BrewPi - using the new "Spark Core and Photon"

I just built an amazing BrewPi with a RaspberryPi and Arduino microcontrol. It works great and I am totally stoked - could not sleep at night thinking about it!
Anyway, does anyone know anything about the new BrewPi store's Spark Core and Photon units? I was going to post this message on the "How to build a BrewPi" thread, but the geeks there don't respond unless you speak geeky language throughout your posts!

Wow.

I'd answer your question and point you in the right direction, but suddenly I'm not feeling it...

Try the BrewPi Blog:

http://www.brewpi.com/introducing-brewpi-spark/

Thanks SilverZero! Just when I am getting a grip on all the great thinns that the RPi and Arduino can do, and figureing out the BrewPi's logic, the Spark and Photon pops up!!! Can't wait to hack this with some more learning curve needed....!
Belgian Antwerp almost gone... :cross: Secondary bottle conditioning a German Ale WLP003, Got the Yorkshire Square WLP037 Nut Brown Ale in the Coni, waiting to bottle A Belgian Quad in the other Coni
Now I have to figure out how to use ONE RPi with 2 Conies....maybe less learning curve just to buy another RPi/Arduino!

bloombrews said:

I just built an amazing BrewPi with a RaspberryPi and Arduino microcontrol. It works great and I am totally stoked - could not sleep at night thinking about it!
Anyway, does anyone know anything about the new BrewPi store's Spark Core and Photon units? I was going to post this message on the "How to build a BrewPi" thread, but the geeks there don't respond unless you speak geeky language throughout your posts!

Click to expand...

I have followed the "How to build a Brewpi" thread and seen them answer tons of questions to the non"geeky" community. I've even asked my own stupid questions there and have received nothing but the utmost assistance from the "geeks". No looking down upon us as if we were from a different world because we don't speak "geeky language".

I suppose you wouldn't get an answer from them with your kind of attitude.

Thanks dtgrdn. Maybe I was just posting questions in the wrong Thread. I just posted a couple questions under the How to Build a BrewPi thread, and no one responded. I just thought they were turned off since I was not asking specific C or Python questions - Thats all, no bad feelings here - All is good! My BrewPi is keeping me excited to learn everything fast and catch up.

Is there any such thing as having too much brewing equipment??
Does anyone know someone that says - " I have too many conical fermenters!"

bloombrews said:

Thanks dtgrdn. Maybe I was just posting questions in the wrong Thread. I just posted a couple questions under the How to Build a BrewPi thread, and no one responded. I just thought they were turned off since I was not asking specific C or Python questions - Thats all, no bad feelings here - All is good! My BrewPi is keeping me excited to learn everything fast and catch up.

Is there any such thing as having too much brewing equipment??
Does anyone know someone that says - " I have too many conical fermenters!"

Click to expand...

I did see your posts over there, I was waiting for an answer for your room temp sensor question. I'm having the same issue of it displaying for a room temp and I have no sensor connected for room temp. I did see day trippr responded saying to disable that sensor in settings. I tried that some time ago with the same results.

I do love my BrewPi though. I didn't have any experience with any of it before but when the thread was started I got all of the components and built mine. FuzzeWuzze started the thread and the software and day trippr and a few others have kept it going. Fuzze has been off having a baby so he hasn't been responding to questions. And I think day trippr has just trying to keep up. The guys are pretty helpful but I think the project is winding down and not as active as when it first started. There's still a lot of good info in the thread if you want to read all 95 pages...lol

As for how much equipment is too much, I don't think you can ever have enough stuff! So cheers and brew on!!

How are people still feeling about their BrewPi's?

I am interested in them but I have asked numerous questions and received no answers thus far on their site. Their content also hasn't changed in a long time and it makes me wonder...

Are they still active? Are people not writing about them here because they are working perfectly?

Can I use this device to monitor brew day data logging (mash schedule temp vs time), fermentation temp data, run a jacketed cooling system (kicking on a pump and opening a valve to a chilled reservoir), and possibly monitor the temp of multiple vessels in a chest freezer? Not at the same time, obviously..

