HOWTO - Make a BrewPi Fermentation Controller For Cheap

[MikeLastort]

I currently have an Inkbird 308 and a two space heaters inside my Kenmore chest freezer. I'm thinking about replacing it with a DIY BrewPi, and I don't want to hack the freezer's thermostat. So what I'd need is some sort of solid state relays that I can plug into the wall sockets and that can be switched on or off by a microcontroller that reacts to temp probes inside the freezer, correct?

At least that's the way I understand it. Something like what's described in "method 1" here

https://www.brewpi.com/fridge-hacking-guide/

 

[Bigdaddyale]

I currently have an Inkbird 308 and a two space heaters inside my Kenmore chest freezer. I'm thinking about replacing it with a DIY BrewPi, and I don't want to hack the freezer's thermostat. So what I'd need is some sort of solid state relays that I can plug into the wall sockets and that can be switched on or off by a microcontroller that reacts to temp probes inside the freezer, correct?

At least that's the way I understand it. Something like what's described in "method 1" here

https://www.brewpi.com/fridge-hacking-guide/

Have a look at post #1 of this thread.

 

[Groovetheory]

I am new to working with python and Raspberry Pi so forgive my lack of understanding. I have brew-pi up and running for a few batches now, but I am having difficulty setting up the Tilt Hydrometer and connecting it to brew-pi. I am running the legacy branch of Brew-Pi on a Pi 3 card.

I am following the instruction on the github website.
https://github.com/sibowler/brewpi-brewometer

When I run the following command to setup the :
sudo apt-get install bluez python-bluez python-scipy python-numpy libcap2-bin

ipy python-numpy libcap2-bin
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
libcap2-bin is already the newest version.
python-numpy is already the newest version.
bluez is already the newest version.
bluez set to manually installed.
The following extra packages will be installed:
python-imaging
The following NEW packages will be installed:
python-bluez python-imaging python-scipy
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 4 not upgraded.
Need to get 9,814 B/7,402 kB of archives.
After this operation, 29.2 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y

I receive the following error:

Err http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org/raspbian/ jessie/main python-imaging all 2.6.1-2+deb8u2
404 Not Found [IP: 93.93.128.193 80]
E: Failed to fetch http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org/raspbian/pool/main/p/pillow/python-imaging_2.6.1-2+deb8u2_all.deb 404 Not Found [IP: 93.93.128.193 80]
E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?

I have tried to fix the issue, but I am not sure how to continue? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Groove

 

[stlbeer]

I receive the following error:

Err http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org/raspbian/ jessie/main python-imaging all 2.6.1-2+deb8u2
404 Not Found [IP: 93.93.128.193 80]
E: Failed to fetch http://mirrordirector.raspbian.org/raspbian/pool/main/p/pillow/python-imaging_2.6.1-2+deb8u2_all.deb 404 Not Found [IP: 93.93.128.193 80]
E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with --fix-missing?

I have tried to fix the issue, but I am not sure how to continue? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Groove

Looks like at the time of the error the mirrordirector site might have been unavailable. Or your device wasn't connected to the internet.

It's up now though:

Pinging mirrordirector.raspbian.org [93.93.128.193] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 93.93.128.193: bytes=32 time=123ms TTL=52
Reply from 93.93.128.193: bytes=32 time=121ms TTL=52
Reply from 93.93.128.193: bytes=32 time=120ms TTL=52
Reply from 93.93.128.193: bytes=32 time=120ms TTL=52

Ping statistics for 93.93.128.193:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 120ms, Maximum = 123ms, Average = 121ms

Maybe try again?

