SmartPID - smart temperature controller
- Kev888
- So far gone I'm on the way back again!
- Posts: 7701
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:22 pm
- Location: Derbyshire, UK
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
Looks like a very interesting design! I wish you good luck with this.
I have a couple of questions:
The SmartPID appears to have heating AND cooling capability, but it has only one SSR/PWM (PID) output. Does this mean that the other output must be a simple thermostatic (on/off) output, or can the 12v/2A output also be PWM?
Is development of the autotune capability going to be complete by the release date?
thanks,
I have a couple of questions:
The SmartPID appears to have heating AND cooling capability, but it has only one SSR/PWM (PID) output. Does this mean that the other output must be a simple thermostatic (on/off) output, or can the 12v/2A output also be PWM?
Is development of the autotune capability going to be complete by the release date?
thanks,
Kev
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
I have just checked the smartpid website and it says it is under development and no price is given. However, there is an open source project for something similar. It is called Brew pi and it uses a Raspbery pi micro processor and an audino. http://www.brewpi.com/
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
Happy to answer any questionsKev888 wrote:Looks like a very interesting design! I wish you good luck with this.
I have a couple of questions:
both independent channels can be configured in PID mode (or ON/OFF) so when you select control mode thermostatic you have PID both for the heating element AND for the cooling element and you can tune the KpKiKd parameter independently. The only common point is PWM frequency (perdiod)The SmartPID appears to have heating AND cooling capability, but it has only one SSR/PWM (PID) output. Does this mean that the other output must be a simple thermostatic (on/off) output, or can the 12v/2A output also be PWM?
I woudl say yes, is in the top riority feature list. Anyway SW will be upgradable in an easy and simple wayIs development of the autotune capability going to be complete by the release date?
thanks,
arzaman
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
brew like a dog wrote:I have just checked the smartpid website and it says it is under development and no price is given. However, there is an open source project for something similar. It is called Brew pi and it uses a Raspbery pi micro processor and an audino. http://www.brewpi.com/
working very hard to close all manufacturing points...I would prefer announce availability date when I'm sure supplier will commit on delivery. If you register website newsletter you will receive early bird offer
there are lot of other beer automation project (and myself was co-author of another project like ardbir) and everyone has it's own dignity and features set with pro and cons. Most of them are open source and DIY solution so not comparable with a PRODUCT.
About brewpi off course I know very well and is a nice project...but it's just for fermenting so far from what smartPID can do now (all brewing rpocess) and in the future with multiple applications on top
arzaman
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
I agreebrewpi off course I know very well and is a nice project
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
As soon as I have time I will do a feature comparison smartPID vs brewpi..let's see if I can convince you to give a chance to smartPID
- Kev888
- So far gone I'm on the way back again!
- Posts: 7701
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:22 pm
- Location: Derbyshire, UK
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
Thanks for the swift reply. This does now seem even better than I realised!arzaman wrote:Happy to answer any questions..
It would be nice (if it were possible for future updates) for the PWM frequency to differ between output channels, since cooling and heating technologies may have very different requirements. However, that is a minor subtlety for most situations; even having dual PID outputs is quite an advance over most commonly available controllers, so even with a shared time-base it is very welcome

Thanks again
Kev
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
The older Arduino BrewPi was just for fermentation but the newer Raspberry Pi/Spark version has PWM/PID controls. I use it for all my brewing processes currently. However the interface isn't finished and I've been waiting just shy of 2 years for the BrewPi to be able to do what it was marketed to do and still no end in site.About brewpi off course I know very well and is a nice project...but it's just for fermenting so far from what smartPID can do now (all brewing rpocess) and in the future with multiple applications on top
I'm following your product very closely as it looks like it could be a good fully functioning replacement but this all depends on the price point. Is it likely be cheaper or more expensive than the BrewPi?
Cheers and good luck.
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
TheFlatulentCow wrote:The older Arduino BrewPi was just for fermentation but the newer Raspberry Pi/Spark version has PWM/PID controls. I use it for all my brewing processes currently. However the interface isn't finished and I've been waiting just shy of 2 years for the BrewPi to be able to do what it was marketed to do and still no end in site.About brewpi off course I know very well and is a nice project...but it's just for fermenting so far from what smartPID can do now (all brewing rpocess) and in the future with multiple applications on top
it's maybe not fair to talk about a competitors (and a project that generally speaking I like) but this is the reality as far as I know...some Announcements of features but no product behind
Thank you for your support to the project, I can assure you that I'm working hard (sleep 4 hour x night) to commit everything and be ready for production with a finished product...and I continue to say that from a finished prototype and mass production there is the ocean (very dangerous ocean)I'm following your product very closely as it looks like it could be a good fully functioning replacement but this all depends on the price point. Is it likely be cheaper or more expensive than the BrewPi?
Cheers and good luck.
The SW and the applications (either the thermosta for fermetation chamber) or the smart brewing application is completed and stable, now working on server side a smartphone app side to develop all the remote config parameter and recipe management and import
about price...brewpi spark with the processor costs 129E than you need as minimum to add 10E of power supply (external)
smartPID will be less...and you get much more

