BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

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brahn
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BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by brahn »

For information about version 4.0 and the public betas, please see the post announcing 4.0 Public Beta 1. All information included in that post is still relevant to this release.

Please Note: Public Beta 3 fixes a significant bug in the PID functionality in the earlier 4.0 builds. Please update to Public Beta 3 if you are using the PID mode.

Attached to this post is Public Beta 3 which has resolved the following issues from Public Beta 2:
  • Make process rename work if enter is pressed instead of tab. closes #181
  • Fix to allow placing wires in ladder logic. closes #180
  • Fix data validation error using decimals in setpoints. Closes #179
  • Do not trigger first state's alarm when starting process via main ui page. closes #183
  • Handle negative timer values in exit conditions. closes #184
  • Align subsections on settings page
  • Fix PID implementation. closes #185
  • Perform pseudo-oversampling on temperatures. Smoothes out temperature values and looks more like the values from 3.x.
  • Fixes for the temp setpoint adjust page. fixes #186
  • Move port setting so it is clear that it is not associated with using DHCP. closes #187
This build can be identified by the version number: 4.0.0 build 464d00f on the Settings page.
Attachments
bcs460.bin
BCS 4.0.0 Public Beta 3
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JonW
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by JonW »

The utility applications provide tools for migrating from 3.x configurations, backup/restore, and a simple recipe tool to make it easy to change variables between batches. A PID Tuning tool is in the works, and a very cool temperature probe calibration tool has been developed by forum user bbrally.

A good starting point for the utilities is the config migrator: https://embeddedcc.github.io/bcs-config-migrator/
bbrally's temperature probe coefficient calculator utility is available here: http://bbrally.from-ca.com/

If you are interested in developing software to extend the BCS functionality, please check out our GIthub page: https://github.com/embeddedcc/

The initial 4.x API docs are available here: http://www.embeddedcc.com/api-docs/ There will be some changes to the API as version 4.x is finalized.
philsohn
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by philsohn »

Thanks for the update. I was just starting a brew, so I upgraded right away.

The recipes utility still isn't working for me in either Chrome or IE. I just spins on "Loading data from BCS..." Backup/Restore work fine though.

Phil
brahn
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by brahn »

That's strange regarding the recipe utility. I admit that I haven't actually set up my brew system in the recipe utility, so I don't use it right now. I've got some planned upgrades coming for it now that we've gotten some of these bugs fixed in the firmware.
philsohn
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by philsohn »

If you want I will send you the Fiddler trace. (I'd rather not post it on the forum, and it doesn't look like PM can handle attachments.)

It stalls out at /api/process/1/state/1. The last packet is

{"name":"Mash + 6 degrees","timers":[{"used":true,"count_up":false,"init":54000,"preserve":false},{"used":false,"count_up":true,"init":0,"preserve":false},{"used":false,"count_up":true,"init":0,"preserve":false},{"used":false,"count_up":true,"init":0,"preserve":false}],"ramp":{"enable":false,"start":0,"end":1520,"time":0,"outputs":[1,1,0,0,0,0]},"process_spawn":[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0],"process_kill":[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0],"state_alarm":0,"email_alarm":false,"registers":[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]}

There is an uncaught TypeError reading 'split' and 'states'.
ChuckO2999
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by ChuckO2999 »

Yesterday was the first time that I used "Temp Setpoint Adjust" instead of "Process Editor" to change a step in my process. It seems that "Temp Setpoint Adjust" will only accept whole degree increments. This behavior was corrected with Beta 2 for the "Process Editor" but seems to have been missed here.

Other than that, everything that I have worked with seems great! Yesterday's brew session was the first one in a very long time that I didn't make any changes to the BCS except for raising a temperature setpoint.
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oakbarn
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by oakbarn »

I tried to use the Backup/Restore offline and it did not seem to work. As long as I am online it works fine. I downlaoded the html and opened it off line. It seems to start then just hangs. In some case I do not have internet without jumping through some hoops in my brewery. Any suggestions?
bzomerlei
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by bzomerlei »

Went through the update process to public beta 3. Had a few minutes where I thought I might have bricked the BCS; it seemed to have a problem with the TFTP process, then I could not see it on the network. Long story short, I had to make some DHCP changes on a wireless repeater to allow the BCS to get an address.

Now on to my comments about the BCS Backup utility:
  • It only seems to work if the device is using port 80 and there is no password.
  • I had a strange result with the Config Migrator, it changed a temp probe for some of the states in the Output Controls. No big deal, just need to step through all the states to validate the results.
Looking forward to brewing on this.
Brent
brahn
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by brahn »

I'm glad you got it up and running.

Yes, the Backup utility only works with authentication disabled. So far I've been unable to get the JavaScript library we're using working with authentication. I don't recall hearing about non-standard ports, but I'm not terribly surprised.

The temp probes and output controls are handled very differently between 3.x and 4.x. The migrator will try to restore them as best it can, but there may be some cases where it gets it wrong. I would also suggest checking the configuration after doing a migration, and then performing a backup.
astephon88
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Re: BCS 4.0 Public Beta 3

Post by astephon88 »

As of Beta 3 (and maybe even before, but I'm just now catching it since I've been brewing in warmer weather) the following explanation from the wiki of how the PID/PWM is implemented no longer seems to apply:
"For example, if the Min is set to 20%, and the output of the PID or Duty Cycle is 4%, the output will not turn on. It will only turn on when controlled above this point. This setting is used to limit the amount of switching, it is NOT a floor."

To exaggerate what is going on, I've set my minimum duty cycle to 99% and have the set point well below the current temperature. Watching the PID tuner, the PID is always calling for 99% output, and the BCS output essentially never turns off. When/why did this behavior change? I was using the minimum duty cycle to avoid damaging my honeywell gas valves from excessive cycling (as the statement "this setting is used to limit the amount of switching" seems to imply) and matching the amount of time it takes the pilot to light the burner, but now the setting appears to be establishing a floor.
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