HOWTO - Make a BrewPi Fermentation Controller For Cheap

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farmskis said:
Just finished tearing a probe apart... No surprises there. if the new board does not do it im back to square one.
Click to expand...


Sorry I've been working all night, you probably didn't have to take it apart just do some tester readings. what elkoe said makes sense about it not being parsed if it is in pp mode. but what would be causing it? can you read off any of the numbers on the ic that you pulled out of your probe? maybe its fake… but they are so cheap i don't see why they would bother to counterfeit them. i once bought a test board from adafruit that has a legit Dallas Ic and is soldered to a breakout board. I assume you've tested all 10 probes? this is where a genuine arduino would come in handy, because I don't know any way to test if the probes are bad. only thing you could test at this point is if there is any significant change or dropout/spike when you plug up a temp probe. Test voltage at the point where you pull vcc to 5v, could be a slightly off regulator.
 
New board installed. No changes. I'm at a loss as to what the cause can be. I have swapped between two boards, 5 different probes, had them working with different test sketches, swapped USB, added Uno own reliable power source and have tried troubleshooting all of what I could. My next step might be to get some unwired temp sensors and try those. That and go over all connections and make sure absolutely tight.
 
When you are able to test the probes with another sketch do you have a way of seeing the probes address and if so can you verify that they have different addresses? could have gotten a cloned part maybe? I'm just swatting at flies at this point…
 
wbarber69 said:
When you are able to test the probes with another sketch do you have a way of seeing the probes address and if so can you verify that they have different addresses? could have gotten a cloned part maybe? I'm just swatting at flies at this point…
Click to expand...

I could see the address and indeed they were all different.
If I would have found them the same I would have to buy a lottery ticket! And chances are I would not win the lottery because all my luck was used in matching those probes!
 
Lost_Arkitekt said:
His screen shots are exactly like mine with the first board because mine didn't show the OneWire bus sensors. The second board did have them show up.
Click to expand...

When you installed the new board did you just switch out the boards or also reinstall brewpi?
 
Just thinking out loud here. If Elkoe is right with the parasite mode thing. Is it possible the probe is reverse polled? Testing this may well break something but to me it looks like you've tried everythiing else.
 
Question which may have been answered already, but im having issues finding the OneWire interface with my Arduino implementation. I have BrewPi running, but cant read temperatures. Anyone know if the original post here is still accurate for Arduino implementation? Is the OneWire Lib already installed with the Arduino Legacy 2.10.0 install?

Not sure what im missing.. Probed everything out and my connections look good.
 
OK it seems I may have made a little improvement with the new board. I can now install devices. I installed the relays and once it shows up installed it gives a value of inactive. Which makes sense. If I tell the pin it is not inverted it will open the relay. I still am unable to install the temp sensors. I can't detect them to install. I see the pin but like others said it is probably the hard coded pin.
 
farmskis said:
OK it seems I may have made a little improvement with the new board. I can now install devices. I installed the relays and once it shows up installed it gives a value of inactive. Which makes sense. If I tell the pin it is not inverted it will open the relay. I still am unable to install the temp sensors. I can't detect them to install. I see the pin but like others said it is probably the hard coded pin.
Click to expand...

Did you download the BrewPi hex file on GitHub and flash the new Arduino with it? That's what I had to do with the new board to get it to work. It's under "Maintenance Panel"...then "Reprogram Arduino." I did what nebulous told me and unhooked everything except the USB cable to the Arduino. I reprogrammed the Arduino, shut down my laptop (would be your RPI if that's what you're using), wired everything back up, restarted, waited for script to run, clicked the "Read values" box, and then hit the "Refresh device list." It showed everything...even the OneWire bus items. However, I also ordered new probes. Not sure if that mattered...and they looked exactly the same as the old ones.
 
Lost_Arkitekt said:
Did you download the BrewPi hex file on GitHub and flash the new Arduino with it? That's what I had to do with the new board to get it to work. It's under "Maintenance Panel"...then "Reprogram Arduino." I did what nebulous told me and unhooked everything except the USB cable to the Arduino. I reprogrammed the Arduino, shut down my laptop (would be your RPI if that's what you're using), wired everything back up, restarted, waited for script to run, clicked the "Read values" box, and then hit the "Refresh device list." It showed everything...even the OneWire bus items. However, I also ordered new probes. Not sure if that mattered...and they looked exactly the same as the old ones.
Click to expand...

I didn't do it quite like this but I will give it a try. I have ordered some new sensors as well. I'm going to wire them myself so I know for certain what the part and wiring is!
 
Schlomo said:
Question which may have been answered already, but im having issues finding the OneWire interface with my Arduino implementation. I have BrewPi running, but cant read temperatures. Anyone know if the original post here is still accurate for Arduino implementation? Is the OneWire Lib already installed with the Arduino Legacy 2.10.0 install?

