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Floating Digital Hydrometers Comparison Tilt vs Float Vs iSpindel
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- čas přidán 15. 08. 2024
- This video compares the Tilt vs the iSpindel vs the Float.
I have been testing these devices for this video for quite some months now and the end results are all in. I compare accuracy, batteries, user experience, value for money and more.
Also, with new users in mind, I explain what you can and cannot expect from any of these devices.
Here are some website links:-
Tilt:- tilthydrometer...
iSprindel:- www.ispindel.de
Float:- www.brewbrain.nl
Channel links:-
groups/Brewbeer
www.teespring....
Introduction music:- Drink Beer (Till The Day That I Die) by Dazie Mae
It’s great to see more floating hydrometers coming on the market!
Thanks Jennifer:) Yes, for sure :)
I recently bought 2 tilts and have them set to connect with the grainfather app. It works great and I love the data I get. Thanks for the videos.
Great to hear! Glad you enjoyed the video :)
Great video! I've been using a handful of iSpindels with pretty good results. The calibration really is tedious, but it was a good price and since moving from beersmith to brewfather, seeing the data is way easier. If you have a spindel, give GravityMon a look. It's much better than the stock firmware.
Thank you, much appreciated.
I enjoy my Tilt and have considered getting some iSpindel's. I didn't even know about the Float and it doesn't look like it's available in the US yet. Really liked the features and look of the UI. Cheers and thanks for the comparison, David!
Many thanks Brandon, glad you enjoyed it :)
I'd be surprised to see the Float in the US until the Tilt patent expires tbh
I am unsure what the plan is here.
If you buy an extra CR123A for your Tilt, then remember to store it in the fridge for longer life span.Thanks for the video and your effort 👍
Great tip! Thanks Allan. Glad you enjoyed this one :)
I use my ispindel to tell when fermentation activity has stopped.....thats it. I dont rely on it to accurately determine FG . It links into Brewfather and gives good graphs that I can share with my wife. She feigns interest.
Great :)
Great Vid, I have built my own 2 iSpindel devices and have them reporting to ubidots for a small fee and get great reports. I am sometimes surprised how accurate they are but found temperature fluctuations impact readings the most especially when cold crashing. Take them for what they are and not the final or only measurement tool. They add to the brewing experience and they are a great indicator of what is happening in the fermenter. BTW they safed my beer a couple of times when I was still using Some unstable product to run my fermentation. These products sometimes would get stuck in cooling or worse heating mode and essentially would ruin the beer. I always set an alarm on ubidots that runs independently from my fermenter and thus have a fail save just in case. I get a message when these limits are reached and then can act based on the situation. Just me experience
Many thanks Marius. Yes, I firmly believe the most important thing with these devices is to fully understand their realistic use. They are very useful but do suffer from some limitations like everything else really. You will not get an accurate reading from a hydrometer, for example, if there is foam in the sample.
I have two BrewBrain floats now and I'm very happy with them. Initial set up can be confusing but I got there in the end. A word about the video though. It's unnecessary to remove the insides for battery charging and the BB website actually states that to remove the innards will invalidate the warranty.
Cheers Steve
I went for the ispindel for 2 reasons. Firstly, cost. It's so much cheaper than the other 2 and when you consider they all have the accuracy flaws during fermentation it seems to make sense. Secondly, I wanted WiFi over Bluetooth as I don't need a second device to record the info for me. Personally, I think the value for money of the ispindel is very hard to beat.
Thanks Sam. Yes certainly the iSpindel is hard to beat for value, especially if you can do the whole DIY bit. It certainly stands up well compared to the other 2 in many areas also.
I would take the fast route personally :)
Bought two iSpindles from ispindler that are already assembled & calibrated. Works like a charm with Grainfather community. The wifi repeater is a must have if you don't have a proper signal strength. And as you said, I got delta from the value read by the ispindle and the value i read from refractometer, but globally that's a good indicator on how fermentation is evolving.
Cheers ;)
Great :) Thanks for sharing :)
Another great video. I brew low gravity table beers with similar yeasts. Havent had any stuck fermentations and know the yeasts very well. Still id like to get a tilt. Good, thorough review of these products. Its kind of still that people expect them to be 100% accurate given all the conditions in a fermenter. I like how you explain all that
Mnay thanks John, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, peoples expectations do need to be managed in regards to these for sure.
