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

[Sawaya_brewing]

Thanks Thorrak! I will order it from Amazon and try it out! Worse comes to worse I can just return it, too easy to do with Amazon. I need to buy you a beer or something!

 

[Deric]

I think there is a post here somewhere that addresses my question but I can't find it...

I built my controller and setup Fermentrack on my home wifi network. Will be moving it to my brother's house where we actually brew/ferment. I'm pretty sure I'll have no issues connecting Fermentrack to his wifi but I recall that getting the ESP8266 controller connected may be an issue. Any help, tips or suggestions appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Thorrak]

I think there is a post here somewhere that addresses my question but I can't find it...

I built my controller and setup Fermentrack on my home wifi network. Will be moving it to my brother's house where we actually brew/ferment. I'm pretty sure I'll have no issues connecting Fermentrack to his wifi but I recall that getting the ESP8266 controller connected may be an issue. Any help, tips or suggestions appreciated.

Thanks!

You have two options that I can think of offhand:

1. Before dismantling your setup to move it, click the "Reset WiFi Settings" button for the controller within Fermentrack
2. Flash the "wiring test" firmware to the controller & let it complete the test run. As part of the testing, it resets the WiFi settings.

Either should return the controller to the "default" state where it pops up an AP to be configured, and can then be connected to your brother's WiFi network

 

[Deric]

Awesome!

Thank you!

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

Short answer: Maybe!

Long answer: If the schematic on this page is correct, it looks like the M5 stack and D32 Pro have the same chipset & pinouts for the TFT screen. You don't have a touch screen so the "wifi reset" functionality won't work, but I could always add support for one of the M5's buttons. If you are willing to take a risk with the M5 and the screen/bluetooth work, let me know and I'll add it to the documentation!

Hi Thorrak, I flashed the M5 stack and it seems to be working. I am able to view my tilt in the Fermentrack dashboard. The only thing that isn't working is the M5 stack screen. It is just blank and not displaying any information. Any ideas why it is not displaying any of the information on the M5 stack itself?
Thanks!

 

[Thorrak]

Hi Thorrak, I flashed the M5 stack and it seems to be working. I am able to view my tilt in the Fermentrack dashboard. The only thing that isn't working is the M5 stack screen. It is just blank and not displaying any information. Any ideas why it is not displaying any of the information on the M5 stack itself?
Thanks!

That’s.. weird? I assume you used the TFT beta firmware?

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

That’s.. weird? I assume you used the TFT beta firmware?

Oops, I didn't flash it with the TFT beta, is it safe to flash it again with that one?

 

[Thorrak]

Oops, I didn't flash it with the TFT beta, is it safe to flash it again with that one?

Yep, absolutely.

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

cool, thanks!

 

[Thorrak]

Man, looks like I really screwed up. I didn't have the sd card in the m5 when I tried to flash it again. Then my whole fermentrack went down. I am now reinstalling fermentrack but I seem to be stuck on
Running setup.py install for pyzmq: still running

and it is hung up on that, and keeps saying the same thing.

Is there a way to fix this and install fermentrack correctly?
Thanks!

Hmm - You shouldn't need (or have) an SD card to be in the M5 when you flash it. The SD card is an optional feature that can be implemented with firmware - TiltBridge doesn't store anything, so it doesn't use it.

I'm very surprised your Fermentrack install died as a result of you flashing your M5. Unless you pulled the power to the Pi (or did something that would have impacted your Pi's SD card) it shouldn't be impacted.

PyZMQ can take awhile to install with the way that I have the scripts set up. Same with numpy. "Awhile" is relative - On a Pi 3 I think it clocked in at like ~15-20 mins. If you're running on a Pi Zero, it could take -much- longer.

Mainly, my recommendation is "just be patient".

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

You are right about patience, I am just being anxious. So I got it to install the fermentrack on the pi3 again. Got it all setup and went to flash the M5 again with the TFT beta and it gave an error again, and said there is not enough space. It gave a number saying there is not enough space. I didn't unplug my Pi or anything during the flash. Then the Fermentrack says cannot display lcd text for my arduino.

 

[Thorrak]

You are right about patience, I am just being anxious. So I got it to install the fermentrack on the pi3 again. Got it all setup and went to flash the M5 again with the TFT beta and it gave an error again, and said there is not enough space. It gave a number saying there is not enough space. I didn't unplug my Pi or anything during the flash. Then the Fermentrack says cannot display lcd text for my arduino.