Not sure what im missing.. Probed everything out and my connections look good.
Click to expand...
There are a few of us with the same problem. Can you post the links to the Vendor of your Uno board and one wire probes? Any chance you have a CH340 chip on your UNO?
 
Is there a way to tell in the code if it is reading my temp sensors as parasitic? I know the wiring was correct. My only other thought is that this batch of sensors was not actually a ds18b20 but a ds18b20p. In that case the wiring would all look the same except that the pin 3 is usually a no connect.
 
Lost_Arkitekt said:
Did you download the BrewPi hex file on GitHub and flash the new Arduino with it? That's what I had to do with the new board to get it to work. It's under "Maintenance Panel"...then "Reprogram Arduino." I did what nebulous told me and unhooked everything except the USB cable to the Arduino. I reprogrammed the Arduino, shut down my laptop (would be your RPI if that's what you're using), wired everything back up, restarted, waited for script to run, clicked the "Read values" box, and then hit the "Refresh device list." It showed everything...even the OneWire bus items. However, I also ordered new probes. Not sure if that mattered...and they looked exactly the same as the old ones.
Click to expand...
Where did you purchases your probes from? Can you install one of the old probes that didnt work on the new Uno and see if it works?
 
wbarber69 said:
Sorry I've been working all night, you probably didn't have to take it apart just do some tester readings. what elkoe said makes sense about it not being parsed if it is in pp mode. but what would be causing it? can you read off any of the numbers on the ic that you pulled out of your probe? maybe its fake… but they are so cheap i don't see why they would bother to counterfeit them. i once bought a test board from adafruit that has a legit Dallas Ic and is soldered to a breakout board. I assume you've tested all 10 probes? this is where a genuine arduino would come in handy, because I don't know any way to test if the probes are bad. only thing you could test at this point is if there is any significant change or dropout/spike when you plug up a temp probe. Test voltage at the point where you pull vcc to 5v, could be a slightly off regulator.
Click to expand...

I probably did not need to tear it apart but I wanted to see if I could see what a part number on the ic... No such luck. But the wires did run to the the proper leads. I have tried all 5 probes I have. when you say test voltage at the vcc 5v spot... I have placed a meter on the probe leads when installed and I get 4.97.
 
I've created a quick Arduino sketch to tell you what onewire devices you have connected, and if they are operating in parasitic power or not.

To use it, wire up the Ardunio with the onewire on pin Analog 4.

Include some extra libraries:

Sketch -> Include Library -> Manage Libraries
Install:
Onewire. (There is an Adafruit one, don't choose this)
DallasTemperature

Put the code into a sketch, then upload it. You can see the output by looking at the serial monitor (Tools-> Serial Monitor)




The code is here http://geordish.org/one.txt

edit: Moved code to a link
 
geordish said:
I've created a quick Arduino sketch to tell you what onewire devices you have connected, and if they are operating in parasitic power or not.

To use it, wire up the Ardunio with the onewire on pin Analog 4.

Include some extra libraries:

Sketch -> Include Library -> Manage Libraries
Install:
Onewire. (There is an Adafruit one, don't choose this)
DallasTemperature

Put the code into a sketch, then upload it. You can see the output by looking at the serial monitor (Tools-> Serial Monitor)




The code is here http://geordish.org/one.txt

edit: Moved code to a link
Click to expand...


Ran your script, and was able to find both sensors just find. Didnt touch my wiring and re-flashed from the Brew pi and it cant find anything. I am able to switch on/off my relays though manually by changing the pin inversion. Any ideas?
 
Schlomo said:
Ran your script, and was able to find both sensors just find. Didnt touch my wiring and re-flashed from the Brew pi and it cant find anything. I am able to switch on/off my relays though manually by changing the pin inversion. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

What does it say about parasitic power, and what model numbers does it reply with?
 
geordish said:
What does it say about parasitic power, and what model numbers does it reply with?
Click to expand...



Detected 2 devices
Device 0 is a DS18B20
Device 1 is a DS18B20
Sensor 0 13.88
Sensor 1 14.25

Parasite power is: ON
 
The temperature probes have 3 wires. +5v, GND and Data. If they are wired up as in the diagram, but with the +5v disconnected it will still work in 'parasite' mode, but due to it not being very reliable, brewpi won't detect them.

If my sketch is saying you are in parasite mode, then you must have a pin disconnected.
 
geordish said:
The temperature probes have 3 wires. +5v, GND and Data. If they are wired up as in the diagram, but with the +5v disconnected it will still work in 'parasite' mode, but due to it not being very reliable, brewpi won't detect them.

If my sketch is saying you are in parasite mode, then you must have a pin disconnected.
Click to expand...

So i tested with +5v asserted, and i get parasitic mode ON and a temp reading with 2 devices detected. If i pull +5v i get Parasitic mode Off, and no devices detected.
 
