Beerboy - Homebrewing Automation

Beerboy is an Arduino based open source brewing controller for homebrewers.

Functionalities

It's for a single Input / single Output system. It's perfect for BIAB systems. "Beerboy" can be used also for classic ALL GRAIN just by swapping the plug of the heating element of the mash kettle with the one of the boil kettle (you'll also need to move the temperature probe in the boil kettle). If your AG system has a sparge kettle/pot this controller can't manage it.

It can be used in two modes:

• AUTO
• MANUAL
• PID or ON/OFF

AUTO

Everything is set before the start of the brewday. The mash temperature is controlled by a PID algorithm. In sequence you can set up :

1. Number of mash steps
2. Temperature in °C and time in minutes of each step of the mash
3. Sparge time in minutes
4. Boil duration in minutes
5. Number of hop jetty
6. Time of each hop jetty
7. Hopstand duration in minutes
8. Hopstand temperature in °C
9. Pitching temperature

With auto mode it's also possible to choose your chilling method. If an IMMERSION CHILLER is used, a piece of code needs to be changed. Doing this the wort temperature is going to be printed during the chilling phase.

bool immersionChiller = 1;//Set to "1" if you use IMMERSION CHILLER. Set to "0" if others

MANUAL

It's like a classic temperature PID controller. You can olny set the temperature desired and change it whenever you want.

PID or ON/Off

This option can change the heating algorithm. You can decide to use a PID algorithm or a classic ON/OFF algorithm to pilot the SSR.

Hardware components

• Arduino Uno R3 (or equivalent) x 1
• Buzzer x 1
• Button x 3
• Display LCD 16x2 x 1
• Temperature probe DS18B20 x 1
• Wires
• Resistor 10 kOhm x 3 [buttons] - PIN 8 9 10
• Resistor 2 kOhm x 1 [LCD frontlight] - PIN v0
• Resistor 220 Ohm x 1 [LCD backlight] - PIN A
• Resistor 100 Ohm x 1 [buzzer] - PIN Ground (-)
• Resistor 4.7 kOhm x 1 [DS18B20] - PIN 13
• SSR 25A / 40A x 1
• Relay 12V x 1

Tuning PID parameters

Before the first batch with this controller it's necessary to tune the 3 parameters of the PID controller : KI , KD, KP. Fill up the mash tun with the same liters of water usually used for the brew. Select MANUAL MODE on the controller and while the arduino board is connected to your PC and the Serial monitor is opend set new tuning parameters following these steps:

1. Set all gains to zero except KP.
2. Increase the P gain until the response to a disturbance is steady oscillation.
3. Increase the D gain until the the oscillations go away (i.e. it's critically damped).
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until increasing the D gain does not stop the oscillations.
5. Set P and D to the last stable values.
6. Increase the I gain until it brings you to the setpoint with the number of oscillations desired (normally zero but a quicker response can be had if you don't mind a couple oscillations of overshoot)

[ The image has the only scope to show how parameters work and those values are just an example ]

The piece of code to set:

//Specify the links and initial tuning parameters
double Kp=1, Ki=0, Kd=0;

Wiring instructions

That's the precise scheme. AC Input should be your main plug. AC Output should be your heating element. This image is incomplete since V 1.2.1

My setup

Video demonstration

work in progress / coming soon

Version

V 1.2.1

About

Beerboy is a brewing controller developed by Alberto M. Ramagini.

• E-mail : alberto.ramagini@gmail.com
• PayPal : www.paypal.me/albertoramagini