HOWTO - Make a BrewPi Fermentation Controller For Cheap

[thekraken]

The static I.P. daytrippr is referring to is the one you'll need to see from outside your LAN. The one given to you from your provider and assigned to your cable or DSL modem. Some providers, like mine, don't offer a static I.P. So I use DYNDNS.ORG. I think it is $20 for the year. You may have to update the I.P. of your modem a couple times a year if that is the case. If the I.P. you are using is 192.168.1.#, that is your local I.P., and won't do you any good from outside your home network. Until you have to enable the port forwarding.

noip.com is free. You can configure software on the rpi to monitor your ip address and automatically update the dns server as needed.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DynamicDNS#ddclient

Here is what my ddclient.conf file looks like that works with no-ip.com in case it helps anyone:

# Configuration file for ddclient generated by debconf
#
# /etc/ddclient.conf

daemon=3600
protocol=dyndns2
#use=if, if=eth0
use=web, web=checkip.dyndns.com/, web-skip='IP Address'
server=dynupdate.no-ip.com
login=MYUSERNAME
password='MYPASSWORD'
MYSITE.servebeer.com

(edit the last three lines for your own configuration)

 

[day_trippr]

Actually, the static IP I was referring to - and that I believe mattrox has working now - is the LAN address. afaik it's a necessary thing to be able to then set up a Port Forward rule in a router to vector in-bound WAN requests to a LAN responder.

WAN addresses are rarely static, unless one pays for a business class service. If one doesn't keep track of their current WAN address, then an external DNS provider is one solution; running an IP address monitor is another. I have ipmonitor running as a service on one of my systems and if it "sees" our WAN address change it fires an email to one of my dump accounts...

Cheers!

 

[gromitdj]

You are correct. I was referring to him accessing it externally, which I understood his problem to be. And to exhibit my ignorance, I had to google search "WAN address".

 

[mattrox]

The static I.P. daytrippr is referring to is the one you'll need to see from outside your LAN. The one given to you from your provider and assigned to your cable or DSL modem. Some providers, like mine, don't offer a static I.P. So I use DYNDNS.ORG. I think it is $20 for the year. You may have to update the I.P. of your modem a couple times a year if that is the case. If the I.P. you are using is 192.168.1.#, that is your local I.P., and won't do you any good from outside your home network. Until you have to enable the port forwarding.

Thanks. I've a little reading up to do. But I'll get there.[emoji106]

 

[mattrox]

noip.com is free. You can configure software on the rpi to monitor your ip address and automatically update the dns server as needed.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DynamicDNS#ddclient

Here is what my ddclient.conf file looks like that works with no-ip.com in case it helps anyone:

# Configuration file for ddclient generated by debconf
#
# /etc/ddclient.conf

daemon=3600
protocol=dyndns2
#use=if, if=eth0
use=web, web=checkip.dyndns.com/, web-skip='IP Address'
server=dynupdate.no-ip.com
login=MYUSERNAME
password='MYPASSWORD'
MYSITE.servebeer.com

(edit the last three lines for your own configuration)

Cheers for that! I'm sure it will help.

[emoji106]

 

[wbarber69]

Just get a newer model netgear router. you can assign the pi a static ip assigned by MAC address. and they offer free dynamic ip hosting with everything built in

 

[day_trippr]

Just get a newer model netgear router. you can assign the pi a static ip assigned by MAC address. and they offer free dynamic ip hosting with everything built in

I have a netgear WNDR3700v3 router that can do that. It's kinda cool, you can leave clients configured to use dhcp (typically the default state) and set the router ip address allocation table per the client macs.

I've been configuring every "fixed" device on the premises to use static IPs since my DEC days. Phones and tablets and the like use DHCP but with the netgear allocation table they're essentially static and can be accessed via names...

Cheers!

 

[thekraken]

Just get a newer model netgear router. you can assign the pi a static ip assigned by MAC address. and they offer free dynamic ip hosting with everything built in

Should be no need to purchase a new router. Also, turns out netgear's dynamic DNS service just uses noip.com linked earlier.

 

[bajema]

So I got a new Arduino and the script is working now. Thanks all.

 

[bajema]

Another question. The only way I can get to my BrewPi page is my typing the IP address (on my LAN) into the browser on the computer that is running BrewPi. I can't get to it from other computers on the network. Any ideas?

