Native Python BrewPi controller

[dukedevil0]

Making progress. For lack of a better word, I've done it kind of ghetto. Soldered some wires together so I wouldn't have to crimp my own connectors on or anything, or use terminals to junction. I'd like to think I'll go back and clean it up, to do things a little more professional, but who am I kidding? Once it works, probably slim chances I'll want to mess with it!

Basically doing the minimal implementation. Don't see the need for me to use the LCD, rotary encoder, buzzer, door switch, or even the 3rd temp probe for the Room Temperature. Beer and Fridge temp is all I really care about.

I saw in an earlier post on your blog about shorting the LEDs on the relay, is that not needed? Or how do I know? It's not listed on the current github wiring schematic. I'm using the common SainSmart relay.

Time to start hooking up the mains and find a box.

 

[ame]

Looking good. Very minimal setup. Yes, it's fine to omit all those parts and just interact via the web browser.

I had one of those relay boards that would not actuate, which I believed to be caused by too much voltage drop across the indicator LED, so I shorted it. Other boards I bought worked fine, so I think it was a one-off and I think I removed it from the schematic.

Good luck.

 

[uSlackr]

I have BrewPi, fuscus and BrewPi-brewometer installed. took some work, but I a finally logging data from the Tilt. BrewPi isn't graphng the data and the data files aren't looking quite right:

Feb 05 2018 20:55:51;null;null;null;NaN;null;null;1;null;null;null72.0;1.023;
Feb 05 2018 20:56:55;null;null;null;NaN;null;null;1;null;null;null72.0;1.023;

 

[ame]

I have BrewPi, fuscus and BrewPi-brewometer installed. took some work, but I a finally logging data from the Tilt. BrewPi isn't graphng the data and the data files aren't looking quite right:

Feb 05 2018 20:55:51;null;null;null;NaN;null;null;1;null;null;null72.0;1.023;
Feb 05 2018 20:56:55;null;null;null;NaN;null;null;1;null;null;null72.0;1.023;

Um...

How have you integrated the Tilt? Fuscus does not support it, and the BrewPi web interface does not support it. I know there has been a lot of work in various places to integrate the Tilt, but I haven't been following them.

Uncoincidentally, I have literally just put a new brew into my Fuscus-controlled fridge, after about a year of no activity.

 

[uSlackr]

I'm only trying to log data at this point, not control temps. Since I'm not running Arduino at his point, I loaded fuscus so the BrewPi script would run.

 

[ame]

Ok, well the Arduino prints its temperatures out in response to a 't' command, as does Fuscus (in PiLink.py).

Do you have any temperature sensors attached to the Pi? If not then you will get the Python 'None' value for all sensors, which will translate to Java's 'null'.

I am guessing that the number '1' in the seventh field is the 'state' variable, which is maintained by tempControl.py. A value of 1 represents the 'Off' state, which is probably correct.

Whatever is splicing in the Tilt data is also missing a comma after the tenth field (before 72.0).

 

[castreixanas]

Hello.

I'm using fuscus, but I have a problem: I do not have a refrigerator, only have a heater.
With this config fuscus-brewpi is not accurate, having variations over half a degree of temperature (1 degree or more in total).

In brewpi standard, this is solved removing the frigde device, and leaving only the heating device:

https://community.brewpi.com/t/pid-tuning-for-none-fridge-setup/216


But in fuscus I could not configure it. If I delete the fuscus.ini probe, it gives a script execution error. If I delete the gpio from the fridge in the same file, the script also fails. I have tried several configurations but I can not configure it.

Is there a way to configure it, or could this error be solved?

Thank you.

 

[ame]

Hi there,

Thanks for your message. I did not expect a configuration without a heater or a cooler, so if the relay pin is not specified in the ini file then you will get an error.

I briefly looked at the code, and it seems that it will skip the cooling state if the 'cooler' device does not exist. However, there is no way to start the code without a 'cooler' device.

It may be possible to work around this by editing the source.

In constants.py edit line 221 from this:

cooler = relay.relay(relay_COLD, invert=invert_cold)

To this:

cooler = None

You must specify a pin for the cold relay, but it will be ignored.

