Picobrew Z

[Mutant]

Just now one of two machines can no longer talk to the server. Nobody to contact, so the machine is useless

 

[Mutant]

NET BtypeMismatch
BackEndError2

 

[Mutant]

The server is not working correctly. One second I will have a list of recipes to run through the machine and the next minute nothing

 

[Trevor Mack]

NET BtypeMismatch
BackEndError2

That is an unfortunate error, but easy to fix by "detecting boiler size" in the service menu (hold knob during startup).

 

[Mutant]

That is an unfortunate error, but easy to fix by "detecting boiler size" in the service menu (hold knob during startup).

Thanks. It said 'small' and then connected. We need to put you in charge of the company (if there really is one).

 

[Trevor Mack]

Small is good thing it is a more efficient off the shelf boiler vs the original that shipped with early Z units which was more Picobrew custom boiler from Zy days

 

[Mutant]

Domain Name: PICOBREW.COM
Registry Domain ID: 75522201_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.godaddy.com
Registrar URL: Make Your Own Way | GoDaddy
Updated Date: 2018-07-31T11:36:57Z
Creation Date: 2001-07-30T23:32:09Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2020-07-30T23:32:09Z

It might be able to snag the domain name in a couple months if the owners are too inept

 

[Mutant]

Actually got a response from info@picobrew on the above Net issue. So, somebody is monitoring.

 

[Trevor Mack]

Actually got a response from info@picobrew on the above Net issue. So, somebody is monitoring.

Did your machine loose power? Maybe during an update or sync process? I've gotten it 2 or 3 times in 6 months never got to figure out what "caused" it to happen, but suspect something to do with a pre-emptive shutdown.

 

[Mutant]

Did your machine loose power? Maybe during an update or sync process? I've gotten it 2 or 3 times in 6 months never got to figure out what "caused" it to happen, but suspect something to do with a pre-emptive shutdown.

It did not lose power other than the standard power on/off. I now have to go back in and recustomize as it is showing C vs F and other things. I have the same brew going through 2 machines at the moment (a variation of a bronze at CA State Fair; received almost 5% of State Fair awards - 2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze; one silver should have also been a gold, but I was competing against myself in the category w/ different subcategories). I'm trying to push out 6 half-batches to make 3 lagers this weekend.

 

[Mutant]

This morning there is an HTTP 501 which means their SSL Certificate is no longer working. Go to PicoBrew and you get http not https

Your machines (except Zymatic) will no longer work

 

[rex clingan]

Seems to be working fine for me (w https).

 

[Mutant]

I still have the HTTP 501 on the two machines. When I went into the web site, I have to swap to http - can't use https. Three machines (2 Z and 1 PC) with the same issue.

 

[Mutant]

They are now all working. That's not normal to drop SSL

 

[Sebastian Weetabix]

This morning there is an HTTP 501 which means their SSL Certificate is no longer working. Go to PicoBrew and you get http not https

Your machines (except Zymatic) will no longer work

My Pico C and my Pico Pro boot up just fine.

 

[Mutant]

My Pico C and my Pico Pro boot up just fine.

I had sent an note to info@picobrew before posting here. Maybe they fixed their problem.

 

[SimKow]

I brewed on my Z2 setup yesterday and everything worked as normal

 

[Peksi]

Very unfortunate timing but my Z (purchased last fall) has stopped working just as Pico has undergone the receivership process, and seems customer support is no longer responding to any tickets.

Has anyone else experienced max temp. delta (Error #6) issues with the Z? I understand this is a similar issue as the infamous "fatal error 1" with the Zymatic. I'm unable to heat the water to mash, running into the temp. difference between the hex and the wort shooting up with the hex heating up too much. With patience and multiple pauses I was able to get through the mash, but then same issues repeats when heating to boil. If I get to the boil phase (which I was able to reach by heating the wort on stovetop!), the Z returns Error #4 (sensor too hot) instead. There's also weird gargling noises coming from the Z which had not occured before.

So far I have tried:
- I've run the clean program successfully
- Brewing with multiple kegs with keg posts thoroughly cleaned, and brewing with keg wands instead of through the keg posts -> Not an issue with the keg
- Step filter and the step filter plug seem undamaged, and the step filter is draining and water is circulating back to the keg -> Not an issue with flow?
- In-line filter is clean and the housing seems to be in good condition
- I've disassembled the ball lock fittings of the Pico and they seem to be clean as well, and properly attached

Has anyone else had Error #6 issues with the Z? Could it be the same glycol issue that people have been struggling with the Zymatic?

 

[Buck*49]

Very unfortunate timing but my Z (purchased last fall) has stopped working just as Pico has undergone the receivership process, and seems customer support is no longer responding to any tickets.

Has anyone else experienced max temp. delta (Error #6) issues with the Z? I understand this is a similar issue as the infamous "fatal error 1" with the Zymatic. I'm unable to heat the water to mash, running into the temp. difference between the hex and the wort shooting up with the hex heating up too much. With patience and multiple pauses I was able to get through the mash, but then same issues repeats when heating to boil. If I get to the boil phase (which I was able to reach by heating the wort on stovetop!), the Z returns Error #4 (sensor too hot) instead. There's also weird gargling noises coming from the Z which had not occured before.

So far I have tried:
- I've run the clean program successfully
- Brewing with multiple kegs with keg posts thoroughly cleaned, and brewing with keg wands instead of through the keg posts -> Not an issue with the keg
- Step filter and the step filter plug seem undamaged, and the step filter is draining and water is circulating back to the keg -> Not an issue with flow?
- In-line filter is clean and the housing seems to be in good condition
- I've disassembled the ball lock fittings of the Pico and they seem to be clean as well, and properly attached

Has anyone else had Error #6 issues with the Z? Could it be the same glycol issue that people have been struggling with the Zymatic?

