tilt vs ispindle vs plaato

[kelper]

If you have an old phone near the Tilt 24/7 it will export to the cloud - Google Sheets. But a Raspberry Pi Zero W will do this AND store the data locally which can be downloaded onto a USB device. It's in CSV format so can be opened with any spreadsheet. I'm logging every 15 minutes. Here is my current brew. This is live!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hPrHc2qjOYj3lZxUPKdv2PRk3kYIfISNlPsu1RAsGNY/edit?usp=sharing

I only started this kit yesterday. Initially, the SG rises rapidly - this is due to bubbles attaching to the Tilt. But then it settles down. It records every 15 minutes.

Here is an earlier brew. Look at the 'REPORT' and 'CHART' tabs.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14JhWj4U73Ne2O6QgbPBOZQbqRWotZfOez2Mutf2zpLg/edit?usp=sharing

Here, the SG takes a sudden dive at the beginning but quickly sorts itself out.

 

[itry]

@kelper that is what i want!!!!my inner geek is loving the statistics and graphs

 

[kelper]

Get a PI!

 

[itry]

Ordered.

 

[kelper]

On your phone, in the Tilt App, did you go into settings and turn on logging to the cloud? Tilt will send a link to your email where you can see your own graph etc. You need to keep Tilt running on your phone and it will only upload when your phone is within Bluetooth range of your Tilt. But that is still fun. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[kelper]

Ordered.

did you remember to order an SDHC card (mini)? And a case? While you wait, go to Tilthydrometer.com and download the Tilt Pi disk image and the Etcher program.

 

[itry]

@kelper rembered and ordered also. Ill let you know how it goes

 

[kelper]

One tip; on the spreadsheets, don't edit on the 'REPORT' tab or you will corrupt it, edit on the 'DATA' tab - this is where to add comments. On the 'REPORT' tab you CAN select SG and Celsius but don't alter the other cells! I found this out the hard way!

 

[RichK]

Will these work with the fermenter in a fridge?

 

[kelper]

Is your fermenter made of plastic - yes
Is your fermenter S/S - possibly. Tilt have a repeater, but it's not on sale in UK yet. You could install a Raspberry Pi inside the fridge if it was protected from condensation. They are £20 or less.

 

[kelper]

I can't find any UK or EU shops stocking the Tilt Repeater yet, but they will ship internationally from the US. It's US$60 plus US$32 for shipping, but you'd be paying Customs and VAT on top of that.

 

[Richie_asg1]

Nice idea.
It should be possible to add a wireless charging coil so the unit stays sealed for life and can be sterilised. - just pop it in a charging dock when finished.

 

[pottsworth]

There was an article on github about someone who integrated an antenna into his stainless fermenter to effectively carry the ispindel signal out of the fermenter.

A WiFi repeater next to your fermenter might be an easier solution...

 

[kelper]

Nice idea.
It should be possible to add a wireless charging coil so the unit stays sealed for life and can be sterilised. - just pop it in a charging dock when finished.

Why bother? The Tilt battery lasts for 12 months and the repeater's for 6?

 

[F00b4r]

I have a couple of Tilts and an iSpindle, the Tilt is way more user friendly as you just throw it in some water and calibrate if need be then use. A lot of people I know have had either issues calibrating the iSpindles or spent a lot of time doing so.
The use of Bluetooth versus Wifi may make the difference for you but if you need to you can always get one of these when they are released our build your own or of course just get a Pi and put it close enough to it to log the data and allow your phone to connect anywhere:

I can't find any UK or EU shops stocking the Tilt Repeater yet, but they will ship internationally from the US. It's US$60 plus US$32 for shipping, but you'd be paying Customs and VAT on top of that.

See the link I posted earlier in the thread and build your own if you want to. If they are now selling them in the US I am sure the official ones will be for sale here soon too.

 

[AlDaviz]

Missus bought me a tilt for Xmas, wonderful piece of kit, gives you so much insight into how quickly your brew is fermenting and see when it stabilise’s ready for bottling.

 

[chrissyr63]

Suppose she bought it thinking you wouldn't have to spend so much time with your beer. Then half way through Eastenders you said while looking at your phone

wonderful piece of kit, gives you so much insight into how quickly your brew is fermenting and see when it stabilise’s ready for bottling.

And the magic was broken!

 

[Braufather]

Does anyone know if these boosters are available in uk now then? I’ve got a complete ispindal On the way but am worried about the signal getting through my SS brewbucket.

 

[Hanglow]

iSpindle uses WiFi so any plug in wifi extender should work I would think

 

[Bill_g]

In response to original question I thought I'd add my findings using Plaato.
I have a stainless fermenter which would likely either prevent wifi access internally or attenuate signals and affect reliability plus not enough headroom in the fermenter to guarantee tilt hydrometer operation so went for Plaato. Overall ist's useful to monitor progress of fermentation but beer analysis in terms of FG & ABV, I'm coming to conclusion is substantially too inaccurate to be valuable. A few further points to beware of:

• if fermentation over-foams & gets into Plaato air lock it will stop working
• any reduction in pressure will back-siphon the Plaato airlock water back into the fermenter (a special valve is available to prevent this for about £20)
• temperature measurement is air temperature of the brewing cabinet not the beer (usually quite different particularly during fast fermentation period). But still useful to monitor if brewing cabinet is working I guess.

I solved the back siphoning & foam issue by using a secondary gas expansion vessel with Plaato plugged into this & vessel connected via a tube to the fermenter.
So in conclusion I shall carry on using it but I would not recommend it. It kind of falls into the 'great ideas that don't really work' category as far as I'm concerned.