NEW StrangeBrew Elsinore Thread

[user 101620]

I think managing based on the amount of current is introducing a lot of complexity for setting it up. And switching the elements so they aren't under complete control by a PID output could create software confusion. You'd need to identify how strong each element is, or how many elements to activate at once, then there's settings for how long reach element can be used, I would assume one duty cycle at a time, but that may not always be too useful for larger setups, so the alternative would be to use temperature difference, but then there could be too much droop and you'd be wasting energy

 

[petewa]

I'm interested in this too but I'm also in the process of running a 60a circuit. I plan on using 4 elements though (2ea in hlt and bk) and then using a hardware pcb I'm still working on to guarantee only two could be fired simultaneously with priority of having one on in each if both are heating and then two on in one only if the other vessel isn't heating or is in a dwell period of the PID functions. It'd be easier in software, but I wanted a foolproof design in case a software glitch enabled more than two (or in your case more than 1) for whatever reason.

It gets tricky also because most ssrs are zero-crossing meaning they only switch states when the phase of the AC power crosses 0. This means that even if the controller only had one of your two outputs high at a time, you'd have to make sure one didn't activate within 1/120 of a second to ensure the other ssr had crossed zero and switched off.

Edit: forget that second paragraph. As I lay here thinking about it, as long as all of your ssrs are zero-crossing it shouldn't matter since the other wouldn't change state until crossing zero either. If you're mixing and matching ssr types, you would still have to take that into account. ORRR...Just assume that the sub-second nature of the times they may overlap would not be enough to trip the 30a breaker or heat up your wires substantially.

-Josh

I have a 40 amp breaker... and i run both my 5500 HLT and my 3500 boil elements at the same time. No issues at all. one thing i want to figure out is how to wire in amp and voltage meters to both hot legs. just not sure how to do that.

 

[craigmw]

I'm interested in this too but I'm also in the process of running a 60a circuit. I plan on using 4 elements though (2ea in hlt and bk) and then using a hardware pcb I'm still working on to guarantee only two could be fired simultaneously with priority of having one on in each if both are heating and then two on in one only if the other vessel isn't heating or is in a dwell period of the PID functions. It'd be easier in software, but I wanted a foolproof design in case a software glitch enabled more than two (or in your case more than 1) for whatever reason.

It gets tricky also because most ssrs are zero-crossing meaning they only switch states when the phase of the AC power crosses 0. This means that even if the controller only had one of your two outputs high at a time, you'd have to make sure one didn't activate within 1/120 of a second to ensure the other ssr had crossed zero and switched off.

Edit: forget that second paragraph. As I lay here thinking about it, as long as all of your ssrs are zero-crossing it shouldn't matter since the other wouldn't change state until crossing zero either. If you're mixing and matching ssr types, you would still have to take that into account. ORRR...Just assume that the sub-second nature of the times they may overlap would not be enough to trip the 30a breaker or heat up your wires substantially.

-Josh

Josh:

I'd be interested to see your hardware method. I agree that doing it in software might be better since it would be possible to incorporate this into the PID logic, associate priorities for different heating loads (e.g. lower priority for boil vs. mash, etc). I'm just really curious about how others do this when limited to say 30A circuits. I currently do BIAB with a Blichmann burner and propane, but am considering moving to eBIAB and would like to have a second vessel for parallel brewing, sharing a single 30A circuit for the two.

 

[JayElDubya]

Once I get it figured out, I'll start a new thread. What I have in mind should work with either 30a or 60a setups.
-Josh

 

[user 101620]

A few bug fixes for the mashcontrol code, so if you delete all the steps when the mash profile is activated the control turns off. As well as fixing the countdown timer when a step is active.

Also capped the duty so if you don't have a cooling output it'll be from 0 -> 100 and when you don't have a heating output it'll be -100 -> 0

 

[Swab]

I have never been able to update via the GUI... I always end up updating via command prompt. I just tried to do it again, and it seems to get stuck (see screenshot... http://imgur.com/HgDiQNU)

Not sure if I'm doing something wrong, or if this is a bug..

 

[user 101620]

Not sure if I'm doing something wrong, or if this is a bug..

It's not stuck, it's not detecting the update unless you restart elsinore after I've pushed an update. Trying to work out what's going on now.

EDIT: Fixed, you'll need to do a manual update first though, sorry

 

[petewa]

I have never been able to update via the GUI... I always end up updating via command prompt. I just tried to do it again, and it seems to get stuck (see screenshot... http://imgur.com/HgDiQNU)

Not sure if I'm doing something wrong, or if this is a bug..

I have always had to perform the check twice and it works on the second time...

 

[user 101620]

I have always had to perform the check twice and it works on the second time...

That makes sense, I wasn't waiting for the initial update check to complete before comparing it to the current hash, so what Elsinore though was the remote hash was actually the current hash.

