Remote Hydrometer/Thermometer?

[Omega]

Maybe I was searching it wrongly, but I cannot find a topic about WiFi or Bluetooth remote hydrometers/thermometers. What model would you recommend? And what should I look in features of the hydrometer/thermometer?
I like the idea of having a device in the fermenter and seeing the data how it is fermenting to avoid unnecessary sampling
Many thanks

 

[Agentgonzo]

There are variations on a theme, floating hydrometers that tilt at a different angle depending on the density of the liquid, and use a accelerometer to measure that angle, then report back over bluetooth/wifi:

• Tilt
• iSpindel
• Pill

Loads of info on here and the internet. Google is your friend. A couple of people on here sell pre-built iSpindels.

 

[Omega]

Thank you. I am new to such equipment and do not know what to look for and where to start :). Is there a comparison of these systems? Because I can see that iSpindel is usually much cheaper than Tilt on eBay, but I do not know anything about Pill

 

[dave_77]

I use a ispindel that was a prebuilt for me..works fine and I prefere it as it it's WIFi not just Bluetooth..
You can use a offset setting to adjust points at start of fermentation based on your manual reading..from there the final measured reading is within a point of my final manual FG reading.
Key point for me is being able to see when fermentation has finished without having to take gravity samples. If my current version stopped working I would buy another Ispindel or Pill as would want to have WiFi capability.

 

[Rwilts]

I also have an ispindel, and although I have issues around accuracy late in fermentation ( seey recent post) as a tool to monitor fermentation and temp I love it and would buy again without hesitation (they are a fair bit cheaper than the competition). This year I bought a relay for it so that I have a visual screen next to fermenter with all the data , saves looking at phone . There is always something to buy

 

[RichK]

I've got a Tilt. Its OK, linked through a Raspberry Pi, but not perfect & (very) expensive. If I were buying now, I'd go iSpindel.

 

[peebee]

I've had a Tilt from near the beginning (when iSpindels were a DIY hotch-potch devices ... and a pill was something you swallowed for a headache). Tilts are daft expensive, and I'd recommend a "pro" which are miles better ... and even more expensive. I wouldn't worry about lack of wi-fi, they've very easy to setup "bridge" devices and Raspberry-Pi arrangements to cross that barrier (I think Bluetooth uses a fraction of the power wi-fi does so the batteries last longer?).

How ever good they are (better than the competition?) I don't see how the cost won't sink them.

 

[hoppyscotty]

I've got iSpindels because they're cheap...and they integrate with Brewfather, so if you use Brewfather then it's the obvious choice in my mind. it has its limitations just as all the other options do but the Brewfather integration is the clincher for me. My current brew:-

 

[dave_77]

I've got iSpindels because they're cheap...and they integrate with Brewfather, so if you use Brewfather then it's the obvious choice in my mind. it has its limitations just as all the other options do but the Brewfather integration is the clincher for me. My current brew:-

View attachment 89777

Yup, works perfectly with brewfather

 

[peebee]

Hang-on! Keep the comparisons on a level playing field. @Omega hasn't said what (if any) brewing software he uses. Tilts work alongside Beersmith and Grainfather software. There will be other combinations too I expect. "Pill" will no doubt be eyeing up software to work with?

 

[Omega]

Hang-on! Keep the comparisons on a level playing field. @Omega hasn't said what (if any) brewing software he uses. Tilts work alongside Beersmith and Grainfather software. There will be other combinations too I expect. "Pill" will no doubt be eyeing up software to work with?

I don't use any software. At the moment, I was thinking about something to check when fermentation is over. Not sure if I should buy something for the future need. At the moment, I intend fermentating lagers, IPAs and wine (both red and white), but probably I will start making stouts. Not sure if I venture anywhere futher, but who knows. And I am thinking to get myself Apollo 30 l Unitank instead of Brewtools MiniUni 30 because the vendors tells me it is less involved - I like options that forgive errors .
Feel I will choose either iSpindel or RAPT PILL - iSpindel is so cheap, but not sure if I need to calibrate it regularly if I buy it assembled from eBay, and the seller says it is calibrated

 

[Rwilts]

I don't use any software. At the moment, I was thinking about something to check when fermentation is over. Not sure if I should buy something for the future need. At the moment, I intend fermentating lagers, IPAs and wine (both red and white), but probably I will start making stouts. Not sure if I venture anywhere futher, but who knows. And I am thinking to get myself Apollo 30 l Unitank instead of Brewtools MiniUni 30 because the vendors tells me it is less involved - I like options that forgive errors .
Feel I will choose either iSpindel or RAPT PILL - iSpindel is so cheap, but not sure if I need to calibrate it regularly if I buy it assembled from eBay, and the seller says it is calibrated

Couple of members here sell pre calibrated ispindel I believe

 

[hoppyscotty]

Well makes sense to buy a solution that integrates with your current software. Not as if any of the options do anything the others don't when it comes to the fundamentals of tracking/monitoring the progress of fermentation. The only difference between the options, other than cost, is how it integrates into the rest of your system (or doesn't as the case might be) and ease of use. But if you don't use any software or the one you use has no integration features then it leaves the choice wide open!

