YABC-Yet a Brew Controller: BrewManiacEx

[Wzor]

Of course it's convenient to use the web interface, but sometimes it's easier just to select a recipe from the list and start brewing! After all, this is automation, and many recipes are already in the memory of the controller. Just select and brewing.

Can you tell me what is the new PID STRIKE parameter?
What is it for?

 

[Jonesy1221]

Good day, has anyone had any issues when first setting up connecting to the ap? BM is the ssid but I can't figure out the password for the life of me. Been playing with this for two weeks. Any help would be great. All hardware seem fine just can't access the web interface to setup.

 

[Wzor]

Default doesn't work?

USERNAME "brewmaniac"
PASSWORD "rdwhahb!"
HOSTNAME "bm"

 

[Jonesy1221]

Humm

 

[Jonesy1221]

When I click on the BM to connect to the ap "wifi" it wants a password. I tryed that password 10-20 times. I might have messed something up in the code (I've been playing with it more then I should have) I'll try down loading a fresh copy and upload that to the esp8266. Maybe I messed with something I should not have. It's been a learning process. Thanks.

 

[brucieB]

I've been running .49 on a wemos d1 mini 8266. Upgraded to the latest, and now i can't for the life of me get the ds18b20 to work?
Not seeing any errors, it just won't find it.
Nothing changed in the hardware.

 

[pbezza]

Do you have another sensor to test?

 

[brucieB]

I've tried 3. They all work in 49, and with the example onewire

 

[pocketmon]

I've tried 3. They all work in 49, and with the example onewire

That might have something to do with OneWire library.
I tried default OneWire library of ESP32 framework and found that my sensor didn't work with that.
You can try copying "OneWire-master" folder in "lib-esp32" to "lib-esp8266" folder to rebuild the image. This faithful library has worked well.

 

[gonzalito]

Vito, how are you? it's been a long time..

Many brews have passed.

I'm testing the ESP32-dev, and wanted to know if the older web interface can be used instead of the newer one.

I'm having some issues with the network scanning and also the new web interface does not have the calculators. They were quite useful.

 

[pocketmon]

Vito, how are you? it's been a long time..

Many brews have passed.

I'm testing the ESP32-dev, and wanted to know if the older web interface can be used instead of the newer one.

I'm having some issues with the network scanning and also the new web interface does not have the calculators. They were quite useful.

I guessed it would work. I don't remember that I have changed anything related to interface between web and controller.

 

[gonzalito]

I guessed it would work. I don't remember that I have changed anything related to interface between web and controller.

Awesome. I'll try it. The embedded calculators were awesome.

 

[pbezza]

It's been so long since I uploaded firmware to an ESP8266. I have successfully compiled and flashed the ESP8266 but I can't import then save a recipe. It imports and displays all the typical beerxml data but it won't save or brew

Not sure but might be related to lack of storage? LittleFS related?

 

[pocketmon]

It's been so long since I uploaded firmware to an ESP8266. I have successfully compiled and flashed the ESP8266 but I can't import then save a recipe. It imports and displays all the typical beerxml data but it won't save or brew
View attachment 819833View attachment 819834

Not sure but might be related to lack of storage? LittleFS related?
View attachment 819835

Try formatting the file system manually.

 

[pbezza]

Nevermind. Cleaned, buil and uploaded 2 more times and it now has

Try formatting the file system manually.

Did that twice with no change. But I have just run a clean, build and upload a few more times and it is now working for some reason.

 

[pbezza]

I have successfully saved a recipe but what is supposed to happen after you press 'Brew'. It just sits there and the dashboard is doing nothing.

I only have the ESP8266 on it's own at this stage, not sure if thats the reason.

 

[pocketmon]

I have successfully saved a recipe but what is supposed to happen after you press 'Brew'. It just sits there and the dashboard is doing nothing.

I only have the ESP8266 on it's own at this stage, not sure if thats the reason.

The automation process is set according to the mash profile specified in the BeerXML.
Check the Automation tab to confirm it. Then, brew in automation mode.

 

[pbezza]

Cheers. Just confirmed that the recipe is being used after starting auto mode.

 

[Manhem]

I think i may have som v1.1 boards, i have to check tomorrow. Cannot remember what the changes was to 1.11 though. Probably som small error just. So long since i built my two boards.

you are also based in Sweden, if so i can probaby send you a board for a small fee. drop me a pm.

Hi RollE2k.
I wonder if you still have a pcb that I can get.

I also live in Sweden.

 

[pbezza]

Hi RollE2k.
I wonder if you still have a pcb that I can get.

I also live in Sweden.

If RollE2k can't supply you one, upload the Gerber files to a pcb manufacturer like JLCPCB. They have a quick turn around and you'll get 5 PCBs for very little money.

 

[pbezza]

My controller randomly resets in manual and auto mode. What could be causing this? It resets so often that I can't even get PID autotune to complete. Running v0.5.2

Does anyone else experience resets?