It appears that you followed troubleshooting steps provided by Pico on on line Pico support troubleshooting for Z error #6. IF you didn’t, I would follow those steps.
Then, I would follow troubleshooting guide for Z error #4. Have seen a report of fan issue creating noise.
Link to start trouble shooting:
https://picobrew.com/About/ContactUS

 

[Mike Howard]

If those two troubleshooting steps actually help I'd be amazed. I looked through them and they seemed very basic. Anyone taken the top off the new Z yet that could chime in on how that new HEX assembly is put together? Could be something simple in that loop that is failing. If it is indeed the HEX loop that is failing, the glycol topoff procedure should be close to what we do on the Zymatic.

 

[Peksi]

Thanks both. I had reviewed the troubleshooting steps at the Pico website prior to posting (sorry if that wasn't apparent), but they did not help.

Attachment shows what the Z looks like without the top. Unfortunately the lines are not see through making it difficult to know if there is air in the loop.

 

[Buck*49]

If those two troubleshooting steps actually help I'd be amazed. I looked through them and they seemed very basic. Anyone taken the top off the new Z yet that could chime in on how that new HEX assembly is put together? Could be something simple in that loop that is failing. If it is indeed the HEX loop that is failing, the glycol topoff procedure should be close to what we do on the Zymatic.

Simple stuff is sometimes the "gotcha”

 

[Mike Howard]

Thanks both. I had reviewed the troubleshooting steps at the Pico website prior to posting (sorry if that wasn't apparent), but they did not help.

Attachment shows what the Z looks like without the top. Unfortunately the lines are not see through making it difficult to know if there is air in the loop.

What a mess....

Try powering on the Z and listening for cavitation at the pump, since it should power on immediately. From the looks of it, it is the pump at the 6 oclock position in that photo. Its hard to tell but it looks like they installed a reservoir for the glycol also. Trace the tubing out for the HEX loop and identify all the components.

Be careful with the lid off and power applied. Just listen for cavitation. If you raise the Z on an angle, with the pump running, from the 12 oclock side you may hear the cavitation go away, if indeed that is the issue.

 

[alestateyall]

Very unfortunate timing but my Z (purchased last fall) has stopped working just as Pico has undergone the receivership process, and seems customer support is no longer responding to any tickets.

Has anyone else experienced max temp. delta (Error #6) issues with the Z? I understand this is a similar issue as the infamous "fatal error 1" with the Zymatic. I'm unable to heat the water to mash, running into the temp. difference between the hex and the wort shooting up with the hex heating up too much. With patience and multiple pauses I was able to get through the mash, but then same issues repeats when heating to boil. If I get to the boil phase (which I was able to reach by heating the wort on stovetop!), the Z returns Error #4 (sensor too hot) instead. There's also weird gargling noises coming from the Z which had not occured before.

So far I have tried:
- I've run the clean program successfully
- Brewing with multiple kegs with keg posts thoroughly cleaned, and brewing with keg wands instead of through the keg posts -> Not an issue with the keg
- Step filter and the step filter plug seem undamaged, and the step filter is draining and water is circulating back to the keg -> Not an issue with flow?
- In-line filter is clean and the housing seems to be in good condition
- I've disassembled the ball lock fittings of the Pico and they seem to be clean as well, and properly attached

Has anyone else had Error #6 issues with the Z? Could it be the same glycol issue that people have been struggling with the Zymatic?

I got the error #6 when I had pump suction/flow issues. I had pump suction problems twice. First time, a mouse chewed on the drain tube grommet and the pump couldn’t pull liquid from the step filter. Second time, I lost the gasket that goes inside the inline filter housing. This stopped the pump from pulling liquid into the Z from the keg. The pump sucked a lot of air but no liquid.

I don’t remember which of the two cases above also had the error #6. I think it was the second but not sure.

 

[Peksi]

I may have solved the problem - haven't brewed yet but getting hopeful. Seems it may have been a clogging issue. I couldn't even get the clean cycle to run any more, but managed to do it after boiling water in a kettle. Using loads of dishwasher detergent. Now after running 7 clean programs the HEX temperature jump is significantly lower, though if I compare to charts back from when the Z was new there is still higher delta. So I'll continue to run more and more clean programs to see how long the performance improves.

Interesting that there's so much gunk in the machine - I've always run rinse after every brew and clean every 3rd brew as recommended in the Z user guide.

 

[alestateyall]

I may have solved the problem - haven't brewed yet but getting hopeful. Seems it may have been a clogging issue. I couldn't even get the clean cycle to run any more, but managed to do it after boiling water in a kettle. Using loads of dishwasher detergent. Now after running 7 clean programs the HEX temperature jump is significantly lower, though if I compare to charts back from when the Z was new there is still higher delta. So I'll continue to run more and more clean programs to see how long the performance improves.

Interesting that there's so much gunk in the machine - I've always run rinse after every brew and clean every 3rd brew as recommended in the Z user guide.

I am glad things are improving for you. I hope it works.

 

[ListerH]

So with PicoBrew going into receivership... is anyone else worried about the online platform continuing to be supported? I think I am right in saying that if you don't have an internet connection on the machine, you literally cant do anything. So if (in the worst case) the Pico site were to disappear, does that mean the machines are unusable?

 

[swimIan]

The recent email states that receivership is over and the same company that supported it for the past two years is still the owner. The email unfortunately doesn’t give much more detail than that.

 

[Trevor Mack]

Most of the machine (besides Picoferm and Picostill and Kegsmarts) have some level of offline/manual options.

 

[Trevor Mack]

Including a non released firmware (v0.0.119) for the Z series which includes full autonomous functions without the need of picobrew.com