First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Describe your system and processes, and post your config file.
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BrewKaiser
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First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Post by BrewKaiser »

After quite a long time of planning and fabricating I can finally see the light at the end of the brewery tunnel. I've gotten around to completing my first pass of programming the BCS 462. Attached is a spreadsheet overview of my processes and states. I found this to be the best way for me to keep everything straight and in one view.

I tried to also attached the .json backup file but the forum gives me an error when trying to do so. Is there another way to upload and share the program.

Here's a brief overview of my system (pic attached).
3 Bottom Drain Keggles with HEX
240V / 50 Amp
HLT - 4500 ULWD element
HEX - 2000 LWD element
BK - 5500 ULWD element
4 Temp Probes: HLT, MLTRtn (at return port to MLT), MLT (lower down in MLT), and BK
3 Float switches: HLT, HEX, and BK
Two Pumps

Brew Day Process Flow:
1) Heat Strike by circulating 17 Gal of water HLT->HEXbody->HLT ("HEXBody" being 3.5 gal capacity of the cylinder, not the HERMs coil inside). Both HLT and HEX elements on
2) At strike Temp, shut valves to HEX body: A) Maintain HLT strike temp with HLT element set to PID, B) maintain HEX water volume with HEX element set to duty cycle at 25%. This later is a guess here. I have no temp probe in the HEX. The transition from hitting strike temp to dough-in should not be more than 5 minutes.
3) Dough-in: transfer volume of strike water from HLT to MLT. Start pumps and re-circ HERMs
4) Cook Mash: initially single infusion, I'll add more states for step mash later. HEX Element and Pump1 doing HERMs
5) Heat Sparge: approx 15 minute left in the mash heat the HLT sparge water. HLT element only
6) Mash Out: Increase HEX element to 168. Exit to Sparge
7) Sparge: Plan for 45 min sparge initially. May increase to 1 hr. Maintain Sparge temp in HLT for first 30 min. Then kill HLT and HEX elements for last 15 min of sparge.
8) Pre-Heat Boil: with 15 min left in sparge, fire BK Element. Set temp to 206
9) Kill Sparge raise to boil: target temp of 210 to control overboil
10) Boil 60 to 90 min: set temp to 212 for boil (may have to lower).
11) Sanitize Coil: Run boiling wort back trough HEX HERMs coil for 6-8 min
12) Whirpool: kill BK Element, and whirlpool
13) Extended Hop Stands: circ hot wort through HERMs coil while circulating cool tap water through HEX. Stop at 165*. Do extended hop stand
14) Cool wort: circ ice cold water HLT-HEX-HLT. Circ wort through HEX HERMs coil. Use BK Temp probe to determine when cooled to 62*
15) Pump wort to fermenters.

This is phase one of my build. Next steps will be conical fermenters with glycol and automated valves, but first want to get a good feel for the system and get a few brews under my belt before going further.

Thanks in advance.
Attachments
BCS Programming Overview.xlsx
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KB-med.JPG
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JonW
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Re: First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Post by JonW »

One thing that helps with some of the visualization is to set your processes to always display. That way on the main BCS screen, you can see all the processes and states at once. It makes it nice to see the whole picture of what steps your processes are going to do.

You could upload your JSON file if you changed the extension to TXT. Some screenshots of your process/state layout from the main page would likely help too.
BrewKaiser
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Re: First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Post by BrewKaiser »

Thanks Jon.

I changed back up file extension from .json to .txt

Hope that helps. In any case, any help and feedback is welcome.

I reset display from "when running" to "always on". I'll give that a try on my first brew day.

Also, in the Process Editor, under "Output Control (Direct On/Off)" the only output that ever appears is Alarm.
Attachments
KB-BCS_3-6-17.txt
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oakbarn
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Re: First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Post by oakbarn »

Process Heat Strike
State Heat to 155
Exit DIN Input

Why not just exit on Temp instead of an DIN by you?