Great review, however no mention of the Tilt Pi monitoring option for the Tilt. This uses a Raspberry Pi (micro computer) to connect and monitor the bluetooth transmissions. Tilt provide a downloadable boot image for the Pi software and after a little mucking around I got it working. This also allows automatic uploading to integrate to the GrainFather software, and it all works well once configured. I'm not sure whether the other hydrometers offer similar integration options, but this Tilt setup works really well. Of course you have to add the Raspberry Pi to the setup cost, but this is offset as it obviates the need tor an old iPhone or alternate to be left next to the fermenter.
Thanks Peter and yes good point. I focussed here on what was immediate, rather than every single option available.
I actually consider this a downside of the Tilt. The other two devices do not need a Raspberry PI device to get the hydrometer reading onto the wifi network, as they are native wifi. They can directly upload data to websites or programs over the wifi network at some given interval without the need for another device to read and pass these data on.
G’day David, as usual a very useful and highly informative video, well done. I’d like to add that the Tilt manufacturers have the best product support I’ve ever come across with any product (brewing or otherwise).
Thanks Dan. Yes, really great support for sure!! Probably one of the best in the business.
As always a great and informative video as I didn't realize there was competitors with Tilt. I had mentioned in a previous video my first tilt years ago read 5000F out of the box and they replaced it instantly. As of recently I decided to buy a 3rd Tilt and the new ones only open on one end but I must say I was impressed as it was calibrated perfectly right out of the box and has been dead on with my regular glass hydrometer so I think they have really come a long ways on accuracy compared to my older 2 that I re-calibrate every time I use them. I use to have problems removing the lids on the old tilts but I simply put a silicone pot holder on top and use a pair of pliers and it comes off really easily. I haven't tried doing the same on the new one but I have said the only other improvement beyond the amazing accuracy of the latest tilt would be to have a pointed top to avoid yeast build up during fermentation or at least to minimize it. Plus I tried the brewfather but really like the Tilt Pi a lot better.
Many thanks :) Yes there are certainly other options to the Tilt these days and it looks like this will continue to expand over time further also. The Tilt has certainly improved since its early days and the company behind it have awesome customer service for sure.
I have often wondered what the possibilities of setting up a raspberry pi in concert with the plaato keg scale and a e-hydrometer would be. It appears they could act as a redundant system for measuring gravity, since the weight of the vessel surely changes during fermentation, and could easily offer some control dynamics and automation capacities to fermentation that could really simplify fermentation for people without the time, or knowledge, to regulate fermentation to compel attributes to beers not regarded by myself included. Most of the time, it's all I can do to get a beer brewed and in the fermenter, and just come back after a couple of weeks when it is done. Cheers Sir, Happy brewing to you as well.
Yes, I am yet to try raspberry pi in this way. The plaato keg works very nicely as a volume meter but I am not sure how well it would work in any other way.
Thanks David, very useful. I live in the Netherlands and was about to buy the float but the compatibility with Brewfather put me off. Apparently that will change in the near future so then I prefer this home grown product even more.
Many thanks Frank. Yes, I have been impressed with the float for sure. Brewfather support is coming and hopefully will not be long now :)
As always, thank you for the straightforward videos you put out. Per your original videos on the Tilt years ago, I've been happily using a V2 for a few years. Once the app was improved, it became a breeze to use and I now integrate it with Brewfather. It works perfectly through my GF conical. Regarding batteries, for about $25 USD, I was able to get a 6-pack of rechargeable batteries along with a charger for them on Amazon. That should last me a lifetime. I get a few brews out of each charge and as I recalibrate each time, the nominal weight difference in the normal vs rechargeable battery is insignificant. Having said that, I would love to see a battery monitor on the Tilts.
Many thanks Dave. Yes the Tilt could really use a better way to monitor the battery. I would think this would be easy enough to build in seeing as the other 2 have it. Good idea on the rechargables, though opening my tilt up has become painful for sure.
Perfect timing on this vid! I need to buy a new one because I'm a moron and flushed it down the toilet recently while emptying the trub! Brand new; had it for just one brew! In the future I'm going to write a big, red memo on the lid, otherwise this hobby of mine might be quite expensive.
