Fermentrack: Fermentation monitoring & BrewPi-www Replacement for Raspberry Pi

[Thorrak]

@Thorak, do you know if theres a way to use ispindel without entering coefficients or going through guided calibration? In other words using the device as is and accepting its readings?

I could be mistaken, but back when I was building the iSpindel support I don't think that the message payload included a device-calibrated gravity. I'm working on rebuilding gravity support for Fermentrack 2 -- if it includes one now, I can definitely add that as an option.

 

[Thorrak]

I've been using Fermentrack on a RP3 with an Arduino UNO now for some 4 years and put down a lot of great brews, however the last 6 or 7 brews I have had the 'Cannot receiveLCD text fromController/Script" turn up once every ferment. Generally the ferment temperature stays at the last recorded temp but there has been occasions where the temperature has started to lower to the lowest set temperature on the ferment profile.

It's easily fixed to each current ferment by rebooting the RP3 but is a bit annoying, particularly when you are away from the unit for a day or so. I've check all the hardware and made sure all connections are good, still the problem exists.

The below shows the graphing from a Ferment from one of the brews that has the Fermentrack and an Ispindle (not attached to Fermentrack) plotted

View attachment 845409


Appreciate a direction to head with this. Thanks

Hey there - I apologize for the delayed response on this one -- we're in the process of moving, and due to a combination of poor timing and other life changes are having to effectively move four separate times over a month and a half. You happened to post this right as we were working through the first leg of the moves, but I'm hoping to have everything back to normal by late May.

Unfortunately, periodic "cannot receive LCD text" errors are what prompted the rewrite of the BrewPi-Script daemon early last year which is also what prompted the development of Fermentrack 2. I don't have a good solution for Legacy Fermentrack, but should have a solution for Fermentrack 2 to use Arduinos (and serial-connected devices) within the next few months. This is the feature I'm working on next after gravity support.

 

[bloombrews]

How do I Create a New Beer Profile and have the current beer temperature, be a variable number, as Set Point 1, and say add 6 degrees over the next 2 days?
I do not want to keep creating new beer profiles, with 0s (zero seconds, or the current temperature) being the first start set point that I must say what it is, and then the second point would be 2d (2 days) X+6 degrees. I just want the new profile to see what the current temperature is, on its own, and + or - degrees over set days.
In the past, I kept creating new Beer Profiles, with whatever the current temperature of the beer that is now fermenting, having to define this temperature as Set Point 1 - 0s.

 

[Thorrak]

How do I Create a New Beer Profile and have the current beer temperature, be a variable number, as Set Point 1, and say add 6 degrees over the next 2 days?
I do not want to keep creating new beer profiles, with 0s (zero seconds, or the current temperature) being the first start set point that I must say what it is, and then the second point would be 2d (2 days) X+6 degrees. I just want the new profile to see what the current temperature is, on its own, and + or - degrees over set days.
In the past, I kept creating new Beer Profiles, with whatever the current temperature of the beer that is now fermenting, having to define this temperature as Set Point 1 - 0s.

At the moment, there aren't variable setpoint beer profiles, but I was thinking of creating something like this as a "cold crash now" button for the end of fermentation. Is that what you're trying to do, or are you thinking of doing this at the start of fermentation? (If so, is your beer temperature really that variable at the start? Do you no-chill or something?)

 

[bloombrews]

At the moment, there aren't variable setpoint beer profiles, but I was thinking of creating something like this as a "cold crash now" button for the end of fermentation. Is that what you're trying to do, or are you thinking of doing this at the start of fermentation? (If so, is your beer temperature really that variable at the start? Do you no-chill or something?)

This is, at or near the end! I just want the profile to see what the exact current temp is, and either warm up to get the last gravity points out (or diacetyl clean up), or cool down (or crash). I just dont want to look at what the exact current temperature is ..... then create a New Profile, defining this as the start point, and then the second point would be + or -

 

[bloombrews]

At the moment, there aren't variable setpoint beer profiles, but I was thinking of creating something like this as a "cold crash now" button for the end of fermentation. Is that what you're trying to do, or are you thinking of doing this at the start of fermentation? (If so, is your beer temperature really that variable at the start? Do you no-chill or something?)

EXACTLY, @Thorrak ! "cold crash now" OR warm up NOW, button, will prevent having to make a new beer profile. This new button will insert an add-on Profile, that picks up at current temperature. Therefore, no need for anyone to manually look at the current temperature, make this set point 1, and then setpoint 2.... would be your crash or accelerated warm-up.
Thanks!

 

[RocketBrewer]

Or just being able to hold a temp until I want to trigger the next step of a profile, like for a diacetyl rest after fermentation slows.

 

[bloombrews]

Or just being able to hold a temp until I want to trigger the next step of a profile, like for a diacetyl rest after fermentation slows.

Yes, but this is a little easier to do - Just turn off Profile and then Set Beer Constant temperature.
So much labor went into this project from John, @Thorrak , me crying about a quicker way to accomplish something, makes me wonder if he needs to send me a bill..

 

[RocketBrewer]

So much labor went into this project from John, @Thorrak , me crying about a quicker way to accomplish something, makes me wonder if he needs to send me a bill..

Agreed! And @Thorrak has repeatedly rejected my offers to contribute to help him cover at least his out of pocket expenses. He is truly a generous soul, and I hope to at least send him a couple beers after he gets settled in his new house!

Yes, but this is a little easier to do - Just turn off Profile and then Set Beer Constant temperature.

As it is, I usually break up each profile into several smaller profiles because it's hard to know exactly when I want to start to ramp up for a diacetyl rest or starting a cold crash. I know that he hopes to make it so a Tilt can trigger different steps of a profile eventually, but I hadn't really considered a way to manually trigger each step until he mentioned adding a "Cold Crash Button". It would save having so many profiles if there was a way to have a complete profile that included "stop points" that require a trigger (whether manual, or by Tilt reading) to continue to the next set point.

I think Thorrak appreciates peoples ideas and input, and knows he's free to use or discard suggestions as he sees fit. I'm sure that Fermentrack wouldn't be what it is, if not for him taking the ideas that knuckleheads like me throw at him and making them work

 

[bloombrews]

Agreed! And @Thorrak has repeatedly rejected my offers to contribute to help him cover at least his out of pocket expenses. He is truly a generous soul, and I hope to at least send him a couple beers after he gets settled in his new house!



As it is, I usually break up each profile into several smaller profiles because it's hard to know exactly when I want to start to ramp up for a diacetyl rest or starting a cold crash. I know that he hopes to make it so a Tilt can trigger different steps of a profile eventually, but I hadn't really considered a way to manually trigger each step until he mentioned adding a "Cold Crash Button". It would save having so many profiles if there was a way to have a complete profile that included "stop points" that require a trigger (whether manual, or by Tilt reading) to continue to the next set point.

I think Thorrak appreciates peoples ideas and input, and knows he's free to use or discard suggestions as he sees fit. I'm sure that Fermentrack wouldn't be what it is, if not for him taking the ideas that knuckleheads like me throw at him and making them work

I am doing the same "thing". I have way more Profiles than beers I brewed, hoping one of the Profiles will fit my Cold Crash or Diacetyl cleanup.
This Software would cost a lot of money if only sold to whoever had the money! If you look at the commercial control systems, they don't do anything much better than Fermentrack or BrewPi. Really have to thank the recent programmers that are keeping this alive - @LBussy and @Thorrak !!