanical relay at the same rate that it switches the SSR, so that's not going to improve anything. The EZBoil power modulation method in incompatible with electromechanical devices.

If you can''t find a way to make the internal "alarm" relays of the EZBoil switch your solenoid they way you want, then you are out of luck with the EZBoil.

Brew on

 

[Deadalus]

You did try rL=ALAM with dH=1 and dl=1 set and tested with fluid allowed to stabilize at the set value? There's potential for the AH and AL settings to interfere but the default is off for those unless previously changed.

How does your solenoid and spark work? I'm thinking it gets a signal from the PID calling for heat, then the solenoid opens and gas flows. Then a spark. Then I think there is a temperature sensor monitoring heat and if hot no spark? What Bobby posted about the logic is also how I was thinking it should be. That makes the alarm realy NO to start with and then it closes when the alarm relay is triggered. This sends a constant signal to the solenoid until the alarm relay is turned off.

I got mine working on a test right now. I programmed just two steps. The relay is set to work through both the ramp and the step time then I programmed a second step to ramp the heat up. Next I will see if I can run both pumps off the HLT EZboil. I had some minor wiring snafus, I had the SSR +,- wires on the wrong relays. Swear I traced the wire to check earlier but they were bundled together and I mistakenly thought they were correct. Thought I had a shorted element. All fixed!

 

[petesgalaxy]

ALAM= no operate, BEEP = no operate, ALBE= no operate, RAMP= no operate, HEAT= worked, heated to 2deg above set point, where I had it set. Turned off, like it was supposed. Never turned back on. COOL= no operate, STEP= no operate, EXTN= worked, turned on and never turned off, continuous heating until I shut it off. Doug is right. This is designed for electric systems.

 

[Deadalus]

ALAM doesn't work by itself unless at least one of (AH, AL, dH, dL) is set. The defaults for those are OFF unless changed. Same for ALBE, both need to have a trigger point set.

 

[petesgalaxy]

ALAM doesn't work by itself unless at least one of (AH, AL, dH, dL) is set. The defaults for those are OFF unless changed.

I had them all set. Maybe I'll try setting them to their extremes and see if AL1 works in temperature mode then.

 

[Deadalus]

I had them all set. Maybe I'll try setting them to their extremes and see if AL1 works in temperature mode then.

I'm not sure about the AH and AL and interaction with the set value exactly. Note AH and AL are absolute temperatures also. I suggest just trying dH=1 and dL=1. Those are deviations around the sv, and you want that band to be small.

 

[Deadalus]

I have both pumps working off the HLT EZboil now. I also put in a three position switch for the wort pump so that I could just turn it on manually and that is working too. The wort pump was trickier wiring so glad it is working. I shouldn't have issues with the BK EZboil.

 

[Bobby_M]

ALAM= no operate, BEEP = no operate, ALBE= no operate, RAMP= no operate, HEAT= worked, heated to 2deg above set point, where I had it set. Turned off, like it was supposed. Never turned back on. COOL= no operate, STEP= no operate, EXTN= worked, turned on and never turned off, continuous heating until I shut it off. Doug is right. This is designed for electric systems.

Well, for what it's worth, the way the manual is written it definitely suggests that the relay would close during the heat cycle and I don't know how else you'd interpret that as meaning "once and only once".

 

[Deadalus]

HEAT would only turn on during the ramp up section of the step, until the set value is achieved. The relay would not operate during the Step-timer section. So if you don't have a ramp up mash step next, it wouldn't come on again. That's why I suggest using ALAM instead in case your mash tun is not very well insulated. If you did test a second step, the temperature in the HLT would need to be under the set value and the second step set value might also need to be higher than the first step. I would test it at 5 or 10 degrees higher on the set value to avoid overshoot effects from the first step.

 

[Bobby_M]

HEAT would only turn on during the ramp up section of the step, until the set value is achieved. The relay would not operate during the Step-timer section. So if you don't have a ramp up mash step next, it wouldn't come on again. That's why I suggest using ALAM instead in case your mash tun is not very well insulated. If you did test a second step, the temperature in the HLT would need to be under the set value and the second step set value might also need to be higher than the first step. I would test it at 5 or 10 degrees higher on the set value to avoid overshoot effects from the first step.

Yeah. But. There's already a RAMP option for the relay parameter and that would intuitively act as you're describing. What is the difference in action between close for RAMP and close for HEAT?

 

[Bobby_M]

How about just use the Rapt controller. It will run profiles and already has a 120v output.

