Ebiab controler troubleshoot

[nick sekerak]

Hey

I am hoping this my have happened to someone and they know how to fix it. Or at least point me in the right direction.

I am using the ezboil dspr320. When I run the program it acts like it is working. The ezboil dspr 320 output light is on. My element is switched on but it’s not heating. When I unplug the element from the controller the element on/off button lights up. But when I go plug it back in the light turns off. This is all when the ezboil is outputting which the element should be fireing . I attached the plan for my controller. Someone please help, I have a big colab brew this weekend and a broken controller

 

[nick sekerak]

Orange switch is the element

before element is plugged in

after plunging it in

 

[bgmac]

Check the DC control voltage from the PID to the SSR. There was a recent thread where someone had a similar problem and it turned out the EZ Boil was only sending 2-3 volts DC to the SSR. Most SSRs will work in the 3-32 volt DC range, but 3 is the low side. He was having a problem where 240 volt power was good to the SSR and the light would turn on on the SSR but wasn't enough voltage to close the connection to send power to the element. I think he had to work it out as a faulty unit with Auber Instruments.

I have the basic EZ Boil (mash and boil) model and it delivers a solid 12 volts DC to the SSR.


Another thought now that i looked back through your post and see you are talking about the light on the element on switch and not the element firing light. Check the connections on the pump switches. The 120 volt AC control voltage runs through Pump 1 then Pump 2 before it gets to the Element on switch then finally the main power keyed safety switch.

Disconnect all power and wiggle every connection you can including the 1 amp fuse connection, tighten anything that seems loose.

 

[nick sekerak]

I will check these things out and see if it helps, thanks for the advice.

 

[doug293cz]

The element firing light will light up when the element is unplugged, and the SSR is off. This is due to the normal leakage current of an off SSR. When the element is plugged in, all the leakage current flows thru the element, so the voltage across the element and firing lamp are low, and the lamp stays off. This is expected. I second the recommendation to measure the control voltage to the SSR. It should be greater than 5 volts (nominal is ~12V) when the SSR/element should be on (i.e. the light on the EZBoil is on.)

Brew on

 

[MikeCo]

I was the one with the recent thread with a similar but slightly different problem. My EZBoil would heat for a short period of time and then stop. Check the DC voltage from the EZBoil to the SSR. If it's not around 13 volts (mine started above 3 and drifted down to 2.5), the controller is not functioning properly. If it is in the right range, then there may be a bad connection somewhere. Make sure you have 240v at the heater receptacle when the element is supposed to be firing.

Auber was very helpful in troubleshooting. Call their tech support if you think it's the controller. They shipped me a new one in 2 days.

 

[nick sekerak]

The element firing light will light up when the element is unplugged, and the SSR is off. This is due to the normal leakage current of an off SSR. When the element is plugged in, all the leakage current flows thru the element, so the voltage across the element and firing lamp are low, and the lamp stays off. This is expected. I second the recommendation to measure the control voltage to the SSR. It should be greater than 5 volts (nominal is ~12V) when the SSR/element should be on (i.e. the light on the EZBoil is on.)

Brew on

Just checked the ezboil to ssr and I have 12V dc. Now checking the L6-30 receptical I have only 125v when the element is plugged into the controller and 75v when I unplug it. That must be bad since it’s not 240v..right?. Coming off the ssr to the contactor I have 200v. I still have to check the aux switches tonight. Any other ideas where the prob could lie?? This is driving me mad.

 

[bgmac]

Are you checking for AC voltage on the leg out of the SSR? Actually, the SSR only regulates on leg of the 240 volts so you should only read 120 volts (125 is normal) coming from the SSR. If you are getting 240 volts across both hot legs out of the L6-30 plug, then you may have a bad element in your kettle.

 

[doug293cz]

Unplug the element and measure the resistance between the two hot blades. A 5500W element should measure about 10.5 ohms, and a 4500W element should measure about 12.8 ohms.

Some pics showing the points (for both probes) where you are measuring voltage would be helpful. And also note whether the SSR control signal is on or off during the measurement, and whether the element is plugged in or not.

Brew on

 

[nick sekerak]

Are you checking for AC voltage on the leg out of the SSR? Actually, the SSR only regulates on leg of the 240 volts so you should only read 120 volts (125 is normal) coming from the SSR. If you are getting 240 volts across both hot legs out of the L6-30 plug, then you may have a bad element in your kettle.

I am getting 125v across the receptacle when I plug in the element. I thought I read 200v on the other side of the ssr. I will check ring now to confirm

 

[nick sekerak]

Unplug the element and measure the resistance between the two hot blades. A 5500W element should measure about 10.5 ohms, and a 4500W element should measure about 12.8 ohms.

Some pics showing the points (for both probes) where you are measuring voltage would be helpful. And also note whether the SSR control signal is on or off during the measurement, and whether the element is plugged in or not.

Brew on

Getting 200v here

 

[nick sekerak]

Getting 75v here on the back side of the receptacle without element plugged in

 

[nick sekerak]

Getting 75v here on the back side of the receptacle without element plugged in

I get 125v when the element is plugged in to the controller

 

[nick sekerak]

If I could take anymore pics that may help let me know.

