[Version 2 Release] RaspberryPints - Digital Taplist Solution

[kxavier_23]

I would say that if you wanted to use them for commercial measuring of flow then go with the swissflow, but for home hobby use they work great.

I haven't noticed any pours that are
way off though, if I pour ~12oz it registers ~12oz

WAY close enough for me.

I’m sure this has been brought up, but I do a pressure transfer from my fermenter and typically do 10 gallon + batches. Remainders I transfer to a little 1.75 keg.

Can you use a flow meter to measure how much beer I’m transferring to the kegs?

 

[RandR+]

Can you use a flow meter to measure how much beer I’m transferring to the kegs?

technically yes, but there is no feature of RPints that updates the current amount poured as a beer is pouring and it would also require you to wire the flow meter from the transfer hose to the Arduino

As for the Rpints feature, there are update messages that are sent to the python already so it just a matter of putting that into the database and displaying them on the screen

 

[garzlok]

Those are a great price.

What do you mean by accurate enough?

I use the exact same flow meters that @RandR+ recommends, and I have not been disappointed.

The SwissFlo’s are the Cadillac of the ”affordable” flow meters, and if you can swing the price, go for it.

There is talk that Hall Effect flow meters (like the one RanR+ recommends) are susceptible when jostled around and positioned differently. Susceptible to the fact that your accuracy mileage may very.

To combat this and eliminate the variable, I have my meters in a static location in my kegerator.

 

[theglobalguy]

Ok, here's a bit of an "out there" feature request. I just upgraded from a 5# co2 tank to a 20# one...I'm thinking it would be nice to have the tank sitting on some sort of load cell platform connected to either the pi, or the Arduino. Use cases besides the obvious tracking the remaining amount left could include having some kind of alarm on the display if the tank starts losing weight constantly. Basically a weight based leak detector. I need to see if I can find any suitable weighing platform....

 

[Ferdaze]

Ok, here's a bit of an "out there" feature request. I just upgraded from a 5# co2 tank to a 20# one...I'm thinking it would be nice to have the tank sitting on some sort of load cell platform connected to either the pi, or the Arduino. Use cases besides the obvious tracking the remaining amount left could include having some kind of alarm on the display if the tank starts losing weight constantly. Basically a weight based leak detector. I need to see if I can find any suitable weighing platform....

I use a Plaato keg to track me kegs and co2.

 

[RandR+]

I need to see if I can find any suitable weighing platform

I use a Plaato keg to track me kegs and co2.

Besides Plaato, my RPints python supports weighing kegs using HZ711 load cells, it would be a little modification to add in C02 tanks instead of just Kegs

 

[theglobalguy]

Lol, I should have known that this was an already solved problem. Seems like the load cell solution might be the more "fun" project, but the Plaato is very tempting for simplicity. I can see easily adding an "extra" tap that would contain the CO2 tank, but if there was some way to track it as CO2 that would be ideal...maybe an option to have it display on the home screen next to the temperature average.

 

[Gengasi]

Hello @RandR+ Have you been able to fix the issue where the pour registers far larger than it actually were calibrated for yet? (I believe this is a metric only issue) If not, is it possible to download the Rpints version from before the new calibration tool were implemented? Thank you for your work!

 

[RandR+]

Have you been able to fix the issue where the pour registers far larger than it actually were calibrated for yet?

The calibration tool only sets the count per gallon/liter per the tap (you must have show pin setting checked to see it on the tap screen)
I did notice that it wasn't calculating the correct value to put there because of the unit of measure (i.e. it would calculate count per liter but then save it as count per gallon)and that was fixed

If you use the calibration tool, verify that the count per gallon/liter is correct on the tap and if pour are not correct then you can still manually change the count per gallon/liter to be correct

 

[Gazint]

Forgive me if this has already been asked. Can I use an Arduino Uno Board in place of the Alamode board?
Thanks

 

[RandR+]

Can I use an Arduino Uno Board in place of the Alamode board?

yes

 

[day_trippr]

Probably preferable to use an Uno as the AlaMode ties up some RPi GPIOs so they can't be used for meters...

Cheers!

 

[pmd5700]

I've just finished installing RaspberryPints using the recommended install script. I used @RandR+'s version. It's fantastic, thank you!! I've got it up and running and configured to some extend. I have a few questions that I haven't been able to sort out yet.

