Tesla Tinkering

Tyler/ June 18, 2019/ Electronics/ 1 comments

The Tesla Model 3 has more cool features than you can throw an eclectic CEO at. From Autopilot to Emissions Testing, there is always another creative innovation guaranteed to amaze. One such fun feature is the ability to record video from the vehicle’s cameras. There are two situations where this can be done. At any time during vehicle operation, you

Read More

Continuous Measurement of Fluid Density, Part 2: Parts and Plumbing

Tyler/ May 21, 2019/ Brewing Hardware, Electronics, Engineering/ 0 comments

Before the hiatus, I made an attempt at creating a Continuous Fluid Density Sensor. Here are the primary components: Two dip tubes in the fermenter MPXV7002DP differential pressure sensor ADS1115 16-bit analog to digital converter Generic, chrome plated brass, 2.5 mm hose barb to M3 adapters and 2.5 mm pneumatic hose Generic 12V aquarium diaphragm pump (model no longer listed

Read More

The Slow Burn

Tyler/ December 25, 2015/ Brewing Hardware, Electronics/ 0 comments

Merry Christmas, everyone! I just put My Lan to bed and am waiting for the family to get back from the airport, so I thought I’d provide an update. My study schedule has curtailed my tinkering but hasn’t extinguished it entirely. I’ve been slowly making little changes and cobbling together a RIMS (Recirculation Infusion Mash System). The past four weeks

Read More

Work with your hands

Tyler/ September 14, 2015/ Electronics/ 0 comments

When cooling wort with my countercurrent exchanger, it’s important to know the temperature as it comes out. The goal is to bring the wort to the optimal temperature for pitching yeast as quickly as possible. Many commercially available chillers have a thermometer at the wort outlet for this reason. I improvised during my last brew session because I didn’t have time

Read More

Cabinet 2.0

Tyler/ July 27, 2015/ Brewing Hardware, Electronics/ 0 comments

Trang and My Lan were out of town over the weekend. While I’ve mostly forgotten what it’s like to have the place to myself, I did manage to keep busy working on an academic manuscript and, of course, the brewery. Between the broken cabinet fan, the conversion from thermoelectric chips to a tube mounted water heater, and the conical installation,

Read More

Circuit Board Woes

Tyler/ July 11, 2015/ Electronics/ 0 comments

My guru told me long ago that I’d find myself cutting traces on printed circuit boards to problem solve. I thought I must have been lucky to go two-for-two without any hardware problems, but I found that the FTDI problem with my valve board was electronic, not software. I neglected to include a 100 nF capacitor between the FTDI DTR

Read More

OneWire Header

Tyler/ June 21, 2015/ Electronics/ 0 comments

Measurement of temperature is important to many stages of brewing. There are lots of options out there, but I decided on the DS18B20. What’s different about this device is that it’s not just a thermocouple or thermistor but a self contained chip with which you communicate digitally. The device communicates via the OneWire protocol, so multiple such devices can be

Read More

Standalone Arduino

Tyler/ June 4, 2015/ Electronics/ 1 comments

My custom Arduino shield for my fermentation cabinetĀ gets the job done, it’s a less than optimal design. First, I used multiple individual optocouplers and transistors. It would have been much more elegant to use integrated components with multiple optocouplers and multiple transistors in one package. Second, I used only screw terminals, which are not very sturdy. Lastly, and mostly, shields

Read More