New Grainfather Connect Controller

[vino-tinto]

I have just read this on the Grainfather Facebook page after Grainfather released the news that the new controller will be available from tomorrow.
Question asked:
With the announcement from GF stating the new controller will be released for sale tomorrow, when is the Android Connect app being released, I pre-ordered my connect box because GF advertised it would have both Apple and Android apps available. I expect I am not the only one who has done this.
Reply from Grainfather:
Rest assured we want the Android app out as soon as possible (I'm an Android user myself) but we also want to make sure it's ready to go. When we have further details we will let everyone know.

So, yet again a manufacturer makes a sales pitch which isn't true.
I wonder how many brewers in the UK have pre-ordered and paid for one, only to find it only works via wifi with an Apple. It will work as a stand alone controller, but that's not why the majority want it. I for one would use it solely on the fact that it will import BeerSmith recipes. Most want it to completely automize the brewing cycle, as my ALVA does.

[Seagull]

Boo! I hate Apple.

Apples are only good for fermenting.

[Mash]

Technology should keep away from fruit..

Apples, blackberries, orange - and we all know apricots were a flop !!

[Easydrinker]

I'm going back to my cave to try and construct an Abacus.
The world is going to hell in a death cart.
The Prepper's may have been right after all.

Robert.

[vino-tinto]

Grainfather have issued an online statement to say the Android app will be available in December but will be releasing a beta version to the first 80 who apply.

[Icefever]

Then we know how some beta versions play out. .bugs and all.

[Dave]

Boo! I hate Apple.

Apples are only good for fermenting.

[vino-tinto]

As you can see from the following report I have succumbed and bought a GF Connect controller and an iPad.

The new Grainfather Connect Controller & App

The purpose of this controller over the original one is automation.
At present there is an Apple iOS 8 and above compatible app, the Android version is still in beta but will require Android 4.4 or above. Connecting the controller with the Apple app is a simple touch of the "Connect" button, no lengthy Bluetooth device pairing is required, it's instant, but it does require Bluetooth 4LE as a minimum.

The app can import recipe "beer.xml" files such as BeerSmith but at present you cannot design a recipe within the app. Grainfather is releasing an online recipe builder very soon which allows building and saving to the app.

The app works out the strike and sparge water quantities as per the Grainfather calculator using the grain bill and discards the amounts that BeerSmith calculate, but the starting gravity in my test was equal to the SG in the BeerSmith recipe.

The app also has a quick profile section where you can set up a profile such as a 3 step mash using a set amount of grain with set addition times, you cannot specify type of grain or hop.

The controller allows the heat and pump to be switched on or off whenever regardless of the program running, it can also skip forward a section if required.

To fit the new controller, simply fit the 2 screws that came with it and drop the box into the old mounting slots, fit the 2 existing GF cables for boiler and pump and the new temperature probe into the thermowell.

Whilst running, the controller gives audible signals when each stage of the mash or boil is reached, it gives a constant readout of temperature and power applied to the element as a percentage, for instance when mashing, the power percentage was reading as little as 3%, just enough to maintain temperature and not enough to burn the wort in contact with the Grainfather's concealed 2000W element, the GF 500W element is no longer used with this new controller.

The price of £109 is very reasonable to automate the brew and could be bought to control any brewing system.
But for those who can build their own, all you would need is an Inkbird ITC-100VH + 25A SSR + Heatsink + K type temp probe + case, which can be bought for about £50.

[vino-tinto]

For anyone thinking of buying the new controller, there are many uses for the old one.
I have taken the old one apart and made a wiring plan.



I have also made a plan for a PID controller as mentioned in my review of the new controller.

[Curmudgeon]

review part 2 https://youtu.be/nSy8ZZ0gwUY

[Anavrin]

Just watched the two videos and I must say if I had the spare cash, I would have one already, shame it doesn't appear to have any distilling profiles.

Edit : The more I think about it, it might be possible to program the 10 mash steps to create some kind of program to maintain certain boiler temps for a spirit run, but it would need to be trail and error using the same boiler charge a few times to start with.

[vino-tinto]

Just watched the two videos and I must say if I had the spare cash, I would have one already, shame it doesn't appear to have any distilling profiles.

Edit : The more I think about it, it might be possible to program the 10 mash steps to create some kind of program to maintain certain boiler temps for a spirit run, but it would need to be trail and error using the same boiler charge a few times to start with.

Now you're going, ramping in 1 degree steps from say 88 to 94 might work.if you're at say 91 and you think it's finished the controller will let you skip to the next step at the push of a button.

I'm sure GF will do something like this to control its dome & condenser still in the future.

[vino-tinto]

Just watched the two videos and I must say if I had the spare cash, I would have one already, shame it doesn't appear to have any distilling profiles.

Edit : The more I think about it, it might be possible to program the 10 mash steps to create some kind of program to maintain certain boiler temps for a spirit run, but it would need to be trail and error using the same boiler charge a few times to start with.

Now you're going, ramping in 1 degree steps from say 88 to 94 might work.if you're at say 91 and you think it's finished the controller will let you skip to the next step at the push of a button.

I'm sure GF will do something like this to control its dome & condenser still in the future.

[Anavrin]

If the temp probe was swapped out for one on a longer lead, it could be placed in the vapour path, then you could control the boiler power to maintain a certain vapour temp.

There's definite potential with this, I think I'll be cheeky and ask the Wife for one for xmas

[vino-tinto]

If the temp probe was swapped out for one on a longer lead, it could be placed in the vapour path, then you could control the boiler power to maintain a certain vapour temp.

There's definite potential with this, I think I'll be cheeky and ask the Wife for one for xmas

You would need to know the type of probe it's using as not all probes are compatible with PID controllers. For instance, a K-type probe is compatible with an Inkbird but it isn't compatible with my ALVA PID. It would be easier to extend the cable on the one that comes with it.
You can buy the GF thermowell as a spare part, I bought one from Love Brewing and fitted it into my sparge water boiler to use the old controller and temp probe, but you would need access to both sides of the still tube.