iSpindle - DIY Electronic Hydrometer

[Dr_Jeff]

I use stainless steel kegmenters (read thick stainless steel) and have a Beverage Air back bar box for a fermentation chamber (metal walls inside and out).

I brewed this weekend and decided to use the iSpindel for the first time.
I had set them up to the wifi and they were reporting in when they were sitting either on the counter or in a bucket of water in the brew shed.

Before I closed up the fermenters, I switched on the device, gave the top a good twist and dropped them in, one in each fermenter.
A bit later I went to my computer to see what they were "seeing" and it seems that there is too much metal blocking the signal. :-(

Now I have to figure out a plan B

 

[scubatech]

Had the same problem. Move your fermenter as close to your wifi router as possible. I plan on adding another access point in the future so I don't have to continue doing that.

 

[rkhanso]

I use stainless steel kegmenters (read thick stainless steel) and have a Beverage Air back bar box for a fermentation chamber (metal walls inside and out).

I brewed this weekend and decided to use the iSpindel for the first time.
I had set them up to the wifi and they were reporting in when they were sitting either on the counter or in a bucket of water in the brew shed.

Before I closed up the fermenters, I switched on the device, gave the top a good twist and dropped them in, one in each fermenter.
A bit later I went to my computer to see what they were "seeing" and it seems that there is too much metal blocking the signal. :-(

Now I have to figure out a plan B

That sounds like a lot of metal for the WiFi signal to penetrate. But have you tried a WiFi repeater? You can make one out of a $3 ESP8266.
It works great for me.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

That sounds like a lot of metal for the WiFi signal to penetrate. But have you tried a WiFi repeater? You can make one out of a $3 ESP8266.
It works great for me.

So to close this out, I built several of the wifi repeaters from the ESP8266 boards, put one inside the fermentation chamber and another along the way and all is good.
It was rather simple to follow the instructions and get the wifi repeater working.
What I learned is, not all of the USB cables have the data wires connected and are for power only. I had to just keep trying the cables that I had and luckily one and only one worked, the rest are being used to power the devices.

 

[day_trippr]

What I learned is, not all of the USB cables have the data wires connected and are for power only.

You likely have no idea how many times we've had to point that out over these many years.
And a pox upon companies that so totally cheap out to bundle such cables with their products...

Cheers!

 

[DuncB]

I'm sure that @LBussy somewhere in this thread mentions cutting the non data USB cables up when he finds them and throwing them away. They are a pox on the hobbyist.

 

[Hioctaine]

..

 

[ChrisThomas]

Anybody have any long term issues with the on/off switch on their iSpindel? I've just tried 2 of my iSpindels and neither turn on. When I check the battery volts, they're fine, but that voltage is not getting through the switch. If I short out the switch pins everything is fine

So fellow users, where do you get your switches from? What manufacturer do you use? I've had mine so long I can't remember where mine came from, but I suspect China!

 

[DuncB]

I've used a couple of different brands of switch. Funny one ispindel stopped working before I left home. Didn't get a chance to do analysis on it. I'll look at the switch when I get back.
I think from memory the gravitymon turns off at certain angle which would save fitting a switch. I suppose swapping out the switch for an always on reed switch would be another option.

 

[ChrisThomas]

As we discussed before it's something I tried the reed switch and dismissed it however, I'm looking at the PCB and different switch options. I'm satisfied that my issue is the switch, both iSpindels work with the switch contacts shorted out.

One current thought is to remove the slide switch entirely, replace it with a reed switch and store the iSpindels in a rack with a magnet above the lid.

 

[ChrisThomas]

Well, that was a nasty job! I tried to replace the switch with the least amount of disturbance to the other components. I only removed the TP4056, that gave me enough space to get the switch out. Had to cut it out though and then unsolder the pins.

Might have been easier to remove D1 mini to get access to both sides of the TP4056 pads, but with a solder sucker and desolder braid I got the holes cleared from the one side. Soldered replacement switch, solder the T4056 and hey presto all working!

For the next faulty one I think I'm going to try the reed switch as a permanent replacement.

 

[DuncB]

@ChrisThomas
Seems like a good plan, not sure if on off reed switch would get triggered when I use the reed switch on the reset part of my current ispindel build.
I have triggered the reset config mode on my ispindel whilst fermenting so I could change the update interval for beers sitting in secondary phase for a long time.
I had a look at the gravitymon info and can't see an angle related on off, just a go into configuration mode at 90 degrees.
Perhaps possible to ask developer @mper if 180 degree angle detection could turn off or set really long interval for updates. Then switch could be eliminated as a component.