 

[nick sekerak]

I just noticed the led light on my ssr is off. Is that something to be concerned about?

 

[bgmac]

That wont give you a good reading. With your meter set on AC Volts, you have to touch the red/positive probe to the SSR AC volts in and the black to the ground on the plug. You should read around 120 Volt. Then touch the red probe to the SSR AC out and the black probe to the ground on the plug and it should be the same. Obviously the EZ Boil should be on 100% boil mode with the SSR Light on solid.

 

[bgmac]

I just noticed the led light on my ssr is off. Is that something to be concerned about?

Yes, make sure that your EZ Boil is on and set to 100% boil mode. If the light is not turning on and you have 12 volts DC on the control side of the SSR, then the SSR is bad. Be very careful inside the box with everything turned on.

 

[nick sekerak]

That wont give you a good reading. With your meter set on AC Volts, you have to touch the red/positive probe to the SSR AC volts in and the black to the ground on the plug. You should read around 120 Volt. Then touch the red probe to the SSR AC out and the black probe to the ground on the plug and it should be the same.
?

sorry I am dumb. Which port is the “in” on the ssr. Is it the number 2

 

[bgmac]

sorry I am dumb. Which port is the “in” on the ssr. Is it the number 2

Is the light turning on solid on the SSR with the EZ Booil set 100% boil mode?

The in on the AC side is terminal 1. The out is terminal 2 on the AC side to the plug by the drawing and your picture.

 

[nick sekerak]

Is the light turning on solid on the SSR with the EZ Booil set 100% boil mode?

The in on the AC side is terminal 1. The out is terminal 2 on the AC side to the plug by the drawing and your picture.

The ssr is brand new but the light is not turning on. I do have 12vdc coming off the ezboil side

Is the light turning on solid on the SSR with the EZ Booil set 100% boil mode?

The in on the AC side is terminal 1. The out is terminal 2 on the AC side to the plug by the drawing and your picture.

Ok I got 125v @ ssr ac in to the receptacle ground

and 75v @ ssr ac out to ground.

 

[doug293cz]

Getting 200v here

The control wires from your EZBoil to the SSR are reversed. The Electric Brewery labels their SSR terminals differently than every other SSR supplier I have seen. See the picks below. You followed the terminal numbers from the schematic rather than following the polarity labels.

 

[bgmac]

The ssr is brand new but the light is not turning on.




Ok I got 125v @ ssr ac in to the receptacle ground

and 75v @ ssr ac out to ground.

Should be 125 AC at terminal 1 and 125 AC out at terminal 2. If you have 12 volts DC across terminals 3 and 4 with the EZ Boil turned to 100% boil mode, then the SSR is no good. Indicated by the drop in AC voltage on terminal 2 and the led light not turning on. There are many cheap and fake SSRs on the market that are not actually rated for the amps labeled on the face plate. Where did you buy this one from?

 

[bgmac]

The control wires from your EZBoil to the SSR are reversed. The Electric Brewery labels their SSR terminals differently than every other SSR supplier I have seen. See the picks below. You followed the terminal numbers from the schematic rather than following the polarity labels.

View attachment 662258
View attachment 662259

Good catch, make sure terminal 6 from the EZboil is connected to terminal 3 on the SSR and terminal 7 on the EZboil is connected to terminal 4 on the SSR. I would swap them at the SSR if they are backwards.

 

[nick sekerak]

Holy smokes you guys rock. I am going to swap them around in 15min and report back. Thank you some much for the help I hope this fixes !!

 

[nick sekerak]

Hell yeas we now have a light that is on. I am pumped!!

 

[bgmac]

Hell yeas we now have a light that is on. I am pumped!!

Awesome, thank Doug for figuring out the issue. Sorry for leading you down a rabbit hole a little bit. Just think how much better we will be at troubleshooting this type of system if there are issues in the future.

 

[doug293cz]

Hopefully, everything goes smoothly now.

The pic that showed the full wire run from the EZBoil to the SSR was critical in figuring this out. That's why good pics are important.
Brew on

 

[nick sekerak]

Just did a test run and it’s working good. Only one thing I need to fix. When I plugged my 15amp 1650w auxiliary element into one of the pump receptacles it fired for like 2 min the it cut off. Now both auxiliary switches are dead. I check one fuse but it was still good. I am guessing it was too much amps. How do you reset the two auxiliary ports now. Any ideas?

 

[doug293cz]

Just did a test run and it’s working good. Only one thing I need to fix. When I plugged my 15amp 1650w auxiliary element into one of the pump receptacles it fired for like 2 min the it cut off. Now both auxiliary switches are dead. I check one fuse but it was still good. I am guessing it was too much amps. How do you reset the two auxiliary ports now. Any ideas?

The aux outlets were designed for powering pumps, which only draw about 1.4A each. Your 1650W heater will pull 13.5A at 120V, and if you have a slightly higher 125V input, will pull 14.3A. The fuse to the aux switches is 10A, so it will blow if powering a 1650W load. The schematic calls out 16AWG wire for the aux circuits, which is only good for 10A, and the switches are also only good for 10A. Major changes would be required to allow controlling a heating element with the aux outlets. Sounds like the 10A fuse was blown.

Brew on