 

[Groovetheory]

I can get to the site, the issue is the specified file is not in the folder.
http://mirrordirector.rasThe file name has change. The error occurs when I run sudo apt-get install python-scipy all other files update correctly.
pbian.org/raspbian/pool/main/p/pillow/python-imaging_2.6.1-2+deb8u2_all.deb

python-imaging_2.6.1-2+deb8u2_all.deb File name in python-scipy
python-imaging_2.6.1-2+deb8u3_all.deb File name in website, new version

I have update the following files on the RPI image

sudo pip3 install --upgrade numpy
sudo pip3 install --upgrade scipy

The scipy update still references the older python-imaging file . I am not sure how to fix this issue. All the other files update.

Groove

 

[Groovetheory]

I can connect to the site, that is not the issue. The command 'sudo apt-get install python-scipy' references an older version of the file to install

python-imaging_2.6.1-2+deb8u2_all.deb File referenced in scipy
python-imaging_2.6.1-2+deb8u3_all.deb File in /raspbian/pool/main/p/pillow

I updated both numpy and scipy witht he following commands:
sudo pip3 install --upgrade numpy
sudo pip3 install --upgrade scipy

I still get the error. Is there a way to correct the reference in the file to have it process or am I missing a simple step?

Groove

 

[MikeLastort]

Have a look at post #1 of this thread.

I did. So that's a yes, right?

 

[Bigdaddyale]

I did. So that's a yes, right?

Yes, you won't need to modify the fridge at all.

 

[MikeLastort]

Yes, you won't need to modify the fridge at all.

Cool, thanks. That was how I read that, I just wanted to confirm.

 

[BrianGee]

Hello Everyone. I've been having an issue for my last few brews where the temperature control acts perfectly normal for 5-7 days, then suddenly starts swinging and overshooting the set point, both high and low, for reasons unknown. Like this:

After many days of only needing short bursts of cooling, the controller will heat, cool, heat, cool, and the beer temperature will swing as much as +/-0.6F after days of steady state and after active fermentation has subsided.

Shutting down the Pi and then power cycling the power strip with the Pi, Arduino, fridge, and circulation fan on it and letting it all restart will usually solve the issue and everything goes back to being nice and smooth.

I'm on a Raspberry Pi B (pre-Wheezy) running the latest version of BrewPi from the legacy branch. Any thoughts on this? Thanks!

 

[wbarber69]

2 Ideas, either your fermentation is handling most of the necessary heating for the first 5-7 days and that's why the liquid stays pretty stable, or maybe there is a defrost cycle in the fridge that works on a mechanical timer… basically until it reaches zero again or is tripped by resetting the power, it will run alongside the compressor to keep the lines from freezing up. you may need to disable the defrost heater

 

[BrianGee]

Thanks, I like the defrost theory. That could be what's going on. The other doesn't seem likely, as the fridge is in my basement and the ambient down there isn't below 64 so there shouldn't be a need to heat much at all after the initial overshoot corrections.

When you look at the waves starting 1/2 way through the 25th they're nearly perfect cycles. It doesn't otherwise make sense that the temperature would vary so much when fermentation is done when it was so flat even during active fermentation.

I had a hell of a day since that post and was finally just now able to cycle the power on everything. I'll be interested to check the graph in the morning.

 

[AlehCemy]

@FuzzeWuzze (Not sure if it's possible to tag someone)

Can I translate the contents of the http://diybrewpi.wikia.com/wiki/DIYBrewPi_Wikia to share with a few people that doesn't know English but want to build this DIY project?

 

[day_trippr]

Cool. What language?

Not speaking for Fuzze but you are welcome to do pretty much anything you want with any of my BrewPi related threads...

Cheers!

 

[AlehCemy]

Cool. What language?

Not speaking for Fuzze but you are welcome to do pretty much anything you want with any of my BrewPi related threads...

Cheers!

PT-BR. I mentioned in a group that I had seen a DIY project that could be adapted to a bread fermentation chamber and etc., and they were interested. But most of them doesn't know English, so it's unfair to those to share the content in English.

 

[gromitdj]

PT-BR. I mentioned in a group that I had seen a DIY project that could be adapted to a bread fermentation chamber and etc., and they were interested. But most of them doesn't know English, so it's unfair to those to share the content in English.

