Ssbrewtech eControllers, menu help

[Jtvann]

Hi All,

Just got my complete 3v system in over Black Friday. I had researched enough of the system to expect problems, but did not expect to be restricted in the controller menus.

I am hoping someone has had this same issue and has found a way to resolve it.

My controller is obviously set to on/off operation and not PID. There is obviously a 1 degree hysteresis. When setting my mash tun to 150 degrees and recirculating through my rims, the system powers on at 149 degrees. It quickly hits 150, powers off, but continues to overshoot up to 153 degrees. The element is powering on at 100%, as it does in on/off mode.

This is while running a water test only. Pump is set to max flow as suggested by Ssbrewtech.

I have found a manual online for the omron e5cc controller, but accessing the menu doesn’t work like instructions say. Supposed to only push the far left button for 3 seconds to access the menu. That does nothing. Pressing the 2 far left buttons together accesses a menu, but the options in that menu are not what I’m looking for.

I need to find the menu to access the on/off -PID setting, as well as auto tune after selecting PID.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I’ve submitted a support ticket to Ss asking the same, but I’d like to brew tomorrow. It expecting an answer from them till Monday-Wednesday.

 

[Jtvann]

This is the manual I found online.

http://products.omron.us/Asset/E5CC_E5EC_Solutions_Guide_FAQs_en_201203.pdf

 

[Jtvann]

I think I’ve got the process figured out. The controller as it comes from Ssbrewtech has a lot of restrictions on menus that you can access.

Once I go through another wet test, I’ll do a write up to explain the settings.

I did have a successful brew day today, but was still learning the processes.

 

[isomerization]

Would appreciate your follow up observations when ready. I’m using 1V and currently mashing in and turning off the power. Very happy with the simple process, but would like to be ready for step mashing and recirculating when needed. I had same issues you described with wild temp fluctuations.

 

[Jtvann]

So I’m still waiting for my next wet test to confirm what I’ve found. I’ll explain what I can though.

Ssbrewtech sends the controller with many of the menu options locked, and they provide no instructions on unlocking them. You may be in the same boat as me with your factory settings.

First thing to do is press and hold both of the far left buttons at the same time. When the next menu pops up, hit the 2nd to left button once. I’m not in front of my controller right now, but that swing from factory is probably 2. You need to change it to zero. Hit the 2nd to left button again. Change the next setting from 2 to zero as well.

This should have all the menus unlocked.

Hold the Terri far left buttons in again until you get back to the Home Screen.

Next, press and hold in only the far left button.

Scroll through the settings by pressing the 2nd to left button.

One of the settings in there will say Control, or some short acronym for it.

Mine was factory set to on-off. It’s your choice to leave it at that or change to PID. I’d suggest changing to PID. PID is much better for your mash. Also it has to be in PID in order for you to toggle the manual/auto switch. That’s important for maintaining your boil. You can leave it as on-off for you HLT off using one, or set to PID. Your choice.

Scroll further through until you see a setting that says ST. That stands for self tune.

It’s your choice to leave it as self tune or not. I left mine and it worked good. If you turn self tune off, you will need to auto tune. I’ll explain the advantages to each below.

Self tune is good if you have multiple changing variables. Variables such as recirculation rate, ambient temp fluctuations, large temperature differences that you’ll utilize. Self tune automatically calibrates mid brew to self correct any uses to keep you on track. It is not as exact as auto tune. A disadvantage to self tune is that your controller can actually make itself dumber if you let it. In a 3v system, when u am done with my rims tube, I don’t need the heater to ever be on again for the rest of the brew. The controller will continually try to self tune to figure out why it isn’t heating. This happens even when the heat element is turned off. So for hours it could sit there trying to self tune when there’s no liquid there and the heat isn’t on. My ambient temps are below freezing in my garage. Temp was reading in the 40s and was constantly trying to compensate to reach 150. You can combat this flaw by just decreasing your mash temp to zero after you’re done with the rims tube. Again, this is most important for a 3v system.

