[Version 2 Release] RaspberryPints - Digital Taplist Solution

[RandR+]

Sorry, I know I've probably been quite annoying with this but I really appreciate it.

No problem, glad you got it working

 

[sigel619]

Just setting up rpints on a raspberry pi. Going through the step by step I get the following error when trying to install rpints. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[danclark714]

Super NOOB question, I have a Pi 4 on the way. Do the instructions on Raspberry Pints website still apply/work for the Buster OS?

 

[RandR+]

following error when trying to install rpints

I will retry the nginx installation on my test box, if there is a specific reason you are using nginx then I recommend trying to remove it then installing with apache.

to remove
sudo apt-get remove nginx

 

[RandR+]

Do the instructions on Raspberry Pints website still apply/work for the Buster OS?

I recommend just running this from the terminal
curl -L install.rpints.com | sudo bash

that will run an install script that will guide you through the process and do all the installation for you. The original Rpints code wont work on Buster because php depreciated the calls used to access the database. during installation you will be prompted what version to install: mine (more features then the original), Tobor's (original that works on new Raspbian) or the original (wont work)

 

[BrianRe]

No foam issues here using a six-pack of SF800 meters...

Cheers!

Quick question. I am building my pi/arduino as I write this. I have a 6 pack of the SF800 flow meters as well. My question is how did you connect them up? all 6 to one arduino, or 1 arduino per meter? I am struggling through this. Also, I am a complete noob to this, I have 0 programming ability. I can usually figure stuff out, but I don't want to waste any more money/time then I have to! Thanks!

 

[RandR+]

connect them up? all 6 to one arduino

All the flow meters go to one Arduino then the Arduino gets configured with the pins the meters are connected to (original RPints you had to modify the Arduino sketch, in my version you can configure it through the tap list admin page)

Wire all the positive wires together and connect to the +5v pin on the Arduino, wire all the negative wires together and connect to the ground pin on the Arduino. the pulse wire is what gets connected to the numbered pins on the Arduino.

 

[sigel619]

I will retry the nginx installation on my test box, if there is a specific reason you are using nginx then I recommend trying to remove it then installing with apache.

to remove
sudo apt-get remove nginx

No preference, and honestly I don’t know enough about these things to have a preference. If you say it works with Apache then I’ll try that when I get home. I’ll uninstall nginx like you said above and then follow steps to install Apache and give rpints a go again. I’m super new to web hosting and raspberry pi so I’m following tutorials online for all this.

 

[sigel619]

I will retry the nginx installation on my test box, if there is a specific reason you are using nginx then I recommend trying to remove it then installing with apache.

to remove
sudo apt-get remove nginx

So I tried uninstalling nginx and it gave me an error. I then tried http://localhost and it worked. I tried to install Apache2 and it was already installed. So I ran the rpints script again and it gave me the option of Apache or nginx, so I chose Apache and this is what I get. I'm lost. May need to wipe the disk and reinstall a fresh copy of raspberry pi and try again.

 

[sigel619]

So I tried uninstalling nginx and it gave me an error. I then tried http://localhost and it worked. I tried to install Apache2 and it was already installed. So I ran the rpints script again and it gave me the option of Apache or nginx, so I chose Apache and this is what I get. I'm lost. May need to wipe the disk and reinstall a fresh copy of raspberry pi and try again.

Update. I tried it again and it worked, at least I think it did. it went through everything and then it rebooted. Now it loads to the Apache2 Debian default page. Not sure what I'm supposed to do now.

 

[RandR+]

I tried it again and it worked, at least I think it did

Did you get a prompt like "Where do you want to install RaspberryPints"?

it sounds like it installed all the programs needed but never actually got Rpints installed

 

[BrianRe]

All the flow meters go to one Arduino then the Arduino gets configured with the pins the meters are connected to (original RPints you had to modify the Arduino sketch, in my version you can configure it through the tap list admin page)

Wire all the positive wires together and connect to the +5v pin on the Arduino, wire all the negative wires together and connect to the ground pin on the Arduino. the pulse wire is what gets connected to the numbered pins on the Arduino.

Thank you! Next question. With all of the positive and negatives connected together (I will have 6 of each) do you put an individual 2200 Ohm resistor for each flow meter? (looking at the Swiss Flow meter diagram they have a 2200 Ohm resistor for 5V)?

 

[RandR+]

do you put an individual 2200 Ohm resistor for each flow meter?

im not the expert on swiss flow meters so I will have someone else answer that

 

[day_trippr]

- If you run an SF800 on 5V you do not need the current-limiting resistor RS.

- For the RL resistor, the R'Pints Arduino code enables internal pull-up elements for each input specified (ie: the list of pins with meter data lines connected), and there have been folks that have relied on those, apparently successfully. That said, given my installation has roughly 15 feet of wire running through multiple connectors I was not comfortable relying on what could be as high as 50K ohms, so I use 2K ohm pull-ups, one per meter, pulled to the 5V rail.

Cheers!