 

[thekraken]

Another question. The only way I can get to my BrewPi page is my typing the IP address (on my LAN) into the browser on the computer that is running BrewPi. I can't get to it from other computers on the network. Any ideas?

Could be settings in your router blocking the traffic or it could be web server settings. I'd lean toward router settings if this is a standard install. What's your router make/model?

 

[bajema]

It turned out to be simple. Somehow the IP address I was using on the BrewPi computer wasn't actually the IP address of the computer on the network. Not sure how/why that works, but once I got the correct IP address, I can see it now.

Now I've just got to get the hardware side wired up.

 

[mattrox]

Another question. The only way I can get to my BrewPi page is my typing the IP address (on my LAN) into the browser on the computer that is running BrewPi. I can't get to it from other computers on the network. Any ideas?

Type in the name you gave your computer when you installed Debian.

Eg http://mattrox

In my case.

 

[mattrox]

Double post

 

[Wolfpack87]

Hi

I work as a lab rat in a brewery in the north of England (UK). Our team has constructed a micro-brewery in the back of our lab, as an educational tool only, you understand ;-).

I have suggested using the Brewpi software to better control our sluggish fermentations. We don’t have a lot of money to throw at this, so buying a Brewpi spark is not possible. The homemade Arduino setup looks perfect. Using the guide on this thread, a budget of £30/40 and a computer appropriated from somewhere in the brewery we should be able to get the job done.

So before I buy all the kit, I wanted to check that the guide in the first post is still up-to-date or hasn’t been superseaded by a different Arduino hardware configuration? (As I read the guide in the first post, could no longer be edited.) Also is it still compatible with a supported version of the brewpi software? And really, is there any important info that has cropped up through the intervening 400 pages of posts I should be aware of?

Thanks in advance

 

[GrogNerd]

There's some newer software info a couple posts back you should read, other than that, OP hardware choices are still good

Edit: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=7261671

 

[mattrox]

never mind problem solved. Net access running.

Now the Arduino Build.
http://mattrox.ddns.net/public.php

 

[mattrox]

Well actually, it looks like it's not working outside my home network.

 

[KLucky_13]

Yesterday I took half a day to start putting all the parts together Everything arrived from China, only the printboard and LCD display are still missing.

This is where I'm at right now:

The moment my print-board arrived I can remove those jumperwires and solder everything in place.

Do you guys think it will be neccesary to cut out a part on the top of the box as ventilation? Or can the box be completely closed?

I can cut out a part and screw in a 3D printed grill for example. But I won't do it when it is not neccesary

 

[GrogNerd]

time for me to give back a little to a thread which has helped me so much. grateful to everyone who has contributed

ever get one of those weird spikes in one set of data? one plot point which screws up your beautiful graph? I had one spike up to 3600º! looks like once in a while, either the Arduino or the Pi just boofs the decimal point.

got a fix for that

here, the beer temp dropped to 9º at 8:54 on the 20th. everything else looks great



the key is, you can't fix today's readings, you have to wait until the next day.

then, you navigate to /var/www/data folder and into the folder corresponding to the beer name you're working on



find the beername-date.json file and open in a text editor



fix the data point. in this case, it was relatively easy... just match the surrounding points



fixed!

 

[CGish]

... ever get one of those weird spikes in one set of data? one plot point which screws up your beautiful graph? I had one spike up to 3600º! looks like once in a while, either the Arduino or the Pi just boofs the decimal point.

got a fix for that

...

fix the data point. ...

I Love It. Thanks for the tip.

This definitely belongs in the "You Know You are a Homebrewer When?" thread!

 

[balrog]

then, you navigate to /var/www/data folder and into the folder corresponding to the beer name you're working on

But what about the data files also in /home/brewpi/data/<beername>?

 

[GrogNerd]

But what about the data files also in /home/brewpi/data/<beername>?

Not sure. Since it worked the way I did it, I never looked any further

I'll check it out when I get a chance

edit (1:39pm) : not sure what the purpose of those data files are, but for the purpose of fixing the graphs, I guess they're not relevant

 

[balrog]

Script stores in both places as well as making CSV in both places. Think it makes data in www/data for ease of www-user's access without having to grant access to brewpi home dir. That's my thinking at least.

