BCS-462 acting wierd after update to 3.4.5

[ECC]

What exactly did you have powered by the BCS +5VDC? Any expansion cards, relay cards, displays, lights, switches, etc?

[clearwaterbrewer]

I had 2 5v 2-relay boards (the ones on eBay by 'electronics-salon', max 100mA according to website) and 3 555 timer PWM circuits (maybe 10mA each plus 10mA to drive the SSR) for the last 6 months. Several weeks ago, I got a couple of the same make 4-relay 12V boards, so put one of those in, powered by my 12V supply, and removed a 5V 2-relay board. I brewed a pale ale after that with no issues... so should have been 140mA or so...

I can measure the relay board current draw if you think that would be needed..

[clearwaterbrewer]

The 'electronics-salon' 5V 2-relay board draws 130mA when connected to 5V, so they lie a little in their spec sheet (it was actually 160mA when connected straight to the BCS power supply, then I realized that was 6V, so I grabbed a 5V supply that was actually 5.15V and it was 130mA)

Adding the 3 555 PWM timers added 10mA, which seems low, but they were not driving SSR's when measured.

[ECC]

I believe the electronics-salon 5V 2relay boards are spec'ed at 200ma

Power Supply: 5V DC / 200mA (relay all ON).

But you may have gotten different ones, they come in all shapes and sizes. I received your BCS yesterday, and verified that had a blown regulator. Sounds like you were over the max 300ma from the +5V BCS pin previously, but with your new setup of an external 12V to supply the relays you should be back in spec.

We'll get you fixed up with a new regulator, shouldn't take too long.

[JonW]

I've always taken the approach of not powering anything from the BCS. I only use the outputs for triggers to either SSR relays or an external relay board that has darlington transistors built in. The relay boards with darlingtons use their own power supply to power the relay coils and only a few milliamps from the BCS are needed to trigger them.

[clearwaterbrewer]

I've always taken the approach of not powering anything from the BCS. I only use the outputs for triggers to either SSR relays or an external relay board that has darlington transistors built in. The relay boards with darlingtons use their own power supply to power the relay coils and only a few milliamps from the BCS are needed to trigger them.

I will now.. And I have a 250mA fuse and nice 1DL55 fuseholder form Grainger ready to fuse the BCS output at 250mA (and also the other non-BCS 5V and 12V sources at 1A... this holder was much nicer than the radio shack one, but RS was way cheaper on fuses, go figure)


Oh, I mentioned the 100mA, I guess I looked at the 12V one when getting the spec, so 130mA with both relays on is under spec..

[clearwaterbrewer]

We'll get you fixed up with a new regulator, shouldn't take too long.

Thanks! Really appreciated! I have a kegerator full of 4 beers now, so not crying too much... I think it was probably at 150mA when I upgraded (or less, the relays were not powered on), 280mA max a few weeks ago... should be at <30mA when it gets used next!

I spent the time without my favorite beer toy this weekend in a positive manner, I totally redid my panel Cut new hole for power input and welded that section in old hole so i could get a 3rd L6-20R in, additional 4-ralay board to run to remote box for fermentation control, Circuit breakers on every output leg that I have had on the shelf for a while are in, fuse holder for 5V, 12V, *and BCS output* is waiting to go in next... then not only do I have safety, I can just take fuse out and put ammeter probes on to test what it is putting out... oh, wait, this should be going in a new thread....

panel 20111108s.jpg (100 KiB) Viewed 5234 times

[clearwaterbrewer]

I've always taken the approach of not powering anything from the BCS. I only use the outputs for triggers to either SSR relays or an external relay board that has darlington transistors built in. The relay boards with darlingtons use their own power supply to power the relay coils and only a few milliamps from the BCS are needed to trigger them.

I am looking at my pictures for the wireless thread, and I did have the relay boards on the separate 5V power supply.. In the pictures I have there is only 1 wire in the BCS 5VDC terminal, and I know where that goes, the 3 555PWM timers, which drew only 10mA total when not driving SSR's.. I will measure again when I get it back with SSR's being driven.....

hmmm kinda shoots that reason for dying...

[clearwaterbrewer]

Got the BCS back Yesterday, shoe-horned it in the panel, programmed it for my rearranged wiring, and brewed a batch of Hefeweizen this afternoon... zero issues..

Thanks ECC!