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Digital timers
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chastuck




Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 193
Location: Beckenham, Kent, UK

Drinking: Bitter

Working on: IPA


PostLink    Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 12:25 am    Post subject: Digital timers Reply with quote


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I know that the Omega PTC-21 or the Eagle B506-5001 timer are the listed ones, but I have just bought a dirt-cheap Inkbird IDT-E2RH timer from Amazon for £18 to use in a small control panel for my Braumeister/HLT combo. The other timers are about £125 to get hold of in the UK. The Inkbird timer is brilliant, with two timers, a pause mode, reset mode, two relay outputs, and easy-set tact buttons. It is equally as good as the recommended timers at a much cheaper price. What's more, the digit colours are a very good match to the SYL 2352 PID.

The only drawback is the very poor instruction manual, which is a bad translation from Chinese. Having set up my Inkbird I am more than happy to give anyone a clearer description of how to get this thing going.
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ntassitani




Joined: 13 May 2016
Posts: 4



PostLink    Posted: Fri May 13, 2016 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you know how to wire up the inkbird timer? I've got the instructions for the omega from the electribrewery website but I don't know exactly how to do this with the inkbird.

Cheers Mug
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chastuck




Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 193
Location: Beckenham, Kent, UK

Drinking: Bitter

Working on: IPA


PostLink    Posted: Sat May 14, 2016 12:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ntassitani wrote:
Do you know how to wire up the inkbird timer? I've got the instructions for the omega from the electribrewery website but I don't know exactly how to do this with the inkbird.

Cheers Mug

Yes I do. Send me a PM with your email address and I will tell you what I know.
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wscottcross




Joined: 03 Jul 2015
Posts: 212
Location: CT

Drinking: Launch IPA, Double Sunshine clone, Maple Coffee breakfast stout

Working on: expanding my beer horizons (and my beltline)


PostLink    Posted: Sat May 14, 2016 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I finally figured this out with my Inkbird ER2H (Sestos B2E) timer. The reset expects a +12V signal and luckily the unit outputs +12V on terminal 4. So the timer reset is simply completing a circuit from terminal 4 back to terminal 3.

The alarm still makes no sense to me the way it is labeled. I brought the hot bus signal to terminal 7 and expected the NO terminal 8 to be the one to use, but my timer was always in an alarm state, so I switched to NC labeled terminal 6 and now it functions the way we want. I suspect the labeling on the contacts is backwards.

I also went in and changed the mode to single shot and made sure the input mode is set to PnP.

Here is a modified wiring diagram:

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Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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rob6239




Joined: 14 May 2016
Posts: 18



PostLink    Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 12:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I see the face of that Inkbird timer has a "RST" button I (wrongly?) suspected took away the need of installing that timer reset button.

If you have had a chance to use it with power, am I right/wrong on the functioning of that button?
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ntassitani




Joined: 13 May 2016
Posts: 4



PostLink    Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 2:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Charles / Kal,

Thanks so much for the information. The timer is running perfectly!!!

Cheers
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ntassitani




Joined: 13 May 2016
Posts: 4



PostLink    Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 2:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rob6239 wrote:
I see the face of that Inkbird timer has a "RST" button I (wrongly?) suspected took away the need of installing that timer reset button.

If you have had a chance to use it with power, am I right/wrong on the functioning of that button?


Rob, the "RST" button on the timer does the same as the timer reset button - restart the timer and switch off the alarm light and buzzer.

Cheers
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rob6239




Joined: 14 May 2016
Posts: 18



PostLink    Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 2:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for that... I had not planned on installing the separate reset button on the panel after seeing this unit had that function. Good to know...
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chastuck




Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 193
Location: Beckenham, Kent, UK

Drinking: Bitter

Working on: IPA


PostLink    Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 9:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes - the RST button will reset the timer. I still used an external big button myself as the RST button is tiny and hard to push if you are wearing thick brewery gloves. The RST button also lacks a bit of tactile feel and being a micro-switch could easily fail with continued use - much better to use a bigger external button that is easy to replace rather than replace the timer unit.

As for the Inkbird timer in general, I think it is brilliant. Not only is it considerably cheaper, it almost matches the same indicator colours as the Auber PIDs. I have been very happy with it.
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poobah58




Joined: 29 May 2016
Posts: 4



PostLink    Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 2:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can the B timer run independently from the A timer or does it only start timing after the A timer has reached set point? I have two boil kettles and would like to use a true dual timer.
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chastuck




Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 193
Location: Beckenham, Kent, UK

Drinking: Bitter

Working on: IPA


PostLink    Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

poobah58 wrote:
Can the B timer run independently from the A timer or does it only start timing after the A timer has reached set point? I have two boil kettles and would like to use a true dual timer.


Afraid not. The B timer follows the A, or doesn't, depending whether you have set the timer to one-shot or cycle. Why not buy two of these timers instead? They are so cheap.
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poobah58




Joined: 29 May 2016
Posts: 4



PostLink    Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, will do!
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Squid




Joined: 09 Apr 2016
Posts: 33



PostLink    Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the PTC-21version which wscottcross' diagram doesn't seem to match. Has anyone had luck with this version? Wired according to wscottcross and it runs in timer mode continuously as soon as power is applied.
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wscottcross




Joined: 03 Jul 2015
Posts: 212
Location: CT

Drinking: Launch IPA, Double Sunshine clone, Maple Coffee breakfast stout

Working on: expanding my beer horizons (and my beltline)


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Squid wrote:
I have the PTC-21version which wscottcross' diagram doesn't seem to match. Has anyone had luck with this version? Wired according to wscottcross and it runs in timer mode continuously as soon as power is applied.

