5v relay board with Brewblox

I have a 8ch 5v relay board I’m thinking of using with Brewblox if it’s possible. How many channels can I use if I get a new gpio module? Is it possible to make a button in Brewblox and when I push it, it turn on a relay for about 0,2 seconds?

If you connect each relay coil to a single output, you can drive 8 from a single module. Connect GND separately.

Note that mechanical relays don’t like to be toggled often and fast. An SSR would be more reliable.

You could make a sequence block that turns the actuator on, waits, then turns it off.
We do still need to add a single button component that can start a linked sequence, for easier access than the play button on the sequence.

How are you using this?

I was thinking of hacking my stand alone induction cook top so I can turn it on and adjust output from Brewblox.

I would really recommend using SSRs for that. You will be switching very often. Also, SSRs switch on a zero crossing of the ac signal, which prevents inrush currents.

I wasn’t thinking of controlling it like a heating element. Don’t know if that would even work? I was thinking of using the relays as buttons. That way I can turn it on and off and adjust the effect up and down :slightly_smiling_face:

It absolutely would.

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How can I do that? I’ve done it with a heating element before but not an induction plate.

Can you explain what you mean with using them as buttons?

The normal approach with heating elements is to use PWM with a 2 or 4s period and quickly turn something on and off, which would run at full power without the SSR interrupting the current.

If you mean pressing an up and down button on the existing induction plate control panel, that’s harder and not supported by the software.

It would be better to hack the induction plate so it always turns on at full power, giving the SSR direct control over the power.

The buttons are mechanical switches so if I connect a relay in parallel to the switch I can control the induction plate just as if I push the buttons :slightly_smiling_face: Then I can turn it on and of and adjust power.

I made a controller for my induction plate. Connected the relays in parallel to the buttons and modified a program I found in a tutorial. Uploaded to a ESP8266 I had. Used it yesterday while brewing and it worked great :grinning:


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