Ok. Give me a few. That means the M5 has less than 16MB of flash. Annoying, but a surmountable obstacle thanks to the new Bluetooth stack.

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

Ok. Give me a few. That means the M5 has less than 16MB of flash. Annoying, but a surmountable obstacle thanks to the new Bluetooth stack.

Okay, thanks Thorrak!
Reinstalling Fermentrack now on the Pi.

 

[Thorrak]

Okay, thanks Thorrak!
Reinstalling Fermentrack now on the Pi.

I just updated the "beta" TFT firmware to now flash onto smaller devices again. When you flash it, let me know if it works!

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

I just updated the "beta" TFT firmware to now flash onto smaller devices again. When you flash it, let me know if it works!

Awesome, thanks! I will test it and report back.

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

Awesome, thanks! I will test it and report back.

Still gave the same error.
Anything special I should have done to make sure I was flashing your updated code?
Here is the error:
b'esptool.py v2.8\nSerial port /dev/ttyUSB0\nConnecting....\nChip is ESP32D0WDQ6 (revision 1)\nFeatures: WiFi, BT, Dual Core, 240MHz, VRef calibration in efuse, Coding Scheme None\nCrystal is 40MHz\nMAC: 98:f4:ab:6b:20:3c\nUploading stub...\nRunning stub...\nStub running...\nChanging baud rate to 460800\nChanged.\nConfiguring flash size...\nAuto-detected Flash size: 4MB\n\nA fatal error occurred: File /home/fermentrack/fermentrack/firmware_flash/firmware/ESP32 - TiltBridge BETA - v0.2r -- TFT - spiffs.bin (length 983040) at offset 9502720 will not fit in 4194304 bytes of flash. Use --flash-size argument, or change flashing address.\n'

 

[Thorrak]

@Sawaya_brewing sorry about that - refresh the firmware list and try again. I updated the firmware, but forgot to tell it to flash the SPIFFS bit to the (new) right place in memory.

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

@Sawaya_brewing sorry about that - refresh the firmware list and try again. I updated the firmware, but forgot to tell it to flash the SPIFFS bit to the (new) right place in memory.

Okay, will try it again. Thanks!

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

Good news is that is successfully flashed! But now I cannot see it in my wifi list when I try to go set it up to connect to my network. The screen did turn on though, the text on it was mirrored. I had to hold it up to the mirror to read it lol!

 

[Thorrak]

Good news is that is successfully flashed! But now I cannot see it in my wifi list when I try to go set it up to connect to my network. The screen did turn on though, the text on it was mirrored. I had to hold it up to the mirror to read it lol!

The reason that you don't see the WiFi network pop up is that it saved your WiFi connection settings and is already connected to your network. (Hence the IP address in your photo )

I just built a custom M5 stack version of the firmware which might fix that. If you refresh your firmware list from Fermentrack.com, you should see a new variant of the TiltBridge Beta firmware called "M5 Stack". Flash that, and let me know how your screen looks.

Admittedly, this is going to be trial and error to get the rotation correct since i don't have one of these at the moment.

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

Thanks! I refreshed the firmware and flashed the M5 stack version. I am still seeing the mirrored info. At this point should it not be displaying the info from the tilt rather then the network info? It is in proximity to my tilt.

 

[craigmarchingant]

I'm late to the update party.
When trying to update using the command line I get a command not found?
Running Version 9 Strech

curl -L "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/thorrak/fermentrack-tools/master/fix-environment.sh" | sudo bash
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 7972 100 7972 0 0 17362 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 17368
::: Verifying free disk space...

::: Checking for Internet connection:
::: Internet connection Success!

::: Reinstalling dependencies using apt-get
::: apt is updated - Triggering install of all packages.
main: line 42: warn: command not found

 

[Thorrak]

I'm late to the update party.
When trying to update using the command line I get a command not found?
Running Version 9 Strech

curl -L "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/thorrak/fermentrack-tools/master/fix-environment.sh" | sudo bash
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 7972 100 7972 0 0 17362 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 17368
::: Verifying free disk space...

::: Checking for Internet connection:
::: Internet connection Success!

