iSpindel - digital WiFi hydrometer

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tommos76 said:
Yes mate here we go. I think you install a wemos on to it as well but can't recall as they were purchased last year along with all smd resistors
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Ah those look like they’re for a D1, but I’ve built mine with an uno. Theyre a smart looking board though, where did you get them from?
 
Alside101 said:
Does anyone sell these pre built and collaborated
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I thought about it at one point, but considering all of the code and the PCB designs are all Open source, it would seem a bit immoral to make any money from it.

In my experience they can also need a bit of TLC to keep them going.I’ve replaced the 4056 charger on a couple of mine (one the charge socket broke off the board, one just died), so it helps to have gone through the building process.

They’re really not too bad to build. With the later PCBs the soldering is straightforward, even if you haven’t done it before. There’s also loads of support available between here, the online guide and the iSpindel facebook group.
 
My big PETling XL arrived this morning but it wouldn't fit the length because I'd had to botch my iSpindel with a couple pins and a jumper for the switch, as a temporary. I managed to cut the pins down to minimum and find a shorter jumper, to get it to fit the length.

Rather than an holder, I had soldered the battery to the pcb hoping to make it bit easier to get it to fit in the PET, just a 2200mAh for now. I had to file the side of the PCB down a little to make it a less tight fit.

Using my Iphone with the iSpindel set as an AP - Without any bottom lead weight, it 'swam' at 70 degrees. Rather than keep opening it up, I got a rough idea of the weight needed to get the 25 degrees, by taping weight to the outside of the PET base. It needed 12g to get it to 24.6 degrees. That is as far as I am going for now, until I can make a more permanent job of the switch, the battery then the lead weights. For the lead, I used plumbers solder on a roll.
 
I'm now wondering just how to fit my plumber's lead solder, in the PET. There really is not much room in there, to put it in the slightly rounded end, at the very bottom - how do you make sure it doesn't move about and risk shorting something out?

My plumbers solder is around 4mm diameter by 2x 2" lengths and my best idea so far is to scrape some of the green solder resist away, alongside the battery, as near the bottom as possible, then tack solder it in place. My other option would be Araldite it, but tack soldering would make it easier to make adjustments in the future.

How has everyone else fixed their weights?
 
pottsworth said:
Not going to lie. Gaffs tape.
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I found some of that strong number plate double sided tape, put a strip of that either side of the battery and my lead solder has stuck to perfectly that. It settled at 16 degrees in water, so I snipped away at the upper ends of the lead, until I got it to 24.6 degrees. That is near enough for now, I need to open it up again, to fit a proper switch and a new higher capacity battery, so pointless getting it on the nose.
 
Harry Bloomfield said:
I'm now wondering just how to fit my plumber's lead solder, in the PET. There really is not much room in there, to put it in the slightly rounded end, at the very bottom - how do you make sure it doesn't move about and risk shorting something out?

My plumbers solder is around 4mm diameter by 2x 2" lengths and my best idea so far is to scrape some of the green solder resist away, alongside the battery, as near the bottom as possible, then tack solder it in place. My other option would be Araldite it, but tack soldering would make it easier to make adjustments in the future.

How has everyone else fixed their weights?
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I used curtain weights, they are about the size of a 2p piece and have holes like buttons. I affixed a small piece of plastic to the bottom of the sled and threaded them with wire. The curve fits nicely in the bottom of the Petling.
 
tommos76 said:
Hi I have 3 pet bottles, 10 4.0 cherry Phillip boards, 20 battery holders, 9 switches and 9 temperature sensors.
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Hi I ve been trying to source those Cherry Philip boards with no luck. Any idea where I can get them. TIA.
 
CBBC said:
Hi I ve been trying to source those Cherry Philip boards with no luck. Any idea where I can get them. TIA.
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I have 3 v4.0's left with more on the way
I've managed to source everything but still waiting on a few things to actually arrive, they will be on ebay either tonight or tomorrow
 
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I thought I understood that the 6 terminal charger pcb, included battery protection to prevent the 18650 from over-discharging and wrecking the cell? I have just run my iSpindle to the point where it stops transmitting and it ran the battery down to a last recorded level of 2.28v assuming it is presenting an accurate value. I checked the voltage calibration and showing 4.2v it measured within a tiny fraction of the reading on my meter.
 
Harry Bloomfield said:
I thought I understood that the 6 terminal charger pcb, included battery protection to prevent the 18650 from over-discharging and wrecking the cell? I have just run my iSpindle to the point where it stops transmitting and it ran the battery down to a last recorded level of 2.28v assuming it is presenting an accurate value. I checked the voltage calibration and showing 4.2v it measured within a tiny fraction of the reading on my meter.
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yes I think it's supposed to cut out at 2.5v. I couldn't get my head around the voltage calibration at the time so I left my iSpindel reporting 5V+ and switched to using protected cells instead.

Which PCB board are you using?
 
Its a TP4056 and I have just found an English datasheet for it, which says...

'Over-discharge protection - keeps your battery from being discharged below 2.4V, a healthy minimum voltage level for your battery.'

So it seems to be doing what it is designed to do, despite my thinking it was below the safe discharge voltage..
 
Yeah I used to think 3.2v was very low but saw my protected cells cut at 2.4-2.6v
I ended up finding a video by Big Clive who explained it a bit
 
Wezzle said:
I have 3 v4.0's left with more on the way
I've managed to source everything but still waiting on a few things to actually arrive, they will be on ebay either tonight or tomorrow
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I need 3, could you let me know just before you put them on. Cheers
 
Ballast help needed
Just finished building using a 4.0 pcb.
All working ok but I can't get anywhere near 25 degrees in plain water, not much spare space for weights in the current tube, shouldn't go for more weight in the larger tube?
Any tips gratefully received, thanks
 
Adean said:
Ballast help needed
Just finished building using a 4.0 pcb.
All working ok but I can't get anywhere near 25 degrees in plain water, not much spare space for weights in the current tube, shouldn't go for more weight in the larger tube?
Any tips gratefully received, thanks
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Which size tube are you using, and is the board snug in there?

Have you done the sensor calibration in the maintainence page (not the full iSpindel calibration, this one just makes sure it reads flat as flat)

What angle are you getting? Have you got a picture?
 
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pottsworth said:
Which side tube are you using, and is the board snug in there?

Have you done the sensor calibration in the maintainence page (not the full iSpindel calibration, this one just makes sure it reads flat as flat)

What angle are you getting? Have you got a picture?
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Hi,
The board is really snug in the tube, reads 89.9 on a flat table, is floating almost horizontal... I'll get a couple of pics when in the shed later on. Something isn't right somewhere, I'm thinking battery weight may not be helping so will check that too
 

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