[Version 2 Release] RaspberryPints - Digital Taplist Solution

Finally got around to hooking up one of the SF800 for a test.
Set the pin to 8 in the taps section, and hooked up the flowmeter to the UNO pin 8, and otherwise according to instructions.

I get no result in Rpints when blowing trough the flowmeter, so I tried checking the /var/log/rpints.log file and got this readout:

[email protected]:~ $ tail -f /var/log/rpints.log
2019-02-26 20:55:25 RPINTS: Unable to run Motion Detection
2019-02-26 20:55:25 RPINTS: serial connection stopped...
2019-02-26 20:55:26 RPINTS: flowmonitor aborted, restarting...
2019-02-26 20:55:27 RPINTS: Motion Detector MD-default is Running
2019-02-26 20:55:27 RPINTS: Unable to run Motion Detection
2019-02-26 20:55:27 RPINTS: serial connection stopped...
2019-02-26 20:55:28 RPINTS: flowmonitor aborted, restarting...
2019-02-26 20:55:28 RPINTS: Motion Detector MD-default is Running
2019-02-26 20:55:28 RPINTS: Unable to run Motion Detection
2019-02-26 20:55:36 RPINTS: 1Wire Temperature Thread 1 is Running

Then I tried to upload the raspberrypints.ino file to the uno (in case something went wrong on startup), and got this error on the UNO:
Binary sketch size: 11 344 bytes (of a 32 256 byte maximum)

avrdude: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x00

avrdude: stk500_getparm(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x00
avrdude: stk500_initialize(): (a) protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x00
avrdude: initialization failed, rc=-1
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
this check.

avrdude: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x00

Any ideas are most welcome

 

To start lets turn on debug edit python/Config.py change config['dispatch.debug' ] = False#True to config['dispatch.debug' ] = True

as for the upload to the uno, if you didn't stop the service before trying to upload. Try the following
sudo /etc/init.d/flowmon stop
upload sketch
sudo /etc/init.d/flowmon start

 

did you uncomment the designation to use the UNO, like he told me?
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...taplist-solution.487694/page-109#post-8524413

 

Yes. The file now look like this (after turning on debugging):

# the dir everything lives in
config['pints.dir'] = '/var/www/html/'
#the serial port to the alamode
#config['flowmon.port'] = '/dev/ttyS0'
#The following line is for serial over USB
config['flowmon.port' ] = '/dev/ttyACM0'
#The following line is for serial over bluetooth
#config['flowmon.port'] = '/dev/rfcomm0'

#logging settings for flowmon
config['flowmon.debug' ] = False#True

#logging settings for pintdispatch
config['dispatch.debug' ] = True
#Use fake monitoring to report flow
config['dispatch.debugMonitoring' ] = False
# restart line cooling timer if a pour happens
#logging settings for flowmon
config['flowmon.debug' ] = False#True

#logging settings for pintdispatch
config['dispatch.debug' ] = True
#Use fake monitoring to report flow
config['dispatch.debugMonitoring' ] = False
# restart line cooling timer if a pour happens
config['dispatch.restart_fan_after_pour'] = False
# valve types, in here for now
config['dispatch.valve_type'] = 'two_pin_solenoid'
#config['dispatch.valve_type'] = 'three_pin_ballvalve'

 

Ok. So the restart of the flowmon service appears to have worked. I'm now getting reaction to the taplist when blowing trough the flowmeter. I'm not getting the pour on the pour list, but the amount of liquid left in the keg is deminishing.

 

Hi all, still looking for a way to 'Tap the keg' when it insists on a Pin Number. @day_trippr suggested I un-tick the "Use Flow Monitoring", but this doesn't exist?

How do I stop it from insisting on this Pin number? As it wont add a Beer in a Keg to a Tap - very frustrating.

 

I have even gone down the path of trying a fresh install of the latest Rasbian on a new card and I wanted to use the script to install everything from here: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rtlindne/RaspberryPints/master/util/installRaspberryPints

But no matter what I do I cannot run this script using the suggested sudo ./installRaspberryPints the Terminal simply returns
:invalid option

 

I've never seen that script before or know of anyone that's used it.
Did you try using the original installation procedure found on the raspberrypints.com site?

Cheers!

 

Thanks @day_trippr , that script came from @RandR+ back on page 96 of this thread - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...-taplist-solution.487694/page-96#post-8457261 and in a number of other posts past it and it was successful.

