General questions about controllers

Question

I do 5 gallon all grain batches using a 16 gallon Bayou BK, a 10 gallon water cooler mash tun, and a burner. Eventually I'd like to upgrade my equipment to electric with either a RIMS or HERMS setup, and make some sort of automated system. I've been researching a lot on controllers, but all the information out there is still somewhat fuzzy to me in terms of what they can or cannot do.

For example:

• Can BrewPi (or something similar) control the electric kettle(s)?
• When creating your own DIY BrewPi, why do you need a RaspberryPi and Arduino -- shouldn't the Arduino be able to act as a web server?
• Can I hook up a Netduino and have it do all the monitoring/controlling along with acting as web server? (I know C#/.NET)
• Is using a BCS overkill?
• What about other kinds, such as Brewtroller?

I'm thinking of starting small and using the controller to measure/control my fermentation temperature in order to understand things better. Then I want to upgrade my system to electric and have the controller regulate temperatures in the mash. Finally I would want it to control pumps/flow control. Can the BCS do this? Can Arduino/RPi?

Essentially, I'm looking for a controller FAQ and what it can do.

Update:

I setup a Raspberry Pi 3 running BrewPi connected to an Arduino that powers my mini fridge for controlling fermentation temperatures. So far so good: brewed a lager and two ales successfully, which is critical here in Southern California. The next step is a similar hardware setup for controlling mash and boil temperatures once I eventually build an electric system.

Answer 1

I have built a temperature regulation system for fermentation and a mash controller for my electric kettle using Arduino and Raspberry Pi. The Arduino controls the hardware while the Pi handles the web interface, logging, etc. The Pi queries the Arduino over a USB serial connection. There are two reasons for this:

1. The PID software and other stuff I wrote for the Arduino used up most of its memory, and I'm not sure I would have been able to add the web interface there.
2. I prefer to have the hardware control and internet connection separate. I don't want the temperature controller to have problems if the WiFi goes down. With separated functions the whole internet can crash and my Arduinos would keep on doing their job without even knowing.

Arduinos are very robust and use a dedicated operating system that is doing nothing else but running one program. A Raspberry Pi is a much more powerful system capable of doing multiple things, but that also introduces more possibilities for unwanted interactions and things to go wrong. I started with just an Arduino and later added the Raspberry Pi.

Answer 2

Ultimately yes the whole brew process could be completely automated with available sensors and mechanical controls.

BrewPI allows inputs from switches and temp sensors and outputs for on/off relays all controlled by code.

Most use these types of controllers for logging and controlling fermentation temp. But I've seen systems that even do dough in, step mash, sparge and do adjunct and hop additions.

The biggest hurdle for an automated system is the mechanical side. Accuators that drop pre measured ingredients, liquid valves, and pumps are all pretty easy. But a paddle system for a mash is a different story.

To automate the complete process would take many many different temp sensors and mechanical Accuators to take a brew from raw ingredients to finished beer. Even then would still have a lot of hands on needs even with the best equipment. With the best of code it would still need a halt for brewer assistance for things like a stuck sparge, stuck fermentation, Diacetyl check, and fining.

Answer 3

Yes, you can use Arduinos/Netduino/Pis to do your control and make it accessible via a small web server.

But before you go this route of writing some small C# script/python/etc... to get it all running may I suggest you take a look at little PID temperature controllers like these(https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KYL3W32). They have an internal 230V relay, and you hook up the probe and relay, sanitise the probe and drop it in your vessel. They are really easy to set up and require no coding; which I always prefer.