iSpindle Concentrators, Repeaters, Bridges, Hubs

[Peter Walker]

Hi everyone i am very interested in this project but have no knowledge of coding but i am quite handy at building things, i use an ispindle along with brew father in my brews and would very much like to build a repeater like this so that as i walk past my fermenting fridge i could see how my brew was progressing without have to load brew father either on my phone or iPad. Would some one be able to supply me with a list required to build one of these and where the software is locate and if possible some idea of what housing would be required failing that i suppose i could try and design one in fusion360. `Hope you don't think this is tooo forward of me thanks

 

[JSB241]

https://github.com/ZeSlammy/iSpindHub
You need:
(1) soldering iron and know how to solder

STOP here if you can not solder.

(1) ESP8266 based board, like the D1-Mini [it is a small "computer"] and I prefer the original maker Lonin... but there are MANY knockoffs that will probably work
(1) screen - see the github link above
(8) wires- 20 or 22 AWG - length TBD
(1) FREE programmer - BrewFlasher
(1) good quality MICRO USB cable - most cheap ones do not work to program
(1) MICRO USB power source

step 1 - get all the items above
step 2 - program the board with the USB cable and BREWFLASHER
step 3 - wire the screen to the board (soldering is required)
step 4 - power up the board
step 5 - join the new temp wifi access point with a phone or tablet see THIS POST
step 6 - goto 192.168.1.109 and configure the iSindleHub
step 7 - reconfigure the Ispindel to talk to the iSindleHub see THIS POST

I do not use Brewfather (BF), so I am no help there.

Also note the 1.4" screen with the built in plug does NOT seem to work correctly.

I did make a holder for the 2" screen:

 

[ChrisThomas]

@JSB241 Just compsing a similar reply after getting home from work, you beat me to it! A very good summary!

I also don't use BrewFather, I use Fermentrack, so I can't help with that either.

 

[wd16261]

Also note the 1.4" screen with the built in plug does NOT seem to work correctly.

Correction: the 1,4" screen with direct plug works perfect now @ZeSlammy made a correction.

So no soldering is required with this version.

 

[JSB241]

" So no soldering is required with this version. "

except you have to solder the two headers onto the board!

 

[wd16261]

" So no soldering is required with this version. "

except you have to solder the two headers onto the board!

Correct, I've updated my respons

 

[DuncB]

No soldering required if you use lolin esp8266 and the female to male plug on things. I've used female to male block attached and then bent so the unit " less thick "

Pictures not in the casing.


Is there a way yet to use more of the display for the bigger screens yet?
ie bigger font and lose the separation lines they don't seem that necessary if everything is a different colour.

 

[DuncB]

@JSB241
Great write up.

 

[Peter Walker]

https://github.com/ZeSlammy/iSpindHub
You need:
(1) soldering iron and know how to solder

STOP here if you can not solder.

(1) ESP8266 based board, like the D1-Mini [it is a small "computer"] and I prefer the original maker Lonin... but there are MANY knockoffs that will probably work
(1) screen - see the github link above
(8) wires- 20 or 22 AWG - length TBD
(1) FREE programmer - BrewFlasher
(1) good quality MICRO USB cable - most cheap ones do not work to program
(1) MICRO USB power source

step 1 - get all the items above
step 2 - program the board with the USB cable and BREWFLASHER
step 3 - wire the screen to the board (soldering is required)
step 4 - power up the board
step 5 - join the new temp wifi access point with a phone or tablet see THIS POST
step 6 - goto 192.168.1.109 and configure the iSindleHub
step 7 - reconfigure the Ispindel to talk to the iSindleHub see THIS POST

I do not use Brewfather (BF), so I am no help there.

Also note the 1.4" screen with the built in plug does NOT seem to work correctly.

I did make a holder for the 2" screen:
View attachment 758341 View attachment 758342

Hi JSB241 and many thanks for your write up, i couldn't be cheeky could i and ask if you have the stl file for your stand.