• I believe the display is supposed to Auto Refresh, but mine does not appear to be doing that (or at least not very often). I'm not using flow meters, but as I change some of the configuration items, I don't see changes on the display. Oddly enough, viewing my taplist from another computer seems to have an auto refresh... EDIT: It seems to be working now. Is there a way to change how often it updates?
• Is there a way to change the "reference" ABV to something other than 5% (or just not display the relative ABV as how full the glasses are)?
• Is there an specific way to show a coming soon other than just appending "Coming Soon" to the beer name?
• Is there any kind of guide or writeup regarding the Motion Detector, Flow Meters, Temperature, etc. Do they all connect to an Alamode Board or Uno?
• I noticed that there's a space missing between the amount left in the keg and 'Gal'. See below. Same for the amount poured.
• 

 

[RandR+]

Is there a way to change the "reference" ABV to something other than 5% (or just not display the relative ABV as how full the glasses are)?

ABV is setup in the Beer, you can setup OG/FG for auto calculation or just enter in the ABV you want.
You can turn off ABV images in configuration

Is there an specific way to show a coming soon other than just appending "Coming Soon" to the beer name?

Not right now.

Is there any kind of guide or writeup regarding the Motion Detector, Flow Meters, Temperature, etc. Do they all connect to an Alamode Board or Uno?

In short the Flow Meter connection right up is the same as the original Rpints. They cannot to the Arduino Shield
The Motion Detector and temperature probes options came out of this thread. there are not real write as they relate to Rpints but each has their own how to articles to connect. They both connect to the Raspberry Pi. If the temperature probes are hooked up correctly, RPints will see them and add them. The motion detector needs to be configured in the RPints admin Motion Detectors screen.
When you run my installer it prompts you to add the software needed for them, if you did not add them originally you can rerun the installer and reconfigure the system to add them.

I noticed that there's a space missing between the amount left in the keg and 'Gal'. See below. Same for the amount poured

I just fixed that. There is a Get Latest RPints (On Admin -> Install Page) that will pull the changes from Git

 

[day_trippr]

I've just finished installing RaspberryPints using the recommended install script. I used @RandR+'s version. It's fantastic, thank you!! I've got it up and running and configured to some extend. I have a few questions that I haven't been able to sort out yet.

• [...]EDIT: It seems to be working now. Is there a way to change how often it updates?
• Is there a way to change the "reference" ABV to something other than 5% (or just not display the relative ABV as how full the glasses are)?
• Is there an specific way to show a coming soon other than just appending "Coming Soon" to the beer name?
• Is there any kind of guide or writeup regarding the Motion Detector, Flow Meters, Temperature, etc. Do they all connect to an Alamode Board or Uno?
• I noticed that there's a space missing between the amount left in the keg and 'Gal'. See below. Same for the amount poured.
• View attachment 704237

The local console (monitor attached to the RPi) should update immediately after any changes, pours, etc. A remote console (web connected) can auto-refresh at a specified interval if there's the appropriate meta tag in the R'Pints web page index.php file. I know I added that tag in my own version but not sure if it's in RandR+'s version. The last line in the block below is what I added, value is in seconds, so that's a 5 minute interval.

<html>
    <head>
        <title>RaspberryPints</title>
        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
        <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="300">

The ABV value reflects the "Beer" parameters entered when a beer is added to the user's table.
Flow meters connect to the Arduino, everything else connects directly to the RPi.

Don't know about the rest as I don't run that version...

Cheers!

[edit] Don't stick color tags inside a code block and expect them to be executed

 

[RandR+]

The local console (monitor attached to the RPi) should update immediately after any changes, pours, etc. A remote console (web connected) can auto-refresh at a specified interval if there's the appropriate meta tag in the R'Pints web page index.php file. I know I added that tag in my own version but not sure if it's in RandR+'s version. The blue line below is what I added, value is in seconds, so that's a 5 minute interval.

I missed this in my original post.

If Flowmon service is running (and stays running) when you open the tap display it will connect to the python and refresh whenever there is a pour automatically. I have a mounted tablet only connected to the wifi and it works great for this except when it loses WIFI or I restart Flowmon then I have to hit refresh to get it to reconnect.

If you enable displaying temperature probes on the main tap display page it will auto refresh every 5 seconds regardless. The temp probes do not send out the refresh signal

 

[pmd5700]

Thanks for the responses!