Edit: I turned my wireless router off and ran the controller in AP mode. The controller ran solid for 2 hours without resetting.

It's can't be my router that's at fault because I had the same reset issue with a different wireless router too.

 

[pocketmon]

My controller randomly resets in manual and auto mode. What could be causing this? It resets so often that I can't even get PID autotune to complete. Running v0.5.2

Does anyone else experience resets?

Edit: I turned my wireless router off and ran the controller in AP mode. The controller ran solid for 2 hours without resetting.

It's can't be my router that's at fault because I had the same reset issue with a different wireless router too.

It's difficult to know what caused the reboot. Mine sometimes does, and that's why I implemented auto resuming in the latest release.
What I've learned so far,
1. If WiFi signal is weak, the controller seems be more unstable.
2. There might be some interference from heating and pump, especially when switching the power.

 

[pbezza]

I have auto resume on which does work however it disables sparge heating after it resets/resumes which I read was fixed already.

It seems strange that it ran solid after I turned my router off.

 

[pocketmon]

It seems strange that it ran solid after I turned my router off.

Sure. When there is no signal, there is no weak signal to track for the controller.

 

[wd16261]

This project looks great and I'm also thinking about changing the controller of my Brew Monk (Hopcat, Klarstein,... equivalent).
I have all the parts available even the PCB (Brewcontroller v1.11) but I'm just wondering if someone tried another LCD display?
The LCD 20x4 looks a bit oldfashen and there are a lot of nicer Tft on the marked for a good price.

 

[pocketmon]

This project looks great and I'm also thinking about changing the controller of my Brew Monk (Hopcat, Klarstein,... equivalent).
I have all the parts available even the PCB (Brewcontroller v1.11) but I'm just wondering if someone tried another LCD display?
The LCD 20x4 looks a bit oldfashen and there are a lot of nicer Tft on the marked for a good price.

Yeah.

I am looking at LVGL with these modules
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004632953455.html
However, I am bad at User Interface design, and I might try it on BrewPiLess first. Don't hold your breath.

 

[gdeshors]

Hi all, I've registered to join this thread which greatly aroused my curiosity. I've been brewing for a few years and am in need of new gear since I had to give the old one to its due owner. I'm hesitating between a high-end connected EBIAB like braumeister or grainfather, or a cheaper alternative like a brewmonk or clone, and in that case this project is exactly what I think I'd need to pimp it up ! I'm amazed by the quality of what I've seen here and want to thank everyone who spent all this time putting it together, especially pocketmon.

After reading the 12 pages here and the documentation, I still have a question : is the pcf8574 necessary ? Not that it's a big deal but I want to understand. I'm not familiar with the esp8266, but on this diagram I'm counting 9 free pins if you remove it, enough to handle the 4 buttons and the i2c screen with 3 pins to spare. I must miss something, unless it's just for future-proofness and enabling to add more SSR or relay modules if needed.

 

[pocketmon]

Hi all, I've registered to join this thread which greatly aroused my curiosity. I've been brewing for a few years and am in need of new gear since I had to give the old one to its due owner. I'm hesitating between a high-end connected EBIAB like braumeister or grainfather, or a cheaper alternative like a brewmonk or clone, and in that case this project is exactly what I think I'd need to pimp it up ! I'm amazed by the quality of what I've seen here and want to thank everyone who spent all this time putting it together, especially pocketmon.

After reading the 12 pages here and the documentation, I still have a question : is the pcf8574 necessary ? Not that it's a big deal but I want to understand. I'm not familiar with the esp8266, but on this diagram I'm counting 9 free pins if you remove it, enough to handle the 4 buttons and the i2c screen with 3 pins to spare. I must miss something, unless it's just for future-proofness and enabling to add more SSR or relay modules if needed.

pcf8574 is not necessary. I am using it because I have it, and I am avoiding TX0/RX0(GPIO1/3).

You can choose 4 pins from GPIO0,2,1,3, 15, and use them as buttons. Just be careful not grounding or pulling high GPIO 0 and 2 during booting.

However, I would suggest ESP32. Although I haven't tried ESP32 in a real brew session. The stability of the latest framework seems to catch up ESP8266.

 

[gdeshors]

However, I would suggest ESP32. Although I haven't tried ESP32 in a real brew session. The stability of the latest framework seems to catch up ESP8266.

Thanks for your answer. I didn't quite understand this part, could you please develop ? Are you suggesting ESP8266 may not be stable with the recent code ?

 

[pocketmon]

Thanks for your answer. I didn't quite understand this part, could you please develop ? Are you suggesting ESP8266 may not be stable with the recent code ?

ESP32 is sort of newer version of ESP8266. It has more pins and is supposed to be more powerful. You don't need IO expander with ESP32.
However, ESP32 was not as stable as ESP8266 until recent framework upgrade.
I've run an ESP32 BrewPiLess for a while, and I am planning upgrading my BrewManiacEx controller.

You can check pins_esp32.h for the pin assignment.