Induction brass annealer redux

[Hardware]

Thanks for your input.


Guess can't be the case as this is plastic no metal. It acts as an insulator.

Although I checked last time with a simple switch I will take all components out and try this again. Will report later.

In case that also does not work -->Maybe the best to order a new power supply and maybe in 1000W instead of 750?

 

[Hardware]

Thanks for all your patience with me.

Finally I found the reason! Now it is clear but I never thought about it before. On the photos you can see that I build a little aluminium block holding the thermo element I put in to be able to see the temperature of the Mosfet cooler. Well, that alone is maybe a good idea but not fixing the block to both Mosfet coolers!!! That was the short I couldn't find.

Now it is heating the brass in seconds - great!

Only one other thing I need to figure out but hopefully not a big deal - maybe just a wiring problem:

The combi Instrument shows now the 48V in standby and operation. That's fine.

But it shows 1,67A with no load and 0A !!! with load. Taking the load away the 1,67 A display comes back.

Actually no idea so far why. If somebody knows pls. tell.

Will study the wiring diagram in the install documentation in the meantime again.

 

[Gina1]

Thanks for all your patience with me.

Finally I found the reason! Now it is clear but I never thought about it before. On the photos you can see that I build a little aluminium block holding the thermo element I put in to be able to see the temperature of the Mosfet cooler. Well, that alone is maybe a good idea but not fixing the block to both Mosfet coolers!!! That was the short I couldn't find.

Now it is heating the brass in seconds - great!

Only one other thing I need to figure out but hopefully not a big deal - maybe just a wiring problem:

The combi Instrument shows now the 48V in standby and operation. That's fine.

But it shows 1,67A with no load and 0A !!! with load. Taking the load away the 1,67 A display comes back.

Actually no idea so far why. If somebody knows pls. tell.

Will study the wiring diagram in the install documentation in the meantime again.

The law of unintended consequences strikes again. Glad you have it working
Gina

 

[Hardware]

Gina,

thank you for your help and of course for starting the whole thread!

Now even the Amp problem solved (wiring mistake) and happy to report:

...one more Gina annealer up and running, this time Germany

 

[Gina1]

Gina,

thank you for your help and of course for starting the whole thread!

Now even the Amp problem solved (wiring mistake) and happy to report:

...one more Gina annealer up and running, this time Germany

Awwwww shucks. Blushing

Thank you... Happy shooting
Gina

 

[Michaël T]

I also want to say thank you to Gina & Erick for their continuing support to all of us !!!!!

 

[Gina1]

I also want to say thank you to Gina & Erick for their continuing support to all of us !!!!!

Thank you )

 

[Standardelg]

Fully automated AI assisted annealing of unknown 30-06 brass. Realtime adjustment of annealer settings (time and pulses) for every case.

 

[kiwijohn]

@Standardelg pretty cool, you have been working on that for a while?

 

[Standardelg]

@Standardelg pretty cool, you have been working on that for a while?

On and off for some months - the annealer design hasn't changed much since I started about a year ago. Basically la GinaErick - but with a ferrite/Litz coil instead of a water cooled copper tube, and an Arduino instead of a timer relay. Most of the work has been done on the software really. I'm updating the model whenever I get some new exciting cases to create training data from.
Added the feeder/collator a few days ago - Initially based the annealer design on adding a collator, and had prepared for it in the software - sending high to one of the arduino pins when it's in "waiting for case" state, and low when not. Didn't take long to cut a bucket in shape, cut 2 discs from a sheet of 3mm acryl, add a low rpm 12V DC motor, build a stand out of some spare wood, add a switch, hide the ugly parts behind another piece of acryl I had lying around, hook it up to a relay and a 12V power supply (already in the annealer - supplying Arduino and servo).

 

[kiwijohn]

I am still / currently working on a c core ferrite design inverted like yours that the case "passes through" using a revolving 4 station turret that pauses through its arc to allow for anneal time and a case to be inserted at the first station... this could be automated / case fed I got a 360 servo for the task but it appears i would have better luck with a stepper motor. Still use the original Gina design for day to day annealing but its good to stretch the brain legs with an alternative.

 

[Gina1]

Can someone point me to the wiring schematic? I'm not finding it in the beginning of this thread. Thank you.

A few months ago, AccurateShooter did a massive up grade/reload. The schematic was not reloaded.
I have since reloaded it and it is on page 110 of this thread. Was unable to reload it on page 1.
Your not the first one to ask about it.

Gina

 

[Bginvestor]

A few months ago, AccurateShooter did a massive up grade/reload. The schematic was not reloaded.
I have since reloaded it and it is on page 110 of this thread. Was unable to reload it on page 1.
Your not the first one to ask about it.

Gina

Thank u sir!

 

[6.5 Addict_Hunter]

Fully automated AI assisted annealing of unknown 30-06 brass. Realtime adjustment of annealer settings (time and pulses) for every case.