 

[JSB241]

Here you go:
https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/130336-ispindlehub-2-screen-stand/files
Not the best ... but I created it in 178 lines of 'code' using OpenScad
It is designed to have the wiring on the board look like this:


The backs just friction fit into place.... superglue them if you want to.

Jeff

PS... the opening for the screen board is oversized... I used a small quick clamp and some "Liquid Tape" to mount the screen board.

 

[wd16261]

Here you go:
https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/130336-ispindlehub-2-screen-stand/files

Sorry but the link doesn't work 'Page not found' and this screen:

 

[JSB241]

opps.. forgot to hit the PUBLISH button... try now

 

[wd16261]

Yes now it works thanks!

 

[Peter Walker]

Ok I am about to commit and attempt to build this ispindlehub using a 2" screen and a D1 mini, my question is instead of using wires could i used dupon connectors and just plug them together?

 

[ZeSlammy]

Ok I am about to commit and attempt to build this ispindlehub using a 2" screen and a D1 mini, my question is instead of using wires could i used dupon connectors and just plug them together?

Yeah that works but it's not "durable"

Happy to see people use it

 

[ChrisThomas]

Ok I am about to commit and attempt to build this ispindlehub using a 2" screen and a D1 mini, my question is instead of using wires could i used dupon connectors and just plug them together?

Not sure how I'm going to "package" my iSpindHub but for testing it's all hooked up with Dupont connectors. My fermentrack installation is all with Dupont connectors, but that rarely moves. I'd say if you're going to be moving your iSpindHub around a lot then solder the wires.

 

[Peter Walker]

Not sure how I'm going to "package" my iSpindHub but for testing it's all hooked up with Dupont connectors. My fermentrack installation is all with Dupont connectors, but that rarely moves. I'd say if you're going to be moving your iSpindHub around a lot then solder the wires.

 

[Peter Walker]

Mssny thanks everyone

 

[Peter Walker]

I have made a modified 128 * 128 screen layout using at the top the Orbitron font. I wanted to get, what I consider to be, the key information as large as possible on the small screen.

I changed the Voltage to a V that changes colour to show the status -similar to the signal strength indication. I would be interested in what others think that the trigger setting value should be, I have gone with 3.8V based on experience with my Panasonic batteries.

if(voltage > 3.8) {tft.setTextColor(TFT_GREEN,TFT_BLACK);}
if(voltage < 3.8) {tft.setTextColor(TFT_ORANGE,TFT_BLACK);}

Huge thanks to @ZeSlammy for making all of this possible.
Cheers

Hi Korev could i ask you what you had to do to get this amazing project to access the data to brewfather

 

[JSB241]

Here is a photo of my stand with the backs off:


without the back you certainly have room to use dupont connectors.

 

[ZeSlammy]

Hi Korev could i ask you what you had to do to get this amazing project to access the data to brewfather

What do you mean ?
The latest release is sending information to BF.
You want the same layout as @korev ? I'm currently working on revamping all screens and make them easily editable.

 

[Peter Walker]

What do you mean ?
The latest release is sending information to BF.
You want the same layout as @korev ? I'm currently working on revamping all screens and make them easily editable.

Ok thanks I wasn’t sure if I needed to do something special

 

[ChrisThomas]

@ZeSlammy If you are looking for data to fill the screen.... could you possibly add BrewBubbles bubble count?

 

[korev]

@Peter Walker, We have had the power out for a bit. Is this still something that you are looking for a response from me? Cheers

 

[Peter Walker]

@Peter Walker, We have had the power out for a bit. Is this still something that you are looking for a response from me? Cheers

Hi I am not sure what I want actually,I am awaiting parts to make this but would love to hear how you set yours up for connecting to Brewfather what I am going to use is a D1 mini connected to a 2” screen. I will 3D print a case and probably connect via DuPont connectors. How do you set the it to connect to WiFi and the Brewfather thanks for any assistance you can offer

 

[rkhanso]

I just found this thread. Very timely, as I plan on doing my first pressure fermenting in corny kegs and wondered if my iSpindel would be able to get a signal out of the keg. Maybe with one of these sitting right next to the keg it'll have a better chance.