Many thanks Jacob. Sorry to hear about that! Yes that will start to add up for sure!
Lol holy shit, i would of been so pissed off.
Same!
Wow, emptying your trub down the bog? :)
Some do :)
Thanks David for yet another great video. I have 5 tilts ongoing almost all the time. I like them, but as you clearly point out, they are not reliable when it comes to measuring FG. I use them to display on a monitor in the brewery and to write a nice curve in Brewfather app, i's nice to follow the fermentation progressing. I always take a analog hydrometer reading at the end for accurate FG.
Many thanks Stefan, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, as long as people manage their expectations then these sure as useful devices. I use at least one of them with every fermentation.
A counterpoint to the ease of opening the device: on the iSpindel, at least (and I'd presume the Float, though I haven't used one of those), you need to open it after every batch to charge the battery. On the Tilt, you only need to open it to change the battery, which they say lasts a year or so. So, while the Tilt is harder to open, you don't need to open it nearly as often.
Yes, good points 🍻🍻🍻
I setup an ispindel to send over TCP to a local server. I don’t know whether either the float or tilt has that option, but for me, I’d rather handle my data in-house. I have an R script that parses the data and draws me some nice graphs and does some statistics. I don’t want to have to export my own data as csv from some external website or app - it’s my data, I’ve generated it, and I don’t want restrictions on my own use of it.
Yes, I can understand this perspective. I think the iSpindel is the only one with this option.
The Tilt will log data locally on a Raspberry Pi if you wish.
Hi David,thanks for another good video. I agree with many of the points you raise concerning the tilt wrt reasonable expectations and the interference caused by high krausen. I've not used the other 2 but would buy another tilt. Where I have to disagree is the calibration required before every use. I just don't think the calibration is anything more than an offset. And look, it's a measured one, but its not like one is calibrating a pH metre with various known calibrated salts. This is just a number that says when your thing reads X,it really is just adding X. Now I agree, if your water doesn't read 1.000 then one might want to know what that offset might be...maybe. however I don't think it's worth dissolving kilograms of sugar in solution to ensure a known solution and to calibrate the device before every use. Now if you are really meaning that one should Chuck it neutral water and take a reading, then I think maybe. But I don't think these are really that accurate at all and I have my doubts that calibration is any real use because of this (que the prison riot) but as known, fantastic for knowing what stag your ferment is at. Am happy to be proven otherwise.
Thanks Chu :) Yes I can see that not everyone will calibrate these as often as I like to. Call it caution :)
Another brilliant and very informative video David, thank you very much for all of your time and efforts, it is very much appreciated. I'm definitely getting one or more likely two of these, just got to decide which one now, but for me Tilt is out for the Bluetooth and battery type. I look forward to watching many more of your vids, please keep up the great work :-)
Many thanks Mick. Great to hear :)
Another great comparison David, as always!
Many thanks Shane, glad you found it useful :)
You did a very good job at reviewing those 3 devices. Thank you
Many thanks Francis, glad you thought so :)
You dont need a charger with the iSpindel, it recharges the battery via the USB port on the top. LED changes status as its charging.
Yes, the float is the same, though using a separate charger is a safer option.
Thanks David, really good video. I've been thinking about getting one of these for a long time. I didn't know anything about the float. Looked like a great middle option but I was disappointed to find it isn't actually that much cheaper than the tilt. Personally I can't really justify the cost at the moment, I could get a lot more for my money with other equipment.
Thank you :) Yes it's not so different in price, though it has some advantages. The cheap deal is to get an iSpindel and DIY. Not for everyone though of course. The quality of the parts is not that high compared to the Tilt/Float as I mentioned in the video but I guess you get what you pay for.
@Dennis Arian You're right. Nobody cares.
Great video David. Thanks ! Why not talking about the pricing ? It’s important in the final consideration.
Thank you :) The trouble with talking pricing is that this will vary from country to country and also with time. So I linked the manufacturers websites in the description for relevant information :)
How of the existing one is the most recommended for professional brewery, in ways to be used in a 1000 conical jacket fermentor? Counting too with RAPT pill from kegland and the Tilt Pro.