stay tuned
arzaman
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
Sounds good Davide, watching and waiting. The pound recovered a little against the euro today which helps!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
let's see if Donald Trump will be the new US president...
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
That would be truly awful, it's bad enough what's going on here without thinking about that!arzaman wrote:let's see if Donald Trump will be the new US president...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
Hi everyone...i am a new user here.As per my knowledge Foob4r has ability to monitor the braumeister via WiFi and it's very handy to keep an eye on things remotely whilst prepping or cleaning equipment.Also like the 2 temperature probes on this unit.When it comes to programming the unit how much is going to be pre done and how much actual coding will be required. I'm thinking of the stc1000+ where programming can be loaded via arduino but it also has a nice Web front end to upload the different fermentation control parameters.
Last edited by RockyFath on Wed Jan 25, 2017 6:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
Working to a plug-n-play and easy retrofit solution to upgrade original grinfather controller with Smartpid and need some suggestions and ideas from GF community
The idea is to keep the original case and switches, just removing STC200 and rewiring Smartpid in order to get full process automation, recipe management, wifi data log, OLED graphical display, USB, etcetc.. and basically there a two options
1) connect heating element to relay 1 ... w driver !
You can benefit all the smart PID automation feature (including pump cycle automation) but the temperature control during step mash will be performed ON/OFF (with hysteresis) since is not advisable to use PID /PWM algorithm with mechanical relay output
Also during boil you lose the nice feature to control power via PWM 0-100%
2) insert in the case a solid state relay (10A minimum) to control heating elements, pump control and temperature probe as option 1
Little bit of extra work and a need of suitable SSR with heat sink to fit in the small spare space inside the case but you can benefit full PID + PWM solution either in mashing or in boiling
there is also a 3rd option more invasive that need to work on the base of GF separating 2 heating element now in series in order to control them separately (500W by PID during mashing, 1500 W by relay during mash in/out and boil)
what option do you prefer ? Any other suggestion ?

The idea is to keep the original case and switches, just removing STC200 and rewiring Smartpid in order to get full process automation, recipe management, wifi data log, OLED graphical display, USB, etcetc.. and basically there a two options
1) connect heating element to relay 1 ... w driver !
You can benefit all the smart PID automation feature (including pump cycle automation) but the temperature control during step mash will be performed ON/OFF (with hysteresis) since is not advisable to use PID /PWM algorithm with mechanical relay output
Also during boil you lose the nice feature to control power via PWM 0-100%
2) insert in the case a solid state relay (10A minimum) to control heating elements, pump control and temperature probe as option 1
Little bit of extra work and a need of suitable SSR with heat sink to fit in the small spare space inside the case but you can benefit full PID + PWM solution either in mashing or in boiling
there is also a 3rd option more invasive that need to work on the base of GF separating 2 heating element now in series in order to control them separately (500W by PID during mashing, 1500 W by relay during mash in/out and boil)
what option do you prefer ? Any other suggestion ?

- dean_wales
- Drunk as a Skunk
- Posts: 991
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:13 pm
- Location: Welshman exiled in Exeter!
Re: SmartPID - smart temperature controller
Still watching this project with interest / intent to purchase?
How long before pre-orders and for shipping a product do you think?
Dean.
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
How long before pre-orders and for shipping a product do you think?
Dean.
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk