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Yes, the DIN compatibility seems to be the market differentiator.
But if you go through eBay you can halve that price (too late, no doubt)...

Cheers!
 
aeviaanah said:
i currently own one of these
https://www.amazon.com/ELECTRONICS-...&linkId=f1e37054b25e62324b490dac7fdc6537&th=1

Crane pointed out this one (which i found an 8 channel version).
https://www.amazon.com/JBtek-Channe...k+4+channel+dc+5v+relay&qid=1581131093&sr=8-4


Am i comparing apples to apples here? $50 vs $9? I understand the salon has DIN mount
Click to expand...

The amazon one is 5V coils and will switch using active low power inputs. The Electronic Salon is active high and 24V. The ES is a bit pricey in my opinion but certainly easier to use and install.
 
aeviaanah said:
i currently own one of these
https://www.amazon.com/ELECTRONICS-SALON-Mount-Power-Interface-Module/dp/B00M1MM4IQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1494201519&sr=8-13&keywords=electronics+salon+relay+board+12V&linkCode=sl1&tag=bruco-20&linkId=f1e37054b25e62324b490dac7fdc6537&th=1

Crane pointed out this one (which i found an 8 channel version).
https://www.amazon.com/JBtek-Channe...k+4+channel+dc+5v+relay&qid=1581131093&sr=8-4


Am i comparing apples to apples here? $50 vs $9? I understand the salon has DIN mount
Click to expand...

Also note the "Salon" board uses screw terminals for all connections both input and output. The cheaper board uses jumper pin connections on the input side. Not saying this an inferior setup, just lacks the consistency of terminal type on a single board and a need to introduce an additional type connector for use that's all.
 
I have used both and the Electronic Salon are what I like best. You can DIN rail mount any of them but the Electronic Salon one with the Carrier is nice. The Carriers vs screw on Din rails are very $$ different just on their own. I also like the fact they are High vs Low. I have used them for years without issues.
 
BrunDog said:
I think that switching screens and resolutions is an uncommon use case. The trade-off is that elements get lost off screen and then the user cannot access them. If one were enabled and needed to be disabled in a hurry, this could create a dangerous situation. So while I appreciate the request, I don’t think we would pursue this change.
Click to expand...
Even if I do not put on the External Monitor and use the reduced Screen, things still move and some of the are HIDDEN because they get under something that has a lower or higher Z. If I do not correct, I could have the exact issue of an Element being hidden and not able to turn off or access to it. This happens when I have the Script Window open. It does not happen 100% of the time but more than rare. Locking an Element would fix this. An even if my Screen switches back to the lower area, the extended is still accessible with scroll bars.
 
aeviaanah said:
i currently own one of these
https://www.amazon.com/ELECTRONICS-...&linkId=f1e37054b25e62324b490dac7fdc6537&th=1

Crane pointed out this one (which i found an 8 channel version).
https://www.amazon.com/JBtek-Channe...k+4+channel+dc+5v+relay&qid=1581131093&sr=8-4


Am i comparing apples to apples here? $50 vs $9? I understand the salon has DIN mount
Click to expand...
Another option, also $9, but has screw terminals all around.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LW2GA5Y/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_Q5VpEbNJXRJH6
 
Caveat with the CCS relay boards... when used in active high configurations, the trigger voltage expects to match the coil voltage. Therefore, for example, a 12V relay will not activate by a 5V input signal.

Electronic Salon boards do not have this issue. FYI!
 
BrunDog said:
Amazon seems flush. Where are you looking?

I’ve ordered off their website too. Though all of China is pretty shut down due to Corona.
Click to expand...

I was looking for 12 volt ones. I wanted an 8 channel dpdt Electronic Salon Relay Board. There were none. I ordered a 5 vdc version. There were 16 in stock. I wanted another and now none available. I thought about using two 8 channel spst relay and there are 10 of them in stock(right now) Forget EBay for the most part. Every store I checked said "Cannot respond to Orders, Off for Chinese New Year". I think the supply is diffidently short on Electronic Salon ones.

I can easily use 12 or 5 volt and could set up 24 vdc boards fairly easy, I have set up for 12 VCC boards. but can change to 5 vdc with one wire changed leaving the 12 vdc ones alone.

If I was looking for an Electronics Salon one, it might be time to strike.
 