ABV is setup in the Beer, you can setup OG/FG for auto calculation or just enter in the ABV you want.
You can turn off ABV images in configuration

I have the ABV set, but I'm wondering if it's possible to (for example) make 6% ABV one full glass instead of 5% being one full glass, etc. I'm not necassarily requesting that feature if it's not there - just curious

In short the Flow Meter connection right up is the same as the original Rpints. They cannot to the Arduino Shield
The Motion Detector and temperature probes options came out of this thread. there are not real write as they relate to Rpints but each has their own how to articles to connect. They both connect to the Raspberry Pi. If the temperature probes are hooked up correctly, RPints will see them and add them. The motion detector needs to be configured in the RPints admin Motion Detectors screen.
When you run my installer it prompts you to add the software needed for them, if you did not add them originally you can rerun the installer and reconfigure the system to add them.

All three (3) get hooked up to the Ardunio (either Uno or Alamode?)? Are there recommended Temperature Probes and Motion Detectors? Or just any with the correct connections/voltages/etc.

I just fixed that. There is a Get Latest RPints (On Admin -> Install Page) that will pull the changes from Git

I clicked Update and nothing really happened. Do I have to run the script again to update?

The local console (monitor attached to the RPi) should update immediately after any changes, pours, etc. A remote console (web connected) can auto-refresh at a specified interval if there's the appropriate meta tag in the R'Pints web page index.php file. I know I added that tag in my own version but not sure if it's in RandR+'s version. The blue line below is what I added, value is in seconds, so that's a 5 minute interval.

I missed this in my original post.

If Flowmon service is running (and stays running) when you open the tap display it will connect to the python and refresh whenever there is a pour automatically. I have a mounted tablet only connected to the wifi and it works great for this except when it loses WIFI or I restart Flowmon then I have to hit refresh to get it to reconnect.

If you enable displaying temperature probes on the main tap display page it will auto refresh every 5 seconds regardless. The temp probes do not send out the refresh signal

It seems to be working now. But it keeps updating ever 5-10 seconds or so even though I don't have Temp, Motion, Flow, etc. enabled.

 

[kxavier_23]

@RandR+ how hard would it be to create the ability to enter ‘manual’ pours?

I find myself frequently filling a mini keg for my neighbor (1.75 G) and I want to pressure transfer directly from a keg that is in use. I record my tare weights of my kegs and could easily calculate how much I take out and then add a ‘manual’ pour.

Thoughts?

 

[RandR+]

how hard would it be to create the ability to enter ‘manual’ pours?

its not overly hard to, just need to find a place to put the button to prompt the user how much was poured

 

[pmd5700]

Try copying settings in these images. I only have the plaato keg on 4 of my taps so far.


And then to get the last pour to update i modified a line in index.php so that the page reloads every 10 seconds:

@fun4stuff I like your taplist! Where did you get those numbers and how did you add them?

 

[RandR+]

how hard would it be to create the ability to enter ‘manual’ pours?

there now is a allow enter of manual pours, when check there will be a enter pour button displayed

 

[kxavier_23]

This is in a current release now?

 

[RandR+]

This is in a current release now?

I just put it in today, you need to update RPints, either run the installer again and select update, or go to admin->install page and hit get latest RPints

 

[RandR+]

I set Stein and Tulip for these beers, but it's just drawing pint glasses.

I finished the ABV glassware conversion, now ABV will match SRM glass

 

[duncan.brown]

Nice, thank you.

 

[pmd5700]

@RandR+ 2 Quick Questions

1. When I click 'Update' in the Admin page, do I have to go and rerun the installation script?
2. I've been messing with some of the .php files and styles.css. Will an update remove all those changes?

 

[RandR+]

1. When I click 'Update' in the Admin page, do I have to go and rerun the installation script?
2. I've been messing with some of the .php files and styles.css. Will an update remove all those changes?

1. the get latest Rpints button automatically runs the install script and does the update. No need to run the installation script afterwards

2. I suggest running the installation script on the Pi, it will stash your changes, pull latest which will overwrite your changes, BUT then it will open compare so you can see the differences and then you manually have to decide what changes you want to put back in. I also suggest making a copy of your Rpints before updating to make absolute sure you don't lose anything

 

[pmd5700]

I also suggest making a copy of your Rpints before updating to make absolute sure you don't lose anything

Thanks! Is that just copying the html folder as a backup? Or using the backup tool in the admin page?

 

[RandR+]

copying the html folder as a backup? Or using the backup tool in the admin page?

Copy the HTML folder. The backup button only backups up the database not the files (since Rpints assumes the files are in GitHub)

 

[pmd5700]

Can any CSS wizards help me figure out how to make this header shorter? I've tried everything possible using Inspect Element, but haven't been able to make it work.