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Brew Day Stop

 
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GrumpyWally




Joined: 06 Mar 2015
Posts: 66
Location: San Diego, CA

Drinking: Schwarzbier, Tripwire Tripel, 2 Czech Dark Lagers, Wee Heavy

Working on: Tripwire Tripel, Roggenbier


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:17 am    Post subject: Brew Day Stop Reply with quote


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Using my Spike Innovations-built controller for batch #15 I ran into a HUGE problem. Finished sparging, set the BK PID to 100 and turned ELEMENT SELECT switch to BOIL. Only thing that happened was a "clunk" - BOIL light didn't turn on, no current draw, no heat.

Any clues on how to diagnose and fix?

I've already swapped controller cables a couple of times.

Manual light is ON. Everything looks "normal."

I've got 14 gallons of California Common wannabe waiting to get cooked Smile

thanks

Wally


Last edited by GrumpyWally on Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:26 am; edited 1 time in total
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GrumpyWally




Joined: 06 Mar 2015
Posts: 66
Location: San Diego, CA

Drinking: Schwarzbier, Tripwire Tripel, 2 Czech Dark Lagers, Wee Heavy

Working on: Tripwire Tripel, Roggenbier


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:24 am    Post subject: Control Panel Reply with quote

Note that nothing is happening:


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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: Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Wally,

Run the boil element off the HLT receptacle and troubleshoot later. Unless by "controller cable" you mean the heating element cable, in which case it's something with your boil heating element, but it doesn't sound like it is since you can't get the ELEMENT ON boil light to come on.

To troubleshoot see here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25460
Specifically the section "My heating element is not firing at all! (or firing continuously)"

Let us know how you make out. It may be a simple issue - you may be displaying the manual mode on the PID but actually running in AUTO. The link above will tell you what button to press.

EDIT: You posted your picture while I wrote this. You are indeed not running in manual mode. You are running in AUTO. The "M" is not displayed so press the SET button to switch the display mode.

For complete instructions on what button to press when, see our BREW DAY STEP BY STEP instructions here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/brew-day-step-by-step
A cut and paste from those instructions on how to run the Boil PID:

Quote:
If the A-M light on the BOIL PID is not on, press the A/M button to enter manual mode. Press the UP/DOWN buttons on the Boil Element PID until the lower green number reads "M 100". (If the "M" is not displayed press the SET button to switch the display mode). We will be firing the Boil Kettle element 100% of the time until the wort is at boiling. Remember that the Boil Kettle PID is run in manual mode instead of automatic.


Kal

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GrumpyWally




Joined: 06 Mar 2015
Posts: 66
Location: San Diego, CA

Drinking: Schwarzbier, Tripwire Tripel, 2 Czech Dark Lagers, Wee Heavy

Working on: Tripwire Tripel, Roggenbier


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Kal - running the BK boil element as though it was the HLT. BK power is plugged into the HLT power outlet on the panel, BK sensor cable is plugged into HLT sensor outlet on panel, and am controlling boil using HLT PID. ELEMENT SELECT is set to HLT. Got that nice sizzling sound of a hot element in the BK. Lights all look as expected, drawing 20.9 amps.

Can't say how grateful I am for your quick response.

W
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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: Sun Feb 19, 2017 12:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Wally - take a look at my edited response to you. You're not running the BOIL PID is manual mode. You were still in AUTO. I'm sure it's all fine. You must have pressed the SET button by accident.

Kal

_________________
Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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View user's photo album (21 photos)
GrumpyWally




Joined: 06 Mar 2015
Posts: 66
Location: San Diego, CA

Drinking: Schwarzbier, Tripwire Tripel, 2 Czech Dark Lagers, Wee Heavy

Working on: Tripwire Tripel, Roggenbier


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 1:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Makes no difference - I had tried changing A/M a couple of times to see if that is what it was. Pict must have been "from the wrong setting." Either way, I appreciate your feedback. Right now I'm busy scooping fume in my "alternate" mode and will fully diagnose the issue tomorrow. Thanks for pointing out the diagnostic page.

------POST INCIDENT EDIT-------

Guess I was sicker yesterday that I thought - maybe I shouldn't have been brewing in the first place. After cleaning things up this morning, I filled the BK with some water, put all the cables and connectors back were they belong, verified that the BK PID was indeed in manual mode and turned ELEMENT SELECT to BOIL. Much to my embarrassment and joy, BOIL light illuminated, AMP meter showed a draw of almost 21 amps and water in the BK started getting warm!

Thanks again to Kal for the work around in the quick response.

Trying to analyze why this happened, two weeks ago I did my "annual deep clean" at which time I probably set the BK PID to run in AUTO in order to hold the PBW solution and rinse water at a specific temperature. When I finished that I probably left the BK PID in AUTO. In resetting things to "operational" yesterday I must have missed something or/and gotten confused. Bottom line - sounds like I need to add some more stuff to my startup check list.

W


Last edited by GrumpyWally on Sun Feb 19, 2017 7:50 pm; edited 1 time in total
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jcav




Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 205
Location: Central Florida


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 3:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Wally, just a thought it may be your connection to your boil kettle element that went bad, not something in your control box. I would open the cover to your boil element connection on your boil kettle and see if it is burnt. I had an issue when I first tested my rig during a water test on one of my elements ( I think it was my HLT element if I remember correctly). When I was assembling the wires some of the copper strands broke and all of them did not make it into the ring terminal connection. This ended up over loading and it burned and popped my GFCI breaker. This breaker worked beautifully by the way! I rewired that connection and I was back in business in about twenty minutes and back testing my rig. Just something to check as it happened to me and it was my fault.

John

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GrumpyWally




Joined: 06 Mar 2015
Posts: 66
Location: San Diego, CA

Drinking: Schwarzbier, Tripwire Tripel, 2 Czech Dark Lagers, Wee Heavy

Working on: Tripwire Tripel, Roggenbier


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks John. Two weeks ago I did my "annual deep clean" and for grins had just looked in there. It was fine.

Kal's recommendation to switch a bunch of cables around led me to eventually use the BK element, so I know that it wasn't bad.

Important thing is that Kal's quick response allowed me to reconfigure things and get my wort boiled.

W
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jcav




Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 205
Location: Central Florida


PostLink    Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2017 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok cool, glad you were able to get your batch done!

John

_________________
"Perfection is unobtainable, but if you chase perfection you can catch excellence"- Vince Lombardi
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