RiverCityBrewer said:
To follow back up on this, bending the A4 and A5 pins out of the way slightly solved the issue. I do see the traces, but I had already seated the board.
Click to expand...
You're a life saver with this issue, I've been scratching my head on it since last night when I first noticed 4/5 were not allowing communication, bent pins back and I'm up and running without problems, Thanks!
 
It seems every 6 months I start thinking about automating my gear again.... However it looks like things change and there is new tech each time I revisit the idea. Can someone confirm for me, the Model UM-1-ME available on the brucontrol site makes extra power supplies and relay boards redundant i.e. Its all in the one unit now?
 
asparknz said:
It seems every 6 months I start thinking about automating my gear again.... However it looks like things change and there is new tech each time I revisit the idea. Can someone confirm for me, the Model UM-1-ME available on the brucontrol site makes extra power supplies and relay boards redundant i.e. Its all in the one unit now?
Click to expand...

Haha... welcome to the speed of tech! Yes, we made it to essentially eliminate the need for extra PS's and relays. Each of the 48 I/O can be a high current output... meaning you can drive devices directly. For example, a valve, a solenoid, a small pump, a relay (should you need it). Just need to mind current limits per output, driver, and bank.

We included a DC - DC converter on board to facilitate wiring. That said, with a 3.3V interface like the Grand Central, it makes life easy. With the 5V based MEGA interface, it's a little trickier. You can power the interface through the converter at 7-9V, but that means you can't use that voltage for anything else. Or you can power the interface through the converter at 5V, but that means that 5V should probably not be exposes elsewhere, since the MEGA's chip will be sensitive to noise on that line (decoupled or not). In a big system, I would still use a separate 5V power supply if you have devices outside the enclosure which need 5V. If not, then the converter at 5V should be fine alone.
 
Last edited:
BrunDog said:
Haha... welcome to the speed of tech! Yes, we made it to essentially eliminate the need for extra PS's and relays. Each of the 48 I/O can be a high current output... meaning you can drive devices directly. For example, a valve, a solenoid, a small pump, a relay (should you need it). Just need to mind current limits per output, driver, and bank.

We included a DC - DC converter on board to facilitate wiring. That said, with a 3.3V interface like the Grand Central, it makes life easy. With the 5V based MEGA interface, it's a little trickier. You can power the interface through the converter at 7-9V, but that means you can't use that voltage for anything else. Or you can power the interface through the converter at 5V, but that means that 5V should probably not be exposes elsewhere, since the MEGA's chip will be sensitive to noise on that line (decoupled or not). In a big system, I would still use a separate 5V power supply if you have devices outside the enclosure which need 5V. If not, then the converter at 5V should be fine alone.
Click to expand...

Just to make sure I'm picking up what you're putting down.

I have a 12v power supply. My plan was to wire this to the Vin pin of the MEGA Unishield but also use it to supply the on-board terminal of the Unishield.

This is an acceptable approach, right?
 
With the 12V PS... you can feed the power banks with it and switch 12V out to your devices. That's easy.

Where you need to make a decision, is the following 3 choices:

1. 12V to the Vin pin (as you noted). This will give 12V to the MEGA's regulator, which will reduce it down to 5V to power the MEGA, and any accessories which run off of it such as a network shield and anything tied to its 5V pin. Upside: free's up the onboard DC-DC converter to power other stuff. Downside: 5V regulator is limited in available extra power and has been known to overheat on certain models.

2. 12V to the Vs terminal (feed for the DC - DC converter). Set the converter to 5V output and set the power switch to VR -> 5V. This will power the MEGA directly and bypass its regulator. Upside: no regulator overheating and 5V power for days. Downside: Suggest that 5V is not shared outside the control enclosure for concern of picking up noise.

3. 12V to the Vs terminal (feed for the DC - DC converter). Set the converter to 7V output and set the power switch to VR -> Vin. This will feed the MEGA's regulator with a reduced voltage. Upside: no regulator overheating. Downside: 5V available is only that of the MEGA regulator, which is limited as noted above.

Sorry it's not that straightforward! It depends on if you need 5V for devices OTHER than the shield (for example, 1-wire sensors, flowmeters, etc). If not... go with option 2.
 
BrunDog said:
With the 12V PS... you can feed the power banks with it and switch 12V out to your devices. That's easy.

Where you need to make a decision, is the following 3 choices:

1. 12V to the Vin pin (as you noted). This will give 12V to the MEGA's regulator, which will reduce it down to 5V to power the MEGA, and any accessories which run off of it such as a network shield and anything tied to its 5V pin. Upside: free's up the onboard DC-DC converter to power other stuff. Downside: 5V regulator is limited in available extra power and has been known to overheat on certain models.