Maybe not quite the right place to ask, but I'll answer anyway.

I have three brewpi setups, all of them working flawlessly. I've had one running a fridge just to hold it at a steady temp for almost a year at this point. The one that does my fermentation chamber has also been perfect.

The primary use for these is fermetation chambers and fridges. However you could use it for other things. You can run it in "off" mode while still logging data and could to that for brew day stuff or freezer monitoring. It could probably do jacketed systems, though i'm not sure about kicking valves on and off. (i'm not an expert on the things).


I'd jump to the how to build a brewpi thread and ask in there about alternative uses.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=466106

xico said:

How are people still feeling about their BrewPi's?
[...]Are they still active? Are people not writing about them here because they are working perfectly?

Click to expand...

At least wrt HBT members and their input to the numerous BrewPi threads, I'd say users feel pretty good.
I have four "instances" of BrewPi running my keezer, two ferm fridges and a cold-season ferm cabinet and they've been working great for going on two years now.

Can I use this device to monitor brew day data logging (mash schedule temp vs time), fermentation temp data, run a jacketed cooling system (kicking on a pump and opening a valve to a chilled reservoir), and possibly monitor the temp of multiple vessels in a chest freezer? Not at the same time, obviously..

Click to expand...

The "brew day" hot-side stuff would be a hack; BrewPi was created for cold-side/back-end applications.
Folks are using BrewPi to run fridges, freezers, electric heaters and occasionally cooling pumps (particularly for conicals), all related to fermentation applications.

BrewPi doesn't have a concept of multiple missions. If you had two ferm fridges you'd need to run two "instances" of BrewPi with separate Arduinos, both controlled by the same host (ie: an RPi, or even a peecee).

Likewise, if you're running two fermentors with coolant loops and control valves using a shared pump, for example, you'd need to run two Arduinos, one for each fermentor, and "OR" the two valve control signals to run the pump, so if either fermentor is calling for cooling its valve would open and the pump would turn on. NBD.

Anyway, visit us in the DIY Projects - Fermenters forum and look for the BrewPi-related threads. cegan09 already listed the big mama thread, but you'll find others covering various enhancements you may find useful...

Cheers!

Thank you both, I am continuing to do research into the best option. I only need one recirculating line for a single conical, the a quick rundown of the hardware clears a lot up for me.

xico said:

Thank you both, I am continuing to do research into the best option. I only need one recirculating line for a single conical, the a quick rundown of the hardware clears a lot up for me.

Click to expand...

Also, you just missed it, but every 6-8 weeks an order goes in for preconfigured PCBs for use with LCD displays and the rotary encoder (so the finished product would look like the original "off the shelf" version that Elco was selling before the Spark.) If you're reasonably handy with a soldering iron, a $5 board and about $25 in various components takes care of it.

If you're REALLY handy with a soldering iron, or if you don't care about how it looks cosmetically, you could wire it on a standard Arduino shield (as I did, and it looks mental!) or even on a breadboard. (Thank the mighty @day_trippr for that!)

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=510036

My question is more about the future of the Arduino version vs the Spark version. It looks to me like the Arduino version of BrewPi is dead and all new development is in the Spark version only. Assuming that what is currently there in Arduino fits your needs exactly, I guess that doesn't matter. However, should you want multi-chamber support or new features/fixes, it looks like Arduino is SOL. Am I reading that right? What other downsides to going with the Arduino vs Spark is there? I am tempted to go down the ESP8266 only route and eschew the Arduino completely. I understand this is the same issues as Arduino in theory. However, the ESP8266 is at least wireless and Thorrak seems to have a really good start on porting the Spark branch there as well. Thoughts?

Arduino is dead, at least as far as Elco is concerned. The thing is the Spark has a long road ahead of it before it reaches the maturity level in the code base enjoyed by the Arduino version. He says he's hired a full-time programmer. Maybe he'll get some traction but if I had purchased the Spark based on his "Real Soon Now™" business plan, I might feel a little cheated.

Please understand this is put out there with all due respect to Elco. After all I am comparing his work against his work. It's not like the Arduino is from a competitor.

