iSpindel - digital WiFi hydrometer

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm using the 2 degree equation in my ispindel with ubidots. Don't forget you can also derive the SG in ubidots itself rather than in the ispindel config.

I wonder if it just ignored the 2 degree formula because I somehow mis-typed it? I copied and pasted on my Iphone and there was no way I could find, to see the right hand end of the formula, or edit it. I read somewhere that it was originally limited to 30 characters, but later increased to 70. My degree 2 was well less than the 70 and I'm using the most recent version of firmware.

 

[gingerneil]

Can you try a browser on laptop/pc??

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I will try a laptop, when my present fermentation completes.

 

[eyuptm]

Good morning guys I haven't been on here for quite a while due to other projects and not brewing for about a year. I've been sorting out my garage and came across a few pet bottles and ispindel pcbs which I'm happy to let go at cost price. I may have switches and a few other components too if anyone is interested.

Welcome back tomos, hope everything has calmed down now... I'd be happy to have a couple more PCBs and tubes off you, and any other components you have to build another couple of ispindels!! Nice to have you back!!

 

[ChrisT]

Can anyone recommend at 1-2 gallon fermentation vessel that an iSpindle will fit into and float freely? Other than a bucket!

I recently bought 2 PET 1 gallon FVs but the iSpindle won't fit. There's a norrowing of the opening that is just too narrow for the lid to pass through. I can remove some material from the lip on the iSpindle so the lip can pass through, but still too narrow for the iSpindle lid.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I bought my kit used. It included 2x 30L and 3x 5L plastic FV's all with full diamater lids, plus 2x glass demi-johns. So 5L FV's are definitely available.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My last 5gallon Wilko red failed to ferment and I ended up dumping it down the drain.

At around 8pm last night, I took a chance and started another 5gallon Wilko red, but this time I was testing my new iSpindel for the first time. Here is its SG graph so far....

Ubidots | Dashboards

It had begun fermenting around midnight, judging by the bubbling. Rather than the SG going down, it seemed to increase slightly at first - I'm guessing due CO2 bubbles lifting the iSpindel slightly. The sharp steps in the graph, are where I gave the FV a good shake to stir things up.

Judging by the bubbles and the iSpindel's graph, all is going very well indeed.

 

[ChrisT]

@Harry Bloomfield Out of curiosity what FV do you have your iSpindle in? I've only been able to run mine in a bucket, for testing I used RasPySpindel HOWTO: iSpindel RasPySpindel Server Image (Vorinstalliert) - hobbybrauer.de running on an Pi V1.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Its in a 5gallon / 30L plastic drum type FV. The lid is the same diameter as the drum.

To calibrate it, I made use of a similar shaped 5L FV.

 

[ChrisT]

Yea, I got some 5l PET but none of my Peltings will pass the shoulder. From pictures I've seen on any website selling these they all appear to be the same manufacturer. I was tempted to try and shave some matterial from the FV, but that's going weaken the shoulder and also potentially roughen the surface and provide places for nasties to hide.

I'll keep looking!

 

[ChilledGecko]

I've just got my iSpindel up and pumping data to Ubidots, it's sitting on a shelf so all I see is temperature changes and when I pick it up / change the propped angle. I love to geek before using in anger!

I'll be brewing within a day or so and am happy to use Ubidots as my graphing service for this run but has anyone used any of the alternatives?

I'm running a number of services in house including MQTT (mosquito) into a home automation system and InfluxDB.
I'm guessing InfluxDB being a time based database is a great fit for monitoring SG over time, I run Grafana as a local graphing service out from the database for other geeky stuff I do such as solar panels, battery storage, home automation type stuff.
I have a hankering for fancier dashboards and the option to send emails when SG points are reached / temperature is out of limits etc.

Anyone strayed from the Ubidot path into the wilderness?

 

[private4587]

@Harry Bloomfield Out of curiosity what FV do you have your iSpindle in? I've only been able to run mine in a bucket, for testing I used RasPySpindel HOWTO: iSpindel RasPySpindel Server Image (Vorinstalliert) - hobbybrauer.de running on an Pi V1.

Any chance of an english translation?