2. 12V to the Vs terminal (feed for the DC - DC converter). Set the converter to 5V output and set the power switch to VR -> 5V. This will power the MEGA directly and bypass its regulator. Upside: no regulator overheating and 5V power for days. Downside: Suggest that 5V is not shared outside the control enclosure for concern of picking up noise.

3. 12V to the Vs terminal (feed for the DC - DC converter). Set the converter to 7V output and set the power switch to VR -> Vin. This will feed the MEGA's regulator with a reduced voltage. Upside: no regulator overheating. Downside: 5V available is only that of the MEGA regulator, which is limited as noted above.

Sorry it's not that straightforward! It depends on if you need 5V for devices OTHER than the shield (for example, 1-wire sensors, flowmeters, etc). If not... go with option 2.
Click to expand...
I do not quite understand the above. I was planning on running the TF3 5 vdc from the unishield because of the AREF. Since the TF3s will be in the same enclosure. Option 2 or 3 good. Is there any advantage between 2 and 3, as they seem to have the same same restrictions, advantages.
 
oakbarn said:
I do not quite understand the above. I was planning on running the TF3 5 vdc from the unishield because of the AREF. Since the TF3s will be in the same enclosure. Option 2 or 3 good. Is there any advantage between 2 and 3, as they seem to have the same same restrictions, advantages.
Click to expand...

Use 2... as long as you don't get any noise you should be fine. If you do, we can work around it.

To be honest, we just can't predict what will happen in every installation since there is a lot of system variation. We are trying to be conservative here and ensure good performance!
 
BrunDog said:
With the 12V PS... you can feed the power banks with it and switch 12V out to your devices. That's easy.

Where you need to make a decision, is the following 3 choices:

1. 12V to the Vin pin (as you noted). This will give 12V to the MEGA's regulator, which will reduce it down to 5V to power the MEGA, and any accessories which run off of it such as a network shield and anything tied to its 5V pin. Upside: free's up the onboard DC-DC converter to power other stuff. Downside: 5V regulator is limited in available extra power and has been known to overheat on certain models.

2. 12V to the Vs terminal (feed for the DC - DC converter). Set the converter to 5V output and set the power switch to VR -> 5V. This will power the MEGA directly and bypass its regulator. Upside: no regulator overheating and 5V power for days. Downside: Suggest that 5V is not shared outside the control enclosure for concern of picking up noise.

3. 12V to the Vs terminal (feed for the DC - DC converter). Set the converter to 7V output and set the power switch to VR -> Vin. This will feed the MEGA's regulator with a reduced voltage. Upside: no regulator overheating. Downside: 5V available is only that of the MEGA regulator, which is limited as noted above.

Sorry it's not that straightforward! It depends on if you need 5V for devices OTHER than the shield (for example, 1-wire sensors, flowmeters, etc). If not... go with option 2.
Click to expand...
How do these recs change if you go for the Grand Central option over the MEGA?
 
Thanks. I will use option 2. I am getting the wiring completed. I was ready then I found an 8 channel DPDT Electronics Salon 12 VCC. I had purchased a 5 vdc one but since everything else in that enclosure is 12 volts, I have to wait to Tuesday to get one enclosure done. I am also trying to modify/assemble a screw shield for a RobotShop EtherMega. The ones I had had a reset button right where the RJ45 is on the Mega. Laying out the TF3s and RTDs and Mega in o different enclosure.
 
smort said:
Set up a "http in" node, chose method "POST" and in url you set the address for example /brewfather. The endpoint address is now http://yournoderedipaddress:1880/brewfather. Then you can test it by using the postman app. Brewfather only supports https endpoints so next is to make your node red installation https. I am using nginx and letsencrypt but it should be possible to make it https from the config file.

Edit: you must enable CORS also, i think its done in the config file
Click to expand...

@smort ser du er ifra Norge kan du hjelpe meg med og få Brewfather oppskrifter inn i Brucontrol? Kan jeg nå deg på Facebook?
 
Nothing Google Translate can't approximate:
"see you are from Norway can you help me get Brewfather recipes into Brucontrol? Can I reach you on Facebook?"

