COFFEE POWER MANAGER using PIC16F628

Introduction

The problem was this...at Redeeming Grace Church we were meeting in a public school prior to moving in to our permanent facility. Each Sunday morning we would bring in three large percolating coffee pots to brew regular, decaf, and hot water for the mid-service break time. Each pot drew 9 amps. Because the average 120VAC power receptacle "outlet" in the USA is protected by a 20-amp breaker, three coffee pots would total 27 amps and blow the breaker. Thus, I carried several long extension cords with me to church every Sunday to reach separate 20-amp outlets.

In our scenario, we fill the "regular" coffee pot with water, but the "decaf" and "hot water" pots are only half-filled. Thus, I decided that it might be acceptable to connect the full pot directly to 120VAC, and to connect the two half-full pots to 120VAC on an alternating basis.

That is, one of those two pots would boil for three minutes after which the power would be transferred to the other pot. That would allow us to run all three pots on one 20-amp circut: one pot full time, and only one of the other two pots at any one time.

After trying it, I observed that the alternating power doesn't seem to affect the "decaf" percolating process or taste.

Code:

/****************************************************************************
COFFEE_01.C

This program is a coffee pot manager.

                    +5
                     |
                    14
                ----------
               |          |
               |          |
               |          |
               |          |
      MCLR --4-|  16F628  |-17-- OUT
               |          |
               |          |
               |          |
  6MHz XTAL-15-|          |
       XTAL-16-|          |
                ----------
                     5
                     |
                    Gnd

***************************************************************************/

For more detail: COFFEE POWER MANAGER using PIC16F628

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Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer holding a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan, Pakistan University. With a background spanning various industries, particularly in home automation and engineering, I have honed my skills in crafting clear and concise content. Proficient in leveraging infographics and diagrams, I strive to simplify complex concepts for readers. My strength lies in thorough...