Test Results

Due to the duration required to go through the complete malting process (a week) and how long it took to fabricate the device and fix the code enough to run, we decided to test and make sure that the code could fit all of the parameters required to create the moisture content needed for the barley to malt. First, we ran a simple function check code of the relays to make sure that they all flipped and powered each part correctly.

Next, we ran the code use for the Home Brew Malting System at a shorter time interval, making the week long process only a couple hours long. We used this code to make sure that the pump, fan, motor, valve, and heater were all working properly, as well as the temperature was kept at the needed 190°F using the feedback loop in the Arduino code.

Although we did not get to test the full week long process, we can conclude that our device could get barley through the malting process. We also discovered that our design was not the most efficient and made future considerations that would improve our device, such as adding:

• A solid-state relay attachment for the heater so that it could be kept at an analog temperature in the Arduino code, rather than having a feedback loop to turn it on and off digitally.

• A motor with the ability to constantly run for hours at a time, as ours can only run for 1 minute with 10 minute rests.

• Insulation to go around the box of the device to help better control the temperature inside.

• Easier temperature sensor to code with, the Sparkfun TMP102 used does more than we need it to and therefore is harder to work with.