 

[mper]

@ChrisThomas
Seems like a good plan, not sure if on off reed switch would get triggered when I use the reed switch on the reset part of my current ispindel build.
I have triggered the reset config mode on my ispindel whilst fermenting so I could change the update interval for beers sitting in secondary phase for a long time.
I had a look at the gravitymon info and can't see an angle related on off, just a go into configuration mode at 90 degrees.
Perhaps possible to ask developer @mper if 180 degree angle detection could turn off or set really long interval for updates. Then switch could be eliminated as a component.

Sorry about the late delay, I've been on vacation for the last week. There is no on/off mode implemented in gravitymon, just the possibility to enter configuration mode. It would be possible to implement such a feature when placing the device on its cap (0 degress) but there are a few challenges that needs to be adressed. The max sleep time is 2000 minutes (33 hours) which would give a long battery lifetime. But there is no way with the current hardware config to get the device out of sleep mode once it has entered sleep mode without tapping the reset button. But If it's of interest I would consider implementing this feature and pehaps see if there is some way of modifying the hardware to wake it up earlier.

 

[mper]

An alternative could be to replace the switch with a magnetic reed switch that opens when in contact with a magnet (normal closed) most options seams to be normal open. i have not tested this but would be an option to avoid opening the device ….

 

[DuncB]

@mper
Thank you for the reply. Hope holiday was Good.
.
I have already modified a few of my ispindels ( using ispindel software) with a reed switch soldered on the reset. This has allowed me to trigger into config setting whilst in fermenter and lengthen update/ reporting interval for beers a long time in secondary.
Your maximum sleep time issue on gravitymon wouldn't be a problem with my hardware variant. I could remove the power switch or build without power switch and bridge to always on.
Then stand on lid would turn ispindel to a very long sleep. It could be woken from this by waving the magnet on the side.
However as the ispindel is not going to be in a beer when in this inverted state opening it and shorting the reset pins wouldn't be a big deal anyway.

 

[mper]

@mper
Thank you for the reply. Hope holiday was Good.
.
I have already modified a few of my ispindels ( using ispindel software) with a reed switch soldered on the reset. This has allowed me to trigger into config setting whilst in fermenter and lengthen update/ reporting interval for beers a long time in secondary.
Your maximum sleep time issue on gravitymon wouldn't be a problem with my hardware variant. I could remove the power switch or build without power switch and bridge to always on.
Then stand on lid would turn ispindel to a very long sleep. It could be woken from this by waving the magnet on the side.
However as the ispindel is not going to be in a beer when in this inverted state opening it and shorting the reset pins wouldn't be a big deal anyway.

Well that could work, will order a few reed switches to test this approach. would not be too difficult to modify my software for this.

 

[DuncB]

@mper
Just be careful bending the wires on the reed switch, the glass breaks easily if any stress occurs on it during the bend.
I used two tiny pliers when I made the bends.
It will reduce the top weight of the ispindel losing the conventional switch.

 

[mper]

@mper
Just be careful bending the wires on the reed switch, the glass breaks easily if any stress occurs on it during the bend.
I used two tiny pliers when I made the bends.
It will reduce the top weight of the ispindel losing the conventional switch.

Will do, thanks for the tip, i will get the parts next week.

 

[mper]

@mper
Thank you for the reply. Hope holiday was Good.
.
I have already modified a few of my ispindels ( using ispindel software) with a reed switch soldered on the reset. This has allowed me to trigger into config setting whilst in fermenter and lengthen update/ reporting interval for beers a long time in secondary.
Your maximum sleep time issue on gravitymon wouldn't be a problem with my hardware variant. I could remove the power switch or build without power switch and bridge to always on.
Then stand on lid would turn ispindel to a very long sleep. It could be woken from this by waving the magnet on the side.
However as the ispindel is not going to be in a beer when in this inverted state opening it and shorting the reset pins wouldn't be a big deal anyway.

I have implemented the feature in the v1.1 beta 1 release if you want to try it and give feedback. I have not had the time to do long term testing yet so i dont know how it affects batter life.

You need to turn it on in the hardware config section.

 

[fuzzybee]

Have been fermenting many times at that pressure and a little above. I did have one sink but it dried out okay and worked fine.
I do now use the Orings mentioned by me somewhere above now and don't get problems at all. I put a little bit of silicone grease on the top edge of the petling when I tighten it and then back it off and tighten again.
Not gone much above 30psi except by accident.

Tell tale you have a problem is if you suddenly see that the gravity is falling rapidly again when it should have finished. Liquid getting in makes it float more vertical. A really strong magnet ie hard disk drive type will attract an Ispindel and can support it if you think it's sinking.

