how wil you brew if your internet goes down?
serious question as i'm researching and planning my e-build
BCS vs. PIDs
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how wil you brew if your internet goes down?
serious question as i'm researching and planning my e-build
OP
OP
You don't need the "internet" as long as your local network is running. At least that's how I understand it.
My understanding is that you only need local network access to initially set-up the BCS machine states and state logic for your brew day. The BCS uploads this info and then runs essentially runs independently and "off-line". Of course without internet access it would be difficult to monitor the progress of your brew day without digital readouts from the BCS, but so be it. Of course, if you're planning on using your BCS in manual mode, then all bets are off.
As for brewing with your internet down . . . How likely is this scenario to begin with? Consider that you can't brew with electric if the power's out. Yet, if you were brewing with propane you'd be fine. Is this then a good reason to avoid electric?? Maybe for some, but I generally think that number of days per year that one is unable to brew due to power outtages and/or local network collapse are pretty minimal. For most hobbyists who brew once or twice per month this really isn't much of a concern. If you're a pro and you need to brew every day to stay in business I think you'd be investing in backups and redundancy.
As for brewing with your internet down . . . How likely is this scenario to begin with? Consider that you can't brew with electric if the power's out. Yet, if you were brewing with propane you'd be fine. Is this then a good reason to avoid electric?? Maybe for some, but I generally think that number of days per year that one is unable to brew due to power outtages and/or local network collapse are pretty minimal. For most hobbyists who brew once or twice per month this really isn't much of a concern. If you're a pro and you need to brew every day to stay in business I think you'd be investing in backups and redundancy.
The real question is. If your internet is down, how can you brew without access to HBT?
Internet accessibility isn't really a feature of the BCS. You access the BCS through your home network. It's like a network printer. You access the printer from your computer via your network. You can setup your network for outside (internet) access but this isn't really a feature of the printer.
The BCS Wiki does have a walkthrough on setting up outside access to your BCS.
Internet accessibility isn't really a feature of the BCS. You access the BCS through your home network. It's like a network printer. You access the printer from your computer via your network. You can setup your network for outside (internet) access but this isn't really a feature of the printer.
The BCS Wiki does have a walkthrough on setting up outside access to your BCS.
cyberbackpacker
Well-Known Member
You can just run a network cable directly between the bcs and your computer. Web accessibility is a feature not a requirement. The requirement is merely the use of a web browser to view the user interface, meaning you do not need to be "online", just to have a web browser of some sort installed.
Lots of good topics coming up on this thread. Bobby thanks for the comment about physical buttons to advance states. I ran out on my way home from work and bought two momentary buttons! Going to assign one as a pause , and one to advance to the next condition.
As for running the BCS you only need a connection into your network or a direct connection through an Ethernet cable into a computer. The BCS interface is accessed by entering it's IP address in to a web browser. Easy.
As for running the BCS you only need a connection into your network or a direct connection through an Ethernet cable into a computer. The BCS interface is accessed by entering it's IP address in to a web browser. Easy.
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.
wyzazz
Well-Known Member
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.
wyzazz
Well-Known Member
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:
I just noticed that the latest screen shot wasn't there. I've added it to the end of the thread.
It is all touchscreen control on a 22" LCD PC Touchscreen. I use a laptop on the counter in the garage on brew days to have the BCS touchscreen control on the external monitor screen and Beersmith, HBT, etc. on the laptop screen.
No, not an embedded display, but still touchscreen and very functional.
My setup is going to be two boxes. One has the BCS and the SSR's for my kegerator and Fermenatrix. Three cat-5 cables go to the other box that I drag out to brew with. That box will have SSR's for the two brew elements and the pump, along with temp probe inputs.
On the brew box will be push button switches to control process steps, and light/buzz/ding for signaling.
Box one is built and working, box two still is in the planning phase. Once I figure out an enclosure, it will be easier to do layout.
Let me know if you have any questions.
On the brew box will be push button switches to control process steps, and light/buzz/ding for signaling.
Box one is built and working, box two still is in the planning phase. Once I figure out an enclosure, it will be easier to do layout.
Let me know if you have any questions.
I will be having the BCS control box located seperatly so that it will not be turned off in case the E-Stop is needed. This way it can still control my keezer and ferm chamber (possibly cold room as well). I will still use a computer/tablet to control it though.
bad coffee - how are you going to specify which process/state will get the bump from the switch? All 8 processes can be running simultaneously so theoretically, you could only have one state monitoring the input. If two states were monitoring the input, they would both trigger when you push the button.
I'm pretty sure each button is programmable per process. At most I should have three processes running at once.
1: Brew
7: Kegerator temp=Keep temp at 38*.
8: Fermenatrix temp/ramp.
How I'm hoping it will work:
Process 1
Button 1: Heat for mash.
Element 1 on full
Element 2 on full
At 162* hold until button press.
