Smartpid smart temp controller

[molc]

I'm doing beta testing on this project for Davide, so if anyone from the club has a wishlist or ideas that they want to test with the device, let me know and I'm sure he'll see if it ticks all the boxes.

Initally I'm going to try and integrate it with my existing ArdBir solution, replacing it as the control element and hopefully also making it control both pumps with either a software selector menu or physical button. Until I see the device I can't tell yet how to proceed on that front though.

Ideally I'd make a simple control cable from it that will run to all my SSR's and relays, as I like having the electronics and electrics separate.

[darren996]

Looks great Davide and very neat, best of luck

[arzaman]

I'm doing beta testing on this project for Davide,....

Thank you fro beta testing support, component sourcing has been completed so hopefully next week the manufacturer assemble the first lot
I have only some delay with the supplier of the plastic box..hope it will deliver it before xmas !

About integration should be quite easy sine the SW allows o assign logical resources to the Output port...so you can decide to attach the pump to the mechanical relay (220V pump) or to the 12V direct ...same concept for the heating element sine you have 2 mechanical relay output and 3 12V output .
For people familiar with ardbir is even simpler because even if the SW is brand new many concept are the same.

I'm also working to installation and integration manual, the controller part is quite "simple" , the biggest part is to explain how to configure the wifi , the thingspeak logging, the smartphone app... I work a lot with the app developer to make all the process simple and user friendly regardless the limited resources available on a controller.

Now I try to work on 3 main streams: pre-production, product development completion and especially crowdfunding campaign. ..very challenging but fully committed to proceed :-)

stay tuned
Davide

[molc]

Aye, I'm thinking of wiring the +12V outputs to the relays and have those triggered by RL1 and RL2 soft switches, from what I saw on the videos. Then I'll trigger the SSR relays using the SSR output. Basically have the whole smartPID box run in 12V mode, connected to an 8 pin connector I've already made previously, so it will just take over as the brains of the operation.

I'll probably add manual override switches as well, so I can just set the pumps to always on in the soft menu and then turn them on and off as necessary from my front panel, along with a manual override to the PWM to ignore the signal when I am doing some sort of manual intervention, like draining a pot (you don't want to run those elements dry I've learned!)

The big sell for me is the wireless module, along with the app. My plan is to fill water and grain the night before, along with priming the pumps. Then, when I wake up, I tell the HLT to start heating the water and have the pump turn on to recirculate to stop stratification of the water. Once the water has reached strike temp, the app should beep and then I transfer water to the mash tun, then I walk away. Again, the app will beep when the mash is complete and I'll go back, transfer to the boil kettle, get past the hot break and then react whenever the app beeps to add more hops.

One thing I am curious about is if you can set the SSR to react to two different temperature probes at different stages in the brew. For the HLT heatup and mash, it needs to watch the Herms temperature probe, whereas during boil, it needs to react to the boil kettle probe.

Finally, most likely I'll be getting a plastic box that could fit around the whole device. Something that will be important is how easy it is to mount the SmartPID in another box, similiar to how people mount STC's in something. Even something as simple as panel mounting points on the edge of the smartPID that can be accessed by taking off the main cover would be invaluable here.

[johnrm]

@Davide,

On the Indiegogo campaign you have to select Thermostat or Homebrewing.
I want to play with it initially and am undecided what it will be used for.
What is the possibility of changing the software on the Controller?
I assume it is possible to change this, but is this at a cost?

[arzaman]

Good question !

First the answer to the technical part, than the commercial 

Yes it is (it will be) definitely  possible to upgrade the FW , either for bug fix/new features or to load a new application sw (ie change from smart thermostat to the brewing app)
I'm now testing a simple way ...you plug your board via USB in the pc port and you see it as a storage, a USB memory stick, and you need just to copy the executable new file
Alternative I will provide a simple desktop application for SW upgrade always via USB

About commercial my model is to ask a premium for the vertical application (homebrewing app is one) compared to the basic thermostat.
This will allow me to continue develop new applications
About the premium will be in the range you see now on Indiegogo : 89 for the basic  109 for the premium

The difficult part is to set up a licensing mechanism to prevent fraud and hacking ...

br
Davide

[johnrm]

If I were to subscribe and select Brewing could I switch between the 2 functions?

[arzaman]

If I were to subscribe and select Brewing could I switch between the 2 functions?

Not sure about your question.
If switch means having both SW onboard the answer is not
To "switch" as I have explained before you need to perform SW upgrade

Davide

[johnrm]

If a donator selects unit plus brewing sw, how much extra for the thermostat sw?

[arzaman]

If a donator selects unit plus brewing sw, how much extra for the thermostat sw?

Never tough to this use case

I would say that is a "downgrade" so should be for free..

[arzaman]

I would like to wish marry Xmas and happy new year to all smartPID project supporters and crowdfunding campaign backers

Campaign will run on INDIEGOGO until 11/1 so you have still the chance to make yourself a gift and allow smartPID to go live !
Best wishes again



https://igg.me/at/smartpid/x/15644037

Davide
arzaman engineering

[arzaman]

End of the year is time for balance !
2016 has been very hard and exciting, one year of design, development, prototypes, test ..lot of work and effort but also satisfaction
The startup of the project is not so easy and still some work have to be completed but  I hope 2017 will bring definitely SmartPID controller to life !

Thank you for your support and happy new year to the whole community

Davide
arzaman engineering

https://youtu.be/X9cXHUep1Ac

[arzaman]

Hi
short project update for this beginning 2017
Development continue and I'm happy to share a couple of news

From HW perspective I succeed adding an I2C expansion port on the back panel that provides lot of flexibility and expansion capabilities. The port has "grove" pin out and there are lot of sensors and actuators that can be connected.



The other improvement is related to the smartphone app. Lot of enhancement, new layout and now the possibility not only to monitor from remote the process parameter but also to modify the set point

have a look to this short video that show the remote control capabilites

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMJiMmr1yJE

hope you like this enhancement, stay tuned
Davide
arzman engineering

[molc]

Hi
short project update for this beginning 2017
Development continue and I'm happy to share a couple of news

From HW perspective

Hi Davide, any idea if it there will be surface mount points on the front if you want to put the enclosure (either in the existing box or stripped down) into another box? Planning on building a box around it with switches etc, so being able to easily mount is a big plus.

Also looking at the software, I see no way of doing stepped mashes like with the original ardbir. Will there be some way to add recipes and automated control for a brewday?

[johnrm]

Sorry to see the campaign not reaching its target Davide.