I use mine for my pizza dough ferment all the time. It works great!

 

[Bigdaddyale]

PT-BR. I mentioned in a group that I had seen a DIY project that could be adapted to a bread fermentation chamber and etc., and they were interested. But most of them doesn't know English, so it's unfair to those to share the content in English.

Might want to look at this thread. it controls humidity as well as tempt.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=520193

 

[AlehCemy]

Might want to look at this thread. it controls humidity as well as tempt.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=520193

Humidity I don't think it's really necessary, but definitely will look it out and ask if anyone is interested in a translated version. Thank you for the link!

 

[Bigdaddyale]

Humidity I don't think it's really necessary, but definitely, will look it out and ask if anyone is interested in a translated version. Thank you for the link!

Yea- You're right, at least not for proofing bread dough but you need high humidity for baking

 

[AlehCemy]

Yea- You're right, at least not for proofing bread dough but you need high humidity for baking

Yeah, but it's easily solved by using a metal pan preheated together with the oven and boiling water.

 

[obsi]

I've been using my brewpi to great success for about a year now, but have recently come across an issue I've not seen before. During my current fermentation there seem to have been a couple of strange changes in behaviour, where the temperature fluctuations around the target temperature suddenly increase/decrease dramatically. I assume this is something to do with one of the control values for the algorithm changing, but looking at the logs I can't see anything that would explain it. Has anyone seen this behaviour before, or have any idea how to fix it?

I attach a couple of images for illustrative purposes, and the stderr from the relevant times.

Mar 28 2017 00:27:37 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.3, estimated: 9.3. Previous cool estimator: 2.561, New cool estimator: 2.561.
Mar 28 2017 01:22:58 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.1, estimated: 9.3. Previous cool estimator: 2.561, New cool estimator: 2.561.
Mar 28 2017 02:18:00 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.1, estimated: 9.3. Previous cool estimator: 2.561, New cool estimator: 2.561.
Mar 28 2017 03:11:35 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.0, estimated: 9.3. Previous cool estimator: 2.561, New cool estimator: 2.561.
Mar 28 2017 04:04:07 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.0, estimated: 9.3. Previous cool estimator: 2.561, New cool estimator: 3.094.
Mar 28 2017 04:57:50 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.0, estimated: 9.3. Previous cool estimator: 3.094, New cool estimator: 3.740.
Mar 28 2017 05:49:47 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.0, estimated: 9.3. Previous cool estimator: 3.740, New cool estimator: 4.514.
Mar 28 2017 06:39:06 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.3, estimated: 9.4. Previous cool estimator: 4.514, New cool estimator: 4.514.
Mar 28 2017 07:31:24 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.8, estimated: 9.6. Previous cool estimator: 4.514, New cool estimator: 3.719.
Mar 28 2017 08:29:12 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.1, estimated: 9.7. Previous cool estimator: 3.719, New cool estimator: 3.057.
Mar 28 2017 09:27:06 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.7, estimated: 9.6. Previous cool estimator: 3.057, New cool estimator: 3.057.
Mar 28 2017 10:21:06 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 9.8, estimated: 9.5. Previous cool estimator: 3.057, New cool estimator: 2.512.
Mar 28 2017 11:10:19 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 11.5, estimated: 12.1. Previous cool estimator: 2.512, New cool estimator: 3.055.
Mar 28 2017 11:54:41 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 11.4, estimated: 12.1. Previous cool estimator: 3.055, New cool estimator: 3.729.
Mar 28 2017 12:37:56 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 11.0, estimated: 11.7. Previous cool estimator: 3.729, New cool estimator: 4.543.
Mar 28 2017 13:20:48 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.8, estimated: 11.2. Previous cool estimator: 4.543, New cool estimator: 5.510.
Mar 28 2017 14:03:14 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.6, estimated: 10.9. Previous cool estimator: 5.510, New cool estimator: 6.672.
Mar 28 2017 14:47:51 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.4, estimated: 10.7. Previous cool estimator: 6.672, New cool estimator: 6.672.
Mar 28 2017 15:32:59 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.4, estimated: 10.6. Previous cool estimator: 6.672, New cool estimator: 6.672.
Mar 28 2017 16:19:25 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.4, estimated: 10.6. Previous cool estimator: 6.672, New cool estimator: 6.672.
Mar 28 2017 16:56:43 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 11.1, estimated: 11.1. Previous cool estimator: 6.672, New cool estimator: 6.672.
Mar 28 2017 17:25:30 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 11.3, estimated: 11.2. Previous cool estimator: 6.672, New cool estimator: 6.672.

