Ispindel and Brewfather app

[redrocker652002]

Greetings all. Before I start I am going to say this, I am in no way a very technical person. You ask me to tear down a Chevy 350 and put it back together, that I can do. You ask me anything about electronics and how they work, I am lost. LOL. So, on to my post.

I have had an Ispindel for a while now and have struggled in it's use. I used Brewspy and I just cannot get the hang of it. So, I was goofing around this morning and noticed that Brewfather has a spot where you can link the Ispindel to it. Now, it cost 25 bucks a year for the premium package(I know, that is cheap, but so am I, LOL). Before I drop the money, I am wondering how many of you have used the Brewfather app with the Ispindel and how did it go? I also have a Plaato airlock that is really cool, and it looks like I can use that with Brewfather as well. I am really looking to try it, what the heck, right? LOL. Anyway, any input or comments are welcomed. Rock On!!!!!!!!

 

[shoeboo2]

I have 2 ispindels hooked up through brewfather for the last couple years. It was a little trial and error to get hooked up but great now that it is working and I wouldn't go back. I eventually started using a nautilis relay to give me a local display for the ispindels but this doesn't affect the brewfather integration other than just adding a little more configuration.

 

[redrocker652002]

I have 2 ispindels hooked up through brewfather for the last couple years. It was a little trial and error to get hooked up but great now that it is working and I wouldn't go back. I eventually started using a nautilis relay to give me a local display for the ispindels but this doesn't affect the brewfather integration other than just adding a little more configuration.

I noticed on the a Youtube video I saw that they played around with the formula's adding and subtracting. Is this something you had to do? I might need to recut and paste the formula's from the email I got from the creator of the unit. It worked once and really was nice, but I have tried multi times since and I cannot seem to get it to work. Very frustrating.

 

[shoeboo2]

If I recall, the main issue I had was getting the update interval correct along with making sure the ispindel had a good signal. Only being able to check if things are working after 15 minutes makes it hard to troubleshoot. I also had to change the calibration from Plato to SG, but that was due to me wanting to see SG reported on the nautilis relay. Once I got everything working, i haven't had to mess with it in a long time.

 

[redrocker652002]

I am going to keep trying. I think I might have to repaste the formula as I messed with it per the video I saw on Youtube. My wife is pretty good with tech stuff, so maybe I can get her to help.

 

[DuncB]

I am going to keep trying. I think I might have to repaste the formula as I messed with it per the video I saw on Youtube. My wife is pretty good with tech stuff, so maybe I can get her to help.

I've used Brewspy very successfully with Ispindels.

Have you made any progress on this?

 

[redrocker652002]

I've used Brewspy very successfully with Ispindels.

Have you made any progress on this?

Unfortunately not. I tried it in my last batch and it would not read anything. I am getting a bit frustrated, but I know it is user error and I just have to keep at it until I figure it out. I liked Brewspy cause it is free, but I paid the 20 bucks for a year of Brewfather just to try and integrate it, my new Plaato airlock and recipes and see what happens. I am not very computer savvy so, like I said, I am more than sure it is user error. I will keep at it though.

 

[DuncB]

Have a look at this video it might help. I used his method to calibrate my ispindel.

 

[IDMaynard]

I have 2 ispindels hooked up through brewfather for the last couple years. It was a little trial and error to get hooked up but great now that it is working and I wouldn't go back. I eventually started using a nautilis relay to give me a local display for the ispindels but this doesn't affect the brewfather integration other than just adding a little more configuration.

Can you provide a link to the "Nautillis relay"?

 

[redrocker652002]

Have a look at this video it might help. I used his method to calibrate my ispindel.

So, if I am understanding it correctly, each batch I want to use the Ispindel for I have to jump the posts and go into configure mode to start it? Maybe that is where I am going wrong. Also, I have to adjust the poly formula. I tried it, but I think I screwed it up. Will try again. Thanks.

Another question. I am thinking of fermenting in a corny this time just for the heck of it. Being metal, will I have any issues with connectivity? I am going to use my lower power internet connection, I think it is 2.4 or something like that. If I should, I have the higher 5g set up too.

Thank you so much for the link. I am going to give it a try. Do you have any suggestions on ways I can tell if it is working. Last time, I was getting temp and time, but no readings. That's what made me think it was more user error. LOL

Rock On!!!!!!!!

