Condensing my Boil Process Down

Describe your system and processes, and post your config file.
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kdog_x
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Condensing my Boil Process Down

Post by kdog_x »

The way I currently have my BCS set up I have 2 processes dedicated to sparge / boil, I would like to condense it down to one if possible, but I'm not sure what the best way to go about it is. The issue I'm running into is with the 4 timers. The way I have it set up when the first timer counts down it's time to add the first hopping and the alarm goes off. Then the 2nd timer starts counting, 3rd, 4th. Some of my IPA's have 7 hoppings so I have it set up to kick over to the next process when the 4th timer expires. Is there any way to accomplish this without kicking it over to the next process?

The other thing is for brews with only 2 or 3 hoppings, I set the values for the first 5 hoppings to zero and then click the "next state" hard wired button however many times I need to get to a count down. If there was any way to make it just automatically skip those hoppings with a time of 0 that would be great as well, I know I can make it automatically jump to the next step, but the process is written so the alarm goes off since the notification is necessary when there is actually a hopping.

If that doesn't make sense, I can post the config file :)
JonW
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Re: Condensing my Boil Process Down

Post by JonW »

You can re-use timers at each state, so each hop time can reset as the states progress. I personally use one process just for additions. I have a boil process that once it reaches boil, then the boil process kicks off the hop addition process. I feel it is cleaner and easier to manage with separate processes as your boil process really doesn't change except for maybe changing the time from something like a 60 or 90 minute boil. The hop schedule though probably changes with every beer.

Take a look at the demo BCS units for an example (demo #3).
kdog_x
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Re: Condensing my Boil Process Down

Post by kdog_x »

Where do I find the demo BCS units? Are you referring to the configuration examples in the users guide? If so, it appears to list 3 examples but only the first one shows up.

Is there any way to reuse the timers when using recipe builder? If I call the timers HopAdditon1 HopAddition2 HopAddition3 HopAddition4, I can really only set 4 times from the recipe builder before it would just overwrite the first value
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Re: Condensing my Boil Process Down

Post by JonW »

http://demo.embeddedcc.com
There are BCS-482, BCS-460 & BCS-462 models available online for testing configs.
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oakbarn
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Re: Condensing my Boil Process Down

Post by oakbarn »

JonW wrote:
Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:38 am
You can re-use timers at each state, so each hop time can reset as the states progress. I personally use one process just for additions. I have a boil process that once it reaches boil, then the boil process kicks off the hop addition process. I feel it is cleaner and easier to manage with separate processes as your boil process really doesn't change except for maybe changing the time from something like a 60 or 90 minute boil. The hop schedule though probably changes with every beer.

Take a look at the demo BCS units for an example (demo #3).
Due to JonW suggestion(many moons ago) about a different Process for Hops vs Boil, I have done that as well. My boil is set for every batch (90 minutes) I make and I just restore (only the Hop Process) or change my Hop Process for a different brew profile. I have a Hop Profile for each Brew I repeat and make one from Scratch for a new Hop Profile. I do have two standard Hop Profiles where the Bitter is either 90 or 60 minute. The Flavor are always 15 minutes. That being said, I have an complex brew this Sunday that will require a New Profile that is unique to that Profile including some Steeped Grain Addition. By having the Hop/Adjunct as a different Profile, you only need to edit that Process. Thanks JonW! :ugeek: It works very well.
jptweb64
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Re: Condensing my Boil Process Down

Post by jptweb64 »

Found this thread while searching for configuration examples for BCS-482. I've never used any BCS before and all of the examples that I can find are for earlier versions. This thread includes a demo unit 482 which has a very (at least to me) complex system. Are there any examples that are more typical for home brew set ups - i.e. HLT, HERMS, Mash Boil, Water Pump and Wort Pump? Sorry if I sound ignorant but I'm not a programmer. For me, a simple example that I can build from would work well. I can set up simple operations like heat to strike and hold but haven't found success getting an alarm to stop ringing, getting the input button to work or to get timers to work.
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