Apr 01 2017 22:25:22 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.01
Apr 01 2017 22:30:45 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.02
Apr 01 2017 22:36:09 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.03
Apr 01 2017 22:41:33 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.04
Apr 01 2017 22:41:41 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 12.1, estimated: 12.4. Previous cool estimator: 12.527, New cool estimator: 12.527.
Apr 01 2017 22:46:58 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.05
Apr 01 2017 22:52:22 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.06
Apr 01 2017 22:57:46 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.07
Apr 01 2017 23:03:11 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.08
Apr 01 2017 23:08:33 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.09
Apr 01 2017 23:13:57 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.1
Apr 01 2017 23:19:21 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.11
Apr 01 2017 23:24:45 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.12
Apr 01 2017 23:30:09 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.13
Apr 01 2017 23:35:34 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.14
Apr 01 2017 23:40:58 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.15
Apr 01 2017 23:46:22 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.16
Apr 01 2017 23:46:36 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 12.1, estimated: 12.4. Previous cool estimator: 12.527, New cool estimator: 12.527.
Apr 01 2017 23:51:46 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.17
Apr 01 2017 23:57:09 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.18
Apr 02 2017 00:00:00 Notification: New day, creating new JSON file.
Apr 02 2017 00:02:33 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.19
Apr 02 2017 00:07:57 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.2
Apr 02 2017 00:13:21 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.21
Apr 02 2017 00:18:46 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.22
Apr 02 2017 00:24:10 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.23
Apr 02 2017 00:29:34 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.24
Apr 02 2017 00:34:57 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.25
Apr 02 2017 00:40:22 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.26
Apr 02 2017 00:44:20 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.9, estimated: 9.6. Previous cool estimator: 12.527, New cool estimator: 9.934.
Apr 02 2017 00:45:45 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.27
Apr 02 2017 00:51:09 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.28
Apr 02 2017 00:56:33 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.29
Apr 02 2017 01:01:58 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.3
Apr 02 2017 01:07:22 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.31
Apr 02 2017 01:12:46 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.32
Apr 02 2017 01:18:10 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.33
Apr 02 2017 01:23:34 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.34
Apr 02 2017 01:28:57 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.35
Apr 02 2017 01:34:21 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.36
Apr 02 2017 01:38:44 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.6, estimated: 9.7. Previous cool estimator: 9.934, New cool estimator: 8.012.
Apr 02 2017 01:39:45 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.37
Apr 02 2017 01:45:09 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.38
Apr 02 2017 01:50:34 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.39
Apr 02 2017 01:55:58 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.4
Apr 02 2017 02:01:22 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.41
Apr 02 2017 02:06:46 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.42
Apr 02 2017 02:12:09 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.43
Apr 02 2017 02:17:33 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.44
Apr 02 2017 02:22:57 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.45
Apr 02 2017 02:28:21 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 12: Received new setting: beerSet = 11.46
Apr 02 2017 02:30:43 controller debug message: INFO MESSAGE 18: Negative peak detected: 10.6, estimated: 10.5. Previous cool estimator: 8.012, New cool estimator: 8.012.