 

[DuncB]

No you shouldn't need to rejump each time once it works just turn it on.
No ispindels work on 5g and brewpiless doesn't either. So use 2.4.

Signal strength can be an issue in a corny, distance to your router can be a problem as well.

I'll watch the youtube again for some clues.

 

[redrocker652002]

Thanks, but don't spend too much time on it. One day this week I may play with it again to see what I can do. I need to watch a video or two on how to test it in different stages of sugar water to see if it is sending a signal or not. But for now, I say, Rock On!!!!!!!!!

 

[TomSellers]

I am going to use my lower power internet connection, I think it is 2.4 or something like that.

Just to clarify, 2.4 is not a measurement of the power, it is the frequency. Both the 2.4 and 5 use the same power. Although this will not apply to your circumstances because as already pointed out, the iSpindel only uses 2.4: just as an aside, when it comes to the ability to penetrate metal walls, lower frequencies generally perform better than higher frequencies. In circumstances where it might be relevant however, 2.4 GHz would typically have better penetration through metal walls compared to 5 GHz.

 

[DuncB]

I wouldn't worry about the liquid effect on transmission, just try it outside corney in your ferment chamber and then inside see how those bars change.
Early ispindel had design flaw with aerial below liquid line which did cause trouble. Single board new models don't have this issue.

 

[IDMaynard]

Well I thought I had everything going for the Brewpiless. I see to be stuck on how to set the iSpindel up to run the calibration during fermentation. I go the Brewpiless to see the iSpindel but now when I am attempting to set up for the calibration I am not getting anything. I am unsure what I need to put in the Remote Log field (URL and Data Type) Vitotai doesn't show anything in this field nor does it show that it is enabled. Not sure if that is how it needs set up or if I am missing something.

 

[shoeboo2]

Can you provide a link to the "Nautillis relay"?

https://www.nautilis.eu/portfolio-item/nautilis-ispindel-relay/

 

[gabeweisz]

I switched my iSpindels to the GravityMon firmware - it has calibration and formula generation built in, and works great - GravityMon.com - open source for beer brewing

You can specifically tell it to retry the wifi connection a few times, which helps if your connection isn't totally reliable

 

[redrocker652002]

I switched my iSpindels to the GravityMon firmware - it has calibration and formula generation built in, and works great - GravityMon.com - open source for beer brewing

You can specifically tell it to retry the wifi connection a few times, which helps if your connection isn't totally reliable

I would love to try it because I seem to be getting nowhere with both Brewfather and Brewspy. But Not being very technical and even less so good with software, how difficult is it and is there a simple set of instructions to use it? Is it an app I can put on my phone?

Thanks for posting this. I am always up to trying something different.

 

[DuncB]

@redrocker652002

Have a read of the link in the post of gabeweisz.

Gravity mon is well supported and there are plenty of instructions in the website.

 

[redrocker652002]

@redrocker652002

Have a read of the link in the post of gabeweisz.

Gravity mon is well supported and there are plenty of instructions in the website.

As I said in my previous post, I am not very good with technology, so I started reading and very quickly got confused. I will try and figure it out. I am planning on brewing next weekend, so I will try it out as well as trying brewfather again. I was hoping for something a bit more simple in the write up, but I will look thru the website while I am at work tonight. Thank you for posting.

 

[redrocker652002]

Quick update. I rebooted the Ispindel and attached it to Brewfather and it seems to be working, kinda. I am getting temp readings, it gave me my OG and shows me what my FG should be. But no gravity readings along the way. My thought is that I have the formula in there wrong. I looked at the video posted and did what they said, but I am going to try again and see what happens next time. Little steps towards the end game. Thanks to all who replied, and any input is always welcomed.

 

[pbezza]

Are you using the Plato or SG formula? Don't forget to add [SG] to the name of your iSpindel if you use SG based formula (iaw brewfather docs iSpindel - Brewfather - docs)

 

[redrocker652002]

Are you using the Plato or SG formula? Don't forget to add [SG] to the name of your iSpindel if you use SG based formula (iaw brewfather docs iSpindel - Brewfather - docs)

I did that. I also changed the Poly formula per the video attached in an earlier post. I think I messed up somewhere in that as it is giving me temp and battery times but just no gravity. When I went to the config of the Ispindel and moved the Ispindle the tilt on the config page would change. I think I am getting closer. LOL.