 

[Alex.mc]

Does anyone sell these pre built and collaborated

Yes, search on Ebay for seller Benpolley. I got mine from his as I've got so many jobs on to do around the house with lockdown, I couldn't face the prospect of a build, and program and setup. So just went for his prebuilt. It's been great! His instructions were also almost perfect, and it was a painless process!

 

[ChilledGecko]

Plus One for Ben Polley.
I was going to DIY but for £40 all in saved me all the hassle and speedy delivery, 1st class Royal Mail in I remember correctly.

 

[Alex.mc]

Yes, he was very informative and communicative as an Ebay seller as well. I also thought it was very neat and cleanly done. Quality battery in it too!

 

[ChrisT]

Any chance of an english translation?

I just used Google Translate on the web site, there's a readme in english with all the info you need included in the download. Dead easy to use, I dug out my original Pi from it's dust encrusted package, got an unused SD card, flashed SD card and I've had it running continuosly now since mid April and all I had to do was change the iSpindle config, no server side configuration required.

This is just one option, there are many ways of logging the data. I never got round to try Ubidots as this did just what I wanted at the time. Downside is that it's a local server, without some messing with your router you can't check it remotely. That where Ubidots, or other cloud based services, can offer something extra. If you have a spare Pi and you're happy to wait 'till you get home to check on your precious exilir a very simple solution!

There is fully configurable and customisable version available as well, but that does need some head scratching as Google translate wasn't coping very well with the translation, at least for me.


Chris

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Yea, I got some 5l PET but none of my Peltings will pass the shoulder. From pictures I've seen on any website selling these they all appear to be the same manufacturer. I was tempted to try and shave some matterial from the FV, but that's going weaken the shoulder and also potentially roughen the surface and provide places for nasties to hide.

I'll keep looking!

That read a bit confused! The PET is the container for the iSpindel, it's not 5 litre. I doubt any electronic hydrometer can be made small enough to fit into a demi-john style fermenting vessel. I have a couple of demi-johns on the shelf, but I have disinclined to use them, because they are so difficult to clean and the iSpindel will not fit them. All of my wine this time around, has been fermented in my 5 gallon plastic vessels with full diameter, tight fitting lids - easy to clean and easy to use the iSpindel in them. Likewise my 1 gallon vessels, plastic, with a full diameter lid.

The lid of my most used 5gallon FV, is a very tight fit/ extremely difficult to get off, so I dreaded having to check the SG with an hydrometer.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

A little tip I learned long ago, to enable batteries which lack solder tags, to be used without a battery holder, by soldering wires directly to them...

The ordinary multicore solder commonly used for electronics, will not work on the likes of the end terminals of 18650 cells. A tiny amount of the plumbers flux, commonly supplied in a yellow plastic pot, enables wires to be easily soldered to many metals (including 18650's). I just use an ordinary soldering iron, multi-core electronic solder, but a tiny dab of the plumber's flux. Plumber's is much more aggressive than multi-core.

 

[ChrisT]

A little tip I learned long ago, to enable batteries which lack solder tags, to be used without a battery holder, by soldering wires directly to them...

The ordinary multicore solder commonly used for electronics, will not work on the likes of the end terminals of 18650 cells. A tiny amount of the plumbers flux, commonly supplied in a yellow plastic pot, enables wires to be easily soldered to many metals (including 18650's). I just use an ordinary soldering iron, multi-core electronic solder, but a tiny dab of the plumber's flux. Plumber's is much more aggressive than multi-core.

That's what I did when I built my original withe the 3D printed sled. You WILL need some kind of solder flux, as @Harry Bloomfield said plumbers solder or for use with electronic soldering to get a good joint. If you don't you are likely to overheat the battery and that will not do the battery any good at all. Also once you've done the soldering, clean the flux off!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

If anyone in the UK might be struggling to source the parts, this guy is selling SOME of them at a good price..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOME-iSp...hash=item2d0bec5805:m:mv6eeSi_IYm7bInfbUH3v_w
It lacks PETling, battery, charger and pcb.

I bought my WeMos from him and suggested it would help a lot of people in the UK, if he sourced the parts in bulk, to provide complete kits he could sell. This gets you part way there, for not much outlay.