Building a BrewTroller kit [with photos and writeup]

[Nermal]

Built my BrewTroller kit at the weekend.



It was a bit challenging to solder it all together and the instructions were sparse to say the least but it worked first time - very satisfying

I've done a writeup of the build with more information and bigger pictures.

Next step is to wire up the SSRs and get it controlling my HLT temperature

[OldSpeckledBadger]

That looks like an interesting project

[Nermal]

Building the power control system now.

4 SSRs (2 for boiler, 1 for HLT and 1 for pump), and an 8 relay board for the valves.
3 power in sockets - 2 for the boiler, 1 for the HLT and pump.

SSRs will be fan cooled

Still to go in are the fans, the valve connectors, the data connectors to the brewtroller and all the wiring.

[garwatts]

Building the power control system now.

4 SSRs (2 for boiler, 1 for HLT and 1 for pump), and an 8 relay board for the valves.
3 power in sockets - 2 for the boiler, 1 for the HLT and pump.

SSRs will be fan cooled

Still to go in are the fans, the valve connectors, the data connectors to the brewtroller and all the wiring.

When do you find time to brew?
Nice piece of work.

[Nermal]

When do you find time to brew?

On the weekends I'm not working on this Still got to make a permanent brew stand for it so it's going to be looking like christmas when it's done.

[dogchillibilly]

Looks really interesting Theres nothing like a new bit of tech, especially if you've built it yourself!

Please post more picks when you have completed stage 2. I'd love to watch it coming together

[Toby]

See your relay board arrived, my brass barbed connectors have arrived so will start putting the pressure sensors together when the steel tubing arrives (hopefully today). Which case is that you are using for the SSR's?

[steve_flack]

Built my
I've [url=http://www.nermal.org/projects/brewing/ ... ewtroller/]done a writeup of the build with more information and bigger pictures.

Nermal, do you have pictures of naked ladies on your site? It comes up as blocked by Sonicwall here at work - reason 'Pornography'

[Scooby]

There's a stack of techie porn

[Nermal]

See your relay board arrived, my brass barbed connectors have arrived so will start putting the pressure sensors together when the steel tubing arrives (hopefully today). Which case is that you are using for the SSR's?

I'm using one from Maplin - http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=25154 - code YM92A

Nermal, do you have pictures of naked ladies on your site? It comes up as blocked by Sonicwall here at work - reason 'Pornography'

Erm - nope - maybe contact IT and tell them to unblock it

[Toby]

Thanks Nermal, ordered. I brewed this weekend with it in Brew Monitor mode, reasonable successful apart from I tripped the power at one point with the two elements. I am going to have to get an electrician in to install some more power points.
Planning to get the pressure sensors working this weekend and make a start with the big plumbing (i.e. valves), but that is dependant on getting some time off from parental duty.

Did the ports I sent fit the pressure sensors okay?

[Toby]

I managed to finish the wiring and plumbing over the weekend (well apart from the pressure sensors) so did a trial run with water, did not want to risk grain and it was late). It all worked, not completely automated as the current code base has a number of break steps for manual intervention, but bloody hell it works.
I'll get the pressure sensors sorted during the week and once the plumber turns up it should pretty much automate the entire process.

[Nermal]

I managed to finish the wiring and plumbing over the weekend (well apart from the pressure sensors) so did a trial run with water, did not want to risk grain and it was late). It all worked, not completely automated as the current code base has a number of break steps for manual intervention, but bloody hell it works.
I'll get the pressure sensors sorted during the week and once the plumber turns up it should pretty much automate the entire process.

Nice one Toby - I'm currently waiting to get the temperature probes, plus I need to buy / make a brewstand and find somewhere to put it. Think you're quite a long way ahead of me Pics would of your finished setup would be great

[Toby]

Finished my 2nd brew using the BrewTroller and it went a lot smoother than the 1st one, not quite press the button and walk away, but required minimal baby sitting during the process. Overall very happy with the kit and set up, takes a bit of faith and getting used to, but thoroughly recommend. I've got 80 Litres of TTL just starting to bubble.
Negatives are the clean up time is increased due to the amount of plumbing, but it was just a case of putting some sanitizer in the HLT and running it through a cut down cycle (without heat) to make sure it flushed through all the pipes, valves and pumps.