Also you might change the name to Heat to Strike. That way, when you use the recipe Utility of simply do a different brew, you are not : Heating to 155.


You could also use a Timer to figure out How long it took to get to temp


State XFR to MLT. Are you moving water from your HLT to the MLT? If so, you may not want the HLT firing as you may go below the Element.



In your Sparge Process your timers are not running

In the Boil Process , you may want Duty Cycle vs PID. I do not have an Electric Brew Kettle so someone should chime in.'


Good start but you are using a DIN when you do not have to. I have a DIN named "Next State" that I use as an addition Exit so I can move to the next state, but only use it on something like your "dough in" that is a manual step.
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Re: First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Post by BrewKaiser »

Thanks Oakbarn.

I appreciate your taking the time to review my initial attempt at programming and for your suggestions. Brundog also helped me quite a bit and I've made a few changes. Namely using Direct On for my HLT and BK elements during initial heating states rather than PID.

"Why not just exit on Temp instead of an DIN by you?": All my valves are manual and I've yet to brew on the set up. I thought it best to step through a few processes manually first.

"Also you might change the name to Heat to Strike.": Indeed! Wish there was to a way to move states up and down in order rather than having to rename and change them. I know it's not necessary, just the anal German in me seeking order...

"State XFR to MLT": Yes. I have a float in the HLT that will kill the element should the water level get too low. I may just continue to heat the water with my HEX element as it moves from HLT to MLT. I sprayed a ceramic insulation coating on my keggles and HEX. It helps maintain heat so I likely don't need the HLT element on while transferring.

I'm playing around with the sparge and whirlpool timers.

"In the Boil Process": Yes. I've already been advised to use Duty Cycle instead of PID for boil operations. I now have pre-boil using a Direct On configuration until 206*, then PID for Bring to Boil (approx 210*, then Duty for boil itself.
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oakbarn
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Re: First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Post by oakbarn »

BrewKaiser wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:58 am
I appreciate your taking the time to review my initial attempt at programming and for your suggestions. Brundog also helped me quite a bit and I've made a few changes. Namely using Direct On for my HLT and BK elements during initial heating states rather than PID.
I have tried both and does not make a big difference PID vs Direct On.
BrewKaiser wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:58 am
"Why not just exit on Temp instead of an DIN by you?": All my valves are manual and I've yet to brew on the set up. I thought it best to step through a few processes manually first.
I have manual steps but I still Exit on Temp or Time when Possible I do have the Alarm Loop when I need to do something. I do have a Toggle Switch Named Next State that I do use to move the Steps (States).

For example my Mash Process
StikeMash.png
StikeMash.png (45.28 KiB) Viewed 82705 times
BrewKaiser wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:58 am
"Also you might change the name to Heat to Strike.": Indeed! Wish there was to a way to move states up and down in order rather than having to rename and change them. I know it's not necessary, just the anal German in me seeking order...
Try the Manipulator:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/atyxbx69c8ykr ... 0.pdf?dl=0

http://manipulator.from-ca.com/

You can move States with out renaming You must check exit conditions and Timers!
brahn
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Re: First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Post by brahn »

oakbarn wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:55 pm
BrewKaiser wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:58 am
"Also you might change the name to Heat to Strike.": Indeed! Wish there was to a way to move states up and down in order rather than having to rename and change them. I know it's not necessary, just the anal German in me seeking order...
Try the Manipulator:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/atyxbx69c8ykr ... 0.pdf?dl=0

http://manipulator.from-ca.com/

You can move States with out renaming You must check exit conditions and Timers!
The standard backup/restore utility allows you to move states around as well.
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oakbarn
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Re: First Pass at Program - Would Appreciate Reviews and Advice

Post by oakbarn »

brahn wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:45 pm
The standard backup/restore utility allows you to move states around as well.
I know how to move a Process with the Restore but I do not see a method to move States within a Process. The Manipulator by bbrally is a little more complicated to use than the Backup/Restore if you are just moving a Process although you can graphically see what you are doing a little better. How do you move States in the Restore?
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