BruControl: Brewery control & automation software

[HobbyBrauer]

@HobbyBrauer... apologies I don’t have any experience with this pump. Seems cool though! The manual is lacking however - they seemed to vote against graphics.

Since the interface is reading a very high number when the pump is off, I can only assume it is reading noise. The manual doesn’t describe the output circuit of the tach... like if it is open collector and needs a pull-up resistor.

Does the noise occur all the time, even when the motor’s power is turned off, or just when power is applied (even if not enough for the motor to spin)?

The only real way to understand what the interface is seeing would be to put a scope on it. You might be able to see the voltages with a volt-ohm meter assuming rotating the shaft incrementally can place the tach output in both high and low states.

I don’t think we would want to put a capacitor on the tach output - it’s rapid changes will put a big load on it.

Yeah the manual is definitely on the spartan side but it is an awesome pump will have to upload a photo when I get home. Yes, I only observe the noise when the pwm control signal from the arduino is engaged even when it too low to engage the motor, when its off there is no reading. I had hooked it up to my multimeter which has a Hz function and it read the proper 0-160Hz coming into the panel but BruControl still displayed the erroneously high reading. I don't have a scope so I can't see how noisy this output is though.

Could you explain what you mean by the rapid changes will put a big load on a capacitor if installed? From where I'm sitting it seems like installing a low pass RC filter with or without a pull-up resistor is the only option I have to clean it up...

 

[BrunDog]

When the sensor’s output changes from low to high, the capacitor will create an apparent short as it charges, putting high strain on the circuitry. This is why resistors are commonly used inline.

Regarding the 160Hz, your VOM will likely use an algorithm to determine the most dominant frequency, whereas the arduino measures every voltage falling edge. Use the meter’s voltage function to see the actual voltage that is 5V at one point and 0V at another.

Also, make sure all your grounds are tied together at one point. If the voltages are not referenced to a common ground, that will wreak havoc. Do you have a wiring schematic?

 

[Die_Beerery]

I thought I would post this here. I will say this is no way supported or endorsed by Brucontrol and to proceed at your own risk.

I got the wiznet 5500 working with the DIN screw shield.

Desoldered the original mega ICSP header, added a new header on the back side.

For my 5500 it uses pins 10 and 11. So I desoldered and resoldered the pins to the back.

I then mated them with some machine screws reverse piggy backed

And finally working in the panel

 

[HobbyBrauer]

When the sensor’s output changes from low to high, the capacitor will create an apparent short as it charges, putting high strain on the circuitry. This is why resistors are commonly used inline.

Regarding the 160Hz, your VOM will likely use an algorithm to determine the most dominant frequency, whereas the arduino measures every voltage falling edge. Use the meter’s voltage function to see the actual voltage that is 5V at one point and 0V at another.

Also, make sure all your grounds are tied together at one point. If the voltages are not referenced to a common ground, that will wreak havoc. Do you have a wiring schematic?

I was actually able to figure it out last night and it was a simple noise issue coming from the pwm line. I noticed that when I checked the voltage on the tachometer channel with my VOM the reading instantly dropped to normal and when I removed the probes it jumped back up out of range. Furthermore, when I checked the Hz across the arduino at 1% power it was reading 950ish which is in the ballpark of the MEGAs clock frequency. On a limp then I replaced the three wires reading each counter element with one three conductor shielded cable and boom everything has been working great.

Random side question. Why does the PWM natively go from 0 to 255 (or something) and not 0-100?

 

[BrunDog]

Maverick! Very cool workaround, but definitely not for the faint of soldering heart.

 

[BrunDog]

@HobbyBrauer... I keep replying out of order!

Anyhoo... awesome, glad you got it worked out.

Regarding the 0-255 native PWM range: the MEGA is an 8 bit micro. 2^8 is 256, aka all values 0-255. Having higher resolution is to your benefit, as you will have finer control in critical applications. With 0-100, you couldn’t dial in decimals if needed. Like the Geico commercial, you get more!

Some micros have even higher resolution, so we’ll be able to accommodate that through the calibration system.

 

[swimIan]

Would either of these mega’s work? The sun founder model on amazon seems pricey at $37.