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/tempcontrolrapt.htm

 

[petesgalaxy]

Well, that's all folks. I did one more test. Set RL1 for Heat, set AH=220, LH=32, DH=+2, DL=+2. Hit run, burner fired to 2deg above set temp and shut off, like it should. Waited until it cooled off to below set temp 2deg when burner should refire to hold temp. It did not. Waited until it was room temp, which in my shop right now is 37deg. It never refired. Retried these settings with all relay modes. As before, HEAT and EXTN are the only modes the burner would fire on.
This is the point of diminishing returns. I have uninstalled the DSPR320 and am contacting Auberins for an RMA. There is nothing wrong with the 320.
This was all a misunderstanding on my part. This controller was designed for electric systems on which it should work quite well.

 

[Deadalus]

Well, that's all folks. I did one more test. Set RL1 for Heat, set AH=220, LH=32, DH=+2, DL=+2. Hit run, burner fired to 2deg above set temp and shut off, like it should. Waited until it cooled off to below set temp 2deg when burner should refire to hold temp. It did not. Waited until it was room temp, which in my shop right now is 37deg. It never refired.

It wouldn't refire during hold time. Heat fires in the ramp up section and not in the step section, which is the hold time. If the mash program had a second mash step, m2-S with a higher sv than the probe was reading it should fire. The manual says it would compare the probe temp to the next step sv (not compare the two programmed set values.)

Retried these settings with all relay modes. As before, HEAT and EXTN are the only modes the burner would fire on.
This is the point of diminishing returns. I have uninstalled the DSPR320 and am contacting Auberins for an RMA. There is nothing wrong with the 320.
This was all a misunderstanding on my part. This controller was designed for electric systems on which it should work quite well.

I wasn't sure originally about the AH and AL effects but I reread. Your AH=220 will fire the relay if the probe temperature goes over 220, (can't anyway). If your sv is below that no relay. Your AL=32 will fire the relay if the probe temperature goes under 32, so no relay. Your settings wouldn't call for the relay to fire, your sv was above room temperature but it was under 220 right? ALAM and ALBE wouldn't work. Also the sv was above room temperature and dH was 2, the probe was not going read higher than sv+dH, so no fire for that comparison. However, if the sv was at least 2 degrees above room temp, starting out at room temperature water, sv-dL is above the probe temperature that would fire the relay except AL overrides. I think it should have worked with RAMP but not STEP, as STEP would not have been activated, the ramp up sv never achieved.

I get it though, it's been a lot work and it's not suited well for gas. Your older one was more gas oriented while the new one is convoluted when trying to use with gas. Sorry it hasn't worked out!

Well, that's all folks. I did one more test. Set RL1 for Heat, set AH=220, LH=32, DH=+2, DL=+2. Hit run, burner fired to 2deg above set temp and shut off, like it should. Waited until it cooled off to below set temp 2deg when burner should refire to hold temp. It did not. Waited until it was room temp, which in my shop right now is 37deg. It never refired. Retried these settings with all relay modes. As before, HEAT and EXTN are the only modes the burner would fire on.
This is the point of diminishing returns. I have uninstalled the DSPR320 and am contacting Auberins for an RMA. There is nothing wrong with the 320.
This was all a misunderstanding on my part. This controller was designed for electric systems on which it should work quite well.

 

[petesgalaxy]

It wouldn't refire during hold time. Heat fires in the ramp up section and not in the step section, which is the hold time. If the mash program had a second mash step, m2-S with a higher sv than the probe was reading it should fire. The manual says it would compare the probe temp to the next step sv (not compare the two programmed set values.)


I wasn't sure originally about the AH and AL effects but I reread. Your AH=220 will fire the relay if the probe temperature goes over 220, (can't anyway). If your sv is below that no relay. Your AL=32 will fire the relay if the probe temperature goes under 32, so no relay. Your settings wouldn't call for the relay to fire, your sv was above room temperature but it was under 220 right? ALAM and ALBE wouldn't work. Also the sv was above room temperature and dH was 2, the probe was not going read higher than sv+dH, so no fire for that comparison. However, if the sv was at least 2 degrees above room temp, starting out at room temperature water, sv-dL is above the probe temperature that would fire the relay except AL overrides. I think it should have worked with RAMP but not STEP, as STEP would not have been activated, the ramp up sv never achieved.

I get it though, it's been a lot work and it's not suited well for gas. Your older one was more gas oriented while the new one is convoluted when trying to use with gas. Sorry it hasn't worked out!

i have switched back to my original PID. It works great, just no automation. I looked at the Auberins AW-SYL-2342 WiFi which is relay only, but the app only lets you set a single temp at a time, just like I can now.
If they ever create an app that lets you create multi steps, like a software version of the DSPR320, this would be perfect.