Regarding ispindel calibration there is no need to re-calibrate. The first couple I bought I calibrated myself...which was a proper PITA and I wouldn't recommend it. I bought a couple more recently and bought them ready calibrated and using the first one of those for the first time in my current brew. Ultimately the calibration 'accuracy' is irrelevant because you're never going to get an accurate reading anyway, the real benefit of these as far as I'm concerned is to track fermentation progress and save the hassle of taking multiple samples for a hydrometer (just a waste of beer!!). I'll always take my FG reading from a hydrometer so ultimately it's irrelevant what the actual reading is during fermentation.

I can recommend Gingerneil as a source for ready built and ready calibrated ones off eBay, but I'm sure other reputable vendors are available...

 

[Rwilts]

I can recommend Gingerneil as a source for ready built and ready calibrated ones off eBay, but I'm sure other reputable vendors are available...

And a member here

 

[lmbollinger]

I use Plaato airlock because it was on a STEEP discount. It estimates gravity and temperature from the bubbles passing through the airlock. No device in the beer, so that's nice. But, it's not a direct measure of gravity. It has a learning feature where you can input gravity manually so it calibrated better over time. After about 4 batches, it seems to perform reasonably well. Not sure about integrating with beersmith since I don't use that software.

 

[Omega]

A question to iSpindels users - do you get the reading when it is placed into steel fermenters?

 

[Agentgonzo]

A question to iSpindels users - do you get the reading when it is placed into steel fermenters?

Yes. The signal is degraded, but I can get a signal from the router through a couple of internal walls and the stainless fermenter.

If your walls are thick (like when I put it in the garage) then a simple WiFi repeater works fine

 

[peebee]

You do need to watch the size of fermenter you are using. You'll be okay with "modern" 20/30L fermenters made of thin steel sheet, but I've the "older" variety (from only eight years ago!) that is basically a shrunk commercial job: Thick plate steel construction - you can't lift it! I think you'd have to have turned to buying second-hand for one of these. But they are a challenge for the smaller devices, hence I had to get one of those "TiltPROs" (the real reason).

Not an iSpindel, but I guess they have the same difficulty. And I guess it'll be unlikely you have one these heavy walled fermenters anyway.

A 45L batch in the tricky "big" fermenter and "PRO" hydrometer (note when the heatwave struck!):

 

[Agentgonzo]

You do need to watch the size of fermenter you are using. You'll be okay with "modern" 20/30L fermenters made of thin steel sheet, but I've the "older" variety (from only eight years ago!) that is basically a shrunk commercial job: Thick plate steel construction - you can't lift it! I think you'd have to have turned to buying second-hand for one of these. But they are a challenge for the smaller devices, hence I had to get one of those "TiltPROs" (the real reason).

Not an iSpindel, but I guess they have the same difficulty. And I guess it'll be unlikely you have one these heavy walled fermenters anyway.

A 45L batch in the tricky "big" fermenter and "PRO" hydrometer (note when the heatwave struck!):

View attachment 89850

Interesting to see that you have the long shallow (but not flat) tail there @peebee . Have that with my beers too - a few weeks where fermentation is still ongoing but very slowly. I have seen other graphs where it's flat after 5 days. I wonder what causes the difference

 

[peebee]

This is WY1099. Usually a reliable "dextrin (maltriose) averse" yeast but failing me here (hoped it would stop at 1.019, but its crept past and is at 1.014). The W. Yorkshire yeast (plus some select other Wyeast) and S-33 I hope will still be reliable. I've found "Windsor" to creep badly in the past.

But most here haven't got a clue what we're talking about and would label my ferments "stuck"! Bit old fashioned are "dextrin averse" ferments", but exactly what I'd want for this 1914 Courage X-Ale emulation.

On subject ... these floating hydrometer thingies are great for monitoring this type of ferment! Straight down, hit FG like a ton of bricks, and STOP! I hope we're not seeing a diminishing of this style! Hopefully people understand the day/night fluctuations of temperature: The floating hydrometer thingy isn't responsible for temperature control, it's only a sensor. If you want a flat temperature trace, draw it off the temperature controller's sensor. I believe those "PILL" devices can be used as the temperature controller's sensor? As part of a wider "universal" monitoring/control setup?