Thanks for our videos
Hmm, ive not tested any in wort sizes above homebrew levels. So not something I can advise on sadly.
I’d love to see a step by step calibration of the iSpindle. I have followed the instructions 3 times now and the reading are still way out compared to the hydrometer
There are videos out there on CZcams covering this :)
I've gotten partway, I've done iSpindel calibration videos on:
1. Offset calibration
czcams.com/video/E9x0t4plFHo/video.html
2. 25-degree calibration in pure water
czcams.com/video/RIqr6ynSPOo/video.html
Make sure you offset calibrate first, then balance to 25-degrees in water. Videos are coming for the calibration in sugar water and during active fermentation. A video on battery voltage calibration is coming eventually. Those all the calibrations, lol.
It's great to see so many electronic hydrometers and beer brewing automation! What a fantastic world we live in!
David, thank you for the video. I didn't even know that the Float existed!!! Thanks again for sharing I'm now subscribed :)
The instructions are pretty basic, but the formula can’t be more then 100 characters which the online calibration tool will spit out, so you need to shorten the formula otherwise you’ll get really weird results.
Very true :)
We must protect him at all costs.
Ok 🍻🍻🍻
I don't have a wifi at all in my brew space. I will need a Bluetooth hydrometer and a device that must be always open ro have the results? Also what hydrometer is the best for that? Thanks David for the nice video.
I would suggest the Tilt in this case. However to see the result outside of that brewspace you will need wifi. Suitable devices are old phones or tablets. I use an old iPad personally 🍻🍻🍻
Hi David, I have Speidel Braumeister fermenters both are stainless. I wiould like to employ the use of a bluetooth capable hydrometer. My concerns are that the Hydrometer will not be able to send information through the Stainless steel. As you will be aware German products are well made and quite robust. Any ideas please.
Hi John, Ive not used the fermenters you mention but every SS fermenter so far has worked with floating hydrometers except one which is Keglands Kegmenter. It has very thick stainless steel. However a work around is to put a device on the lid and this will pick up a signal. In terms of German products I am using iSpindel with very good results and recently recieved something new which is German made called “Hydrom”. I have not tried it yet but the device certainly seems well made.
You can make your own for less than £30 that is as accurate as any of these devices. I made one a few years ago. All you need is an accelerometer a temp sensor and a WiFi enabled microcontroller. For data logging all you need is a Cayenne account or ThingSpreak, all free. As you rightly point out the device is affected by yeast deposits and this is the main problem. Useful, but one more item to make sure you have sterilised meticulously before dropping in the fermenter.
Thanks for the comparison though.
For sure you can, if you have the know how or purchase an iSpindel kit. I guess this is not an option for the mainstream though. These are useful devices as long as you understand where they are useful :)
Why does the meter need to float amidst the yeast ? Why not weigh it to submerse below the surface!
I guess it has been tried :)
@@seeatle11 you would have to make it to have neural buoyancy but since the density changes over time that might be hard to achieve. No harm in trying thought.
Yup :)
Are they ok to use on the Pinter 3.
I am not sure if they will, so probably best to check with Pinter on this one.
thank you david, super video, my question is if you also tested the float with a grainfather conical fermenter. And if you also experience connection problems with it to .greetings Robin
Thanks Robin, yes I have used this combination a lot. No issues there.
You are legend DAVID
🤜🏼💚🤛🏼
Thanks for this video
Che😇🍻😇ers
Many thanks, much appreciated :)
Any tips for which work best in sealed unitanks?
You should have an even experience there as long as its not very thick walled and even then there are easy ways forward.
How well do all of these perform hydro meters work under pressure fermentation?
At 10-12 PSI they perform well.
Sorry, but what comparison? You mention that warranty is different and so is accurracy, but I see no measurements or conclusions? I knew they'd varied, but not (and still not) which is better.
There are different ways of comparing. It sounds like you want this video:-czcams.com/video/VvJEaHgOGc8/video.htmlsi=ftJK9LnvOHQzG1fy
Hello David, thank you for your videos, I recently found out that these devices exist and I love them, I am from Ecuador and surely they are very expensive here but at least I would like one to know what the final density of the beer is, I can use it to put it in the fermenter about 10 or 12 days after fermentation? so you don't have to take samples from the fermenter and risk contamination?