When I run the install from the raspberrypints.com site on the latest version of Raspbian, i get all the software installs completed (other than PHP5 is not valid - that took a while to figure out!), but when I was asked for a MySQL root password, it wouldnt accept the password I chose (a four letter word) and I had to skip that step, then obviously as I didnt have a root password, when I tried to setup RaspberryPints it would not progress past the setup screen.

So after spending many days reading this thread, I tried the Jessie (NOOB 2.4.2) version and got that all working, but cant get a beer tap'd due to the darn Pin number - which was the original thread you replied to.

So that's when I thought a new card with @RandR+ script might work, but I cant get the script to run as the command in the terminal sudo ./installRaspberryPints simply returns
:invalid option

 

I'm wondering if the download is not in unix format, please try:
sudo apt-get install dos2unix
sudo dos2unix installRaspberryPints
sudo ./installRaspberryPints

 

The problem was in how the user was being set in the pour if no user was detected (i.e. no RFID) the code hadn't changed so not sure why it started erring now.

Whatever the reason the fix is in, just get the latest /admin/includes/pour_manager.php from github

 

Hello from Minnesota--land of snow o' plenty. I'm awed by the work and support of this group. Thank you! A year ago I bought the RPi 3B+ and UNO R3 clone to jump into RPints. Found the water waaaay too deep for my skill set because of the Stretch OS. A year later and reading from where I left off I find RandR+ has an installer script that works!

I started by flashing Stretch to my microSD (HBT#4219) and allowed it to auto update all programs when first booted. I then read the first 40 lines of of the installer script (HBT#4227) and followed its install directions while the UNO was connected. Found my MAC address (ifconfig eth0) and updated my router for a RPi static IP address. Checked Config.py and turned on serial over USB (HBT#4331) for flow meters. Launched RPi static IP address in Chromium and logged into RaspberryPints. Task completed in about two hours...and 1 year of reading. I'm documenting these bread crumbs for future explorers.

My flow meters are not registering any data when blowing through them. In my log file I get this loop:

[email protected]:~ $ tail -f /var/log/rpints.log
2019-03-02 13:06:24 RPINTS: serial connection stopped...
2019-03-02 13:06:25 RPINTS: flowmonitor aborted, restarting...
2019-03-02 13:06:26 RPINTS: serial connection stopped...
2019-03-02 13:06:27 RPINTS: flowmonitor aborted, restarting...
2019-03-02 13:06:28 RPINTS: serial connection stopped...
2019-03-02 13:06:29 RPINTS: flowmonitor aborted, restarting...​

In the Arduino IDE program's serial monitor I get a loop of:

alive
alive
alive​

Wise council...what did I miss or do wrong?

 

@jdunst I had an similar issue to yours and I needed to throttle back the speed that the UNO sent the alive messages.

Not sure you have the same issue for sure but in the Arduino code I changed the delay in the establishContact() function to 1000.

edit:
I made the changes to the raspberrypints.ino file and programmed the UNO using the Arduino IDE on my windows laptop. I also removed the cpp.hex file in the /var/www/html/arduino/raspberrypints folder of the rpi so that the rpints app did not reprogram over it.

 

That was it, thanks @RandR+

But now I have hit another problem. When I try and set the root DB password, it seems to accept it, but then I get this error message from phpMyAdmin:


I have tried to Retry, but get nowhere. This is on the latest version of Rasbian, so Stretch I think. Would I be better off trying this on Jessie (or another version?), though I know from previous experience that my Wifi dongle doesn't work on Jessie - which isn't ideal.

Ideas?

 

This is a new one, can you try sudo mysql from a different terminal and see if that succeeds?

If you don't plan on using PHPMyAdmin you can select ignore, but it probably will come in handy in the future, but when that time come you could try installing it then.

