Help with wiring the BCS-460

[Bringbar76]

Hello,

Bard from Hexeberg Brewhouse, Norway here.

I have hooked up a BCS-460 to the brewery described in the attached chart. Have I got some of the connection wrong? I have encountered a few problems that I suspect is caused by some fault in the connection, however I cannot see what is wrong.

I have problems with getting the SSR to switch/start. Measuring the power from the BCS it does not supply 3V between the "Out" and ground. There is a slight power out (1-2V), but not enough to switch the SSR. Measuring the +5VDC output it does however, just not when using the "out" connection. I have checked the SSR using a 9V battery and there is nothing wrong with the SSR.

The DINs does not work either. Connecting the DIN to ground does not trigger the DIN. Nothing happens.

Does anyone have a clue to why I have these problems? Hope you can help!

Cheers,
Bard

[Bringbar76]

... all temp input work well, however.

[clearwaterbrewer]

Wiring diagram looks mostly acceptable, but I have a few questions/best practices recommendations...:
- Which SSR is not working, all of them or just Out2 (the boil kettle with 2 SSR's in series)?
- I do not like the full amperage E-Stop, but if it can handle the current, that is fine
-The e-Stop interrupts blue and orange, so I assume yellow and black are common/neutral... you have the out0(and out2) SSR switching the ground/neutral, not the hot. Out1 does switch the 'hot' side of the 230V circuit
- on Out2, I am not sure I would use 2 SSR's in series, but it should work... (a hand-off-auto, or HOA might be something to look at)

Troubleshooting:
If you remove the green header connector from the BCS (the one for the outputs), and place the Out0 'directly ON' by clicking on it in the user interface, see if you get 5 volts from pin 1 to your existing ground that goes to pin 2 of the other green connector.

If you do get 5V, something is lowering your output voltage. undo all wires fromt he green connector, hook up 2 straight direct wires to the SSR and test that... if it works, add wires one at a time and test until you are done.

If you do not get 5V, you have an issue with your BCS. Either it was faulty from the get go, or it became damaged, one common way woudl be for a high voltage wire to momentarily touch a BCS output circuit and blow the 5v Regulator

[Bringbar76]

Thanks for the quick answer, I will check this!

A few comments to you questions:

- I have problems with all the SSR. I can get a faint red light occasionally on the SSR on the OUT1 and OUT2, but not the OUT0. Non of them will switch though. Even with the red light slightly glowing.

- The E-stop will handle the amperage. It is two switches that handels a line each. It is rated to 16A.
- The E-stop cuts of one of the lines of the DC circut (like a light switch) Isn't that sufficient? Connecting the brewering to the main socket I cannot know which is which anyway. Only which one is ground and which once are hot...
- The reason why I use 2 SSR in serie is to program the Boil element not to fire until the HLT is off. Both are using the same 16A line. The second SSR connected to the OUT2 is for manually adjusting the boil power on the control panel.

[oakbarn]

Do you have any "load" on thw SSR. Even a light bulb will work but you need some "load" on the circuit to test the SSR.

[brewstarke]

I second oakbarn. I nearly pulled all my hair out after hours of diagnostics and ordering a new SSR only to realize that I wasn't getting continuity on the 'outs' because I didn't have a load connected, just my meter. The thing that got me was the led was illuminating when given a signal voltage but the relay wasn't connecting. I was trying to be systematic with all the connections I was making, before going 'live', so as not to kill myself... I think it's SSR dependent but some do require a bit of current to pull the connection closed.

[oakbarn]

I have some SSRs around that I thought were "bad" because I tested them without a load. Add the load before testing. Maybe there should be a sticky about testing your wiring including the need to test with a load. I am sure that you wanted to brew beer and not become an SSR expert. Unfortunately for a newbie, there is a lot of gothca's in using a PLC with Thermoristors and SSRs. Unfortunately, it is not Plug and Play.

But Fortunately , it is not Plug and Play. You can learn to program it!

[oakbarn]

You said:


The DINs does not work either. Connecting the DIN to ground does not trigger the DIN. Nothing happens.


WARNING: You need to wire from the 5 vdc to a switch to the DIN. Do not wire to the ground. Basically, the 5 vdc is used to activate a pull down resistor within the BCS. You use a DIN for things that need to be controlled by a switch. Normally you use these as Exit Conditions within a Process. A common use would be with a float switch to turn off an Electric Valve. They may also be used as a Contact (but not a Coil) in Ladder Logic.

I did not use any DINs when I first set up my system, but now use for three float switches and also as an Exit Condition when I want to advance to a new State in a Process that requires a manual input. For Example, after I have put my Grain in, I use a DIN to Exit the "Grain In" State to the "Mash" State. That is because there is nothing I can set to automatically advance to the MASH that is logical from my Grain In State.

[Bringbar76]

Thanks for the inputs.

Firstly, I have not connected the DINS to the ground. My mistake in writing this yesterday - I have connected it through the switch (NC) and to the +5V AC.

Secondly, yes I have tested the SSR with a load (the Buzzer) and it did not give a sound (Only when testing it with a 9V battery)

I will (hopefully tonight) disconnect all wiring and start with just one OUT to a SSR and see it I can get the power to run it. I know that the +5V is working, so hopefully rewiring will fix whatever is lowering the power.

[oakbarn]

If I had looked at the wiring Diagram which is very plain, I would have seen that you wired it correctly .