Can this be used without the display and just send the data to Fermentrack and monitor there?

I'm also a bit confused how this all "connects" via wifi. Does the iSpindHub connect to the home WiFi and also has an AP running at the same that the iSpindel connects to? Is there a web server on the iSpindHub that I can use to get the iSpindel to talk to Fermentrack? I didn't see any of this info in the documentation on GitHub (but I could easily have missed it). I don't think it does have a web server running because I get a "connection refused" when trying to connect to it with a browser.

I did connect the iSpindel to the iSpindHub and the iSpindHub to my home wifi, but there is no data coming through to Fermentrack. But I can't log into anything (or don't know where to) to verify much either.

Or in my case (since I don't have a supported display, nor really even want one), should I just set up an ESP8266 as a WiFi extender like is explained here? Homemade WiFi exender using the ESP8266 -- but then I question whether I will be able to get the iSpindel data into Fermentrack. (or I don't know how to do that anyway).

Or - maybe this is just a bad idea anyway? I've read other threads where the iSpindel can't take the pressure and fills with beer and sinks in the corny keg. Is it just a bad idea to use an iSpindel when fermenting under pressure in a corny keg?

 

[korev]

@Peter Walker have a look at the attached pdf Cheers

 

[DuncB]

@rkhanso

I have been pressure fermenting up to 30 psi with my Ispindels, I do use an Oring inside the lid since one sank ( but it resuscitated okay ) .

These are the ones I bought
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32862998881.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dVyqyKgI have done a couple of pressure ferments with these in and been ok. If china wasn't closer I'd send you some spares but they'll come quicker from china or be sourced by you locally faster I'm sure.

I think that really hot ferment and high pressure more of an issue than cool and pressure. But it's good insurance.
THe idea came from this website
https://www.diyhomebrewers.com/

Just brewed my first NEIPA and the Ispindel sank on day three when I allowed a bit of pressure to build up. It had been working fine.
Fished it out and this is what it looked like.
View attachment 728984View attachment 728985

Opened it up and smell of acetone really from the liquid.

Had no hopes for it at all and expected to just salvage the bottle and sled.

Took it all out and gave the electronics a good scrub over with isopropyl alcohol and left it to dry in a draught and the sunshine.

Then into a bag with silica gel dessicant further 48 hours.

Yesterday plugged it in to charge, bit stiff getting the usb plug in but it got there.
Expected fireworks when I powered up the charger or nothing and amazed the red light went on.
After a few hours charging thought to myself better test it works as light was blue.

Can't believe it worked straightaway.

Just need to reassemble and calibrate again.

I'm flabbergasted. It was in fermenter for ten days submerged and the beer tastes great as well.
View attachment 728987

I built one of these to sort out the signal issue from inside the fridge and it relays to my main network and brewpiless.

https://github.com/martin-ger/esp_wifi_repeater
I fitted a booster antenna on the D1 mini to improve the signal even more, used an old wifi antenna I had spare.
You could salvage external antennas from an old WIFI router and solder those on as well.

https://www.instructables.com/External-Antenna-for-ESP8266/

But I do also have Slammy running a 2 inch screen which will be in play once I'm converted to brewfather.

 

[ChrisThomas]

@DuncB Regarding the O rings, I found that the ones I got didn't seal very well, in fact sealed worse that without. I'm assuming that's because they weren't quite the right size. When I took the lid off my iSpindel after fitting a O ring, found that the O ring I had had partly come out of the recess in the lid, hence the poor seal. I might get some of these and see if it makes a difference? Is that link the ones you actually have used?

 

[ZeSlammy]

@Peter Walker have a look at the attached pdf Cheers

Damn you wrote a full documentation !!
I need to get on it ....
And I also need to finalize the push to other recipients than just BF.

Should be done soon as the Mrs is leaving me all alone at home for a week