 

Hi all. I've finally re-installed RPints again after having wifi issues and everything went smoothly and i completed all instructions on the RPints website with Day-Trippers instructions added

However, i'm at the point where I'm not getting any pours registered
I've tried to re-upload the info to the Alamode but the serial part is shaded out and i get an error when trying to upload.
Plus, i see others mentioning scripts on here for starting the flow meters but i've not seen anything like that on the RPints instructions so i'm confused now. One little thing is i seem to have RPints files in both /home/pi/RaspberryPints-2.0.1 and also /var/www so i'm not sure if this is confusing it or they're supposed to be there or i'm pointing something to the wrongs place :/

 

are you using Raspbian Stretch? If so did you get https://github.com/wyolum/alamode/blob/master/alamode-setup/stretch-setup and run it? (day-trippers instructions includes dos2unix to get it usable)

From the instructions.txt file in the release zip:
At this point you should be ready to run the python script.
Copy the flowmon file from the python (/var/www/python) directory to /etc/init.d
$ sudo cp flowmon /etc/init.d
Then give it the proper permissions:
$ sudo chmod a+x /etc/init.d/flowmon
**IF YOUR INSTALL IS IN /var/www you should be good to go forward. if not, you need to edit the 14th line and set the root dir for your install.
You can test the program by running:
$ sudo /etc/init.d/flowmon start
$ ps aux | grep flow_monitor.py
Should return:
pi 3508 0.0 0.9 8796 4112 ? S 15:35 0:00 /usr/bin/python /home/pi/raspberrypints/python/flow_monitor.py pi 3558 0.0 0.1 3548 808 pts/0 S+ 15:43 0:00 grep --color=auto flow_monitor.py
then run:
$ sudo update-rc.d flowmon defaults
to ensure it runs at startup.

it shouldn't matter you have it in two places, it should be using the /var/www/

 

I'm using Jessie, does that make a difference? Oh, and were those instructions above on the original RPints site, or are we supposed to just know that bit?

 

Ah....no, the use of a service ("flowmon") instead of starting the listener script via the LXDE autostart was not in the original procedure; it was an enhancement added sometime later via HBT folks. I should have captured that in my "roll-up" edit. Sorry 'bout that.

Using Jessie is fine as long as you're not using an RPI3B/3B+ as they needed firmware that wasn't part of the standard Jessie release. That said, it can be added to Jessie. I put an explainer in this thread not too far back. But if you're this far that's obviously not an issue at this point

Cheers!

 

Thanks. I'm using the RPi 2 so that's fine. So i guess i just follow RandR+'s instructions and hope for the best?

 

​

Usually if the serial option in the Arduino IDE is greyed out the instructions on http://raspberrypints.com/byo/step-6-configure-pi-flow-meters-wflow-meters/ did not complete correctly, try running those again and seeing if you can upload to the Arduino.

 

Thanks for the suggestions @ba-brewer. I stopped flowmon, set the establishContact to 1000 in raspberrypints.ino and uploaded the sketch, Rx LED blinking once per second so uploaded okay. I renamed the cpp.hex file to cpp.hex.SAVE so it wouldn't be used and restarted flowmon. No change. I stopped flowmon, changed the baud rate from 9600 to 57600 in raspberrypints.ino, uploaded the sketch and restarted flowmon. Success I think, not seeing changes in RaspberryPints display, though now seeing:

[email protected]:~ $ tail -f /var/log/rpints.log
2019-03-06 15:06:29 RPINTS: Could not import RFID Reader, RFID disabled. Assuming SPI not installed/configured
2019-03-06 15:06:31 RPINTS: starting WS server
2019-03-06 15:06:31 RPINTS: starting tap flow meters...
2019-03-06 15:06:31 RPINTS: starting command server
2019-03-06 15:06:31 RPINTS: starting fan control
2019-03-06 15:06:31 RPINTS: Fan Control fanControl1 is Running
2019-03-06 15:06:31 RPINTS: Not Configured to run Fan
2019-03-06 15:06:40 RPINTS: got WS connection from ('::ffff:192.168.15.11', 58468, 0, 0)
2019-03-06 15:07:02 RPINTS: got WS connection from ('::ffff:192.168.15.11', 58490, 0, 0)

 

Ran it all again (from Day Trippers instructions) but it's the same.
I then ran your instructions and everything seemed to go without any faults and when i ran $ ps aux | grep flow_monitor.py i got this, does that look ok? it doesn't have the links like in yours.
pi 2584 0.0 0.4 4264 1840 pts/0 S+ 22:34 0:00 grep --color=auto flow_monitor.py

I then got this after checking the status:
● flowmon.service - LSB: Put a short description of the service here
Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/flowmon)
Active: active (exited) since Wed 2019-03-06 22:26:16 CET; 11min ago
Process: 407 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/flowmon start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)

Mar 06 22:26:11 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Starting LSB: Put a short descriptio....
Mar 06 22:26:16 raspberrypi flowmon[407]: Starting system RPFlowMon daemon:.
Mar 06 22:26:16 raspberrypi systemd[1]: Started LSB: Put a short description....
Hint: Some lines were ellipsized, use -l to show in full.
[email protected]:~ $

 

I searched though this thread. Has anyone found a decent flow meter substitute?