The Inkbird E2RH also runs as soon as the power is applied. If you set it to single shot, it will count down, set the alarm and stop. If it distracts you while it's running, you can set it to some very short time and just let it stop.

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Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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Squid




Joined: 09 Apr 2016
Posts: 33



PostLink    Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks! I do find it annoying that it runs immediately. I'll try your suggestion. Charles was kind enough to share his pin wiring with me so I should have it up and running shortly. Now on to why my pump lights don't come on, and why I get 120v regardless whether the switch is on or not........ Got to love troubleshooting Sad
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chastuck




Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 193
Location: Beckenham, Kent, UK

Drinking: Bitter

Working on: IPA


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wscottcross wrote:
Squid wrote:
I have the PTC-21version which wscottcross' diagram doesn't seem to match. Has anyone had luck with this version? Wired according to wscottcross and it runs in timer mode continuously as soon as power is applied.

The Inkbird E2RH also runs as soon as the power is applied. If you set it to single shot, it will count down, set the alarm and stop. If it distracts you while it's running, you can set it to some very short time and just let it stop.

Or you can wire up the the 'Pause' terminal to a push button switch and leave it switched in. That way when you turn the power on the timer will not run. At the same time you can reset it to zero ready to go as soon as you lift the pause button. I have used an illuminated push switch on my set up that glows red when the pause button is in.
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wscottcross




Joined: 03 Jul 2015
Posts: 212
Location: CT

Drinking: Launch IPA, Double Sunshine clone, Maple Coffee breakfast stout

Working on: expanding my beer horizons (and my beltline)


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 5:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

chastuck wrote:
wscottcross wrote:
Squid wrote:
I have the PTC-21version which wscottcross' diagram doesn't seem to match. Has anyone had luck with this version? Wired according to wscottcross and it runs in timer mode continuously as soon as power is applied.

The Inkbird E2RH also runs as soon as the power is applied. If you set it to single shot, it will count down, set the alarm and stop. If it distracts you while it's running, you can set it to some very short time and just let it stop.

Or you can wire up the the 'Pause' terminal to a push button switch and leave it switched in. That way when you turn the power on the timer will not run. At the same time you can reset it to zero ready to go as soon as you lift the pause button. I have used an illuminated push switch on my set up that glows red when the pause button is in.


OK, so that's what the "Gate" terminal is for! I think I would need a three position switch to make this work. Reset - Run - Pause. That way you can pause the timer and still resume without resetting the running time.

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Kal clone controller, 30 gallon Spike Brewing kettles, 6 tap keezer
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chastuck




Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 193
Location: Beckenham, Kent, UK

Drinking: Bitter

Working on: IPA


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 5:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wscottcross wrote:
chastuck wrote:
wscottcross wrote:
Squid wrote:
I have the PTC-21version which wscottcross' diagram doesn't seem to match. Has anyone had luck with this version? Wired according to wscottcross and it runs in timer mode continuously as soon as power is applied.

The Inkbird E2RH also runs as soon as the power is applied. If you set it to single shot, it will count down, set the alarm and stop. If it distracts you while it's running, you can set it to some very short time and just let it stop.

Or you can wire up the the 'Pause' terminal to a push button switch and leave it switched in. That way when you turn the power on the timer will not run. At the same time you can reset it to zero ready to go as soon as you lift the pause button. I have used an illuminated push switch on my set up that glows red when the pause button is in.


OK, so that's what the "Gate" terminal is for! I think I would need a three position switch to make this work. Reset - Run - Pause. That way you can pause the timer and still resume without resetting the running time.


Why not use two push button switches - a latching one for the pause and a momentary one for the reset? That is, one to reset the timer and one to pause it. That way you can still resume the timer without resetting the the running time.
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

While you can build your panel any way you like, keep in mind that in brewing there's no way to actually "pause" the actions we want to time in brewing. For example, you can't "pause" a mash or a boil. In the mash enzymatic actions keep occurring, and in the boil once hops are added they continue to steep and change even if you turn off the element.

So while you can build a panel with a pause button, mother nature and the laws of science are simply going to ignore you pressing that button. Wink This is why there's no way to "pause" the timer on my original panel design. I didn't add one because it would give the person using the panel the false sense that there is in fact a way to pause mashing, boiling, etc.

Kal

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chastuck




Joined: 06 Oct 2013
Posts: 193
Location: Beckenham, Kent, UK

Drinking: Bitter

Working on: IPA


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 7:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kal wrote:
While you can build your panel any way you like, keep in mind that in brewing there's no way to actually "pause" the actions we want to time in brewing. For example, you can't "pause" a mash or a boil. In the mash enzymatic actions keep occurring, and in the boil once hops are added they continue to steep and change even if you turn off the element.

So while you can build a panel with a pause button, mother nature and the laws of science are simply going to ignore you pressing that button. Wink This is why there's no way to "pause" the timer on my original panel design. I didn't add one because it would give the person using the panel the false sense that there is in fact a way to pause mashing, boiling, etc.

Kal

While that's true, pausing the timer can be useful sometimes. I don't think anyone really thinks you can "pause" a mash or a boil when underway. But for instance, after a boil you might just want to pause the timer between adding different hops while doing a multiple hop stand. Also, with this particular timer it means you can set the period time you want and start the countdown by releasing the pause button when you are ready.
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