For auto tune ... the other more exact or precise option. You need to pick an average temp that covers your range of needs. I usually mash at 150 and mash out at 170. I haven’t done this as I’m using self tune, but if I did, I would auto tune around 160. In order to auto tune, you must have self tune from the previous menu turned off.

From the Home Screen press once but don’t hold the 2nd to the left button. Scroll through until you find AT. You need to change it to AT-2 or AT-1. AT-2 uses 100% power in its calculations to incrementally adjust temps. AT-1 uses 40% power to adjust temps. I would personally choose 40% in my 3v system mash tun. It’s more gradual and less prone to drastic changes. It will be slower in ramping up to mash out or other higher temps, but better at maintaining a constant temp.

The major disadvantage to auto tune is that Sal your variables need to be as constant as possible. If you recirculate faster or slower than how it was auto tuned, it will be off. If it’s a lot colder or warmer, auto tune will be off. Mash thickness from different batches same thing. Different mash ratio of water. 1.25 quarts per lb to 1.5 quarts per pound. You get it. Anything you change will throw off results from auto tune. To use auto tune, you need to know your system. It can be much more precise, but it will take time to get to that point.

Super long response, but it’s fairly complicated. There’s a few good YouTube videos of this was clear as mud that explains some of this. The major thing is unlocking everything that is factory locked from Ssbrewtech and figuring out how to turn PID on. Just doing that will save you a lot of grief. If using on-off in a mash setting, you will get major over and under shoots.

 

[Jtvann]

For a 1v system, I’d suggest to stick with self tune. I wanted to write all of that up in case there’s other folks who are using a 3v system to understand their options.

 

[Jtvann]

While I’m thinking about it ...

In one of the menus there a setting called AMoV. I don’t know what it’s for, but dialed down to -169 is a password to unlock something else. I know it does something, but haven’t figured it out yet.

 

[isomerization]

For a 1v system, I’d suggest to stick with self tune. I wanted to write all of that up in case there’s other folks who are using a 3v system to understand their options.

But you’d still recommend unlocking menus and switching to PID?

“ Also it has to be in PID in order for you to toggle the manual/auto switch. ”

Can you elaborate on this? It’s a physical switch, so thinking you mean something else, thanks!

 

[Jtvann]

I would highly recommend switching to PID for anything used for a mash. In a 1v system, absolutely switch to PID. In my 3v system I don’t mind my HLT being on/off. Temp isn’t crucial in that.

For the boil kettle physical switch, yes it’s a physical switch but when set to on/off it just doesn’t do anything. At least it didn’t for me. It’s a dead switch until you set it to PID. Once it’s changed to PID the switch works as intended and will alternate between auto and manual.

I switch to manual for the boil kettle. I set mine to 100% to ramp up to a boil, then dial it down to 75% to maintain the boil. My ambient temps are very cold, so you could go lower.

 

[isomerization]

I would highly recommend switching to PID for anything used for a mash. In a 1v system, absolutely switch to PID. In my 3v system I don’t mind my HLT being on/off. Temp isn’t crucial in that.

For the boil kettle physical switch, yes it’s a physical switch but when set to on/off it just doesn’t do anything. At least it didn’t for me. It’s a dead switch until you set it to PID. Once it’s changed to PID the switch works as intended and will alternate between auto and manual.

I switch to manual for the boil kettle. I set mine to 100% to ramp up to a boil, then dial it down to 75% to maintain the boil. My ambient temps are very cold, so you could go lower.

That’s very interesting, so when set to auto mine shows a temperature target and when set to manual a % of power. Is that not the case for you?

My % for boil are similar (20 gal system) to yours.

 

[Jtvann]

That was not the same for me. When set to on/off, you will have temp over shoots. Auto is just whether it uses on/off or PID.

 

[isomerization]

That was not the same for me. When set to on/off, you will have temp over shoots. Auto is just whether it uses on/off or PID.

Weird, well maybe mine came unlocked then.

 

[Jtvann]

If you press the far left putting and hold it a menu should come up. If it doesn’t, it’s locked.

Same thing, if you press the far left button and without holding it, a menu comes up. If it doesn’t, it’s locked.

There’s multiple lock menus for various options.