KEYESTUDIO Mega 2560 Board for Arduino Mega 2560 R3 Arduino IDE+USB https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016JWNYBE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Elegoo EL-CB-003 MEGA 2560 R3 Board ATmega2560 ATMEGA16U2 + USB Cable for Arduino https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H4ZLZLQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[swimIan]

iduino Mega 2560 R3 Board Atmega2560-16au Atmega16u2 Arduino Compatible Mega2560 - Orange https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G6Z1EYI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Another option?

 

[augiedoggy]

yes. I use $7 mega from ebay, just have to use the correct ch340 drivers for them.

 

[BrunDog]

I think all three of those look ok. Your preference is the one with the Atmel USB chip, but as augie said above, he has had success with the CH340 versions.

 

[augiedoggy]

I think all three of those look ok. Your preference is the one with the Atmel USB chip, but as augie said above, he has had success with the CH340 versions.

Yes, I have used both versions (when I had my grounds miswired and too much draw on certain pins I burned a couple out)and they do function exactly the same for this application as far as I can tell on my latest install at the brewery the drivers were actually already installed on the pc by default so perhaps windows added them. I have also used the sunfounder and noticed no difference in functionality.

the ones linked above do show the original ATMEL chipset though.

I will stress that there is a big difference in how well the different relay boards work however in regards to noise! I have swapped through about 5 different types now and the sunfounder works better than the generic blue and red ones all over amazon and ebay.

 

[Die_Beerery]

I have a mixture of elgoo, and sunfounder (when they were $13!). Both work flawless.

 

[TenaCJed]

I have been using the elegoo that you linked to without problems so far!

 

[GParkins]

@Die_Beerery, I was just looking at your pics of the DIN rail carrier hack (awesome, BTW) and I'm sorry, but I have to report you to the UHC (Unused Hardware Commission). I counted eight unused relays in the last photo. Good God, man! Don't you have a shoe buffer or a bug zapper that you need to integrate? How 'bout an automated yeast lab?

 

[Die_Beerery]

With my acid dosing, and CIP they will all be filled, don’t you worry!

 

[augiedoggy]

So I have a small emergency here, I was setting up to brew a neipa in the morning and my PC just froze when I was about to run a cleaning cycle. After rebooting my entire brucontrol setup is gone meaning when I launch theres no devices or workspaces. Am I screwed? I backed up the main brucontrol folder but even launching from there has done no good.
Is the configuration info normally somewhere else? I've rebooted twice but everything is still gone

 

[augiedoggy]

Yes. All the settings are stored in a single configuration file. No registry is used. BC 1.1 will have automatic daily backups - you can then offload those elsewhere.

What would this be called and where would I find it?

 

[Die_Beerery]

My documents/brucontrol. All settings are kept in the config file.

Copying your backup and pasting it there should restore you.

 

[HobbyBrauer]

I can’t offer any help on your situation but for me in the past couple of days I’ve experienced two incidents where BruControl froze and required a restart. The scary part was on the second one when I restarted it enabled my element and pump with values which I had used prior to shutting it down. Luckily my contractor wasn’t engaged so no damage done but the timing seems more than coincidental. I wonder if there was a windows update at the root here?

 

[augiedoggy]

My original config files are there but appear to be corrupt. I dont have backups of them.. My fault for not having backed these up but this really stinks since I have to start over from scratch it seems. I'm backing the files up on my other panel at the brewpub asap.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I would advise to ditch that user account and start a new one, you can have a virus in your appdata folder that feeds and reinstalls from the registry

 

[BrunDog]

I can’t offer any help on your situation but for me in the past couple of days I’ve experienced two incidents where BruControl froze and required a restart. The scary part was on the second one when I restarted it enabled my element and pump with values which I had used prior to shutting it down. Luckily my contractor wasn’t engaged so no damage done but the timing seems more than coincidental. I wonder if there was a windows update at the root here?

Did the computer require restart or did BC? Did you see any warnings? A stone cold freeze shouldn’t happen.

 

[BrunDog]

My original config files are there but appear to be corrupt. I dont have backups of them.. My fault for not having backed these up but this really stinks since I have to start over from scratch it seems. I'm backing the files up on my other panel at the brewpub asap.