 

[pbezza]

Did you source parts and solder the iSpindel yourself? FYI, some of the cheap GY-291 accelerometers use a different address to what is coded in the iSpindel firmware.

 

[redrocker652002]

Did you source parts and solder the iSpindel yourself? FYI, some of the cheap GY-291 accelerometers use a different address to what is coded in the iSpindel firmware.

I am not sure what that all means, but I bought it from a user here. Like I said, it worked the first time I used it with Brewspy, and then it didn't work after that. I am going to try and cut and paste the formula the seller sent me and see what happens next brew day. I don't want to go get it now, I would have to open my bucket and that would not be good. I thank you for the posts, I appreciate it. I am just not very tech savy so this is all really new to me.

 

[DuncB]

It's important I think in brewspy to not have to many decimal points in the formula. It's limited to a number of characters but can't remember how many. Also I remember having to put the formula in the reverse order to the way it was generated.
This was all using the excel spreadsheet method from the ispindel website.

 

[pbezza]

I followed the instructions in that video above as well. My formula didn't have any spaces in it to remove so I only had to change each x to *tilt

 

[redrocker652002]

It's important I think in brewspy to not have to many decimal points in the formula. It's limited to a number of characters but can't remember how many. Also I remember having to put the formula in the reverse order to the way it was generated.
This was all using the excel spreadsheet method from the ispindel website.i

I gave up on Brewspy. I have been using Brewfather for my recipe building and storing so I just paid the premium for a year to see. I am going to reinput the formula I have and see if it works. If anybody out there has the correct level 3 formula that I can simply cut and paste I sure would appreciate it.

 

[redrocker652002]

I followed the instructions in that video above as well. My formula didn't have any spaces in it to remove so I only had to change each x to *tilt

Mine was just the opposite. LOL. Mine had the *tilt but a bunch of spaces. I am going to start over and try again next batch. I am also going to hook up my Plaato airlock to it as well and see if I can get that to work as well. I am such a dummy when it comes to tech stuff, but it looked so cool. LOL.

 

[pbezza]

I gave up on Brewspy. I have been using Brewfather for my recipe building and storing so I just paid the premium for a year to see. I am going to reinput the formula I have and see if it works. If anybody out there has the correct level 3 formula that I can simply cut and paste I sure would appreciate it.

Here are my level 3 formulas. Keep in mind that our iSpindels are most probably nothing alike. Different weight and preforms will affect the reading hence requiring you to perform a calibration yourself (unless it was done for you). Feel free to use these or just compare them against what you were provided.
FYI, my iSpindel is the 'Jeffrey v2.69'.

Specific Gravity SG Degree 3:
0.879567915197187+0.006988310674286621*tilt-0.00011172081420281466*tilt*tilt+7.702702215063703e-7*tilt*tilt*tilt

PLATO Degree 3:
-30.737244588736086+1.7799107331448423*tilt-0.02816986329711063*tilt*tilt+0.00018886463451378357*tilt*tilt*tilt

 

[redrocker652002]

Here are my level 3 formulas. Keep in mind that our iSpindels are most probably nothing alike. Different weight and preforms will affect the reading hence requiring you to perform a calibration yourself (unless it was done for you). Feel free to use these or just compare them against what you were provided.
FYI, my iSpindel is the 'Jeffrey v2.69'.

Specific Gravity SG Degree 3:
0.879567915197187+0.006988310674286621*tilt-0.00011172081420281466*tilt*tilt+7.702702215063703e-7*tilt*tilt*tilt

PLATO Degree 3:
-30.737244588736086+1.7799107331448423*tilt-0.02816986329711063*tilt*tilt+0.00018886463451378357*tilt*tilt*tilt

View attachment 826661
View attachment 826662

Cool. Thank you for that. I think when I bought it, the builder said it was already calibrated and gave me formulas much like what you have given me here. Like I said, I kinda fooled with them a bit and probably screwed them up, so I am going to cut and paste the original from the spreadsheet he sent me. If that doesn't work, I will investigate how to calibrate it myself and start completely from scratch. I am hoping to get it to work, cause it is pretty cool to see what is going on inside the bucket.