Thanks Sebastian. These are all designed to be added to your wort before fermentation starts. You can then monitor the whole fermentation.
I put a bit of keg lube on my tilt covers and never had another problem.
Yes, it is helpful, though in my case it did not stay helpful for long. I guess I use mine more than most though, its almost in constant use.
I tend to use a laxative whenever I have constipation, but hey if it works for you.
Thankyou, this was a very interesting video for me because I am considering whether I could use one of these devices. I brew in a stainless steel brew bucket inside a converted fridge fermentation chamber. I worry that I might buy one of these hydrometers and find it is impractical with my setup.
Thanks John. I found that they were all fine with regular fermenters except think keg like types for example the Kegmenter. Range will be impacted but then you could use a old device and have it sitting close to the fridge. This works well.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Thanks for the info. I just remembered I have a spare wifi repeater knocking around that I can put right next to the fermenting fridge. That should help.
Yes, for sure :)
Do they fit in carboys
Yes, no problem there 🍻
My iSpindel died on its second voyage under pressure :( first use it worked wonderfully .. on the second it sunk after cold crashing! I ensured the lid was on tight and securely but unfortunately it still filled up with lovely carbonated porter (David’s Recipe actually!!). Funnily enough the WiFi light kept flashing however the rest of the boards were dead
Sorry to hear that. I guess there was a defect somewhere there. Ive not had any issues personally but because these tubes and lids are manufactured by various sources probably for various applications I guess there will be some margin for this.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Some iSpindle printed circuit boards will prevent the cap from sealing properly. On most of them you can file down the top 2 corners of the PCB to correct this. The portion of the cap that slides into and seals the opening of the tube should not contact the PCB. Also, the PCB should not prevent you from fully tightening the cap.
Great information:) many thanks. I've got a couple of iSpindels but I did not make them.
Non-Tilt options are a nonstarter for us carboy users. Tilt fits down the neck. I don't believe the others will.
The other two are thicker, this is true. I only use carboys for longer term conditioning personally.
Hello, thks for the video. Do you know what is the max temperature that the iSpindel can undertake in the bucket ? wanna check a flash pasteurization temperature with it. cheers
Thanks. Impossible to say because these are all made differently from kits. Best to ask where you got it from.
Would love to hear more about your experiences with calibrating these devices. You mentioned you do it often but the procedures I found for the iSpindle sound quite cumbersome and time consuming.
Thanks Andy. Yes the iSprindle calibration is far longer. No way round this just yet sadly.
Other than integration with different services, do any of the products offer any extra features that the others don't?
Hi Jamy, I think the main difference "features wise" is around battery monitoring and use.
You didn't really talk more about the accuracy of the devices as you promised in the beginning of the video, i.e. what's the actual rated accuracy of them. Apparently the float is +/- 0.006 gravity points which I think is quite a big error. Also, I don't like having to register for an account. What if the product doesn't sell as much as hoped? Will the company go bankrupt, close down the website and make the device unusable?
I already have the Tilt and even though I do find it somewhat useful I wouldn't say it's an essential tool. It's a luxury item, really. Being able to see the fermentation data in real time or graphs is convenient but certainly not necessary. Would I recommend it? I'd say go for the iSpindle only because it's so much cheaper than the others. I haven't actually tested it but I'm sure it's good enough for homebrewers. I don't think the Tilt is worth the price and I wouldn't buy another one.
FDK Thank you for your comment. I spent a fair part of this video talking about expectations. I've been testing these for many months and accuracy is a variable. I hoped that I made that clear? Do not buy any if these thinking that they will be accurate at all points. They will not be. What they will do though is show that fermentation is moving down and being stable. I cannot do more than report my findings. What you decide to buy has to be your decision perhaps based on the facts that I can present. Will any of these products survive? Your guess is as good as mine. Are they essential? No. Are they useful? I think so but as always you need to decide for yourself :)
FDK As for value, again that is a personal decision.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Well, if I buy a measuring device I expect it to do just that, measure whatever it measures with some sort of accuracy.