And if you stop logging, you can edit today's json. Maybe. I've learned a million ways to mess it up as I played around in the files behind the scenes but then stopped messing/learning as it just worked so I moved on.

 

[GrogNerd]

thought so about today's json, didn't really dig into it. for me, it's more important to keep logging than to fix the data point, so I can wait

true you can really mess things up by firkin with it too much, like when the Pi crashes and you lose maybe a couple hours logging. I can see where it's just best to let it ride rather than fill in huge gaps. but, if it's one or 2 points a day, I don't have a problem

 

[balrog]

Agreed. Completely.

 

[mattrox]

So......

Our router supports no-ip and I can enter the information in and it tells me the service is active.
I can port forward port 80 to the brewpi machine (10.1.1.16)

But when I do a Open Port Check I get this error

Problem! I could not see your service on port (80).
Reason: No route to host.

Looking at the no-ip documentation I don't need to install thier Linux DUC if the router supports no-ip.
Is this correct?

And what ever I did to get a static IP stopped working so I had to change back to DHCP. Whenever I change interfaces back like I did the other day my wired connection drops out completely.

This is driving me crazy now. I'm going around in circles. I think I need to walk away from this for a while.

 

[mattrox]

double post

 

[mattrox]

never mind problem solved. Net access running.



Now the Arduino Build.

http://mattrox.ddns.net/public.php

I'd like to revisit this. Problem solved. My ISP blocked port 80.

I fixed the configuration and viola.

Can someone click the link to confirm for me.

 

[gromitdj]

So......

I can port forward port 80 to the brewpi machine (10.1.1.16)

Is that your LAN I.P. Address? What is your output when entering sudo if config? LAN I.P.'s are usually 192.168.#.#

 

[mattrox]

Is that your LAN I.P. Address? What is your output when entering sudo if config? LAN I.P.'s are usually 192.168.#.#

Yep. The ADSL2+ modem/router is given 10.1.1.1 and this edits the router settings. My brewpi machine in 10.1.1.16 and this is permanent with a check box option via MAC address.

The range is 10.1.1.2 to 10.1.1.255


Sorry on phone, but ifconfig only gives the WAN IP 220.etc

 

[mattrox]

Stupid app and it's double posts.

 

[GrogNerd]

I'd like to revisit this. Problem solved. My ISP blocked port 80.

I fixed the configuration and viola.

Can someone click the link to confirm for me.

I get waiting for update

 

[mattrox]

I get waiting for update

It works, nothing attached yet. Now I have to rework the index.php. I'd rather the index, just come up and link to the password protected file.

There are instructions in here somewhere and buried in my bookmarks.

Thanks for that.

 

[wbarber69]

Yep. The ADSL2+ modem/router is given 10.1.1.1 and this edits the router settings. My brewpi machine in 10.1.1.16 and this is permanent with a check box option via MAC address.

The range is 10.1.1.2 to 10.1.1.255


Sorry on phone, but ifconfig only gives the WAN IP 220.etc

If you want someone else to click on the link you'll have to give us a physical web address. either your no-ip.whatever address or the ip of your wan

 

[thekraken]

If you want someone else to click on the link you'll have to give us a physical web address. either your no-ip.whatever address or the ip of your wan

http://mattrox.ddns.net/public.php

 

[Wolfpack87]

There's some newer software info a couple posts back you should read, other than that, OP hardware choices are still good

Edit: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=7261671

OK thanks alot!

 

[day_trippr]

Is that your LAN I.P. Address? What is your output when entering sudo if config? LAN I.P.'s are usually 192.168.#.#

fwiw, there are a few different ip ranges that were set aside for private use.

10.anything.you.want is a full-blown Class A subnet.
172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 defines a contiguous block of 16 Class B subnets.
192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 is a contiguous block of 256 Class C subnets.

Cheers!

 

[gromitdj]

fwiw, there are a few different ip ranges that were set aside for private use.

10.anything.you.want is a full-blown Class A subnet.
172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 defines a contiguous block of 16 Class B subnets.
192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 is a contiguous block of 256 Class C subnets.

Cheers!

Schooled! Thanks for that.

 

[mattrox]

We'll I think it's all up and running. Now just need to delete the superfluous php files.

And how do I make the /private folder invisible to the world?