 

Don't worry too much about the flowmon service from the second command it looks like it is running.

Can you now see the serial option in the Arduino IDE

 

Arrgh crap, no that's still greyed out :/ maybe i should just re install everything again (5th time i think)

 

Most new builds are using the Adafruit or other hall type meters. Haven't heard the accuracy of them but there have not been any complaints from folks post-build that they are unhappy with the results. The original Swissflow seem to be the preferred choice but overly expensive if you have more than a couple of taps.

 

How do I go from seeing data in rpints.log to seeing pours in my tap list? I'm assuming I am collecting data?
2019-03-06 15:06:40 RPINTS: got WS connection from ('::ffff:192.168.15.11', 58468, 0, 0)
2019-03-06 15:07:02 RPINTS: got WS connection from ('::ffff:192.168.15.11', 58490, 0, 0)

 

the flowmeter I am using is linked in this post. Last keg to kick with quasi accurate volumes from weight and tare came within a 1.2pints of the bottom. Close enough for me for now.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...taplist-solution.487694/page-109#post-8532899

 

I need to go back over my notes but I took a divide and conquer approach. I made sure the Arduino was programmed and the meters were connected right by sending a few commands to the UNO using the terminal to wake it up then did a blow test on the flowmeter to see messages being sent. I will need to look for the correct sequence but maybe @RandR+ can provide the correct commands and expected responses.

You seem capable so if you want to verify the flowmeter to UNO wiring/connection, you can program the old code for the original rpints then do the blow test. That version wakes up ready to go.

edit:
Using just the UNO and IDE program the UNO.

Then open the serial monitor from the Arduino tools menu

should see Alive messages scrolling on the terminal screen
send this via the serial monitor
C:4:2:10:11:12:0:300:35:30:250:0:0|

the UNO should respond with
StatusCheck;

mine gives two but I think one or two is OK

Then send via the serial monitor
Status;NOTOK;-1;0;

Uno should replay back with
StatusCheck;

At this point blowing into the flow monitor should generate pulse messages.

(I did this from just the UNO with a meter, I would need to set up my test setup to get the format of the pulse messages.)
this is my output
16:30:23.701 -> alive
16:30:24.705 -> alive
16:30:25.712 -> C:4:2:10:11:12:0:300:35:30:250:0:0|
16:30:25.759 -> StatusCheck;
16:30:25.960 -> StatusCheck;
16:30:38.783 -> StatusCheck;

edit2:
when sending the first string C:4:2:10:11:12:0:300:35:30:250:0:0|, he UNO will echo it back like in previous capture.

capture below is of the startup handshake and a couple lines starting with a P are the UNO pulse messages from the flow meter

14:52:53.133 -> alive
14:52:54.139 -> alive
14:52:55.142 -> C:4:2:10:11:12:0:300:35:30:250:0:0|
14:52:55.142 -> StatusCheck;
14:52:55.379 -> StatusCheck;
14:53:07.801 -> StatusCheck;
14:53:42.247 -> P;-1;11;240
14:53:55.561 -> P;-1;11;218

 

That part of the log indicates that the webpage connected to the python to receive updates.

If a pour is detected you would see something like this:
pour on pin: 8, count: 1632, conversion: 24000, amount: 0.068, user: N/A

 

A question away from raspberry pints. Is it ok to place the flow meters near the taps? I am hoping to install them on the door above the taps but can always change that idea Also, i currently use 5/16" tubing from keg to tap as it's sorted my whole pressure foaming issue and now pours great but am having to go up to 3/8" just for the flow meters then back to 5/16" but do you think there would be any effect on the flow meters if it's 5/16" along 80% of the way then the flow meters and the last 20% to the tap 3/8"
I'm needing to buy in the correct john guest fittings for my 4 other kegs so need it to be right before hand.