 

[BrianGee]

Looks exactly like the issue I started having recently, also after the better part of a year. See post 6940. It was suggested that it could be the fridge going into defrost mode but it doesn't seem so. I powered off the fridge for a while to see if it would reset something but that made no difference.

I haven't solved mine yet. Finished that fermentation and it's currently shut down. I'll have to see if it does it again after my next brew day in a couple of weeks. Definitely watching the thread though to see if anyone has any ideas.

 

[stbernts]

Wrong thread!

 

[robfar]

The heat/cool cycles indicate overcorrection going on. Try reducing your control constants.

 

[wolfej50]

I've collected all the basic parts, installed the brewpi software and ensured that the wifi could reach my router from my basement brew cave. The next step is to find a box to put it in. I can find sealed plastic enclosures, but I'm concerned about heat buildup. I can find vented metal enclosures, but those would likely interfere with the wifi signal. Are there any suggestions from the gallery?

 

[CadiBrewer]

No reason to worry about heat buildup, especially in a basement. My units are in a Southern California garage that reaches 100 deg f in the summer, with no problems for the units. These things are pretty bulletproof.

Most folks use plastic enclosures. Everything from Home Depot electrical boxes to Philmore project cases, like this: http://www.philmore-datak.com/mc/Page 276.pdf. If Radio Shack is still open in your area, they have a good box for like $9.

 

[Ridemywideglide]

I've got this up and testing with a Pi, works well so far. But I'm planning on using the pi for CBPi, and would like to implement a beaglebone black to leave dedicated for the chamber. Mainly because I don't like messing with it. It's running Debian 8.7, I've gone through the setup and making another user, etc. BrewPi is installed and in the default directories it used on the pi, but I get connection refused when trying to access it.
I'm not real familiar with the BBB as to it's default web page location, but from what google tells me it should be the same as the pi. I've disabled all the default services the BBB runs out of the box so they should not be interfering with it.
I'd just like to get it working and stuff it in a box to never have to see it again. LOL.

 

[day_trippr]

I know absolutely zip about the Beagle Bone Black (aside from it having the lamest name evah! ) but if you're using Apache2, check /etc/apache2/sites-available and look at the value assigned to html document root to see where the default inbound web request folder is located...

Cheers!

 

[Ridemywideglide]

I know absolutely zip about the Beagle Bone Black (aside from it having the lamest name evah! ) but if you're using Apache2, check /etc/apache2/sites-available and look at the value assigned to html document root to see where the default inbound web request folder is located...

Cheers!

I stumbled across that be accident yesterday, and it's showing /var/www/html for the document root. But I still get connection refused.

Anyhow, after doing some reading, I'm going to go with the BrewPiLess with ESP8266 boards. This will free my Pi for the brewing tasks, AND let me connect wirelessly for the ferm data, solving 2 issues at once.

Think I'll relocate this beaglebone to the bottom drawer. And I agree on the lame name..

 

[TheFlangerBeer]

Hi guys.
I am using brewpi legacy on a Raspberry pi 3 and arduino and I have a question about the software:

Anyone know how to find out how the "Chamber Fan" works in brewpi software?

I have a refrigerator (combi) with internal fan that is controlled by the main plate of the refrigerator and the problem is that when the defrost resistor is activated the fan stops working. In this way, the compressor (controlled externally from a relay and brewpi) works constantly: if the resistor is activated (defrost), the fan switches off and fails to reach the target temperature even though the compressor operates constantly.

So I came up with the idea of ​​drilling between the bottom (freezer) and the upper (fermentation chamber) and put a low voltage fan (one of a PC ie) with a 12V transformer controlled by a Relay and Brewpi (so it can raise the cold air regardless of the fan operation of the refrigerator) and connect it to Brewpi's "Chamber Fan" but I can not find information on how it works. I have observed how works in software it but it does not always work when I need.

In short, when and under what conditions does this "chamber fan" work?
Is this a "good idea" to drill both chambers?

TY