iSpindel - digital WiFi hydrometer

[jarnold]

Thanks for the reply.
Your points re. calibration do not apply in my case, as my device is entirely self-built and self programmed. I will definitely try to trim the buoyancy to achieve 25 degrees from vertical in clear water, though, for my next attempt.
2p coins won't fit in my tube, by the way!
And yes, I've always thought the important thing is to see when things stop changing. I have a hydrometer and an incerdibly-hard-to-read refractometer for more absolute measurements.
I would be interested in any photos, to try and gauge how high the thing should float.

 

[Isolec82]

Does this help.

 

[Isolec82]

Should have said 1058

 

[jarnold]

Ye, thanks. Where's your ballast? At the bottom?

 

[Isolec82]

Yes as close as could get it, perhaps 5mm from the absolute end. I am not at home at the moment but from memory, angle from vertical was about 19 degrees in pure water.

 

[jarnold]

Thanks.

 

[ITMA]

Where are people getting the 18650 batteries from? All I’ve been able to find are blatant fakes.

 

[jarnold]

I used a small LiPo I had left over from a job I did. Probably about 150 -200 mAH. Since my device only wakes up every two hours to send a reading, it lasts weeks.

Like somebody who posted earlier on this thread, I was looking at wireless charging - in fact I think I have the same parts thay showed pics of. I never made much progress with it. I found it difficult to produce coils the right size and inductance for both transmitter and receiver. Maybe I'll take another look sometime, when I'm not so busy.

 

[jarnold]

Also are you guys using ubidots or something else? If I get a second Spindel, even the education version will be a few quid a month.

I'm using google sheets. It's free, but you'd have to mod the code, obviously.

 

[Isolec82]

Because all the yeast and rubbish gets stuck on and around the lid, i always like to remove the lid to clean into the first part of the tread. Maybe unnecessary paranoia, but as i am removing the lid it might as well plug it in. Not sure i see the need for going wireless.

Has anybody integrated ispindle with brewpi to produce a fermentation controller using the temp value from the ispindle?

 

[jarnold]

Has anybody integrated ispindle with brewpi to produce a fermentation controller using the temp value from the ispindle?

I don't have a brewpi, but I haven't used the temperature reading from my floating thing because:
a) I want a temperature reading way more often than every two hours, but if I wake the device up every 5 minutes, say, the battery won't last.
b) I don't want to be in trouble if my WiFi or the internet go down or drop out.

 

[Isolec82]

i have a 2600mAh battery in mine and talking every 120 seconds it will last 15 days plus. Whilst my internet perhaps goes down occasionally the odds of my wifi going down is about the same or probably less than the ispindel going down. I brew a lot of lagers which i start cold and bring temperature up as fermentation progresses. As i am often away it would be good to do this automatically or remotely!

 

[stevey]

I have one of these. When I first got it I calibrated it and put formula in etc. However they are only accurate if you calibrate them regularly, i.e lots of wasted sugar and water.
I only monitor temperature and tilt now, when it has flatlined for a couple of days, I know fermentation has finished.
That's all I need it for really, it has sped up my total brew time, and I never have to lift the lid of the fermenter. I use a hydrometer as normal to get my abv.

 

[pottsworth]

I'm using google sheets. It's free, but you'd have to mod the code, obviously.

Is that easy to do for the relatively computer illiterate?

I acquired about a kilo of fine granular lead shot this week from a crash-tested car at work. If anyone needs any ballast I'm happy to stick some in an envelope (I looked for some on a amazon and it was fairly silly expensive).

 

[itry]

Is it worth attempting one of these? Or is it worth getting a tilt?

 

[pottsworth]

If you can solder then I think it’s worth it.

If you have £150 to drop on a tilt then it may well be an easier option, but as far as I know the tilt needs you to take you phone nearby to connect with Bluetooth, whereas the spindle you drop in and then it connects to your WiFi and sorts itself out.

 

[itry]

I can solder to a good level. Ill check it out.

 

[Isolec82]

I think if you are reasonably practical and can solder, construction is not a problem. It is certainly cheaper to build and i believe by constructing and understanding i have a greater awareness of its shortcomings. i currently have it in a brew, that i have not disturbed. is approx 60% attenuated, and once i see it flat line i know is fully fermented. I probably could not justify £150 but i am sure £50 to build your own is money well spent.

 

[jarnold]

Is that easy to do for the relatively computer illiterate?

I acquired about a kilo of fine granular lead shot this week from a crash-tested car at work. If anyone needs any ballast I'm happy to stick some in an envelope (I looked for some on a amazon and it was fairly silly expensive).

Define easy? Define relatively!
I can point you at examples of communicating with google sheets, and possible help if necessary.
http://embedded-lab.com/blog/post-data-google-sheets-using-esp8266/

 

[stevey]

With the tilt, I think you can only connect with bluetooth, meaning you have to be close by (correct me if I'm wrong).
With the i-spindel, I can check fermentation wherever I am, using ubidots education.