It must be either a bad lot of temp probes that someone got their hands on and placed in the market, or Dallas has changed the spec on these devices for some asinine reason. farmskis said he pulled his apart and found no flaw in the wiring. and going direct to the Ic was a no go as well. I wonder if you all bought from a similar vendor. try to get a single probe from a reputable seller maybe adafruit or sparkfun and see if the problem goes away.
 
Schlomo said:
So i tested with +5v asserted, and i get parasitic mode ON and a temp reading with 2 devices detected. If i pull +5v i get Parasitic mode Off, and no devices detected.
Click to expand...

Excuse the poor diagram!

The +5V from the arduino needs to be connected, but the +5V from the probe is disconnected for parasite power. Hopefully the rubbish diagram explains it a little better?

Perhaps its a faulty cable on the probe? If you are willing to, maybe take one apart and try wiring directly to the sensor itself? You may need to do some soldering to get that working though. Also try my sketch with the +5v from the probe disconnected. See if you get the same results.

onewire.png
 
geordish said:
I've created a quick Arduino sketch to tell you what onewire devices you have connected, and if they are operating in parasitic power or not.

To use it, wire up the Ardunio with the onewire on pin Analog 4.

Include some extra libraries:

Sketch -> Include Library -> Manage Libraries
Install:
Onewire. (There is an Adafruit one, don't choose this)
DallasTemperature

Put the code into a sketch, then upload it. You can see the output by looking at the serial monitor (Tools-> Serial Monitor)




The code is here http://geordish.org/one.txt

edit: Moved code to a link
Click to expand...

Ran this sketch... Indeed my probes are showing parasite mode ON. I am going to try running directly from the terminals that I tore apart and see if this is a ic thing or if it is the wiring.
I wish I could see the ic itself... Maybe I can get it out of the probe but I already had to use a pipe cutter to get this far. My leads that I have sticking out are not much to work with.
 
geordish said:
Excuse the poor diagram!

The +5V from the arduino needs to be connected, but the +5V from the probe is disconnected for parasite power. Hopefully the rubbish diagram explains it a little better?

Perhaps its a faulty cable on the probe? If you are willing to, maybe take one apart and try wiring directly to the sensor itself? You may need to do some soldering to get that working though. Also try my sketch with the +5v from the probe disconnected. See if you get the same results.
Click to expand...

Same results.
 
Hi Guys

I currently have a temp controller that works fine for me. But one key piece my setup lacks is logs.

I was wondering if there is away I can keep my current temperature controller but run the Rasberry Pi with the Brewpi software and temp sensor to collect the data over the fermentation period.

example

special-bitter-brewpi.png



thanks
 
OK I was able to run the sketch directly from the terminals of the ic that was in the probe. I get parasite mode ON. So this tells me that I think they installed not the ds18b20 in the probe possibly.
I have some ds18b20 being shipped and I have a good feeling this will solve my issues. If it doesnt then maybe for some insane reason Dallas has changed the probe. I will keep everyone posted!
 
farmskis said:
Look similar to mine... even the wire coloring is the same. I bought mine from amaazon brand Hitachi or something like that.
Click to expand...

Now that does not mean much as the wiring is common coloring and all the probes pretty much look the same.
 
CadiBrewer said:
Bigdaddyale - are you wiring directly into to uno, or are you using the shield you ordered from the board house?
Click to expand...
I'm using the shield.I planned on just running everything from the bread board -just to make sure it was working then connect the shield. I ended up running with the shield to see what would happen.When I ran into problems with the probes I was in the process of setting up my bread board and hooking up the wires when other people mention they were having the same problems.I guess I can still run the test sketch with out the shield and see what happens.
I don't have an extra 4.7 resistor to do the test.
How are your shields running?
 
Do we know the part number of the actual sensor chip? The DS18B20 is available as a parasite-only powered version, DS18B20-PAR. Is it possible that was supplied by mistake? (Or ordered by mistake?)
 
Schlomo said:
No. When the probe side is off but the Arduino/4.7k resistor is still on i get no devices.
Click to expand...

That is really odd.

I've tried a few different wiring combinations to see if I can come up with one that gives your results, but I can't find one.

Maybe try one sensor at a time? If one is operating in parasitic mode, it will affect all of them.
 
Bigdaddyale said:
I'm using the shield.I planned on just running everything from the bread board -just to make sure it was working then connect the shield. I ended up running with the shield to see what would happen.When I ran into problems with the probes I was in the process of setting up my bread board and hooking up the wires when other people mention they were having the same problems.I guess I can still run the test sketch with out the shield and see what happens.
I don't have an extra 4.7 resistor to do the test.
How are your shields running?
Click to expand...

FWIW, I went straight to the shield without any testing and it worked. It just adds another layer of troubleshooting because the soldering could potentially be part of the problem. But it should work.

My one BrewPi has been running great on the shield. I had an LCD scramble about two weeks ago but it has been running without problems since then. It is connected to the Pi via Bluetooth, so that part works, too.

I'm about to order parts to get a second instance of BrewPi running for my keezer.
 
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