I finally finished building my control column (mark 1) and running a brew day with it. This certainly isn't as elegant as some of the integrations I've seen here, but for my brewery it does what I need. It also offers a lot of flexibility and allows me to easily change the configuration or move it inside for fermentation control.
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The basic column is a 4x4 mounted with angle brackets to 3/4" maple. There are three shelves, one for the grant, one for the herms chamber, and one for a laptop. The BCS sits on top of the column and is attached with industrial grade velcro. 4 outlet boxes are connected to the BCS using a cat 5 ethernet cable. Each contains an SSR and is wired so that the switch is an ON override. In the off position the BCS is in control, in the on position the receptacle is on. Each outlet box has a power cable leading to a Belkin multiplug. The multiplug runs through a GFCI and connects to an overhead house circuit. The laptop and BCS also connect to a different overhead circuit. This keeps me from overloading my 15 amp circuit which is close to the max with 2000W of heat sticks. The multiplug also has a Big Red Switch that will kill everything but the BCS and laptop. Below the multiplug is a dual level float switch from morebeer, with the switches in the grant. This controls the pump at the bottom of the column, which exits through the herms coil and back into the mash (top keg). Both the hot liquor tank and the mash tun empty into the grant, or the mash outlet can be redirected into the HLT or the boil kettle. There is a water filter attached to the back of the column as well. The pump and filter hang on nails for easy removal, and the BCS, multiplug, outlet boxes and float switch are all attached with velcro.
Currently I'm still using manual control until I get everything fully integrated. My temperature probes are in the HLT and the end of the recirculation hose entering the mash, plus I've stuck the other two in the grant and herms chamber just for now. The HLT is propane, but contains a 1000w bucket heater controlled by the BCS for small moves and maintaining temperature. The herms chamber also contains a BCS controlled 1000w bucket heater, plus a small aquarium pump to agitate the water. Since the main pump is controlled by the float switch it is not under BCS control. I do see some problems with this since the herms heater is associated with the mash return temp probe. When the pump is switched off the temp quickly drops, which I think will make precise PID control difficult. I try to match my flow rates so that it turns off as little as possible. There is a second pump on the cold side that I operate with the switch on the third outlet.
It still needs some work, but for now it gets everything off the floor and lets me run a pretty good brew.