Then comment out line 454 in tempControl.py

From this:
self.cooler.set_output(cooling)

To this:

#self.cooler.set_output(cooling)

This will prevent an error occurring here.

Finally, comments out line 141 in fuscus.py:

cooler.off

To this

#cooler.off

I think that is all that is necessary, but of course I have never tried it. I should make it possible to configure Fuscus with no cooler or no heater. Maybe I'll do that later, but I don't have time now. Sorry.

 

[castreixanas]

Hi there,

Thanks for your message. I did not expect a configuration without a heater or a cooler, so if the relay pin is not specified in the ini file then you will get an error.

I briefly looked at the code, and it seems that it will skip the cooling state if the 'cooler' device does not exist. However, there is no way to start the code without a 'cooler' device.

It may be possible to work around this by editing the source.

In constants.py edit line 221 from this:

cooler = relay.relay(relay_COLD, invert=invert_cold)

To this:

cooler = None

You must specify a pin for the cold relay, but it will be ignored.

Then comment out line 454 in tempControl.py

From this:
self.cooler.set_output(cooling)

To this:

#self.cooler.set_output(cooling)

This will prevent an error occurring here.

Finally, comments out line 141 in fuscus.py:

cooler.off

To this

#cooler.off

I think that is all that is necessary, but of course I have never tried it. I should make it possible to configure Fuscus with no cooler or no heater. Maybe I'll do that later, but I don't have time now. Sorry.

Hi Ame.

I have made the changes you have recommended, and the cool option is no longer activated. It seems that everything it is OK.

Thank you for your correction.

 

[ame]

Great! Thanks for reporting back. I have no immediate plans to implement this feature in the main codebase, although I probably should. At least I now know what to do, and that it works.

 

[Jon Heron]

Thank you for your efforts!

I have a dual chamber I am looking to control with a single Pi 3A+ using fuscus and fermentrack.

I have managed to get them up and communicating well for a single instance.

If I understand this correctly I can just start 2 separate instances of fuscus each with its own ini file?

Also, on the upper chamber I am using a 12V peltier device to do the heating and cooling. I use a SPDT relay to change the polarity for heating or cooling. I can see an easy way to implement that with fuscus though I wonder if you could point me where to look to add a control for the fans that are used to blow on the heat sinks on the peltier?

I would like them to have an off delay so they run for a few minutes after the peltier is powered down.

I have a fan in the lower chamber too. It uses the guts of an old viking fridge and a 140w heater.

Any advice or guidance here would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Jon

 

[Jon Heron]

I managed to get 2 instances running by just copying and renaming the directory to fuscusTop and editing the ini file to use a different path to connect to it.
This seems to work fine, I have both instances up and running and reading the sensors.
Is this the right approach?
Cheers,
Jon

 

[day_trippr]

I've always used the same approach cloning BrewPi instances, even between host systems.
I have as many as four of them directed by one RPi host, so I'd vote yes

Cheers!

 

[LBussy]

You can also clone a local repo to another local location, and then optionally re-link it back to the remote:

git clone {source path} {destination path}
git remote set-url origin {source URL}

This is handy if you have some local changes you want to keep, but still have it link to the remote repo.

 

[Jon Heron]

Any suggestions on where to look to implement fan controls?
Cheers,
Jon

 

[day_trippr]

While BrewPi (and presumably Fermentrack and other parallel projects) provides a fan control (you'll find it in the Device Manager) it typically only runs when a cooling or heating function is active.
I don't use it, however. imo a fan used to prevent chamber temperature stratification should run 24/7 - and all of mine do just that...

Cheers!

 

[LBussy]

Yup, just like @day_trippr I let it run all the time.

 

[Jon Heron]

I am not sure where to find this fan control in fuscus or fermentrack?
I looked through some of the scripts in the fuscus folder and dont see a Device manager?
Cheers,
Jon

 

[LBussy]

I have worked with the other authors/developers/maintainers and have developed a comparison document between the various BrewPi variants. Here it is - errors are mine.