Native ESP8266 BrewPi Firmware - WiFi BrewPi, no Arduino needed!

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
@day_trippr @Thorrak, thank you very much for your answers!
Well, my plan is actually to have like four microcontrollers with a 16ch relay board each (I have four tank positions with up to 16 fermentation tanks).
So you think that's not possible with Fermentrack?
@day_trippr thank you for your advice for brucontrol, I think that's kind of the software I search for!
 
Thorrak said:
That sounds like a Fermentrack bug rather than a BrewPi one. Good news is that it makes it easier to fix

I’ll take a look - I’ve opened an issue on GitHub to track against for the time being: https://github.com/thorrak/fermentrack/issues/389
Click to expand...

Thorrak I noticed you had addressed this with an update so I clicked on the gear icon and selected "update from github" but I received a notice "Nothing to upgrade - Local copy and GitHub are at same commit"

Is there a specific way I should be doing the update. SSH and use gpt-update?

I really appreciate your support.
Thank you
Cheers,
 
@Thorrak for connecting the temp sensors, I would think you could just make the current pcb a bit longer, perhaps adding a row of pads to the right of the ESP8266. Then screw terminals or dupont connectors could get used. Or skip screw terminals for dupont and add a double row of 3 pin headers for two sensors to be pushed together into one 6 pin connector or two three pins side by side so it's nice and neat. I guess if you only need two you could probably squeeze it in the same spot as the Rj11? If adding more might make sense to add a few banks to the spot to the right of the Esp.

My Thought on the larger board is that the lcd is longer, any box would need the length for it anyway
 
Dotball said:
Thorrak I noticed you had addressed this with an update so I clicked on the gear icon and selected "update from github" but I received a notice "Nothing to upgrade - Local copy and GitHub are at same commit"

Is there a specific way I should be doing the update. SSH and use gpt-update?
Click to expand...

When you go to the "gear" icon and click through to force the update, what branch does it say you are updating from? It should either be "dev" or "master".

My guess is that you are updating from master, which is why you aren't seeing the fix yet -- I'm going to release everything currently on dev to master next week.

Of course, if you're on dev and aren't seeing it, then that's another issue entirely. :confused:
 
Thorrak said:
As I posted last week, I've been going through each of the PCBs I have designed for this project (with@LBussy and @gromitdj 's help (and @day_trippr even though he might not realize it!)) and am looking to get one additional line of PCBs added that specifically have provisions for ditching the sensor board and connecting 2-3 temperature sensors directly to the controller board itself. That said, a question/request for help:

For those of you who don't use a sensor breakout board, what are you using to hook your temperature sensors up?

I'm looking for something that meets the following criteria, and haven't managed to find the right thing just yet:
  • Inexpensive/readily available
  • Easily installed onto a controller board (e.g. short runs of wire, something where the jack directly attaches to the PCB, etc.)
  • Easily installed onto DS18b20 temp sensors (not RJ-11)
  • Supports the 3 wires necessary for DS18b20 sensors to work
While I'm pretty happy with the sensor board in my personal builds, I'd like to offer an easy solution for anyone who might not be, so any help that you guys can provide would be much appreciated!
Click to expand...

Thorrak, my suggestion on this is the good old fashioned 3.5 mm stereo plug and socket. Works a treat and if you need to extend you just buy a male to female of the correct length and plug each end in. Small footprint on the box and foolproof. Short wire connections to board.

HTH
Cheers,
 
Running power through that style of connector is generally not a great idea as insertion and removal shorts the receptacle poles together. If you never, ever did that on a running system you might get away with it but on a running machine it could easily cause it to reboot...

Cheers!
 
Thorrak said:
When you go to the "gear" icon and click through to force the update, what branch does it say you are updating from? It should either be "dev" or "master".

My guess is that you are updating from master, which is why you aren't seeing the fix yet -- I'm going to release everything currently on dev to master next week.

Of course, if you're on dev and aren't seeing it, then that's another issue entirely. :confused:
Click to expand...

Thank you, in that case I will wait. :)

To confirm
Local Commit Info:
Active Branch: master
Commit Date: Oct. 24, 2019, 7:48 p.m.
 
day_trippr said:
Running power through that style of connector is generally not a great idea as insertion and removal shorts the receptacle poles together. If you never, ever did that on a running system you might get away with it but on a running machine it could easily cause it to reboot...

Cheers!
Click to expand...

If you wire the male as power (furthest from cable) then data and finally ground it doesn't cause any issues. Nothing is technically "connected" until the pin is home and power is applied.

YMMV
Cheers,
 
"mmv" = "mileage may vary", thus I was implicitly agreeing with you on that.

There's always a right way to do something, and running current through an audio plug isn't it, ime...

Cheers!
 
Mini and Tiny XLR connectors have individual contacts for each signal. I use Tiny XLRs extensively for their compact size.

tinyXLR.jpg


These are keyed and feature a latch...

Cheers!
 
Thorrak said:
Here is everything tagged “Fermentrack” on PCBs.io: https://pcbs.io/search?tag=fermentrack

That should include both the new and historic boards.
Click to expand...


Can you share the link to my board’s .brd and .sch files so I can upload them to OSHPark? I looked in the repo but I couldn’t find them and be sure that it is the RJ11 version. Unfortunately, I ordered on pcbs.io website 2 weeks ago and I have not received a confirmation. I tried to email support 3 times and have gotten no reply so I am going to try OSHPark.