As it stands the way to get multi-chamber is multiple installations. Whether that's Arduino, fuscus, or ESP8266 (Thorrak should have named it) is immaterial. It's also necessary for the near term to understand that one goes down this road with zero commercial support, and with nobody to pick up the phone and call on a Sunday evening when the refrigerator is 80° instead of 40°. That part should be obvious but sometimes people expect more than they will get.

So, yes, if you want new features you need the Spark version but right now it's hairy and ugly. There's the beginnings, the inklings of new stuff, but right now I daresay it's rather half-assed and not better than the Arduino. At least as far as the code/interface goes. Aesthetically, the Spark "box" has more going for it with the injection-molded case and the color display.

My $0.02 anyway.

dunnry said:

My question is more about the future of the Arduino version vs the Spark version. It looks to me like the Arduino version of BrewPi is dead and all new development is in the Spark version only. Assuming that what is currently there in Arduino fits your needs exactly, I guess that doesn't matter. However, should you want multi-chamber support or new features/fixes, it looks like Arduino is SOL. Am I reading that right? What other downsides to going with the Arduino vs Spark is there? I am tempted to go down the ESP8266 only route and eschew the Arduino completely. I understand this is the same issues as Arduino in theory. However, the ESP8266 is at least wireless and Thorrak seems to have a really good start on porting the Spark branch there as well. Thoughts?

Click to expand...

You are 100% correct in your assessment. Comparing the four platforms that are out there right now, in their current state, here is what I see:

Arduino Legacy:

• An official software branch
• No ongoing development
• Some degree of official support
• Runs the legacy (old) code branch

Fuscus:

• Native python implementation
• Fewer hardware requirements (no Arduino)
• No official support (these forums only)
• Runs the legacy (old) code branch
• Increases reliance on Raspberry Pi

Spark:

• An official software branch
• Ongoing official development
• Official support
• Runs the develop (new) code branch
• Touch screen (control box) support
• Pricey

ESP8266:

• Based on an official software branch
• Ongoing (unofficial) development
• No official support (these forums only)
• Runs the legacy (old) code branch (currently!)
• Adds WiFi support
• No rotary encoder support

Support for the "develop" code branch (the one the Spark uses) on the ESP8266 is coming -- I would place the chance of it happening over 90% at this stage. That said, the ESP8266 will most likely never support touch screens in a similar fashion to the Spark, and doesn't currently support features like the rotary encoder.

Features like "Multi Chamber" support are completely missing from both the legacy AND the develop branches of BrewPi and are unlikely to be added before the next major release. It's highly unlikely that this release will (officially) support Arduinos, and there is no guarantee that it will support current generation Spark hardware either.

Of course - the ground work to add multi chamber support exists in the current code - nothing would prevent who was so inclined from forking the existing codebase and adding it him/herself. That's the benefit of open source!

LBussy said:

Whether that's Arduino, fuscus, or ESP8266 (Thorrak should have named it) is immaterial.

Click to expand...

Yes. Yes he should.

Thorrak said:

Yes. Yes he should.

Click to expand...

I hereby dub it: Thorrakian.

It either sounds like something from outer space or something from a movie producer in Hollywood depending on your background.

And of course there's TWO branches using ESP8266; yours and @pocketmon 's:

Thorrakian:

• Based on an official software branch
• Ongoing (unofficial) development
• No official support (these forums only)
• Runs the legacy (old) code branch (currently!)
• Adds WiFi support
• No rotary encoder support

Pocketmonian:

• Branch of Thorrakian
• Ongoing (unofficial) development
• No official support (these forums only)
• WiFi support
• No RPi needed; limited web services (no graph on web interface)
• Uses GoogleSheets
• Rotary encoder support

... hopefully I've done pocketmonian justice there.

LBussy said:

I hereby dub it: Thorrakian.

It either sounds like something from outer space or something from a movie producer in Hollywood depending on your background.

