iSpindel - digital WiFi hydrometer

[pottsworth]

Ah yes, should have said, I put about 3 turns of Teflon tape on mine which has made it water tight.

The sled that came with mine is snug enough that you don’t need to recalibrate after each reassembly. Having the board near the lid also makes it easier to charge without pulling the whole sled out.

 

[pottsworth]

What’s the difference with the v4 board, and what container do you house it in?

I’d probably be interested in a second one.

 

[tommos76]

By the looks of it the gyro sensor and temp sensor are mounted at the bottom. This replaces the breadboard and sledge with drawings where to fit all the components. There is no need for any ballasts either. The dimensions of the board are 32mm x 124mm. It will fit snugly in your tube.

 

[tommos76]

Here is a picture of the board layout

 

[tommos76]

I've added the two resisters,diode and about to solder a switch into the boards next so if anyone wanted one at that stage let me know.

 

[tommos76]

I received these wemos V3 boards today and can't seem to find a WiFi network have I purchased the wrong boards?

 

[pottsworth]

The Wemos I got had one large metal cased chip on it.
Will it allow you to flash it the same as before? It should be possible to flash without building into an ispindel.

 

[tommos76]

Hi yes I've managed to flash the unit but it's not showing up on my WiFi before and after flashing. I've trawled the internet for answers but hitting a brick wall. Not sure if I need the gyro board connected to see the WiFi.

 

[pottsworth]

My (very limited) understanding is that all of that goes through the Wemos, and the gyro is just an input.

How many did you buy? Happy to play with one once I get home to see if I can get it working?

NB - currently approaching midnight on an all inclusive holiday - may not have succeeded in typing in English!

 

[tommos76]

Just this second got it sorted !!

I bought a raspberries pi and just installed fermentrack onto it. Flashed the device in there and hey presto! Will be sending some bits to you for your support

 

[pottsworth]

Been good so far, but pretty sure something hasn’t agreed with me tonight!

Back on Saturday so happy to have a play then.

 

[pottsworth]

Just realised I kissed your second reply - glad it got sorted, but strange that the result was different just by how it was flashed.

 

[tommos76]

Fermentrack uses the older firmware and I believe once that's on you can update via the portal but haven't tried that S yet.

 

[eyuptm]

Fermentrack uses the older firmware and I believe once that's on you can update via the portal but haven't tried that S yet.

How much computer/IT knowledge does one need to configure this device? Not my strong point, but if you send them out with software installed, I'm sure I might make a stab at finishing the construction, my soldering and DIY skills are better than my digital knowledge!!!

 

[pottsworth]

It depends on if you have a PC or a Mac / other Linux computer.

From the instructions, I believe there is an installer/ flasher available for PC which will pretty much do it for you.

On Mac/Linux it’s a little more complicated, and you do need to do it via command line from the terminal, but everything you need to do is in the posts in this thread, and most of the command line stuff is pretty basic (change directory, run, etc.). The couple of more complicated bits have exactly what you need to true described in the article, so you can do it without necessarily understanding every command.

 

[tommos76]

Loving the new ispindel PCB design. Well balanced No need for any weights

, feels solid and sturdy just waiting for the charging unit before I can test in a brew!

 

[ChrisT]

I received these wemos V3 boards today and can't seem to find a WiFi network have I purchased the wrong boards?

Tommos76,
new to the board and first post here. Been away from homebrew for 20+ years and just returning...
yes I believe you might well have the wrong board. I think you have a D1 mini, but you need a D1 mini WiFi. The I/O and CPU are the same, or very similar, but one has WiFi and the other doesn't. At least that's what I think. I'm very interested in building an iSpindel and I've ordered various bit from across the world and am waiting for the flock to arrive. I'm not an expert on these devices but after some initial confusion, I spent some time researching and working out what board I'd need and couldn't find a straightforward answer. I've got a couple of different boards enroute to try.

Why am I looking at an iSpindel? I've only done 2 wine kits so far; the first didn't ferment out completely and the second completed well ahead of time. I'd like to get some idea of what's going on by monitoring/logging the temperature and gravity. I've even got a bubble counter ready for my next batch!

My idea at the moment is to use Fermentrack (running on an unused Raspberry Pi), build an iSpindel, build a bubble counter and a couple of other ESP and Arduino surplus bits. Things appear to have moved on from the airing cupboard and patience that was my previous experience!


Chris

 

[gingerneil]

I'm a bit of a tech geek and love the idea of this...!
I was looking at buying the kit, but for 70euro delivered to the UK, I'd rather have a go buying the bits and doing it more DIY! The PCB looks to be the only thing that's 'custom' and the other bits are fairly easy to get from ebay.
When you say there is no ballast needed, is that because the components are now at the bottom and so do this job instead ? How about charging though - does the PCB need to be removed or can it be done by simply removing the cap ? Which container are you using ? Also, which battery holder are you using in those latest pics? Its not on the first page BOM....

 

[tommos76]

Just smashed an American hbc with my Dad! Feeling it in the morning lol

 

[tommos76]

I Managed to get the Wemos board working! I flashed it using fermentrack on my raspberry pi build.
There is no ballast needed due to the positioning of the companents. All the parts needed for this particular build can be found on PCB way and there is a step by step YouTube video on how to assemble.

The cap would need removing to charge up the battery and most importantly you would need to wrap some waterproof tape around the threads before putting on the lid to make it watertight. I would suggest replacing after every ferment.