Experience with Tilt Hydrometer or DIY/homebrew clones

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ryanmetcalf
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Experience with Tilt Hydrometer or DIY/homebrew clones

#1 Post by ryanmetcalf » Thu May 24, 2018 2:01 pm

Has anyone actually used one of the Tilt Hydrometers before? Cool concept, just not sure I'd shell $135+ each for enough for all of my active fermenters. https://tilthydrometer.com
Reading the patent for the Tilt, it's impressively simple in concept

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A hydrometer embodied as self-contained buoyant structure that reacts to the buoyant force of a fluid by equilibrating at a tilt. The tilt of the structure can then be used to calculate the specific gravity of the fluid. In one embodiment, an accelerometer for measuring the inclination of the buoyant structure, a radio for transmitting the data wirelessly and a battery is contained within the buoyant structure, which allows for a convenient, and efficient automated process for monitoring the specific gravity of a liquid.
Started digging into DIY options and so far I've found the iSpindel and Brew Home
https://hackaday.com/2017/03/01/iot-dev ... e-brewing/

iSpindel
http://www.ispindel.de

Brew Home
https://www.hackster.io/chris-topher-sl ... ter-622973

There's a couple catches to each of these projects, iSpindel as-is requires an account at Ubidots which only does subscription service, and Brew Home is currently coded to tie into the guys whole "Brew Home" system he's developed. However, someone has developed https://monitor.beer which will accept iSpindel's data stream without modification/code change. Has anyone attempted or been interested in attempting one of these types of projects?

Have also thought about building an iSpindel as is, seeing how using monitor.beer is, then seeing about using this information to adopt it to publishing to your own SQL server. Hate to have your core functionality rely on the existence of a 3rd party service that could disappear, but the iSpindle is functional without this step
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/thre ... st-8207782

Are there any other DIY systems out there? Any others more complete/turn key?

What they look like (if you haven't already drooled over Tilt)
Image

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jwkeffer
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Re: Experience with Tilt Hydrometer or DIY/homebrew clones

#2 Post by jwkeffer » Fri May 25, 2018 11:41 am

Haven't looked at that, but I've used a "beer-bug" before (a gift from some friends). Isn't really the same thing -- a beer-bug requires a port into your fermentation vessel, where it looks like the tilt hydrometer lets you "seal it in" and it broadcasts to a receiver.

What I like about the beer bug:
Keeps data on temperature and, optionally, gravity. Pretty cool to see a chart showing gravity movements more or less in real time.

What I don't like about the beer bug:
Can be a bit odd getting it set up, particularly if you aren't using a "standard" home brew vessel
Need to calibrate the gravity every time
Software is a bit "wonky"
Charging can be a hassle (USB charging)

But if you end up getting one of the tilt hydrometers, I'd love to hear what you think.
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Jon Keffer
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Buckaroo Brewery
A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. -- Dave Berry

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