And of course there's TWO branches using ESP8266; yours and @pocketmon 's:

Thorrakian:

• Based on an official software branch
• Ongoing (unofficial) development
• No official support (these forums only)
• Runs the legacy (old) code branch (currently!)
• Adds WiFi support
• No rotary encoder support

Pocketmonian:

• Branch of Thorrakian
• Ongoing (unofficial) development
• No official support (these forums only)
• WiFi support
• No RPi needed; limited web services (no graph on web interface)
• Uses GoogleSheets
• Rotary encoder support

... hopefully I've done pocketmonian justice there.

Click to expand...

Well, if you put the data to thingspeak.com, you can get the chart. You can check the status anywhere without any other means, like .htacess and DMZ etc.

You know what? Learning the Chart.js library, I am evaluating the charting function. It is certainly doable and very easy.
What I am considering is the interval of temperature logging and the data to save. Some math here:
Saving Beer Temp, Beer Set, Fridge Temp, Fride Set every minute. The temperature data can be compressed into 2bytes, so that's 8 bytes/minute. A log of 30 days will be 337.5k. NodeMcu has 3M flash for data. If the temperatures are logged every five minutes, the data will be 1/5 less. I am not sure which one is better, so I can't start now.

pocketmon said:

Well, if you put the data to thingspeak.com, you can get the chart. You can check the status anywhere without any other means, like .htacess and DMZ etc.

You know what? Learning the Chart.js library, I am evaluating the charting function. It is certainly doable and very easy.
What I am considering is the interval of temperature logging and the data to save. Some math here:
Saving Beer Temp, Beer Set, Fridge Temp, Fride Set every minute. The temperature data can be compressed into 2bytes, so that's 8 bytes/minute. A log of 30 days will be 337.5k. NodeMcu has 3M flash for data. If the temperatures are logged every five minutes, the data will be 1/5 less. I am not sure which one is better, so I can't start now.

Click to expand...

This actually may be one of the best arguments I've heard for the D1 Mini Pro to date. 4x the flash memory (16 MByte!).

You also might be able to use the same charting engine that the BrewPi uses - dygraphs seems like it would be pretty easy to leverage as you could store the data to the flash in the format DyGraphs wants and then read it out as a stream to the client. No processing whatsoever.

Of course, whatever web browser someone uses to access it would need to be up to snuff, but who cares - that's their problem.

Well, I opted to start with the Brewpi pre-fab. I wanted a turnkey option to get acquainted with. And well, it has been nothing but a headache for the last week. I am trying to get help but I don't even know how to diagnose the problem. I think I installed the program right, but I get a constant reading of script not running.

I can't upload a hex file because the howto link goes to a dead page and google will not tell me how to get another hex file without making my own (another venture I didn't think I would have to undertake).

I can't find a serial port because it tells me there are no requisite folders.

Also, I get ERROR: Could not parse user config file /home/brewpi/settings/config.cfg

If I knew there would be so many hoops to jump through I would've opted to just build my own. Shouldn't purchasing a unit be a convenience?

Any support or advice on how I can diagnose my issues I appreciate them.

Well, I opted to start with the Brewpi pre-fab. I wanted a turnkey option to get acquainted with. And well, it has been nothing but a headache for the last week. I am trying to get help but I don't even know how to diagnose the problem. I think I installed the program right, but I get a constant reading of script not running.

I can't upload a hex file because the howto link goes to a dead page and google will not tell me how to get another hex file without making my own (another venture I didn't think I would have to undertake).

I can't find a serial port because it tells me there are no requisite folders.

Also, I get ERROR: Could not parse user config file /home/brewpi/settings/config.cfg

If I knew there would be so many hoops to jump through I would've opted to just build my own. Shouldn't purchasing a unit be a convenience?

Any support or advice on how I can diagnose my issues I appreciate them.

{Edit} I tried a fresh install and update and followed the step by step directions and I can't get the pi and brewpi to speak with one another.

xico said:

Well, I opted to start with the Brewpi pre-fab. I wanted a turnkey option to get acquainted with. And well, it has been nothing but a headache for the last week. I am trying to get help but I don't even know how to diagnose the problem.

Click to expand...

You should probably use the BrewPi forums, since you paid them for the solution they should get a crack at helping:

https://community.brewpi.com/