I searched the thread, and couldn't find the o-rings you discuss. Where di you get them?

 

[mper]

I searched the thread, and couldn't find the o-rings you discuss. Where di you get them?

I use som keg lube on the cap, works as well and is probably easier to get a hold of. I also tried to 3d print some o-rings but the lube works better.

 

[fuzzybee]

I use som keg lube on the cap, works as well and is probably easier to get a hold of. I also tried to 3d print some o-rings but the lube works better.

Easy enough. Thanks!

 

[Bobo1898]

Lately, I've been having trouble with my iSpindel sending data to Ubidots.

Had a cider in May that sent data for three or four days, then stopped for two, then sent data again for half a day, then stopped all together. The firmware in this case was from early 2021.

Recently brewed a batch of beer, and the iSpindel sent data to Ubidots when I first turned it on (as you can see in the attached image), but then suddenly stopped again. The firmware in this case was updated to the most recent one (July maybe?).

Has anyone run into issues like this? You can see I have it set up to run every 30 minutes. Sending data hasn't been an issue for two years and suddenly it's sending no information. It isn't my dots usage--I'm logged out of Ubidots for the most part. I only check once a day.

 

[DuncB]

The signal that the ispindel is able to pick up is not that strong -81.

Could be that your wifi network has changed / increased interference so that the signal doesn't get through on a regular basis. Your battery is not the problem.
Can you try the Ispindel closer to the wifi router?

 

[Bobo1898]

Yeah, I moved the chamber in another room, but it's maybe 5 feet further away from the router than before. Didn't think it would be that much of a difference. Can't exactly move it back so I'll have to figure something out if it's just the signal.

Stronger RSSI is supposed to be closer to zero, correct?

 

[DuncB]

Yeah, I moved the chamber in another room, but it's maybe 5 feet further away from the router than before. Didn't think it would be that much of a difference. Can't exactly move it back so I'll have to figure something out if it's just the signal.

Stronger RSSI is supposed to be closer to zero, correct?

Paradoxically the smaller that number is the stronger it is. I also think it's logarithmic but stand to be corrected.You can see where I moved my fermenter signal dropped and not received every half hour.

Then I moved aerial about 2 foot and the fermenter about 4 foot and things perked up, although not that relevant as ferment was finished anyway.

 

[ChrisThomas]

Has anyone had trouble with the switches on their iSpindel failing? I've just had the switch fail on my second iSpindel, first one was about 6 months ago, I built them roughly 2 1/2 years ago. I've tried cleaning the switch with switch cleaner and isopropol alcohol but to no effect.

I've done a little bit of searching but seem to come back to what looks like the same switch. Now this could be because it's a stock image but I'm hoping to get a better quality switch from somewhere. Either that or replace the switch with a jumper.

On the first failed iSpindel I was able to replace the switch but it was a phaff and I can do the same again, but I don't want to be desoldering and soldering every couple of years, it's not going to the iSpindel any good...

 

[Bobo1898]

You can see where I moved my fermenter signal dropped and not received every half hour.

Was the initial move drastic when the signal dropped? Last night, I did move my router a couple feet closer but still nothing came through. But then two hours ago, I got some data, and then nothing again as of this writing. Two data points in 24 hours.

I'm only 14 feet away from the router. Moving it was a compromise with the lady so I'm wondering if I'm better off getting a repeater or extender.

 

[DuncB]

Yes I did move the Ispindel to be about 35 feet away from the repeater, it was only about 15 foot away. It was also in a lower position on the floor when I moved it.
14 foot separation of the ispindel to router isn't far at all though.
What type of motherboard is on your Ispindel?
Is it in a fridge you mention chamber, this will attenuate the signal as well.
Is your fermenter SS?
I run my ispindels to a repeater made from a D1 mini and I soldered an external antenna onto the repeater. Made a dramatic difference as before this my signals were very hit and miss.

https://www.instructables.com/External-Antenna-for-ESP8266/
https://github.com/martin-ger/esp_wifi_repeater

 

[Bobo1898]

What type of motherboard is on your Ispindel?
Is it in a fridge you mention chamber, this will attenuate the signal as well.
Is your fermenter SS?

Not quite sure on the motherboard---my buddy built it for me. But it is in a fridge (front door is glass), and yes it's in a SS fermenter.

I imagine those are affecting the signal. Just didn't think I was very far to be out of reach.

Had two more data points since this morning. I'll have to find or make a repeater that sits outside the fridge then. Thanks for the links.