 

[duncan.brown]

I also use a 2k2 pull-up resistor between the +5V supply from the Arduino and the pulse pin of each flow meter. The pulse pin is then connected to the digital pins on my Arduino.

I also connected the base of a 2N2222 transistor via a 22k resistor to each pulse pin. A LED is connected via a 120 ohm resistor to the transistor's collector and the emitter is connected to ground. The LEDs go on an off as the SF800s turn, which gives me a visual indication as well. The pulses are too fast to see the LEDs flash when you pour, they just go on and off depending on whether the SF800 ends the pour high or low.

I've attached an annotated picture of the breadboard I use for the connections.

 

[day_trippr]

I like that
fwiw, I added a few bits to the raspberrypints.ino file (the "classic" version) sketch that lights up the LED attached to Uno GPIO 13 when a pour has been committed...

Cheers!

 

[sigel619]

Did you get a prompt like "Where do you want to install RaspberryPints"?

it sounds like it installed all the programs needed but never actually got Rpints installed

I think you're right. I'm trying again and now it's asking me where to install it. Not sure what to put. It just says /var/www/HTML right now.

 

[duncan.brown]

I added a few bits to the raspberrypints.ino file (the "classic" version) sketch that lights up the LED attached to Uno GPIO 13 when a pour has been committed...

The RandR+ version flashes D13 with a heartbeat. It blinks faster when it's registering a pour, which is cool.

 

[RandR+]

Not sure what to put. It just says /var/www/HTML

that is the default website folder and unless you have a reason to put it elsewhere put it there.

 

[BrianRe]

I also use a 2k2 pull-up resistor between the +5V supply from the Arduino and the pulse pin of each flow meter. The pulse pin is then connected to the digital pins on my Arduino.

I also connected the base of a 2N2222 transistor via a 22k resistor to each pulse pin. A LED is connected via a 120 ohm resistor to the transistor's collector and the emitter is connected to ground. The LEDs go on an off as the SF800s turn, which gives me a visual indication as well. The pulses are too fast to see the LEDs flash when you pour, they just go on and off depending on whether the SF800 ends the pour high or low.

I've attached an annotated picture of the breadboard I use for the connections.

View attachment 693626

Thanks, this helps a lot! Just out of curiosity, if the LEDs blink too fast to actually see the pour, do they show the pour happening or only end state of the meter?

 

[duncan.brown]

Just out of curiosity, if the LEDs blink too fast to actually see the pour, do they show the pour happening or only end state of the meter?

You really only see the end state of the pour. My SF800s average 5800 pulses per liter. At my serving pressure a liter pours in about 20 seconds, so during a pour they are running at 290 flashes per second, which is way to fast to see. Still, I find it useful to have an analog indicator that things are working.

One other thing I added was a set up DIP switches that can turn the SF800 pulse pin connection to the Arduino on and off. These allow me to disconnect the SF800 at the start of a keg when I'm flushing StarSan out of the line. The obvious alternative is just to wait until the beer is coming out of the tap before actually putting it on tap in RPints. I just had the DIP switches lying around.

 

[sigel619]

that is the default website folder and unless you have a reason to put it elsewhere put it there.

Thanks a ton for your help! Looks like something must of went wrong the first time because all I did is try installing it again and it worked! Now I just have to figure out how to edit all of this.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, when I clean my keezer lines/faucets/taps with my recirculation rig I first shut down the flow monitor service...

Cheers!

 

[duncan.brown]

I first shut down the flow monitor service...

A systemctl stop flowmon would also do the trick, I just don’t trust software shut-offs:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockout–tagout
While this is more usually used in e.g. laser safety, I worry about leaving a pint un-drunk in the bottle of a keg! That’s a serious hazard!

 

[garzlok]

Once the tap isn't assigned a beer, I go ahead a clean...then have to go into the DB and delete those pours....maybe this is a feature request? A way to clean lines where the recorded pulses aren't included in the pour history, beer statistics, tap statistics, etc. (or maybe a flowmon stop to clean lines button, and a flowmon start in the GUI?)

 

[sigel619]

Anyone have issues with Raspberry pints crashing? Everytime I go to add a new beer it crashes. Not sure what is going on.

 

[day_trippr]

May not apply to modern forks, but these are what I use...

alias flowstart='sudo /etc/init.d/flowmon start'
alias flowstat='sudo /etc/init.d/flowmon status'
alias flowstop='sudo /etc/init.d/flowmon stop'

I imagine it would be not very hard to put a toggle in the gui to enable/disable the flow monitor service...

Cheers!

 

[RandR+]

Everytime I go to add a new beer it crashes. Not sure what is going on.

check /var/log/apache2/error.log
that will give you errors, I will test on my test system to see if I find one

 

[garzlok]

I may need a self deprecating, you can do this Garz Button....kinda like the Easy Button, but Easier.

Not to ignore you @sigel619, but no, that's not normal behavior. /var/log/apache2/error.log ....the man that can help has arrived!

 

[RandR+]

Everytime I go to add a new beer it crashes. Not sure what is going on.

what fields are you filling in?