Brewometer kickstarter thoughts - digital bluetooth hydrometer

thekraken · Jul 14, 2016

jimmayhugh said:
I mean that it appears that you don't have any problem with the results shown from the IOS or Android apps, so simply direct your attention there.

I'm done with this exchange...

I don't have a problem, Jim! According to your data you do! If you stick a digital thermometer into a pot of boiling water and the thermometer reads 145F, what's the temperature of the water?

I sincerely wish you good luck with your project, I like the looks of what you've done so far. :mug:

jimmayhugh · Jul 14, 2016

thekraken said:
I don't have a problem, Jim! According to your data you do! If you stick a digital thermometer into a pot of boiling water and the thermometer reads 145F, what's the temperature of the water?

I sincerely wish you good luck with your project, I like the looks of what you've done so far.

Depends on the altitude, doesn't it???
Sorry, couldn't resist that one!! :mug:

As I mentioned, I don't think I (or you) have all the facts, ergo the nice e-mail to the developers.

thekraken · Jul 14, 2016

jimmayhugh said:
Depends on the altitude, doesn't it???

Touché

jimmayhugh · Jul 16, 2016

I brewed ten gallons of my "Otterly Mosaic" IPA, and it's in my sanke fermenter with the Brewmometer inside. After a few fitful starts, I got it running and recording. :rockin:

I'll post an update after a day or two.

Update:
Well, after several hours, I've had a couple of occasions where the Brewometer/Tilt/Whatever (hereinafter "BTW") simply stopped communicating

.

I found that gently swirling the keg, it seems to "wake up" the BTW. This is not something I plan to do on a regular basis

.

We'll see how it goes.

2nd Update:
Got it working again :rockin:
Placed the RPi directly on top of the sanke keg, seems to be working better.
We'll see...

jimmayhugh · Jul 18, 2016

Things are looking pretty good...

Fabrizio · Jul 19, 2016

CaptnDelta said:
I got my brewpi running for a few days now with the brewpi+ brewometer integration by sbowler, and after his averaging fixes and with some tweaking on the graphing I think I now like how this looks...

There are also updated instructions on his github page.
Cheers,
-Th

How does one handle the re-calibration when using an rpi/bt dongle setup? Calibration data is entered and stored in the mobile app, right?

Fabrizio · Jul 19, 2016

jimmayhugh said:
Things are looking pretty good...

Jim, did you post a link to your full code for the mysql logging and graphing too, or just the basic php script in post #531? I'd like to try a similar setup.

Thanks.

jimmayhugh · Jul 19, 2016

Fabrizio said:
Jim, did you post a link to your full code for the mysql logging and graphing too, or just the basic php script in post #531? I'd like to try a similar setup.

Thanks.

I'm writing a how-to page at my website, and I'll post the code at my github site when I've tested it a little more.

I'm also corresponding withe the Tilt folks, and it looks like they are taking a slightly different approach that is supposedly more power-friendly. I've never done anything with bluetooth or BLE before, so this is all new territory for me.

Fabrizio · Jul 19, 2016

jimmayhugh said:
I'm writing a how-to page at my website, and I'll post the code at my github site when I've tested it a little more.

I'm also corresponding withe the Tilt folks, and it looks like they are taking a slightly different approach that is supposedly more power-friendly. I've never done anything with bluetooth or BLE before, so this is all new territory for me.

Okay. Good to know. Looking forward to giving it a try.
Also going to try the integration with my brewpi.
options...

jimmayhugh · Jul 19, 2016

Fabrizio said:
Okay. Good to know. Looking forward to giving it a try.
Also going to try the integration with my brewpi.
options...

That looks interesting. My python-fu is very weak, and I dread having to learn a new language at my advanced age

.

But I guess I'll dig into it when I get a chance.

Spartan1979 · Jul 20, 2016

I got one of these for Father's Day. I used it for the first time on Friday. It seemed to be working fine but it stopped transmitting last evening. I'm thinking it's the battery and I'll just order new ones. Any other possibilities?

Thanks.

day_trippr · Jul 20, 2016

Go with the dead battery scenario...

Cheers!

raysmithtx · Jul 20, 2016

Spartan1979 said:
I got one of these for Father's Day. I used it for the first time on Friday. It seemed to be working fine but it stopped transmitting last evening. I'm thinking it's the battery and I'll just order new ones. Any other possibilities?

Thanks.

I believe they will continue to transmit and drain the battery unless they are stored in the upright/vertical position.

Spartan1979 · Jul 20, 2016

raysmithtx said:
I believe they will continue to transmit and drain the battery unless they are stored in the upright/vertical position.

