The RGB - World's Most Advanced eParrot

[Edwin Croissant]

It's a CSV (comma separated values) file. you can open it with a text editor or excel or open office.

Data inside looks like this:

Code: [Select]

RUN_25.CSV 2017-10-10T22:13:58
40,1016.5,0,0,22.62,,0,22.11,,22.06
1041,1016.4,0,0,22.62,,0,22.12,,22.00
2041,1016.5,0,0,22.62,,0,22.12,,22.06
3041,1016.5,0,0,22.62,,0,22.12,,22.06
4041,1016.5,0,0,22.62,,0,22.12,,22.06
5041,1016.5,0,0,22.62,,0,22.12,,22.06
Got to make a description one day, not now
Busy with the next program version

[ketel3]

Thanks Edwin,
Aha I like that option,if I'm gona used it or not this makes it very complete.
Fine that the program evaluates,I hope to find my way true all the options.

The extra sensor with alarm for the cooling water temp is a very good extra.
I have one more option that I would like ,but first complete the build tomorrow.

@ what version are we now ? I have to check as my version is one of the first ones 
Rgds K3

[ShiFu]

....... what version are we now ? ....
Rgds K3

This is Edwin's github link that he updates often. It will have the most current version.

https://github.com/EdwinCroissant/eParrotRgbLcd

Or click here.

[ShiFu]

Welcome to our new forum.

We hope you enjoy your visit here!

[ketel3]

Has the boiler pressure sensor already been tested ?
I see the sensor has 4 wires    positive   negative  pressure   vacuum
So for our purpose we use only 3 wires ? as we doint need vacuum measurament ....  I ask this due the kind of connector that is needed.

[Edwin Croissant]

The sensor got 3 wires, 0V, 5V and output. If you got a four wire sensor it's one without a amplifier and not usable for this application.

The eParrot is tested with the appropriate sensor, needs only testing on a actual still.

[ketel3]

http://www.benl.ebay.be/itm/151301541615

Is that the right one?
Is they only way to determinate the 3 wires ?

[Edwin Croissant]

That is the one you can use. Pin designation is on underside of pcb.

[ketel3]

Thanks Edwin,I will implement it,first I will complete the connectors.

[ketel3]

Today I finished de sensor connectors,Shifu was right it is hard to get any sensor socket at all into the enclosure so I decided to use stereo jack 3.5 mm cables as I want a easy connection and everytime take the sensors out was not a option.

Here how it looks like,ready to do some testing.
EDIT : do NOT use this connectors due possible shortcut at moment you connect under load.

[ShiFu]

Very nice!

And I really like those connectors.

[ketel3]

Has someone tried the boiler pressure sensor already ?

[TOMBSTONE]

will the boiler pressure melt the plastic I'm the one you found. I'm guessing you connect two hoses to it. Also great job guys been away for a while. You have done a good job.

[Skannofen]

Hmm. I see from the specs that this sensor has some protection from media ("flouro silicone gel die coat"), https://www.mouser.com/ds/2/302/MPXV7002-1127332.pdf

Wonder if it this sensor would be able to read the differential pressure in the top vs bottom of a column?

That was one control favored by Herminio Brau in his continuous distillation setup in Costa Rica, way back.

[Edwin Croissant]

I think that the best way to connect the sensor to the boiler is with a 50 cm piece of silicon tube (2x4 mm) to a larger diameter vertical tubing on the boiler. I think that the air in the silicone tube will act as a separator between the sensor and the hot vapor. (please note that this is untested)
The larger vertical tubing is preferable transparent (PTFE?) so the operator can observe that the pressure connection to the boiler is not blocked by foam.

From memory:  Around 1880 Ernest Sorrel and  Savalle nearly got killed when a distillation column exploded prompting for the development and patent of a steam regulator that reduced the steam supply (that was used for heating) to the still when the pressure in the column increased. (source: A Short History of the Art of Distillation)

It is very important that the connection to the pressure sensor is not blocked. An anecdote:

To clean a large condenser on a ocean going ship both seawater in- and outlet-valves were closed. To check if the valves really were closed a pressure gauge was used to check the pressure in the condenser. To make sure, the pressure gauge was removed and it was observed that no water flowed out of the connection. One by one the nuts that held the cover in place were removed. The last couple of nuts came lose by themselves as one of the outboard valves was rusted through and the condenser was in direct contact with the sea. The engine room was completely flooded within an hour or so. It was found that rust blocked the connection to the pressure gauge.

Best practice is to loose all the nuts one turn at a time

 

[bluc]

so I bought two of these https://www.aliexpress.com/item/high-quality-One-set-UNO-R3-CH340G-MEGA328P-for-Arduino-UNO-R3-NO-USB-CABLE/32697443734.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.lAwT5Z what board should I be selecting in the ino? I have tried arduino mega and arduino uno both reakon the sketch is to big. Have I selected the wrong board in thew ino or been sold a dud?

[ketel3]

Today I implemented 2 improvements, to the eparrot.
The output temperature sensor ds one wire temp sensor replaced by a smt 172.
The pressure sensor implemented.
Cant wait till the next run to so see how they are, a barrel wash is fermenting nicely  to try everything out.

[ketel3]

For cables shorter then 3 meters the internal pull-up is enough. Not for the Mega though, you still need a 4k7 resistor. I think that the best place for the resistor is near the sensor. One thing I noticed is when the resistor is on the circuit board that a disconnected supply wire will make the sensor read a fixed temperature of 85 C.

Ed

After several changes I made to my setup like :
output sensor into smt172
boiler pressure sensor added
Boiler temp sensor into the liquid instead into the vapor pad.

Today the first run with this new setup,and after 2 minits vapor temp 2 alarm occured,after a reset  a few minutes later again the same alarm,and I kept resetting this alarm over and over again.
There was no temperature as reson the run just started so no reson for alarm.
Than I skipped the sensor,still the same vent 2 alarm after a few minutes ,sometimes after only 20 seconds.

I did not know what to do next,break off the run ? or keep resetting,I chosed the last option,after a few hours I was getting nuts from this alarm,Than I kept  the alarm  menu on for a while,HEALTY that was shown,together with the boiler pressure and both vent temperatures.
After again alarm suddenly I realized what was wrong , for just a small moment there where lines on the display where normaly the vapor2 alarm temp  should be ,and I realised the connection vapor sensor 2  to eparrot was a short time gone.
I remembered the discussion about to adding  a resistor 4,7 kilo ohm or not,I spoke to Edwin and he confirmed he had this problem before.
So I stopped the run added a 4,7 kilo ohm resistor from +5 volt to data from the vapor2 sensor and started the kettle again,gues what NO more alarm.

So if you ever have this problem add the resistor.

Just as extra info I have a home network for years with this ds sensors with lines up to 20 meters with no resistors and never ever had this problem.


By the way the boiler pressure sensor worked fantastic no false alarm at all,and I can advise to add it for extra safety.
Cheers K3

[ketel3]

Forgot to mention the boiler pressure readings:

Colum 150 cm filled with scubbers,total colum lenght 180 cm.
Under full reflux during stabilisation max   48 dpa
During normal use between 8 and 12 dpa.

[ShiFu]

Really good information, K3.
A one penny resistor to solve the problem, no need to try to do without it.

Good catch.