Calibrate iSpindel

[dearleuk]

Morning all

I want to calibrate my iSpindel and I've looked at some guides, but they all seem to be for 500ml of water. The only container I have that will fit the iSpindel is a 2lt water bottle, so if I put 1.5 litres of water in it, will i need to add triple the amount of sugar?

Thanks

 

[kelper]

You need to give the iSpindel plenty of room as it floats more horizontal than vertical. With a SG of 1.080 it will be at 70 degrees to vertical.

 

[dearleuk]

Thanks for that.

Example for sugar solution: 400 ml with 100 g sugar

so if I am using 1500 ml of water would that be 1200 g of sugar? Sorry if that sounds a daft question, but I really have no idea what I'm doing

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

Hi

I used this video



It does assume a 5L container becasue as kelper says the Ispindel need room to move. It's a rather long and involved process

This link calculates how much sugar in how much water to produce a particular SG

https://www.brewersfriend.com/dilution-and-boiloff-gravity-calculator/

 

[dearleuk]

Brilliant, thank you

 

[kelper]

A simple method is to make a solution with the highest SG you plan to use in your brewing and then dilute it ten points at a time. Use a hydrometer to get the SG right and it only has to be close. I make wines so I started with an SG of 1.110 and then 1.100, 1.090 and so on right down to 1.000.



If you add 200g of common sugar to 800g of water you will get a 20% m/m solution with a density of 1.081. There is a good table here

https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/...ganic-sugar-alcohol-concentration-d_1954.html
If you add 200g to 1,000g, you have 1,200g of solution which is wrong.

You are welcome to use my spreadsheet on Google, just edit the values. Don't touch the graph! Be patient as it loads and updates slowly.

Copy the equation from the chart but change each 'X' to TILT. PM me if you need help.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10FCWwj4ZidkdduUekYgbUPmpic9x7QbgDb_Lxbws6cE/edit?usp=sharing

 

[dearleuk]

Thank you very much. Watched the video, just ordered a Refractometer. Might have a go next weekend.

Thanks for offering to help via PM. I'll take you up on the offer

 

[UKSkydiver]

Notwithstanding getting the actual sugar:water ratios right, which you can do with online calculators, I found that using a narrow, yet tall, container the best option.

Ladies and gents, I give you the plastic cereal container:

Deep enough and wide enough for a vertical and horizontal reading, if you get my meaning.

 

[dearleuk]

Think we've got one of them somewhere.

Thanks

 

[kelper]

Just make sure the iSpindel does not touch the sides when taking a tilt reading. If you use my spreadsheet, try and make a copy by clicking on File....Copy so you don't mess up the original for the next person. I have my own copy which I will use to restore the linked one if I see that it has been 'bruised'.

 

[Cheyne_brewer]

I took the simple approach to calibration. Made a solution to 1080 and just kept throwing water in after each reading. Check the SG with hydrometer or refractometer after each water addition and plug all the readings into the iSpindel calibration tool. It’s not necessary to follow the dilution calculator, just know your calibration points.

 

[dearleuk]

Thanks for that. It's far more complicated than I ever imagined.

 

[Cheyne_brewer]

Thanks for that. It's far more complicated than I ever imagined.

There’s nothing to really be gained being ultra precise. I had quite a small bucket so just tipped out some solution and topped up each time. The software doesn’t care if the readings are every 10 points.

 

[kelper]

But after spending your hard-earned cash, you might as well use six or more calibration points, evenly spaced. You want it to be as accurate as your hydrometer!

The relationship between tilt and SG is non-linear, mine was S shaped. Three or four points just won't get you an accurate algorithm.

 

[Michael Burnley]

I'm just on my second brew with one of these, has anybody noticed a slight increase in OG just as fermentation starts ? I did a quick google about this last night and one answer that sounded plausible was because CO2 is starting to be produced, anybody had any experience of this ?

See pic below, red line

 

[Cheyne_brewer]

But after spending your hard-earned cash, you might as well use six or more calibration points, evenly spaced. You want it to be as accurate as your hydrometer!

I used 10 points, just not precisely calculated just measured.

 

[lupinehorror]

I'm just on my second brew with one of these, has anybody noticed a slight increase in OG just as fermentation starts ? I did a quick google about this last night and one answer that sounded plausible was because CO2 is starting to be produced, anybody had any experience of this ?

See pic below, red line

View attachment 38838

i've seen that with the 4 brews i've done tracking with ispindel

 

[Michael Burnley]

i've seen that with the 4 brews i've done tracking with ispindel

Do you think that as fermentation progresses it settles down, or is the initial false reading carried into all subsequent readings ?

I suppose I could just take hydrometer readings

 

[kelper]

I think CO2 bubbles stick to the iSpindel giving a false reading. Also the Krausen sticks. I normally add the iSpindel on the third day so it stays clean

 

[Michael Burnley]

Thanks @kelper I will carry on taking hydrometer readings and see if it corresponds with the ispindel, I don't mind ignoring the first days reading but want to know if both readings agree further on into fermentation.