I understand that automation and internet connectivity are not for everyone, but I'd like those features.
how wil you brew if your internet goes down?
serious question as i'm researching and planning my e-build
I understand that automation and internet connectivity are not for everyone, but I'd like those features.
You can set buttons to be active with BCS. For instance you can setup a "next step" button on an enclosure and just know where you are in your steps. Say you set it up to heat strike water. Once the strike water is at a certain temp a light could turn on in your panel prompting you to move the lines to the correct config and press a next step button. The next step button would send a signal to the BCS which would make the BCS go to the next step in the process and it could then turn on the pumps and move over the strike water until you hit the button to stop it.
Another way would be to leave the pumps be manually controlled and you can turn them on and off. I think the way I am going to implement it is to have the 3 way switches as discussed earlier. On | Off | Auto (BCS) That way I can manually brew or have it automatically run.
I would also think that you could drive an LCD or similar display on the panel (so you know the current state, for example), but maybe I am mistaken.
The web gui is the display for all process/state/timer activity. The only other LED display that can be used is for the temps.
An old touchscreen laptop from eBay might be just the ticket for a BCS build. Maybe integrate the touchscreen in to the control panel somehow.
See the link in my signature.
Very nice system, but I don't see a pic or anything with a touchscreen integrated. I also like the modified gui for the BCS. :rockin:
weirdboy said:I would also think that you could drive an LCD or similar display on the panel (so you know the current state, for example), but maybe I am mistaken.
JonW said:Yes, you can remote the temp probes away with cat5. There were some issues with temp flucuations running long lines, but proper grounding and tieing the AC and DC grounds together eliminates that. I had that problem myself with temp probes at the end of 50 feet of cat5.
RTL said:Thanks Jon this will help the decision making.
The BCS is independent of any county's main voltage, it runs on 6V DC.
The supplied power transformer may or may not be compatible with 230V.
I have owned one since 2011 and have used it on 240V US using a non-BCS transformer.
Correct - most low voltage DC stuff that comes with a power supply will often have one that works anywhere from ~80 to 250V AC.
Specs here however mention that the power supply it ships with can only accept 100-130 VAC / 50-60Hz. No reason why you couldn't use a simple step down transformer however to cut the AC in half to and up at 110-125V AC.
Kal
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