Am I fermenting too cold?

[Schnitzengiggle]

Good question. Yes its an update from the site. When you buy the weatherdirect startup kit it comes with a gateway device that you add to your home network and it sends the info to the site. My script gets the updated info every five minutes from the site and an X-10 signal is sent over my house electrical lines. The X-10 module detects the signal and turns the freezer on or off depending on what was sent.

What's nice is that I have control to a tenth of a degree and I get more flexibility by stepping up temps. For example, the Tripel I just brewed Sunday started at 64 for the first 24 hours. If the temp crept to 64.5, I'd turn the fridge on and pull it back down. Then day 2 I stepped the temp to 65 with the same .5 threshold. Currently, its at 66 and will end up at 70 where it will hold.

I asked because I was curious as to whether five minutes was too long of a time interval during active fermentation to compensate for the temperature swings.

But it sounds like you have it down to a science.

 

[scoundrel]

I asked because I was curious as to whether five minutes was too long of a time interval during active fermentation to compensate for the temperature swings.

But it sounds like you have it down to a science.

Sorry for misunderstanding At first I thought the same thing but liquid temps swing far less than air temps. At absolute most, the temp would swing by .2 of a degree over 5 minutes.

 

[azscoob]

Good work here! I wasn't expecting such extensive info when I first clicked this thread!!

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

Sorry for misunderstanding At first I thought the same thing but liquid temps swing far less than air temps. At absolute most, the temp would swing by .2 of a degree over 5 minutes.

Very well, and very interesting way of controlling and recording temp data.

Prost!

 

[scoundrel]

Such nice responses from such well respected members is very humbling. Thanks guys. I've attached a small log. I wanted to show more but I had to keep it under the 19.5k pdf limit. Anyway, I was screwing around with the ambient temp but you can see that the probe for the liquid is nice and steady.

I'm in the process of writing a windows app that will create a fermentation schedule using weatherdirect and possibly other wifi or usb devices. I may even write it to grab the fermentation schedule from Beersmith. It will really depend on the demand. If people are satisfied with Johnson Controllers with the 4 degree variance than I won't bother. But if I see enough people who don't want to invest in serious automation but are looking to automate the fermentation process for under $100, then I'll spend the time developing it.

View attachment fermexample.pdf

 

[Kurisu]

I for one am interested in it scoundrel. Nice job!

 

[copyright1997]

Such nice responses from such well respected members is very humbling. Thanks guys. I've attached a small log. I wanted to show more but I had to keep it under the 19.5k pdf limit. Anyway, I was screwing around with the ambient temp but you can see that the probe for the liquid is nice and steady.

I'm in the process of writing a windows app that will create a fermentation schedule using weatherdirect and possibly other wifi or usb devices. I may even write it to grab the fermentation schedule from Beersmith. It will really depend on the demand. If people are satisfied with Johnson Controllers with the 4 degree variance than I won't bother. But if I see enough people who don't want to invest in serious automation but are looking to automate the fermentation process for under $100, then I'll spend the time developing it.

Ok, the programmer in me is definately interested in this. Can you post links (not just the pictures) for the actual devices you've bought? In my case, I would like to not only allow for cooling but also alternatively for heating (as my ferementation is done in the basement and it gets too cold in the winter). So, I would need two x10 devices to be supported.

I don't have an issue writing my own code to screen scrape the site or to control an x10 device, but would be interested in anything you come up with!

 

[trent]

I am interested

T

 

[scoundrel]

Ok, the programmer in me is definately interested in this. Can you post links (not just the pictures) for the actual devices you've bought? In my case, I would like to not only allow for cooling but also alternatively for heating (as my ferementation is done in the basement and it gets too cold in the winter). So, I would need two x10 devices to be supported.

I don't have an issue writing my own code to screen scrape the site or to control an x10 device, but would be interested in anything you come up with!

Adding the additional x-10 device is no problem for heating. I do it now with a light bulb.

Here are links to the X-10 site. They've been around since 1978 and it looks like their website is 30+ years old. It's laid out like a bad infomercial and the best deals are in packages.

The CM15K is what you care about in this package. The software is useless (at least when I bought mine). It sends the on/off commands over your power lines. I haven't found a way to buy it alone, but for $29 its no biggie.

X10 Million Dollar Promotion: ActiveHome Pro System Lowest Price Ever - NOW ONLY $29.99

Here is the appliance module package. It comes with 4 appliance modules (2 2-pin and 2 3-pin). It also comes with a mini controller you may never use, but the appliance modules are much more expensive sold separately.

X10 BEST EVER 5-Piece Mini Controller System - NOW ONLY $29.99

Here is the a link to the place I bought the weatherdirect stuff. You want the TX60U-SET. You can buy it from Amazon for $10 cheaper but this place delivered quick and nothing was missing.

WeatherDirect TX60U-SET Internet Wireless Temperature & Humidity Remote Monitor

Other than programming an application, that's it.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

I'm in the process of writing a windows app that will create a fermentation schedule using weatherdirect and possibly other wifi or usb devices. I may even write it to grab the fermentation schedule from Beersmith. It will really depend on the demand.

Using Beersmith in conjunction with your app would be sweet.

If people are satisfied with Johnson Controllers with the 4 degree variance than I won't bother. But if I see enough people who don't want to invest in serious automation but are looking to automate the fermentation process for under $100, then I'll spend the time developing it.

FWIW, I use Love temp controllers, and the one on my Fermi chamber has a 1 degree hystersis.

I have been really happy with it, but if I could achieve tighter control, and receive data to see exactly what was happening with my fermentation for under $100, that would be a good deal IMHO.
Perhaps start a new thread and use a poll to see what demand there might be.