Bcs 462 Control panel for 5bbl brewery, need some advice...

Discussion of the physical aspects
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PaWa
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Bcs 462 Control panel for 5bbl brewery, need some advice...

Post by PaWa »

Hello all!

Ok so im starting a small commercial brewery with a 5bbl DME brewhouse configured with:
5kW electric HLT (yeah freakin small power but that’s what came with it...)
300K BTU Propane fired boil kettle, (similar to an economite 300 burner)
im also adding a 6kW rims
and 2 240V 1hp sanitary pump,

I choose to go with a bcs-462 control system for the nice features, easy of use and future expandability (like easy adding electric valve and automation...)
But im facing some problem designing my system, their is a lot out there for homebrewing setup but not much for system of that size...

im almost done with choosing my system components but still need some advices to be sure i make realistic choices...

i know a lot of brewers have engineering background, but im more from biochemistry and microbiology, so all this take me a lot of time and energy to figure out so some help would be greatly appreciated...!

ok so...

1- I like the idea of having illuminated 3-way switch for my pumps and elements, so instead of punching 3 hole in my enclosure for each component i only make one... I was considering those:
https://www.oscsys.com/store/product/278
they are affordable and i buy stuffs there for my system...
what confuse me is the technical specifications: https://www.oscsys.com/sites/default/fi ... f-Auto.jpg
that state that the controller output to send in is (+) 12 VDC, i know that the outs from the BCS is 5 VDC, so is that mean that those switch are not compatible with the BCS? or is there a way around this? or another similar product known to work with the BCS?
I will also have a din mount 12VDC supply in my panel for all the dc powering like lights and switch and bcs (with transformer), if it can help the question... (https://www.oscsys.com/store/product/1001762)

2- im also questioned about the relays configuration of my elements and pumps circuits, well for the elements its not big deal, both are around the same size as homebrewing elements so i will go the classic route :
220V breaker » 220V contactor » SSR Relay 40A and a 3-way switch to go from auto to manual mode...
For the pumps its another story, since its 240V 5.4A pumps i did not found any schematic over the web that helped me on this, so what i was thinking is:
»a 2 pole 30A breaker that would split to the 2 pumps circuits » then i need to chose the best relay option to fire up the pump and switch between auto and manual... is it best to have a SSR or a 2 pole contactor ? or something else would be better ?

3- last thing (for now...) is my propane burner control, its a simple 120V operated forced air burner like an economite 300 like this: http://www.midcointernational.com/produ ... nomite_ec/
so to wire it i was considering about the same thing, a 1 pole 10A breaker, then some kind of relay hoked to a 3-way switch then to the burner...
so same question there, what would be the best kind of relay to use there? SSR, contactor, or something else?

what about those? : https://www.oscsys.com/store/product/DI ... lay-Module

ok so ill keep it there, enough long i think...
thanks a lot to anybody who would help me out with this!

and anybody have some schematic laying around for a system like that?

And if someone read this from Québec Canada, and want to help out in person, come to the micro-brewey in Val-david well have a lot of fun designing system, brewing and drinkin good beer, plus reward if needed... ;)

Thanks!

Patrick.
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oakbarn
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Re: Bcs 462 Control panel for 5bbl brewery, need some advice

Post by oakbarn »

You really have not explained what you want to do with the switches for your pumps and heaters.

You can find 120 vac switches at Aubrins that you can put between the SSR (controlled by an Out on the BCS 462) that is more like a Kill switch rather than control (although as long as the Out is asserted (on), it acts like a normal switch. You can get illuminated ones that show when a pump has power. (A pump may have power but not pumping depending on the type of pump, some can cavitate). The same with an element, but know that a controlled element my cycle causing the light to blink depending on the settings you have made.
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oakbarn
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Re: Bcs 462 Control panel for 5bbl brewery, need some advice

Post by oakbarn »

If you just want to see if a pump or element has power, these work well

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_ ... cts_id=248


If you want one with a switch, these push button ones are what I use. I just have the switch between the SSR and the Pump. Both the Out on the BCS must be asserted (on) and the switch depressed fro the pump to have power. Very similar except that you can automate the pump action. The fact that the light comes on when the pump is powered is nice. I normally leave the switch depressed and control the pump with the BCS, but can do it semi manually if needed (The Out must be asserted).

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_ ... cts_id=223
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