Speaking of accuracy, my Tilt has an interesting property. I did a calibration once with sugar solutions according to the instructions that came with it and it measured exactly the same as my glass hydrometer showed, which was also what it was supposed to show according to the sugar content.
However, when I use it in wort it consistently measures 3 points below what my glass hydrometer! Both before and after fermentation it's always 3 points below the hydrometer. I find that pretty strange.
Well I think all of these measure with ”some accuracy” just not at all times. I wanted to be very clear about expectations in the video, hence the intro that just spoke about this and what the main uses are :)
Is there one which stores the data in flash memory and can then be downloaded periodically?
No but with most you have have logs generated to a website or spreadsheet :)
Do you go through the process of calibrating the iSpindle every time you use it? Do you have any tips for speeding up that process?
I do a water test each time, if it's all good then no need. If you use Brewfather then you can simply set an offset.
Would be interested to learn how the Tilt et al. compare to the PLAATO Airlock.
They are very different products with their own pros and cons. I may do something on this in 2021.
thanks so much for the video. Did you have any problems configuring the Float? I had to change my WiFi settings, so I need to reconfigure my float, but I can't connect to it anymore, and support doesn't answer :-(
I had no issues personally. I am sure that you will get an answer soon :)
Hi, great video. I'm thinking about buying the float ... One question: is it possible to change the scale from specific Gravity to Plato?
Thank you. I do not think so but then the UI just changed greatly so maybe there is changes in that direction.
Are any of these devices particularly prone to problems when fermenting under pressure ?
Not in my experience at 10-12 PSI
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Wow, that's incredible.
Or do you mean 1 to 2 Bar ?
Sorry, I meant PSI. Changed now!
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I like to aim for 2.5 vol carbonation in lagers by spunding during fermentation. That means juggling between temperature and pressure. I've started using Nova lager yeast which means. I can finish fermentation at about 10° c and 17.5 psi.
I'm sure Nova will continue to work below 10° c as long as I don't shock it.
I'll definitely invest in one of these devices, I just need to decide which one and how far I can push it on the pressure.
Thanks for your help in educating us 🍻
I always stay within the 10-12 PSI range, though yeast companies are suggesting a max pressure of just over. With my slow carb method I generally have carbonated beer within one week of adding to a keg. I dont start drinking lagers that fast though, unlike hoppy styles. 🍻🍻
Hi David, any experience with using these hydrometers with pressure fermenters please? e.g. leakage or altered accuracy due to increased pressure. I suspect that for identifying the endpoint of the fermentation, consistency and reliability is more essential than accuracy. TIA.
Hi Bob, yes, I use pressure a lot with these in the fermenter. You will be fine at normal pressure levels of one bar. However, if you head towards two bars then this will cause interference.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Magic, thanks. Good info as always.
Cheers Bob 🍺
This means in essence if I ferment is a public cellar with no WiFi or phone reception I can only use the tilt and only with an old phone plugged in next to it??
Yes. That is true.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew What if you use that very phone to create a Wi-Fi hotspot And then have us the data with the same phone? Do you think that would work? I am really just looking for the data to know when the fermentation is finished. Hence a cheaper alternative would be better from now.
Yes, I think it would work. As long as the phone has signal :)
Great video David!
Many thanks Emil :)
Thanks for the very useful video!
Great, thank you :)
Does any of these devices work within a Grainfather Conical or other stainless steel fermenter?
Yes, they all do. I mentioned this in the video :) The only problem was with thicker stainless steel products like the kegmenter.
Thanks mate ... it was interesting and helped
Many thanks John :)
Have you tested each and compared them to the readings of an acutal hydrometer? If so, which one was most accurate in regards to the acutal SG?
Yes, all testing was done in this way. Best Accuracy was as follows:- 1) Float 2) iSpindel 3) Tilt. The tilt is the most effected by yeast sticking to it and I saw that this accounted for this result.
Davi Heath Homebrew
Yes? :)
@@DavidHeathHomebrew How accurate were they in general?
During very active fermentation not very but after that point not so bad as long as krausen doesn't get stuck on them.
Great video. Very handy as I've just brought an ispindle but would like to upgrade to a float in the future. Do you have to calibrate the float? I found it very hard to calibrate the ispindle with my limited knowledge and not sure if I've done it right.