I've had it sitting in the box on its side since I got it. And who knows how long my wife had it sitting the same way before Fathers Day.

Oh well. Next batch.

user 204491 · Jul 20, 2016

Correct, the units need to be full upright in the vertical position to shut off.

Winger22 · Jul 20, 2016

Full upright to shut the unit off between use.
Easy battery change routine posted on their website.

boat_eggs · Jul 21, 2016

Spartan1979 said:
I got one of these for Father's Day. I used it for the first time on Friday. It seemed to be working fine but it stopped transmitting last evening. I'm thinking it's the battery and I'll just order new ones. Any other possibilities?

Thanks.

are you using android or iOS? on android I had to exit the app, turn bluetooth off, back on and reload the app regain a connection. everytime. I now have a stupid iPad mini that "just works" :smack:

Derp · Jul 21, 2016

Winger22 said:
Full upright to shut the unit off between use.

Does it matter which end is up?

Garou24 · Jul 21, 2016

boat_eggs said:
are you using android or iOS? on android I had to exit the app, turn bluetooth off, back on and reload the app regain a connection. everytime. I now have a stupid iPad mini that "just works" :smack:

I also have this problem with my android app. I will notice after awhile the screen will be blank white, or the app has not updated in awhile. I have to reset my bluetooth and it works fine after that. So far that is my only issue.

thekraken · Jul 21, 2016

Seems to me like @jimmayhugh and the brewpi integration guys have the right idea with a cheap dedicated raspberry pi (or similar) server. Anyone heard of the Tilt guys working on their own rpi app or anything like that? (I'm just thinking in regard to "officially" supported/maintained)

A dedicated mobile device just doesn't feel right.

Spartan1979 · Jul 21, 2016

boat_eggs said:
are you using android or iOS? on android I had to exit the app, turn bluetooth off, back on and reload the app regain a connection. everytime. I now have a stupid iPad mini that "just works" :smack:

Android. I'm using an old Galaxy S4. I restarted the phone and no luck. I ordered 6 batteries from Amazon.

Fabrizio · Jul 21, 2016

Just got a reply back from Marcus @ Tilt.

I recommended they might link to this forum from their site considering the wealth of positive feedback about their support folks and good advise for prospective customers (y'all convinced me to give it at try). Marcus said he thought that was a great idea and will consider it.

I also asked him about the prospect of an improved temp sensor to shorten the lag during calibration and heating/cooling changes during fermentation, possibly using IR, as it's been mentioned on this forum (can't find specific post right now). He did say:

Regarding the IR temp sensor, we are no where near a revision on our current circuit board as it would push the cost up for our constumers (which we don't want to do at all). Additionally, we've had good success with the temp sensor so far, so we may end up keeping it. The unit as-is is likely to stay mostly unchanged in function and useability.

To my query about timing/plans for an API or linux integration, he either missed it or ignored it. No acknowledgement or response in any way.

day_trippr · Jul 21, 2016

Fabrizio said:
[...]To my query about timing/plans for an API or linux integration, he either missed it or ignored it. No acknowledgement or response in any way.

I don't know much about the backend stuff, but the "normal" interface include advertisements?

Cheers!

jimmayhugh · Jul 21, 2016

thekraken said:
Anyone heard of the Tilt guys working on their own rpi app or anything like that?

I mentioned that I spoke to the Tilt folks here, I forgot to mention it was for the RPi.

jimmayhugh · Jul 21, 2016

This looks interesting...

akthor · Jul 22, 2016

Why Tilt? What a horrible name. Brewometer was perfect.

thekraken · Jul 22, 2016

akthor said:
Why Tilt? What a horrible name. Brewometer was perfect.

When I Google "brewometer" I got a lot of results for Blichmann Brewmometer and something else that was actually called Brewometer that predates our Brewometer. Maybe they're avoiding conflict and confusion?

AF1HomeBrew · Jul 22, 2016

thekraken said:
When I Google "brewometer" I got a lot of results for Blichmann Brewmometer and something else that was actually called Brewometer that predates our Brewometer. Maybe they're avoiding conflict and confusion?

Maybe they should rename it the BeerBuoy.

AF1HomeBrew · Jul 22, 2016

AF1HomeBrew said:
Maybe they should rename it the BeerBuoy.

Just don't call it the BrewNanny...

Vandulus · Jul 22, 2016

I second BeerBouy! All it needs now is a little ding sound when FG is reached...

Brewometer kickstarter thoughts - digital bluetooth hydrometer

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