Button press, (after checking all hoses connected correctly,) Elements off, turn on the pump.
Pump for X time to fill HLT to correct volume
Button press. Stop pump
Start timer for mash.
At T-15 ring bell.
(Manually for now) open valve.
Button Press
start pump to recirc/
Button press Pause. Swap hoses to mash out.
Button press Start pump to mash out. Open valve and full recirc.
Button press Pump off, elements on.
Temp=212 Ring bell, start boil timer
T=? Ring bell. Add hops. Repeat as needed.
T-15 Ding bell. Check hoses (MLT out of line at this point)
Button Press Start pump.
T=0. Elements off, Ding.
(?Whirlpool hops?)
Start CFC water.
Button Press
If temp =<90 Ding bell. Stop pump. Swap hoses. Keg beer.
I might be able to do it with two or three buttons, but I'm building in four so I have some mobility later.
B
1: Brew
7: Kegerator temp=Keep temp at 38*.
8: Fermenatrix temp/ramp.
How I'm hoping it will work:
Process 1
Button 1: Heat for mash.
Element 1 on full
Element 2 on full
At 162* hold until button press.
Button press, (after checking all hoses connected correctly,) Elements off, turn on the pump.
Pump for X time to fill HLT to correct volume
Button press. Stop pump
Start timer for mash.
At T-15 ring bell.
(Manually for now) open valve.
Button Press
start pump to recirc/
Button press Pause. Swap hoses to mash out.
Button press Start pump to mash out. Open valve and full recirc.
Button press Pump off, elements on.
Temp=212 Ring bell, start boil timer
T=? Ring bell. Add hops. Repeat as needed.
T-15 Ding bell. Check hoses (MLT out of line at this point)
Button Press Start pump.
T=0. Elements off, Ding.
(?Whirlpool hops?)
Start CFC water.
Button Press
If temp =<90 Ding bell. Stop pump. Swap hoses. Keg beer.
I might be able to do it with two or three buttons, but I'm building in four so I have some mobility later.
B
Yeah, if you have 3 or 4 buttons, you can use them for 3 or 4 simultaneous processes. From your drawing, I thought you planned on just having 1 button to do a "Next" state selection across multiple processes.
Regarding your buzzer... I use a hardware alarm with the BCS and have a push button to cancel it (so that I don't have to click on the GUI). This works great for alerting me to process or state changes, hop additions, etc.
Regarding your buzzer... I use a hardware alarm with the BCS and have a push button to cancel it (so that I don't have to click on the GUI). This works great for alerting me to process or state changes, hop additions, etc.
mmonacel
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RTL
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IMO BCS sounds awesome I would like to be able to control and access everything online but also be able to do it manually with three way switches. I do have a question though, my brew setup is in the garage and my keezer and soon to be fermentation room are in the basement. Would I be able to hook thermistors up to CAT5 wires or would that ruin the reading? If it does change the reading can that be calibrated for in the BCS program? I'm looking to have two temp probes in the keezer two in the ferm room, and at least three in the garage for wort production. Thanks in advance this thread is great.
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.
blakeseven
Well-Known Member
How about a temp display at the end of a cat 5 run will that work?
ReuFroman
Well-Known Member
Following.
ReuFroman
Well-Known Member
RTL said:
Does someone have pics of cat5 temp probes?
Someone may have a pic, however, they are something you make yourself. Picture a piece of network cable, and picture 1-4 temp probes attached to the end of it, most likely sealed with heat-shrink. The other end goes through a grommet in your control panel and to you BCS. The actual probe can be selected from the thousands of 10K thermistors out there... from a buck for a plastic bead to a few bucks for a 1/4" stainless probe to hundreds of dollars for custom, exotic things...
ReuFroman
Well-Known Member
I have some components coming. I'll have to try it out for myself when they get here.
alien
Well-Known Member
Cat5 is quite good for temp probes because it's cheap, you get 4 pairs of wires in each cable, and the twisted pair design helps reduces noise on long runs. It's a pain to solder though and not particularly flexible, and the sheathing is kind of crappy. It's fine for digital sensors like DS18B20s especially if you already have an RJ45 crimper.
IMO the bees knees is microphone patch cable terminating in XLRs which is really nice durable flexible sheathed cable. It's bulkier and more expensive but I would probably prefer it for analogue sensors like PT100s.
IMO the bees knees is microphone patch cable terminating in XLRs which is really nice durable flexible sheathed cable. It's bulkier and more expensive but I would probably prefer it for analogue sensors like PT100s.
ReuFroman
Well-Known Member
Thanks. That's great info. I picked up some xlr's from ebrewsupply.com.
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.
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.
kal
Well-Known Member
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
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
Thanks Guys,
I found a post from ecc on the ecc forum stating that it requires 5V<x<12V. And the supplied transformer provides 6V 1A. I should be able to find this with my countries plug.
Thanks again.
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