::: Reinstalling dependencies using apt-get
::: apt is updated - Triggering install of all packages.
main: line 42: warn: command not found

There are two issues here --

The first issue (and more important one) is that one of the four "apt-get" commands didn't succeed for some reason. If you log into your Pi via SSH and run the following four commands, one will (potentially) fail:

sudo apt-get install -y git-core build-essential nginx redis-server avrdude
sudo apt-get install -y bluez libcap2-bin libbluetooth3 libbluetooth-dev
sudo apt-get install -y python3-venv python3-dev
sudo apt-get install -y python3-scipy python3-numpy

If they all succeed, then you're good to go - re-run the fix-environment script and you should be fine.

The second issue is that I didn't rename the "warn" command which gets called when one of those lines fails. That has now been corrected in the fix-environment script.

 

[craigmarchingant]

There are two issues here --

The first issue (and more important one) is that one of the four "apt-get" commands didn't succeed for some reason. If you log into your Pi via SSH and run the following four commands, one will (potentially) fail:

sudo apt-get install -y git-core build-essential nginx redis-server avrdude
sudo apt-get install -y bluez libcap2-bin libbluetooth3 libbluetooth-dev
sudo apt-get install -y python3-venv python3-dev
sudo apt-get install -y python3-scipy python3-numpy

If they all succeed, then you're good to go - re-run the fix-environment script and you should be fine.

The second issue is that I didn't rename the "warn" command which gets called when one of those lines fails. That has now been corrected in the fix-environment script.

Thanks Thorrak- (I'm sure your time is more valabule than solving my lack of linux knowledge)

I get the following error with all the "apt-get" commands
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
redis-server : Depends: redis-tools (= 3:3.2.6-3+deb9u3) but 3:3.2.6-3+deb9u1 is to be installed
E: Unmet dependencies. Try 'apt --fix-broken install' with no packages (or specify a solution).

Re-running the python 3.7 script, i get-
% Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current
Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 7977 100 7977 0 0 5971 0 0:00:01 0:00:01 --:--:-- 5975
::: Verifying free disk space...

::: Checking for Internet connection:
::: Internet connection Success!

::: Reinstalling dependencies using apt-get
::: apt is updated - Triggering install of all packages.
*** WARNING:
pi@raspberrypi:~ $

Back reading, it might be a bit eaiser to just clean install with buster.

 

[Sawaya_brewing]

The reason that you don't see the WiFi network pop up is that it saved your WiFi connection settings and is already connected to your network. (Hence the IP address in your photo )

I just built a custom M5 stack version of the firmware which might fix that. If you refresh your firmware list from Fermentrack.com, you should see a new variant of the TiltBridge Beta firmware called "M5 Stack". Flash that, and let me know how your screen looks.

Admittedly, this is going to be trial and error to get the rotation correct since i don't have one of these at the moment.

Well, was worth a shot, I moved on to just a basic cheap ttgo esp32 just so I can setup TiltBridge. Glad to have my Tilt logging back in my Fermentrack dialog! Thanks for all of your hard work Thorrak!

 

[bdogg171]

Forgive me if the answer is here and I'm just missing it, but will this or any version of Brewpi or Fermatrack work with a Feather and Ethernet shield?

 

[Julian537]

Setting up Fermentrack for a fellow brewer. Fresh install of Fermentrack on a pi3, today. I have tried to flash 3 different esp8266 and an esp32. Fermentrack will not recognize any of the devices in auto detection, so I can flash them. I have never had this issue before. Is there a software issue with the current update?

 

[Thorrak]

Forgive me if the answer is here and I'm just missing it, but will this or any version of Brewpi or Fermatrack work with a Feather and Ethernet shield?

No

 

[Thorrak]

Setting up Fermentrack for a fellow brewer. Fresh install of Fermentrack on a pi3, today. I have tried to flash 3 different esp8266 and an esp32. Fermentrack will not recognize any of the devices in auto detection, so I can flash them. I have never had this issue before. Is there a software issue with the current update?

ESP32 aren't supported (yet) for flashing BrewPi firmware to - only TiltBridge.

What ESP8266 boards are you using? Please link the exact board you bought -- there are a lot of knock-offs out there.

 

[Julian537]

Thorrak,

I am using Wemos D1 mini ESP8266. I have 5 of them and two of them are already setup. I have tried to flash the other 3 and Fermentrack software will not recognize the boards. I also tried to flash the ESP32 for a tilt bridge, Fermentrack will not recognize it either. The two ESP8266 that I flashed, were in a previous version of Fermentrack.