Thanks Nigel. The float is precalibrated when it id shipped. It can then be adjusted by an offset.
Do you have to give it an offset or can you just go with how it comes?
It should be fine how it comes.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew awsome. Do you have to recalibrate each of these every time you use them?
I guess this depends on how often you are using them and how accurate you want them to be. Personally I find the float and iSpindel wander on readings slower than the tilt. The tilt is very fast to calibrate though.
You mentioned higher end models that are "super silly expensive ". Can you recommend any for cost benefit analysis. I am looking for something that could be used in a microbrewery FV.
Ive been away from that side of the business for a while. I cannot advise on this sadly.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew understood, thank you. Really enjoying your content. Would love to see a future review on the tilt pro.
Great. Yes that could come in 2021.
I know under pressure the reading will be off but would they support pressure? At least to monitor temp and some gravity reading?
I use my tlit under pressure just to monitor fermentation temp and dry hop times. No issues yet don't use it all the time tho.
At 10-12 PSI they perform well.
Great :)
Hi. Very good video. I decided to buy float. But now have a problem. It not connecting to my wi fi. I wrote to support they say can be wrong setup. I wrote to my internet suplyer and send recommended setups. They sayning it is correct. Float conects to my mobil hotspot, but it is not an issue for big costs og extra sim card. So now I have mision imposible. Best Regards.
Thank you. Yes, wifi can be a challenge with any of these devices. Hopefully you will have it figured out quickly :)
Finaly with big big help from float support I connected my float to my wi-fi. Many thanks to brew brain suport!
Great :)
My choice would be for the Tilt. As a Dutch inhabitant i would like to support the brew brain float, but the price is too high. The Tilt is smaller and has a bigger support community.
Is the Tilt cheaper than the Float in the Netherlands? Its the same price here in Norway.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew Tilt cost around €150. BrewFloat Between €120 - €140. The Tilt is smaller,works with a Pi, better build circuit design. and less surface for bubbles to stick on. The BrewFloat is big, has a large pcb, and has been designed with lots of help from other brewers, which now have to pay the full price.
Maybe a review of tilt pro? Cant find any...
I will consider it :)
First of all: Thanks for another great video, much appreciated! Secondly a question or two :-) Did you ever manage to get a float working through the kegland kegmenter? My tilt is really struggling and I have to place the tilt pi right on top of it for it to work. And even then it can sometimes take quite a bit of time before the two connect, first time I used I had no signal for 2+ days when it suddenly managed to connect and worked fine for days afterwards. I really like both the Tilt (primarily for trends I guess rather than exact readings as you say) and my kegmenter, just wish the two of them were better friends :-)
Finally, when you say you calibrate for every fermentation. Do you mean the multipoint calibration with suger or ”just” the 1.000 calibration in water? Again, thanks for your time and effort in making these videos!
Thanks Anders. Yes the Kegmenter is too thick for any of these devices but I do see successful measurements when a connecting device is placed on the lid of the kegmenter. This is easiest with the Tilt because all you need there is an old phone plugged in placed on the lid. For wifi only devices you will need a WiFi relay or similar. I use a simple calbration to make sure all is on point, as you mention.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew thanks! That makes sense!
:)
Thanks David - I think people expect too much from these devices (same as the Plaato). Great for monitoring but accuracy?
Thanks Ken. Yes, some really do. I felt it was important to cover expectation reality first and then how they are useful after before diving in.
David Heath Homebrew I agree! I recently went through all of my gear to do a bit of a cull & I was surprised just how much stuff I had!
What would you say is the best way of calibrating the iSpindel for maximum correctness? Do you follow the official version or do something else? I calibrated mine and updated the formula, but when I remeasured the sugar solutions - some of the readings where wrong even after a thorough calibration procedure.. But perhaps that’s nothing to worry about, and the Ispindel isn’t better than that?
I followed the official steps but yes it is not spot on all the time.
From my understanding of the calibration method for the ispindel the equation you get is for a curve which closely matches your gravity readings with the sugar solution. Their excel file to create this gives you the deviation of your readings from the generated curve. I did gravity samples from plain water all the way to 1.110 at 10 point increments and find it to be fairly accurate (well it agrees with my traditional hydrometer anyway!).
