Idling after startup

Troubleshooting
1

Hi,

Fresh setup of a fridge with newly installed BrewPi, Photon and Tilt integration.
Sadly it doesnt seem as the fridge will start, even though the temperature is way to high. It’s just idling.
I dont have any heater installed yet.

I have tried an factory reset of the controller, but it didnt seem to change anything.
Where to start the troubleshooting process?

    {
  "kind": "Control",
  "pids": [
    {
      "kind": "Pid",
      "name": "heater1",
      "enabled": true,
      "setPoint": {
        "kind": "SetPointSimple",
        "name": "fridgeset",
        "value": 13
      },
      "inputSensor": {
        "kind": "TempSensorFallback",
        "onBackupSensor": true,
        "sensor": {
          "kind": "TempSensor",
          "name": "beer1",
          "sensor": {
            "kind": "OneWireTempSensor",
            "value": 16.8125,
            "connected": true,
            "address": "28B713C2070000EA",
            "calibrationOffset": 0
          }
        }
      },
      "inputError": 4.0352,
      "Kp": 50,
      "Ti": 600,
      "Td": 60,
      "p": -201.7578,
      "i": 0,
      "d": 1.9531,
      "actuatorIsNegative": false,
      "outputActuator": {
        "kind": "ActuatorPwm",
        "value": 0,
        "period": 4,
        "minVal": 0,
        "maxVal": 100,
        "target": {
          "kind": "ActuatorMutexDriver",
          "mutexGroup": {
            "kind": "ActuatorMutexGroup",
            "deadTime": 1800000,
            "waitTime": 0
          },
          "target": {
            "kind": "ActuatorPin",
            "state": false,
            "pin": 16,
            "invert": false
          }
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "kind": "Pid",
      "name": "heater2",
      "enabled": true,
      "setPoint": {
        "kind": "SetPointSimple",
        "name": "beer2set",
        "value": null
      },
      "inputSensor": {
        "kind": "TempSensor",
        "name": "beer2",
        "sensor": {
          "kind": "OneWireTempSensor",
          "value": 14.375,
          "connected": true,
          "address": "28E347C207000092",
          "calibrationOffset": 0
        }
      },
      "inputError": null,
      "Kp": 10,
      "Ti": 600,
      "Td": 60,
      "p": 0,
      "i": 0,
      "d": 0,
      "actuatorIsNegative": false,
      "outputActuator": {
        "kind": "ActuatorPwm",
        "value": 0,
        "period": 4,
        "minVal": 0,
        "maxVal": 100,
        "target": {
          "kind": "ActuatorMutexDriver",
          "mutexGroup": {
            "kind": "ActuatorMutexGroup",
            "deadTime": 1800000,
            "waitTime": 0
          },
          "target": {
            "kind": "ActuatorNop",
            "state": false
          }
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "kind": "Pid",
      "name": "cooler",
      "enabled": true,
      "setPoint": {
        "kind": "SetPointSimple",
        "name": "fridgeset",
        "value": 13
      },
      "inputSensor": {
        "kind": "TempSensorFallback",
        "onBackupSensor": true,
        "sensor": {
          "kind": "TempSensor",
          "name": "beer1",
          "sensor": {
            "kind": "OneWireTempSensor",
            "value": 16.8125,
            "connected": true,
            "address": "28B713C2070000EA",
            "calibrationOffset": 0
          }
        }
      },
      "inputError": 4.0352,
      "Kp": 10,
      "Ti": 1800,
      "Td": 200,
      "p": -40.3516,
      "i": 0,
      "d": 1.2109,
      "actuatorIsNegative": true,
      "outputActuator": {
        "kind": "ActuatorPwm",
        "value": 39.1406,
        "period": 1200,
        "minVal": 0,
        "maxVal": 100,
        "target": {
          "kind": "ActuatorMutexDriver",
          "mutexGroup": {
            "kind": "ActuatorMutexGroup",
            "deadTime": 1800000,
            "waitTime": 0
          },
          "target": {
            "kind": "ActuatorTimeLimited",
            "minOnTime": 120,
            "minOffTime": 180,
            "maxOnTime": 65535,
            "state": false,
            "target": {
              "kind": "ActuatorPin",
              "state": false,
              "pin": 17,
              "invert": false
            }
          }
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "kind": "Pid",
      "name": "beer2fridge",
      "enabled": true,
      "setPoint": {
        "kind": "SetPointSimple",
        "name": "beer1set",
        "value": 13
      },
      "inputSensor": {
        "kind": "TempSensor",
        "name": "beer1",
        "sensor": {
          "kind": "OneWireTempSensor",
          "value": 16.8125,
          "connected": true,
          "address": "28B713C2070000EA",
          "calibrationOffset": 0
        }
      },
      "inputError": 4.0352,
      "Kp": 0,
      "Ti": 0,
      "Td": 0,
      "p": 0,
      "i": 0,
      "d": 0,
      "actuatorIsNegative": false,
      "outputActuator": {
        "kind": "ActuatorSetPoint",
        "targetSetPoint": {
          "kind": "SetPointSimple",
          "name": "fridgeset",
          "value": 13
        },
        "targetSensor": {
          "kind": "TempSensor",
          "name": "fridge",
          "sensor": {
            "kind": "TempSensorDisconnected",
            "value": null,
            "connected": false
          }
        },
        "referenceSetPoint": {
          "kind": "SetPointSimple",
          "name": "beer1set",
          "value": 13
        },
        "output": 0,
        "achieved": null,
        "minimum": -10,
        "maximum": 10
      }
    }
  ]
}
2

Please surround code/JSON with 3 backticks for readability, I have edited your post for you.

My guess is that you are waiting the 30 min dead time and the cooler has started by now.
I’ll look into removing that when the system just booted.

3

Hi,

It didn’t start by itself after 30 minutes, but after a restart of the RaspberyPi, and then 30 minute waiting - it now works. Thank you! :slight_smile:

4

I’m having a similar issue after updating firmware today, but a restart and waiting 30 minutes didn’t help. See screenshot below. As you can see my target temp is 68, and my fermenter is 79.5 but its not turning my cooler on. Any ideas?

Screen Shot 2017-06-04 at 9.14.10 PM.jpg1319×848 160 KB

5

I figured out the issue. The PWM Actuator for the Chamber Cooler had to be reconfigured. It’s cooling now!

6

Hi,

I’m having a similar issue. I have been using an arduino build/set up for a few years and a couple of weeks ago my sensors stopped reading. I uninstalled them, checked the wiring connections and reinstalled.
The sensors are now reading fine but the process seems to be stuck in “Idle”. Whether I’m in Beer Profile, Fridge Constant or Beer Constant Mode, BrewPi never switches to cooling or heating.

Again, the temperature and logging all seem to be working correctly.
I have tried powering everything down and restarting, stopping script and even reprogrammed the arduino just to be safe. Nothing seems to work. See screen shot below.

Brewpi-idle
Brewpi-idle.jpg2286×1549 355 KB

Thanks
Justin

7

You don’t have any actuators set up…

8

How did I miss that?!? Thanks Elco