Sent you a PM. Would love to get together on a build schematic/software share on this. Thanks a bunch.

 

[davexre]

Need some troubleshooting help. I've been converting my (mostly) basic GinaErick annealer to Arduino control. It's hard to test everything before switching over, but I was able to monitor voltage and current from the Arduino successfully before I had to do the "big change over". After doing the switch, annealing is no longer working.

Things to know: I'm using an SSR instead of a regular relay. I've switched to a different, 12v operated solenoid for the trapdoor - and *that* is also operated via an SSR. These two SSRs were in place and operated correctly while using the Sestos clock. I've also got a 750W 48v supply with current limiting.

After doing the cutover to Arduino control and removing the legacy devices (Sestos, the volt/ammeter, etc), and moving the buttons, power switch, and LEDs to a new front panel, I have a new problem. When the annealer is turned on, but not annealing, I register 48v at the Arduino (using a voltage measuring device) - I can confirm this by measuring with a multimeter at the power supply terminals, and various other points.

When I start an anneal cycle, the Arduino appears to turn on the appropriate SSR correctly (LED comes on on the SSR), and the LED on the induction board comes on, but very dim. The Arduino, and multimeter both show that there's now 4-ish volts (measured at the power supply terminals, and at the terminals on the induction board), and it barely gets up to 1 amp - and obviously is not triggering the tank circuit or doing any annealing.

I've tried using a different, brand new SSR - same results. I've visually inspected the induction board - I don't see anything amiss without uninstalling the board - no swollen caps, or evidence of a blown up component, etc.

Any thoughts on how to further troubleshoot would be most welcome. I'm left with it either being the induction board - or ripping out the Arduino stuff and re-installing the Sestos and analog controls and seeing if that resolves it. That's a lot of work, so if there's something more nuanced I can do to figure it out, that'd be awesome Trying to learn, so...

 

[6.5 Addict_Hunter]

You said that you have 48v at the Arduino. That voltage should never go near it, it is just for the induction board. The neg comes of the power supply to the induction board, and the pos current is controlled through 1 and 2 on the SSR to the induction board. Then 3 and 4 coil of the ssr are controlled by the Arduino. with that being said, your power supply for the Arduino should be no more than 12v. I'm an electrician and have decent Arduino knowledge. BUT, it would really help if I could see a schematic and i'll for sure be able to help you brother.

 

[itchyTF]

With all your re-work, it it possible you've got windings on your work coil shorted? Sound like the power supply is going into current limit.

Could you temporarily substitute relays for the SSRs as a process of elimination?

How are you driving the input of the SSRs? External supply and sinking the current through one of the Arduino's outputs? Not sure, but is the Arduino power 5v & 3.3v? How much current can the outputs sink (or source)?

 

[Standardelg]

Any thoughts on how to further troubleshoot would be most welcome. I'm left with it either being the induction board - or ripping out the Arduino stuff and re-installing the Sestos and analog controls and seeing if that resolves it. That's a lot of work, so if there's something more nuanced I can do to figure it out, that'd be awesome Trying to learn, so...

SSR's should work really well (and easier on the arduino than mechanical) - just need to be the DC-DC types (and if they worked with your timer, then they should work - the light indicates it works). I've experienced something similar - with "bad" coil / no coil (eg. Litz wire not being tinned properly)

 

[davexre]

You said that you have 48v at the Arduino. That voltage should never go near it, it is just for the induction board.

Apologies for the confusion - let me try to restate with more detail. I'm using a device (specifically, an Octopus Voltage Divider Brick) to measure voltage in the 48v circuit. It's literally a 15:1 voltage divider, and provides a signal back to the Arduino. At 48v, the max voltage the Arduino will see is 3.2v.

Feeding the Arduino 48v would result in, at best, a fried ADC!

The neg comes of the power supply to the induction board, and the pos current is controlled through 1 and 2 on the SSR to the induction board. Then 3 and 4 coil of the ssr are controlled by the Arduino. with that being said, your power supply for the Arduino should be no more than 12v. I'm an electrician and have decent Arduino knowledge. BUT, it would really help if I could see a schematic and i'll for sure be able to help you brother.

I have to update my diagram to represent current config, but I'll work on that today. Thanks!

 

[Ferris 1977]

Apologies for the confusion - let me try to restate with more detail. I'm using a device (specifically, an Octopus Voltage Divider Brick) to measure voltage in the 48v circuit. It's literally a 15:1 voltage divider, and provides a signal back to the Arduino. At 48v, the max voltage the Arduino will see is 3.2v.

Feeding the Arduino 48v would result in, at best, a fried ADC!

I have to update my diagram to represent current config, but I'll work on that today. Thanks!

Would love to see how you used the Arduino. Can wait to see the new diagram.