Been a while since I’ve roasted. I had a I managed three back to back roasts. When I started the fourth, the roaster display went blank and then reset to OFF mode.
I was able to recover the beans by tipping the roaster.
It’s been a bad year for me and roast time. About as many failed batches as successful.
After the failed roast
I unplugged the roaster
waited
started it back up
waited for Charge
added beans
about 7 minutes later, I get the deadman alert, I push PRS and the roaster went directly to Cool mode.
$20 beans into the trash.
Oh, I also accepeted a software update before the recent crash. After the update I am now at version “Version 4.6.16 (4.6.16)”
I’ve been a customer for years and I still don’t trust this machine.
As happy as I am when it works, it still feels like a prototype/kickstarter/amateur project. Not reliable, not fun.
I waited a bit (10 min?)
started a new batch
Boom, roaster went to OFF mode after about three minutes.
screw this.
When you need to press a button on the control panel in response to A-02/‘deadman’ alert you need to pick something besides PRS… PRS is still active so you can end a roast. Which is what happened. I’d suggest the upper left button which does nothing but toggle the display when there’s no A-02 alarm. During the A-02 alarm it doesn’t toggle the data displayed.
re: 4.6.16… been using that for several months without issue. But that’s me and has nothing to do with your issues/installation. You need some guidance for your roaster/computer combo… that’s not me
Whoever can help will need to know what f/w version you have installed in the roaster, what OS (Win10/11? Mac OS?) and what RT4 versions you have for Main (you noted that above as 4.6.16 which is current), Client, Proxy & Comms. Client/Proxy/Comms versions are found in RT4 → Settings → Software. I have beta versions installed so I likely won’t be the same as most users’ configuration.
Bruce
I’m just wondering if the problem is not the roaster itself but the software. Have you considered running a batch without connecting to RoasTime software at all? In other words full manual mode. Yea… it’s going to require some planning with pencil and paper of your roast plan.
Thanks guys. I wondered if pushing PRS for deadman was a mistake, I usually pick a different button. (It’s supposed to be ok, right? read that on this forum somewhere)
Doesn’t explain the second fail where the machine suddenly went dark a couple minutes into drying phase. (I’m on MacOS, btw, running RT 4.6.9 and 4.6.16. Nothing to say about USB drivers or whatnot, that’s not a thing on Mac.)
@blacklabs , yeah, I do manual runs sometimes. Debugging IoT apps is my day job, I just don’t have much patience for it on the weekends. 
I hear you about having to debug when roasting is a passion project…in my previous career I did software QA so I too get annoyed when the software doesn’t work when I’m trying to get something done
On the dead-man alarm, I only use F1 to stop it… on Bruce’s advice when I started on the Bullet.
This. F1 during roast is harmless, so fine for resetting the deadman timer, and using this one helps me remember that F1 is what to use from COOL mode to do a back to back roast.
Totally get your pain on this! I’ve brain farted and hit the PRS button (in hardware and software) mid roast more times than I’d care to admit, resulting in a frantic “around the horn” back to roast mode and a botched roast profile, but the results have still been suitable for personal use.
Bruce might be better able to say whether this would be useful or not, but if the problem with going from roast to OFF mode happens again, you might want to copy and save the log codes in RT (which you get by hitting the info button for the roast). Then, open a support case with Aillio, describing the problem and attaching the logs.
Hope you can work out a remedy for this soon!
Strictly speaking, pressing PRS does stop the alarm 
But yeah, changing the wording here makes a lot of sense.
I was looking for the button marked any.
Hi Damon, sorry to hear about your frustrations.
So you are saying that the roaster randomly goes to cooling mode? Or Off mode directly? Or restarts completely?
That being said, I can think of a few things that could cause this.
I know it is not an optimal but If you press PRS by accident and go to cooling mode then you can quickly cycle back to roasting mode and you should not have to waste 20$ of beans…
Yea… the manual needs to change to save people grief and frustration like this. @jacob @derrxb maybe put it in your queue to update the documentation?
I am 99% sure that you have always been able to press the PRS button to turn off the A-02 alarm in which case the manual is correct. Just don’t press it twice.
If there is a mechanical problem with your button then it might trigger twice and end your roast, so to be safe, use another button to end the alarm.
I will have someone verify this today on a Bullet
It took some time but I can confirm that you can press the PRS button to stop the A-02 dead man alarm. But to be safe, use another one.
Yeah, that was impulsive of me. I totally could have saved those beans.
- The silicone on top of the button switch is not assembled correctly
The PRS button seems to be working normally. Feels correct, and I don’t notice missed or extra clicks.
- Your chaff filter is blocked/dirty and humid air gets into the control board and causes false triggers (this we have seen many times before)
I’ve had that problem before when roasting in cold weather, or when my filter is clogged. But it was a warm dry day, and my habit now is to exchange the filter every 2 roasts. I clean it with a wire brush. Almost zero chance there was airflow problem that day. No out of place smoke/steam.
- RT somehow triggers this…I have not seen this before…and I can’t see any of the wasted profiles on RW - perhaps it happened before the 5min mark so they were not saved?
The surprise power-off happened a bit before 5 minutes, yes. The panel went dark, all fans stopped. I dumped the beans near end of drying phase. I had just then upgraded from 4.6.9 to 4.6.16
- If the Bullet shuts down completely and restarts it would indicate a short circuit somewhere or a bad power cable / socket.
I was at a new location, so I can’t say for sure about the power quality. But I’m using the factory cable and a short, thick extension cord, everything fits well, the cord does not get warm.
I’ll probably set up a roasting camera.
Thanks for the follow up, Jacob.
Thanks too. Let us know if you experience it again.
