iSpindel Review

[SBENCIV]

Decided to post the review I did for our club on the iSpindel. Please note that this is not a deep dive on the nitty gritty of build, setup, or the minute details of the app I chose. This is merely a general overview. SPOILER - I liked it so much I purchased a second unit!

iSpindel Review

• From the web: The iSpindel is a digital hydrometer that can measure the temperature and specific gravity of a fermenting beverage in near real-time. It connects to web services and uploads data that can be graphed by the service, allowing the user to monitor the fermentation without disturbing the fermenter. The iSpindel is open source, and its creator has a website with instructions for building one.
• It’s mainly a DIY solution – meaning you purchase all the parts to build, including all of the soldering and calibration. This was not my cup of tea UNTIL I found a seller on Etsy who builds AND does the initial calibration. He ships out of the UK. I’ll include a link at the end.
• The cost built, calibrated, and shipped is around $68. Half the price of a Tilt.
• I ordered my first iSpindel on March 2nd. It shipped March 7th. Received? APRIL 9TH!!!
• The delay in me receiving my unit had nothing to do with the seller. My package arrived in Customs in NY days after it shipped. Then, it sat. For weeks! They are apparently so backed up in NY Customs that packages are languishing many weeks and sometimes, months!
• I’m happy to report that this has been my only frustration with this purchase.
• Once I received my unit I eagerly hopped onto the web to learn how to configure it to my home network. The iSpindel works off of wifi, while the Tilt works off Bluetooth. The wifi feature really appealed to me as it will consistently send readings to the app of your choice, at the interval of your choice.
• Setup was a breeze. I’m not that tech savvy – so when I say “a breeze”, I mean it. It was so simple to setup I actually thought I did something wrong. It connected to my home wifi network on the first try and immediately began sending readings.
• Which brings me to the app I chose to use with the Spindel. As I mentioned, it’s open source, so it doesn’t have a dedicated app. Instead there are a few apps to choose from, I won’t list them all other than to tell you I settled on BrewSpy.
• Once I created a Brewspy acct, I was able to link my Spindel to the BrewSpy app, and soon after we were off to the races.
• Well…not quite. I needed to conduct one more test. SS Fermenters can be tricky little beasts as they can kill a wifi signal – so I needed to do a test to see if it would work from INSIDE my SS fermenter.
• I filled the fermenter about halfway with water, dropped in the Spindel, sealed it up, and awaited my first reading (for testing purposes you can program the Spindel to send a reading every 2 minutes – but after 1 hour it will automatically default back to its standard of every 15 minutes)
• I waited 2 minutes – and nothing. My fermenter cut down the wifi signal and it wasn’t able to reach my router. BUT! If I moved my fermenter directly under my router – I would immediately get reported readings again.
• Relieved that the signal was at least getting out – I knew the easy fix was simply purchasing a wifi extender and placing it in my brew room. So I did. And it works.
• Now I needed a homebrew batch to really test it out.
• The following weekend I brewed a down and dirty Cream ale, chilled it to fermentation temp, pitched yeast, and dropped in my iSpindel. I configured the unit to report readings once an hour.
• After the first hour it reported its first reading. And it consistently reported readings every hour over the next week. I attached a pic of how the reporting looks in BrewSpy. Success!
• I turned off the reporting feature after a week because my readings have essentially leveled off.
• You see that spike in temp on the first day? That was because I had the WRONG temp probe hooked up to my fermenter – so the heat wrap just continued to pump heat! DOH! Luckily, it was only for about 2 hours.
• Thanks to my iSpindel reporting this temperature spike, I was able to react and correct the situation quickly. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known until the next day!
• As far as accuracy is concerned? It is damn close. I just took a reading with a glass hydrometer (at the correct and calibrated temperature) and the iSpindel is within less than .005 of the hydrometer. At least on this first batch. Close enough for my purposes!
• At some point I’ll probably need to recalibrate this unit. I’ll report my opinion on that once I have some first hand experience. For now – I’m going to enjoy my new toy!

In the end – I love it. And the wifi capability appeals to me more than Bluetooth as I don’t need a computer, tablet, or my phone near the fermenter to get a reading. If you are considering one of these units please be sure to do some due diligence on setting them up on your network to be sure you are comfortable with the process. Again, I found it incredibly easy but YMMV!


Here is a link to the seller I purchased from Ispindel Wifi Tilt Hydrometer & Temperature Sensor FULLY Calibrated for Smart Homebrewing - Etsy just don’t be in a hurry !

 

[fluketamer]

i love mine and would highly reccomend.

 

[redrocker652002]

Glad to see you are enjoying it. I bought one and it worked the first run perfectly. Since then, I have tried it twice or three times and it will not give me a gravity reading. It is now collecting dust in the closet I store all my beer stuff in. I have a Plaato airlock that my wife bought and that is doing the same thing, so I know it is user error. My wife is the more techie of us and she could not get it to work either. I keep thinking of giving it another try, but remember how frustrating it was when I could not get it to work, so I gave up.

 

[SBENCIV]

Glad to see you are enjoying it. I bought one and it worked the first run perfectly. Since then, I have tried it twice or three times and it will not give me a gravity reading. It is now collecting dust in the closet I store all my beer stuff in. I have a Plaato airlock that my wife bought and that is doing the same thing, so I know it is user error. My wife is the more techie of us and she could not get it to work either. I keep thinking of giving it another try, but remember how frustrating it was when I could not get it to work, so I gave up.

Yup, it will be interesting to see how things go long term. I've actually read how they've worked great first couple uses, then fart out for some reason. I do plan on writing follow up reviews as I continue using them.

 

[redrocker652002]

Yup, it will be interesting to see how things go long term. I've actually read how they've worked great first couple uses, then fart out for some reason. I do plan on writing follow up reviews as I continue using them.

For me, I am certain it is user error. I am not good with tech stuff, and I think when I set it up with Brewfather I messed something up. I am going to try again to fool with it, but just when I have enough patience for it. LOL

 

[fluketamer]

i use brewspy it was very easy to set up because theres a you tube video on how to do it for non techies like myself .

i have it in a cider right now that the yeast cake is ripping through.

 

[redrocker652002]

I used both Brewspy and Brewfather and could not get it to work. I think it is in the setup that I did. I need to go back thru it and start all over.

 

[fluketamer]

 

[redrocker652002]

Thank you for the info. I will give it a try. I had brewspy and for some reason I could not get it to work, but I did like it, so let's give it a go again. LOL. Thanks again, will certainly give it a try on my next brew day.