Tilt in Sankey

[HazyBeer]

I recently bought a Sankey keg to pressure ferment in and the Tilt2 app can not connect to the tilt when it is in the Sankey with top on. It can connect when the top is off but only if the tablet/phone is within a few feet. Anyone else using a Tilt in a Sankey without the repeater and able to make it work?

 

[Golddiggie]

Tried that with my stainless conical. Nope, full of fail. Went through attempting the repeater with the standard Tilt, still lots of failures. Ended up getting their Pro version, also with repeater, in order to get it to connect up to the Tilt Pi (<5 feet away from the conical(s)) I'm using to monitor the things. You MIGHT be able to get the standard to work with the repeater, but I wouldn't bank on it. Right now I have two of the Pro/repeater combinations since I have a pair of conical fermenters. Thinking about getting conical #3 at the end of the month (depending on a few things, but 98% sure I'll be doing it). Which means another $310 spent to get another Tilt to monitor that one.

 

[Tom R]

I use a latest-generation Tilt in a jacketed conical. The inner wall is 3mm thick, and the outer is 1.5 mm.

If I keep the Kindle Fire tablet within a couple feet, it works just fine.
Your keg can't have anything close to that much metal interfering with the signal.

 

[Golddiggie]

The standard was unable to connect to either the Tilt Pi, or repeater (reliably) once fermentation really kicked into gear. This was in my Spike CF10 fermenters with chill coils. Didn't matter where I placed the repeater (on the lid), after a bit, it refused to pick up the signal. The Pro has worked much better for the batches it's been in. I still need to use the repeaters with them though. At this point, I'll simply bite the bullet and get the Pro plus repeater for each conical I purchase.

 

[Tom R]

I realize now that my previous post doesn't help your situation.

It's probably best to contact Tilt support.
Marcus has provided me with excellent customer service. Twice.

 

[HazyBeer]

Thanks to all. I did contact tilt and will let me exchange for the Pro. I sort of wondered if it might be my phone and tablet as both are older. Maybe older versions of Bluetooth devices have less range? Anyway though I could live without it I love watching the fermentation progress.

 

[Golddiggie]

Thanks to all. I did contact tilt and will let me exchange for the Pro. I sort of wondered if it might be my phone and tablet as both are older. Maybe older versions of Bluetooth devices have less range? Anyway though I could live without it I love watching the fermentation progress.

I got the same thing from Tilt when I was going through all the hassle. I need to box up the two Standard models and send them in.

I don't think it's an issue with your devices. Assuming they're at least BT version 4 or newer. Range for BT is at least 30 feet. The issue is how low powered the Tilt Standard transmitter is. It has trouble getting through stainless, even 18ga that the Spike CF10 uses. It's really an issue if you have any krausen in the fermenter. That little extra matter is enough to pretty much ruin the Standard signal getting through.

I suggest getting a repeater as well. It sucks to NOT have one, running, and have the Tilt not able to reach the monitoring item. That happened in my first use of the Pro. Luckily, I already had the repeater(s) so I was able to get that connected between to continue the logging.

 

[Bago-0]

I also ferment in a Kegmenter and can only get signal if I lay my phone on top of the keg which is inside a fridge. I built a tilt pi and set it on top of the keg. It can receive the signal fine and lets me access it on my home network. I also have the tilt repeater which also works well. I lay this on top of the keg which is inside a refrigerator and it extends the bluetooth outside the fridge. no problem.