 

My flow meters are about 6" from the shank probably a good 2-3 ft from the kegs. 1/4" hose on each side; using 1/4" john guest fittings in and out of the meter, without foaming issues

 

Thanks to @RandR+ and @day_trippr who seem to pretty much run this thread, great going guys and thanks for your responses to my NOOB questions

I'm still battering my head against this brick wall that is RaspberryPints with Jessie (no wifi and with Pins - that means I cant Tap a beer!), or Stretch which uses a different version of PHP and the RaspberryPints code needs changing (configprocessor.php uses deprecated 'mysql' code) etc.

Dare I ask, but isn't there somewhere/someone who has a working copy of everything (ie. Raspbian, LAMP & RaspberryPints) that could be simply put into an image file that everyone can install on their own SD card?

2 versions, one without flow meters & one with (though from my reading the flow meters seem trickier and to be brutally honest, I'm not interested in that - or at leats not yet! ;-) ).

I simply want a version that installs and runs on a RaspberryPi Model B without flow meters...

 

I need help on this whole greyed out serial port business. I decided once again to re-install everything and the whole process finally (after understanding a whole lot more about this, thanks to you guys) went smoothly until having to upload to the Alamode where the serial port option is greyed out.

I've now double checked DayTippr's instructions but it still doesn't work but am guessing the jessie-setup isn't installing (however when it first did i didn't do it any different)

I've tried

Code:

[email protected] ~ $ tar -xvzf alamode-setup.tar.gz
[email protected] ~ $ cd alamode-setup
[email protected] ~ $ sudo jessie.setup

but this gives me an error "sudo: jessie-setup: command not found

I read somewhere else i needed to put ./ before jessie-setup which no longer gives me an error but it waits a few seconds then looks as if it's worked as there's no errors (but no writing at all) it just goes to the next command line. Has this indeed installed or is there a pointer somewhere not correct?

Any other ideas of why it's greyed out?

 

Did you run the dos2unix command before running the ./ command?

 

Yeah i did

 

I reflashed my card with NOOBs this time, ran @RandR+ script, got same outcome. Stopped the raspberrypints.cpp.hex file by renaming it, stopped flowmon, uploaded the raspberrypints.ino via Arduiono IDE, and sent via serial monitor string: C:4:2:10:11:12:0:300:35:30:250:0:0| and blew through flow meter:
alive
alive
alive
C:4:2:10:11:12:0:300:35:30:250:0:0|
StatusCheck;
U;-1;10;251
P;-1;10;429

Started flowmon, opened tail -f /var/log/rpints.log:
2019-03-09 11:46:56 RPINTS: serial connection stopped...
2019-03-09 11:46:57 RPINTS: flowmonitor aborted, restarting...
2019-03-09 11:46:58 RPINTS: serial connection stopped...
2019-03-09 11:46:59 RPINTS: flowmonitor aborted, restarting...

I am getting USB serial communication via Arduino IDE, not when using the RaspberryPints eco-system. I also tested the establishContact() function at 100, 500, and 1000 all with similar results after uploading the sketch. Many thanks for any recommendations!

Also, if I change to any other baud rate in raspberrypints.ino and upload the sketch I get the same communication via serial monitor as above, though this changes to:
[email protected]:~ $ tail -f /var/log/rpints.log
2019-03-09 12:38:32 RPINTS: Could not import RFID Reader, RFID disabled. Assuming SPI not installed/configured
2019-03-09 12:38:34 RPINTS: starting WS server
2019-03-09 12:38:34 RPINTS: starting tap flow meters...
2019-03-09 12:38:34 RPINTS: starting command server
2019-03-09 12:38:34 RPINTS: starting fan control
2019-03-09 12:38:34 RPINTS: Fan Control fanControl1 is Running
2019-03-09 12:38:34 RPINTS: Not Configured to run Fan
2019-03-09 12:38:35 RPINTS: serial connection stopped...
2019-03-09 12:38:36 RPINTS: flowmonitor aborted, restarting...

 

Boom, i got it sorted It turns out i need to have enable_uart=1 not 0 like in the instructions. I'm using an alamode and a RPi 2.

Just needing to get the flow meters to work now, the amount poured doesn't change when i blow through them. How can i check it's being at least registered?

EDIT: I got the flow meters working now too one happy bunny. I moved the ground and 5v over the the gpio, so where i had them was not working.

 

It may help to turn on more trace:
In python/Config.py
Change:
config['flowmon.debug' ] = False#True
to
config['flowmon.debug' ] = True

if that doesn't give more information change
config['dispatch.debug' ] = False#True
to
config['dispatch.debug' ] = True