PCB board.png
 
Last edited:
marshodbrew said:
Can you share the link to my board’s .brd and .sch files so I can upload them to OSHPark? I looked in the repo but I couldn’t find them and be sure that it is the RJ11 version. Unfortunately, I ordered on pcbs.io website 2 weeks ago and I have not received a confirmation. I tried to email support 3 times and have gotten no reply so I am going to try OSHPark.

View attachment 656372
Click to expand...
Which board are you specifically looking for? The one you linked is the old style RJ-11 No-LCD board. Is that the one you want?

Also, for anyone reading this - Pcbs.io is a service from Makerbright. If you email Makerbright support they can help.
 
Hello,

I have maybe a stupid question. I have looked into the tread but didn't found a clear answer.

At the moment I am using craftbeerpi for my fermentation fridge but it's the second time I have my beer frozen.

I was looking at fermentrack but
At the place where I brew, I don't have internet connection, I use the internet connection of my phone when I am there and from my home to configure my raspberry pi.

I don't mind to don't had the live information remotely when I not there.

Can fermentrack work properly with no internet.

Ps: I am french sorry for my funny English
 
matbtz said:
Hello,

I have maybe a stupid question. I have looked into the tread but didn't found a clear answer.

At the moment I am using craftbeerpi for my fermentation fridge but it's the second time I have my beer frozen.

I was looking at fermentrack but
At the place where I brew, I don't have internet connection, I use the internet connection of my phone when I am there and from my home to configure my raspberry pi.

I don't mind to don't had the live information remotely when I not there.

Can fermentrack work properly with no internet.

Ps: I am french sorry for my funny English
Click to expand...

Yep!
 
If you have a wireless router available (even if disconnected from the internet) you can also still use the WiFi controller functionality without internet access. Another option if you want to use it!
 
Thorrak said:
If you have a wireless router available (even if disconnected from the internet) you can also still use the WiFi controller functionality without internet access. Another option if you want to use it!
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot Thorrak !
Yes i have a router free.

The podcast from homebrewing DIY about fermentrack finish to convincing me about giving a try.
I have read the fermentrack website and fews pages of this tread not the 72 pages yet.

If i understand good to convert my craftbeerpi panel fermenter (raspberry pi3 and DS18B20 on xlr connector) i just need to order one ESP8266 (LOLIN D1 mini V3.1.0) from aliexpress and one pcb to connect the esp8266 and my ds18b20.

At the moment i try to understand witch pcb i need from pcbs.io because my DS18B20 are connected via xlr connectors and not rj45.
 
Thorrak said:
If you have a wireless router available (even if disconnected from the internet) you can also still use the WiFi controller functionality without internet access. Another option if you want to use it!
Click to expand...

Don't even need a router. RPi can act as a AP for the local network.
 
matbtz said:
Thanks a lot Thorrak !
Yes i have a router free.

The podcast from homebrewing DIY about fermentrack finish to convincing me about giving a try.
I have read the fermentrack website and fews pages of this tread not the 72 pages yet.

If i understand good to convert my craftbeerpi panel fermenter (raspberry pi3 and DS18B20 on xlr connector) i just need to order one ESP8266 (LOLIN D1 mini V3.1.0) from aliexpress and one pcb to connect the esp8266 and my ds18b20.

At the moment i try to understand witch pcb i need from pcbs.io because my DS18B20 are connected via xlr connectors and not rj45.
Click to expand...

Hold off until tonight, and I’ll get the PCB I have for this one up. It has extra wide solder pads for attaching wires from the XLR jacks. Hopefully wide enough, depending on the size of your wires.
 
Cool,

Or just the simple hole for solder some 3 Pin Screw Terminal Block Connector 5mm.

That will be good to.
 
I’m in the process of cleaning off my desk of PCBs I will never use and parts for projects past - If anyone is interested in a box of mystery parts, I’m happy to give it to someone so long as you pay the cost of shipping. While I can guarantee I paid more for the parts/boards than you will pay in shipping, I can’t guarantee they’re worth more!

:)

If you’re interested, shoot me a PM with your zip code and I’ll send you a shipping quote. Once it’s claimed, I’ll edit this post/post in this thread.

71CF7A19-367F-4671-8935-1FC7AD3E5479.jpeg
 
A box full of tech .
It' xmass, its what I need under the tree.
But to ship to France can't be expensive
 
Yes, My eyes bright at the pressure sensors, but postage to Uruguay, and the beloved customs ( only 3 box from aboard per year free of charge or 60% duty ) put me down.
 
Looking at getting a couple more fermentation Chambers (fridges) and setting aside some loft space to have my brew kit permenantly set up so I'm going to build a second Fermentrack controller setup (my first used an Arduino but I'd rather have the WiFi now with mulichamberness so will give my existing setup to a friend)

I'm sure I'll have a few questions but the first is:
Does the Pi model make a difference?
My existing build uses a Pi Zero W and Web access is very slow (and feels like it gets progressively slower after a week or so of logging) would a faster Pi improve this or is that not the bottle neck?
 

Similar threads

T
Sold Free* BrewPi-ESP8266 Temperature Controller
Replies
3
Views
1K
Thorrak
T
rkhanso
For Sale Completed/tested BrewPiLess-32 Controllers for sale. $40, shipping included
Replies
9
Views
2K
rkhanso
rkhanso
J
ESP Brew Engine
Replies
30
Views
2K
wd16261
wd16261
D
Controlling a glycol chiller
Replies
19
Views
2K
Dland
Dland
LBussy
BrewPi Remix – What’s Old is New Again
22 23 24
Replies
920
Views
60K
day_trippr
day_trippr

Latest posts

Back
Top