Send me the files and I will see if we can resurrect them.

 

[augiedoggy]

The pc booted up kind of sluggishly, I launched brucontrol and fired up one of the pumps a few seconds later the screen was totally locked up no mouse, no task manager, had to hold the button down for 4 seconds to shut down

 

[shadow160]

It has been just about a year since I have been here, life got in the way for a while. I am back now and want to get this project finished. I am going through my parts to see what I have left to buy, I think I am just short the ezboil, a box to put it all in, a GFCI and some tools to punch holes in my pot. And of course the software.

 

[BrunDog]

EZBoil? Are you sure you are thinking the solution discussed in this thread?

 

[shadow160]

EZBoil? Are you sure you are thinking the solution discussed in this thread?

I think I am remembering incorrectly, the software turns the SSR on and off for this correct? no PID type device needed? I was just looking back over two threads.

 

[BrunDog]

Yes correct, a microcontroller interface becomes the PID and enables other devices to be controlled.

If you are looking for just a temperature control, and not additional automation, a PID may be a better route. If you like the idea of a digital control panel, and expansion options for the future, BruControl may be a good pathway for you.

 

[shadow160]

No I am going automated I have the mega and shield ssr's, relays, buttons and switches. I am just going back through the thread and parts I have and trying to figure out where I am at since it has been a year since I started this

 

[shadow160]

Enclosure and a different screw shield coming since I bought the DIN one last time and I want to run Ethernet. I think I am just short a power supply, but I can start building.

 

[shadow160]

What are the benefits to building this as a dual vessel rather than an EBIAB?

 

[BrunDog]

It’s of course a personal choice, but a 2 vessel allows for legit lautering for clear wort, fly or batch sparging, and no need to lift the grain out via bag of basket. You could do back to back if needed as well and it’s a pathway to LODO if desired.

 

[HobbyBrauer]

Did the computer require restart or did BC? Did you see any warnings? A stone cold freeze shouldn’t happen.

It was just the BC application PC was working flawlessly and I did not get any warnings beforehand. What I have found is when I click close application on the windows taskbar it will normally give BC the kick and pop-up with the shut down options which I then cancel out of and goes back to working again. This only seems to happen when the computer sits unused overnight and in the morning I click through the different workspaces. It may simply be that my computer doesnt have enough ram (6GB I believe) to run the program properly as under task manager I see it using over 50% of available RAM/CPU

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

have you set your power to never go to sleep?

 

[shadow160]

It’s of course a personal choice, but a 2 vessel allows for legit lautering for clear wort, fly or batch sparging, and no need to lift the grain out via bag of basket. You could do back to back if needed as well and it’s a pathway to LODO if desired.

Thank you sir, I think I will set the panel up for 2 vessel even if I end up starting out as EBIAB. I just started building and I put a 50A main power receptacle in to keep my options open.

 

[swimIan]

I’m curious how others have integrated multiple onewire temp sensors into their control panel? I’m specifically looking for ideas how you connected them to your mega/screw shield? (Soldering/breadboard/etc) For the record I’m planning on using 3-4 sensors and would like a relatively simple way to set it up. I’m moving from craftbeerpi and the official interface board with screw terminals.

 

[BrunDog]

I would suggest using a screw shield like: http://a.co/d/hIUR7fC. Then, you can wire to its terminals, and create a "resistor jumper" across the data line and +5V.

 

[swimIan]

Would you put all the sensors on the same terminals then? I was more asking for suggestions for once the connections leave the screw shield.

 

[BrunDog]

Wiring is up to you though I do believe there are some rules for legs for 1-wire topology. If your wiring is relatively short, it may not matter. In that case, you could bring all the ground, data, and +V lines back together to the shield, OR run one ground, data, and +V wire off the shield, then bus the four sensors together remotely. Check out maxim's spec sheet: https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/app-notes/index.mvp/id/148.

 

[Die_Beerery]

I run quite a bit of one wire. It is the row here with the blue/blue white. Power comes in from the supply on the top, and sig comes from the mega on the bottom. Then everything just daisy chains.