Whats the collective thoughts on these fermenter floating devices?

[dtashmore]

Ive got a RAPT pill. Lost hours of my life getting it set up, lost even more when I changed my internet provider and had to go through it again. The app is not at all intuitive and is glitchy AF. I frequently get a blank white screen and have to turn my phone off and on again and once had to delete app and reinstall. When reinstalling have to go through connecting it again.

Otherwise fine.

sounds like you need to retro fit a wireless charger, never need to dismantle again and much easier to reset the device or recalibrate.

I pressure ferment so the rapt pill makes it easier to follow the fermentation process without opening my fermenter, I can thus go from pitching to keg without exposing my ale to the atmosphere. I love the device but agree it's in no way essential.

 

[SteveB.]

I have been using an iSpindel for some time and find it useful but as people have said it's accuracy affected by yeast build up. But good for monitoring progress. The battery will last for a month normally (with plenty of juice left)
However recently I have used it fermenting under pressure and both times it failed transmitting after about 4 days. On checking it out after fermentation finished I found the battery voltage had dropped to zero. It didn't look like the plastic tube had leaked but there was signs of moisture and I could see on the tube a mark between the ends of the battery and guessed that was a discharge path for the battery.
Anyone else had this issue?

 

[dtashmore]

I read that the rapt pill can also leak under high pressure (don't have the ispindel), I have had no problems at 12psi raising to 16psi at the end (so far). what pressure did you use? maybe you should check the sealing.

 

[SteveB.]

I have been using the iSpindel at 10/15psi and it didn't fill up with beer. It just looked like some moisture was in there as some of the solder joints looked corroded (maybe condensation under pressure). As well as an odd mark on the plastic between the battery terminals. I'm thinking of coating the electronic bits in varnish to protect against moisture.

 

[foxy]

I got offered a Hydrom for free, probably the Rolls Royce of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi technology in the floating hydrometer world. It would just have ended up in a drawer. Seriously is there any advantage on a homebrew scale? How many users still check their gravity, both OG and FG with a standard hydrometer? If it could tell me the pH value and IBU of the finished beer then I would be interested.
But it tells me nothing more than a $9 hydrometer.

 

[sifty]

But it tells me without having to open up the fermenter to take a sample.
From the other end of the country if I'm away. All while graphing the fermentation progress to inspect/compare/examine

These are the main advantages for me. All well worth the modest cost as far as I'm concerned...

 

[foxy]

But it tells me without having to open up the fermenter to take a sample.
From the other end of the country if I'm away. All while graphing the fermentation progress to inspect/compare/examine

These are the main advantages for me. All well worth the modest cost as far as I'm concerned...

I take a sample from my sample port, I know when it should be finished. You said yourself that you still check with a hydrometer to see if the readings are correct. So what is the point? I don't brew a beer if I am going walkabout after I pitch the yeast. I know it is finished within 4-5 days and just leave it to clean up.

 

[sifty]

I don't have a sample port.
So I take a sample for OG prior to pitching, and when I know things are over (from looking at the tilt hydrometer feedback) I take another sample when bottling/kegging to confirm ABV.

 

[jambop]

I take samples from the sampling tap on my conicals which is a good way of not only measuring the gravity near the end of fermentation but having a sup to test the flavour and have a look at the clarity. I know my normal fermetation times so seldom do more than a couple of tests. I have to say I tend to stick to my favourite tried and tested English style beers and use the same yeasts for these beers, a yeast that needs top cropping so the fermenter is opened during fermentation to stir and harvest. So I would think one of these devices is not really worthwhile for me.

 

[peebee]

I got offered a Hydrom for free, probably the Rolls Royce of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi technology in the floating hydrometer world. It would just have ended up in a drawer. Seriously is there any advantage on a homebrew scale? How many users still check their gravity, both OG and FG with a standard hydrometer? If it could tell me the pH value and IBU of the finished beer then I would be interested.
But it tells me nothing more than a $9 hydrometer.

I reckon all that babble about "hydrometers" is just to wind me up, 'cos everyone knows what I think of them? But as even those with, or only defending, floaty electronic things don't want to hear me mouth off about pyknometers again, I guess ranting about your post will just be taken as more proof of my paranoia. (I'm not paranoid; I know people are out to get me).

So, I'll keep quiet ... well apart from that little bit ...

(Hydrometers? Flippin' unreadable, fragile, bits of useless tat)

... err, and that little bit.

 

[dtashmore]

I have been using the iSpindel at 10/15psi and it didn't fill up with beer. It just looked like some moisture was in there as some of the solder joints looked corroded (maybe condensation under pressure). As well as an odd mark on the plastic between the battery terminals. I'm thinking of coating the electronic bits in varnish to protect against moisture.

this is similar to a report I found on the rapt pill forum and was responded to by kegland tech. that also had a similar issue and suggests that they are not ideal under pressure, that was used at 20psi but the ispindel may not be as good under pressure, I have not experienced any problems so far but having read this issue I avoided trying to brew at such a high pressure and settled for between 10 and 12 psi and just took it up at the end. do look up on the rapt pill forum.

 

[Agentgonzo]

...pyknometers...

If you stuck a bung in your pyknometer, you could turn it into a floating pyknometer! Then everyone wins!

(Hydrometers? Flippin' unreadable, fragile, bits of useless tat)

Except for the floating ones... Plastic so not fragile. Easily readable in a variety of large fonts on your phone!

 

[GhostDoggyWoofWoof]

I have been using an iSpindel for some time and find it useful but as people have said it's accuracy affected by yeast build up. But good for monitoring progress. The battery will last for a month normally (with plenty of juice left)
However recently I have used it fermenting under pressure and both times it failed transmitting after about 4 days. On checking it out after fermentation finished I found the battery voltage had dropped to zero. It didn't look like the plastic tube had leaked but there was signs of moisture and I could see on the tube a mark between the ends of the battery and guessed that was a discharge path for the battery.
Anyone else had this issue?

Yes. I have had three fail under pressure so I've given up on them. I do miss my nice graphs tho

 

[peebee]

If you stuck a bung in your pyknometer, you could turn it into a floating pyknometer! Then everyone wins! ...

I'm working on how to get the electronics through that tiny bottle neck.

Do you know of any good ship-in-a-bottle books?

 

[Vinylwasp]

I have been using an iSpindel for some time and find it useful but as people have said it's accuracy affected by yeast build up. But good for monitoring progress. The battery will last for a month normally (with plenty of juice left)
However recently I have used it fermenting under pressure and both times it failed transmitting after about 4 days. On checking it out after fermentation finished I found the battery voltage had dropped to zero. It didn't look like the plastic tube had leaked but there was signs of moisture and I could see on the tube a mark between the ends of the battery and guessed that was a discharge path for the battery.
Anyone else had this issue?

My experience is that the generic tube that iSpindels are sold in are not as well sealed as the purpose built tube of the Rapt Pill. As one edge is under the surface of the wort, as I raised pressure to 15psi the lid leaked and the battery discharged like you have experienced. I ended up buying a Rapt Pill and am very happy with it.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

The use of a nitrile o ring in the cap of the ispindel and a little silicone oil on the Oring or rim of the petling. Then gently tighten and then loosen and tighten progressively. Ensure the cap is not cross threaded.
I regularly ferment to 30 psi with this technique and no leaks.
I did have a sinker once, that recovered after a good wash and dry.