 

[thehijjt]

Has anyone experienced issues with PCBs.io? I placed an order for Thorrak's boards in early April and it is still in the fabrication stage. I ordered the PCB components through Mouser and I'm just waiting for the boards to show up. I also can't find any customer service email nor will they respond on Twitter.

Second, I am looking for a different temperature probe than the standard three-wire one as that one is too large to fit in the thermowell of my fermenter. I did purchase a random one off of amazon but I have no idea if it will work or not. I would love any suggestions that you might have. As of right now, I use an inkbird and that probe diameter fits in the thermowell fine.
Here is the sensor I bought

Thanks!

I ordered from PCBS.io in early December, and it never left the fabrication stage. They wouldn't respond to anything that I sent them, and I had to open a dispute through paypal and wait again. I got refunded through paypal finally. I made my own board on some permanent prototype board, I don't intend to order anything from them again.

 

[thehijjt]

Has anyone experienced issues with PCBs.io? I placed an order for Thorrak's boards in early April and it is still in the fabrication stage. I ordered the PCB components through Mouser and I'm just waiting for the boards to show up. I also can't find any customer service email nor will they respond on Twitter.

Second, I am looking for a different temperature probe than the standard three-wire one as that one is too large to fit in the thermowell of my fermenter. I did purchase a random one off of amazon but I have no idea if it will work or not. I would love any suggestions that you might have. As of right now, I use an inkbird and that probe diameter fits in the thermowell fine.
Here is the sensor I bought

Thanks!

Sorry, I may be a little late for this, but Auber makes a really nice sensor package, that unplugs and mounts in a TC right in the SS Brewtech. On their site it is under silicon bandgap sensors, you can select a few options, I selected the Tri-Clamp, and DS18B20. Works great, and it is really easy to disconnect!
https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20_39&products_id=322

 

[alkiax]

Shouldn't it be cooling once it is above temperature

 

[Bigdaddyale]

Shouldn't it be cooling once it is above temperature

Beer constant mode. Beer is 66.2 and the set temp. is 66.0. Not sure what the offset is but I bet it's higher than .2 degrees

 

[alkiax]

Beer constant mode. Beer is 66.2 and the set temp. is 66.0. Not sure what the offset is but I bet it's higher than .2 degrees

I'm new. Is the temp offset something I can change?

 

[Bigdaddyale]

I'm new. Is the temp offset something I can change?

Yes but the default settings work well- You will never get it tighter than a .2 differential- think 1-2 degrees. there are safeguards in the code to protect the compressor from coming on too soon after it just shut off.RDWHAHB

 

[Bigdaddyale]

post a screenshot of the graph

 

[Thorrak]

I ordered from PCBS.io in early December, and it never left the fabrication stage. They wouldn't respond to anything that I sent them, and I had to open a dispute through paypal and wait again. I got refunded through paypal finally. I made my own board on some permanent prototype board, I don't intend to order anything from them again.

I had the owner of PCB.io's card from awhile back, and tried calling/texting him to figure out what was up. No response.

As a result I'm about to finish up a new repo with all my PCBs that swaps all the PCBs.io links for OshPark links. The price is ~40% higher, but at least they can be guaranteed to ship - and quickly. Once that's live, I'm going to strip out the hardware from the BrewPi-ESP8266 repo and call it a day. No sense in leaving links to a defunct board aggregator floating around out there.

For anyone looking to order hardware - hold off for a few days. Everything should be live by this coming Sunday at the latest.

 

[Thorrak]

Thorrak,

I am using Wemos D1 mini ESP8266. I have 5 of them and two of them are already setup. I have tried to flash the other 3 and Fermentrack software will not recognize the boards. I also tried to flash the ESP32 for a tilt bridge, Fermentrack will not recognize it either. The two ESP8266 that I flashed, were in a previous version of Fermentrack.

I'm at a complete loss. The code that deals with flashing hasn't been touched in probably a year. Unless one of the libraries broke, it should work just fine.

Worst case, you can use BrewFlasher. It's the same firmware list/process that Fermentrack uses - just in a standalone app for Mac/Windows.

 

[Julian537]

I'm at a complete loss. The code that deals with flashing hasn't been touched in probably a year. Unless one of the libraries broke, it should work just fine.

Worst case, you can use BrewFlasher. It's the same firmware list/process that Fermentrack uses - just in a standalone app for Mac/Windows.

8can you test and confirm? at one point, the drop down menu to select chip types were not working. version 18