 

[user 101620]

Just a quick note to say that Corey has started to sell Hosehead on his website, he's responsible for customer queries directly (he's got contact info on his site), but $425 for a two element controller is neat imo.

 

[TechyDork]

anyway to get this to run without have a temp probe installed yet? I want to get it up and running to see if i can get my relay to switch? If not i can just wait until i get my temp probes next week.

Guess i should add that i just wanted to add a couple of pumps and see if i could get those to switch on and off. I am testing the SainSmart relay.

thanks,

 

[user 101620]

anyway to get this to run without have a temp probe installed yet? I want to get it up and running to see if i can get my relay to switch? If not i can just wait until i get my temp probes next week.

Guess i should add that i just wanted to add a couple of pumps and see if i could get those to switch on and off. I am testing the SainSmart relay.

thanks,

No, sorry, there was one added in about a year ago but it's vanished and I can't work out where it went.

 

[user 101620]

Merged the changes that prevent the calibration temperature from throwing an error and refactored all the divide calls to use a 2 decimal point math context.

I want to do some more work on the decimal rounding but it's a trade off between the floatingness off the java double and the accuracy of the BigDecimal

 

[TechyDork]

No, sorry, there was one added in about a year ago but it's vanished and I can't work out where it went.

No problem. Thanks!

Sent from HBT app.

 

[user 101620]

No problem. Thanks!

Sent from HBT app.

The email I got was asking about turning the GPIO on and off from the command line.

If you're on the Beaglebone (or Linux Kernel 3.8+) you'll need to export the DTO first.

Then you can use echo commands to test the outputs themselves.

There's lots of guides to show you how to use many ways to test the outputs. Which I think is what you're looking for.

 

[TechyDork]

The email I got was asking about turning the GPIO on and off from the command line.



If you're on the Beaglebone (or Linux Kernel 3.8+) you'll need to export the DTO first.



Then you can use echo commands to test the outputs themselves.



There's lots of guides to show you how to use many ways to test the outputs. Which I think is what you're looking for.

Thanks for the reply. I posted that then quickly told myself "just google" it.

 

[user 101620]

Has anyone got any bugs or problems that they've noticed? I just want to make sure that there's nothing major before I start working on features.

 

[MI_Dogman]

+1

 

[rbpars]

Tried several times today to run program and keep getting this message. "Couldn't read the one wire devices directory!" I have one temp probe installed. Went through the forum several times trying to find answer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


Starting Elsinore as pi
Nov 11, 2014 3:16:06 PM com.sb.elsinore.LaunchControl main
INFO: Running Brewery Controller.
CFG IS NULL
DOC IS NULL
Couldn't read the one wire devices directory!
Creating element of pumps
Creating on configDoc base

 

[user 101620]

You'll need to give more information. What system are you using? Did you follow the instructions to install the one wire module or the one wire cape?

 

[rbpars]

Hi Doug, Thanks for the quick reply! I went through it again and realized that I didn't properly save the module. Works great now. Thanks for all your hard work!

 

[user 101620]

Just pushed a new version which has a new controller interface (well, a new backend, but it looks the same). The reason is that it'll make it much easier to maintain in the long run since it's written in rendersnake and not just a bunch of strings.

 

[user 101620]

I've also added an extra bit of information if Elsinore detects there's no One Wire devices, it provides a link to: http://dougedey.github.io/2014/11/12/Setting_Up_One_Wire

 

[Swab]

Just pushed a new version which has a new controller interface (well, a new backend, but it looks the same). The reason is that it'll make it much easier to maintain in the long run since it's written in rendersnake and not just a bunch of strings.

For some reason, since I've updated my system only measures in increments of 10 degrees... I just did a complete reinstall of Elsinore and have the same issue.

 

[user 101620]

For some reason, since I've updated my system only measures in increments of 10 degrees... I just did a complete reinstall of Elsinore and have the same issue.

Sorry this was because of an older commit, I've reverted it now. Do an update an it should be fine now.

 

[Swab]

Sorry this was because of an older commit, I've reverted it now. Do an update an it should be fine now.

Sweet.. thanks! Brew day back on for tomorrow!

 

[user 101620]

Sorry, I normally test changes with a brew but my green bin was broken by the garbage guys and my landlord hasn't gotten it replaced yet so I'm in dire need of a brew day.

Btw, I'm still waiting on the pH meter to arrive, when it does I'll confirm the code works and enable pH meters. Though I'm thinking a "Measure pH" button would be more relevant, but it'll continuously sample so you can move it between vessels/things you want to measure and from a graph note the values you want.

It'll have a different graph where you can mouse over a point to show the data there.

 

[cank]

Still hasn't shown up yet? I'll check on it.

 

[Swab]

Call 311, they pick it up and replace it for free.

 

[user 101620]

Call 311, they pick it up and replace it for free.

I can't, the landlord has to and he says they're giving him the runaround. Eventually convinced him to submit the request online