Project Idea: Simple wifi fermenter control via IFTTT

[officeboy]

Installed brewpi last night and while a great turnkey system it seems to be coming at the "problem" from a very traditional view.

I was wondering why not just use an esp2866 or core/photon, and using the basic brewpi shield for conectivity, publish your data/readings to the cloud (data.sparkfun, emoncms, or particle cloud) and then do the thinking online with IFTTT or something like that? You could even pass back a variable or two like target temp and failsafe limits to protect for internet outage/connection problems.

I have a core that monitors my house electrical usage and uses https://emoncms.org/. That has some features for temperature and control too. Also pretty graphs.

Thoughts, suggestions, fatal flaws in my thought process?

 

[pocketmon]

I just thought of that. (Ok, two weeks ago.)
I am doing a project in which I uses an Arduino and an ESP8266 connected via serials. BMESP8266, I call it, is to enable wireless web-based control of Open Ardbir like brewing controller. Finishing the first phase, I have considered this my new project.

My experience on ESP8266 was mixed. While it seems to have a lot of libraries, some of them are immature and lack of documents. You will know it when you have issues.

ESP8266 stands out for its price. However, spending more 10 or 20 dollars for a more powerful raspberry pi zero will save you a lot of time and provide a lot of potential.

 

[ame]

It doesn't sound simple, and having to include some features to handle the cases where your system would stop working when the network goes down makes it very complicated.

I think it would be better to add some code to BrewPi which sends status information somewhere where your software can use it, and accept remote control commands too.

Then BrewPi can be left alone to do its thing, which it does well, and you still get to see what it's doing via your home automation control panel.

 

[pocketmon]

It doesn't sound simple, and having to include some features to handle the cases where your system would stop working when the network goes down makes it very complicated.

I think it would be better to add some code to BrewPi which sends status information somewhere where your software can use it, and accept remote control commands too.

Then BrewPi can be left alone to do its thing, which it does well, and you still get to see what it's doing via your home automation control panel.

I can't agree more. Per my personal experience, 90% of the development is spent on handling abnormal/unexpected conditions.

My idea was implementing a simple version of BrewPi based on the cheap ESP8266 boards. My personal requirements are displaying panel information and scheduled temperature control, and Storing the history to a cloud is optional. For me the temperature history graph is too fancy at the first few times, and it turned boring after that. Currently, I am using two DIY Arduino's without RPIs. Therefore, remote checking temperature reading and temperature scheduling will be enough for me.

 

[officeboy]

I can't agree more. Per my personal experience, 90% of the development is spent on handling abnormal/unexpected conditions.

I figured I would just use someone's work on a heat/cool thermostat (plenty of work done there) and then add some post to web/check web for inputs so that I don't need any sort of local interface.

 

[pocketmon]

I almost get it done.
Now, a web page to display the LCD content and a page to set temperature control mode and temperature are done. I might need a few days to complete the Beer profile mode because it involves time, which is more complicated considering the system may be reset/restart.
I prefer google spreadsheet for the temperature log storage, but it is of low priority to me. I haven't study, but if I can find a simple way to post data to google spreadsheet, I will consider it.

 

[Sadu]

I have an esp8266 connected to an arduino. Pig of a thing to get working. I had grand visions of temperature graphs showing on my desktop and being able to set the temp remotely.

Instead I settled for a green led for OK, blue for too cold and red for too hot.

Despite the simplicity it does a superb job of keeping beer at target temps. I'd like to get the wifi working for ramping temperature, one day maybe.

 

[jimmayhugh]

Like this?

I've had this running for over 4 months now, with nary a hiccup.