Okay! That’s good to hear. My take away from this video is that I can’t rely on this instrument more than using it as a trend reference on how the fermentation develops. Thanks, David! Keep up the good work for us home brewers! 💪🏼
@@MikaelWallSweden absolutely, I'd agree with the sentiment of the video. It's a tool to help you, it's not the be all and end all, although I have been getting accurate FG readings so far. The main benefit I see if being able to tell that fermentation is over rather than waiting 2 weeks or opening the fermentation vessel to take samples. Also very useful to time dry hopping while fermentation is still going to minimise oxidation.
Yes, for sure. It is important that people manage their expectations for sure.
Pricing?
Depends on where you live. I have linked the manufacturers websites in the description for pricing in your area. This is also something that could change over time, so it is best to link sites rather than put pricing in the actual video.
Is there a max temperature these can be placed in?
I guess so, they are plastic. Ive used them at up to 45C without issues. I am not aware of yeast that will withstand more than this.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew looks like Float says max 40C. Decided to look and not be lazy. Higher temp would be nice, then you could throw it in if you were overnight chilling.
Ive had it to 45C quite a bit, no problem but it would be no good for much hotter I am sure.
I think I'm going to build the ispindel, I can build 10 for about $150.
Great, it is for sure a cost effective option for self builders.
Great video!
If your software developer and want to see the source code, check it out here --> github.com/universam1/iSpindel
I’m honestly impressed by iSpindel. More brewing software‘s need to be open-source. Open source coding allows technology to advance at a faster pace. While allowing the technology to thrive in a community of like-minded individuals.
Interesting gadgets, can't really think why I'd need one, but interesting.,=)
I guess "need" is not a word I would use. Handy and useful, yes :)
I use the tilt. Brilliant for lagers, simply get an email to say to start diacital rest. Have to disagree re accuracy, I’ve found mine to be very accurate.
That is one huge house :)
No not really, it is pretty modest in reality :)
Hi David,
Feel free to contact me, if you want to try Floaty hydrometer :D
Cheers !
Sure, that would be great. Please email me at david@olbrygging.no
seeing this makes me appreciate the minibrew lol
Great :)
The minibrew is hilariously bad. Proprietary, expensive and small.
I think for a regular brewer the Minibrew is not a great option but for those looking for a less time consuming way with the cash to throw at it then it's an option.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew But you have to buy their recipes, you can't create you're own. You're not making very good stuff either, and for a higher price. It's for brewers who don't enjoy any aspect of the brewing process.
@@Fabianwew You actually can create and brew what you like but this comes at extra cost. Clearly this will not suit the average brewer though :)
I'll build my own iSpindel
Great :)
Tilt is the best
Thanks for sharing your thoughts :)
Told me nothing really, some opinion on these would have been useful!
I gave opinion at various points of the video and then summarised it at the end.
@@DavidHeathHomebrew I don't think so. There's nothing wrong with actually saying which one is best, which one is not so good or which one is best value for money. They are all doing the same thing, clearly.
I did mention that the Float is the most accurate and that the Tilt is the least accurate. But I also mentioned that there are various differences, which are pros and cons. Which is the best for me is not relevant. I have provided the facts in the hope that you can decide for yourself. This is my approach.
I've used til2's for over a year now. Love them. I have 2 and one is real reliable and steady while 2nd not so much. Key learning is calibrate before each use. I just gathered parts for 5 ispinels so I will let you know how the builds go. Cheers
Yes, I calibrate before each use also, for sure this is key. Hope you enjoy the iSpindels :)
Kegland are going to come out with another competing product at some point too 👍
Yes, I look forward to seeing how that compares once released.
David Heath Homebrew They cited cost being a factor in wanting to make a competing product so I’m going to wait out for that one. I didn’t know the float was out there either so I will track that one in the meantime and make a purchasing decision once kegland makes their release.
I think the tilt is a bit expensive for what is essentially a floating wii remote.
I guess no device of this type is going to be much cheaper but if a major player like Kegland got involved then they could push price down just based on higher production numbers.
Also looking forward to the Kegland version, but timeline worries me a little... who knows if it will be weeks, months or years...
No idea at this point sadly.