Cheers! (It's like Star Trek and the universal translator :D)
 
Tom Joar said:
@smort ser du er ifra Norge kan du hjelpe meg med og få Brewfather oppskrifter inn i Brucontrol? Kan jeg nå deg på Facebook?
Click to expand...
smort said:
Set up a "http in" node, chose method "POST" and in url you set the address for example /brewfather. The endpoint address is now http://yournoderedipaddress:1880/brewfather. Then you can test it by using the postman app. Brewfather only supports https endpoints so next is to make your node red installation https. I am using nginx and letsencrypt but it should be possible to make it https from the config file.

Edit: you must enable CORS also, i think its done in the config file
Click to expand...

@smort see you are from Norway can you help me and get Brewfather's recipes into Brucontrol? Can I reach you on Facebook?
Best Regards
Tom Joar
 
smort said:
@BrunDog, there is something weird with PID on the Mega. Just changed my temp sensor, SSR output and PID from a Feather to a Mega (45E) and its behaving strange, and not as it did on the Feather. For example direct mode, Kp=1, Ki=0, Kd=0, temp 15, target 0 gives output 255. Changed Kp to 0.01 and then output is 27 at target=0. The output should be zero as long as its proportional only and PV is above setpoint?
Click to expand...

Hi all,

@smort is correct here (as always). There is an issue for PIDs referencing analog inputs (not 1-wire or RTD). We will fix this and issue a new FW no later than Friday this week. Thank you for letting us know smort!
 
Just to clarify I'm not missing something, the only way to run my PID input temp from my temp averaging script inspector is to write another script for this correct?
 
Guys I read this thread from time to time and it seems this controller has a lot of problems. The control panel I built uses the EasyBoil and never has an issue (knock on wood). True I don't have wireless interface/control but I don't need it. Is it really this problematic or just seems like it?
 
Interesting take. I follow this thread daily and would not come to the same conclusion.

This system is incredibly capable, and the thread is loaded with a multitude of different ways to do things. That versatility can challenge release testing - nobody is going to put together a regression testing system that incorporates every possible thing BruControl can handle in every possible manner.

Most of what I see is the integration of different and/or new components. That's all good, and it's clear the authors are exceptionally responsive to adding new capabilities.

Honestly, if I was looking to automate my hot-side processes, it'd be using BruControl hands down, simply because of the evident earnestness of the effort...

Cheers!
 
Brewbuzzard said:
Guys I read this thread from time to time and it seems this controller has a lot of problems. The control panel I built uses the EasyBoil and never has an issue (knock on wood). True I don't have wireless interface/control but I don't need it. Is it really this problematic or just seems like it?
Click to expand...

If people used it in place of an easy boil it would never have problems either. That’s like comparing a stone tablet to a super computer.

But people use it for everything under the sun and then some.

For instance I just did this with it.






Can your ezboil do that?! [emoji3]
 
Well I figured there had to be something to it else so many people wouldn't be using it. When I was in product development at Nortel we tried to have all bugs cleared before releasing to market. Of course there will always be surprises at first. This gadget doesn't cost several million either, people tend to get a little upset with that price tag.
Prost
 
Brewbuzzard said:
Well I figured there had to be something to it else so many people wouldn't be using it. When I was in product development at Nortel we tried to have all bugs cleared before releasing to market. Of course there will always be surprises at first. This gadget doesn't cost several million either, people tend to get a little upset with that price tag.
Prost
Click to expand...

Well, Nortel has more specific product focus than this (ISP guy here). This is a wide open canvas, with unlimited options. You can’t test for options you don’t know exist. This is also some “guys” side deal. This is not a billion dollar business.
 
Amen. We are lucky to have this. It can do almost anything with brewing or watering your garden. One of its strengths is also a weakness: You can use different micros and for the price, it it very fabulous.

Since it is a growing product, there will be hiccups. Since there is not a dedicated hardware that is limited and rarely ( if ever) changed, there will likely be small issues ongoing. That being said, they are taken care of in a good fashion and since there are not 1000s of beta testers, we all become those testers. I can live with that.
 
Also at Nortel if you run into a problem you'll sit on hold, then finally talk to someone about your problem only to be more frustrated than when you first had the problem. Here, you have multiple people that can help you, which typically seems to be user error or inability to read the user manual if there's a problem, but if it's not and it's a flaw in the program BrunDog is quite responsive and been more than helpful. I ran an Ezboil for around a year and from the day I fired it up, I knew I needed more automation in my life. Once you go down this path you'll start to automate everything in your brewery, and house for that matter, I now fill my home water jugs automatically to the mL, and my espresso grinder is part of BruControl now.
 

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