Wireless Hydrometer

AGbrewer

AGbrewer

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Anyone had experience with the TILT wireless hydrometers?

Thinking about getting one, but wanted some feedback from folks before is dump $140 on one.
 
I’ve been using mine for about a year and a half. It works so well that I have quit taking manual readings.
 
I'm happy with mine.

Couple of things you may already know..

If you want to automatically send the data to a site like this one you'll need to repurpose some old hardware with bluetooth or buy something like a raspberry pi and use tilt pi (https://tilthydrometer.com/products/tilt-pi-raspberry-pi-disk-image-download) or make a tiltbridge (https://www.tiltbridge.com/).

While it's really good at letting you know how fermentation is going, it can get a little confused if there's a huge krausen or dry hop. Some of the crud can get attached and knock the tilt off slightly. It's no big deal, just needs a hydrometer/refractometer reading at the end to confirm the FG.

And if you are happy with a bit of DIY the iSpindel are the clunkier, much cheaper, simpler cousins (http://www.ispindel.de/). Been thinking about making some of these up for the long term aged beers.
 
I'm pretty happy with mine too. I use an old phone connected 24x7 to bridge the tilt data to the software. As mentioned it's not always giving 100% correct data, but usually good enough to know how the fermentation progress.
 
On some beers, there can be a period where the CO2 bubbles adhere to the Tilt and cause it to float higher, which shows the SG going up instead of down. This is short lived and usually happens in the early stages of fermentation. Other than that, it’s been pretty accurate.
 
I LOVE mine. I have it next to an old iPhone, and integrated with Brewer's Friend. I have a kolsch to keg (hopefully today), and here's the reading:
upload_2020-6-15_9-4-58.png


I easily see the temperature, the gravity, the ABV, etc- and I've never even glanced at the fermenter (except to notice that it had plenty of headspace). If they were cheaper, I'd have several!
 
The Tilt is a $150 investment I can't justify: My refractometer and spreadsheet work fine at the cost of a couple drops of wort every day or so. Not knocking those of you who use it, I just have other uses for the money (RO filter, maybe?).
 
Nosybear said:
The Tilt is a $150 investment I can't justify: My refractometer and spreadsheet work fine at the cost of a couple drops of wort every day or so. Not knocking those of you who use it, I just have other uses for the money (RO filter, maybe?).
Click to expand...
I have spent lots of my money on beer and brewing equipment. I have just wasted the rest.
 
Hawkbox said:
They seem neat but I just don't care what my wort is doing day to day.
Click to expand...

Yes, I thought the same thing but making certain lagers made me change my mind. I now know when I"m at 75% of the way to my projected attenuation and can do the diacetyl rest, all without risking any opening of the fermenter. I can ferment in corney kegs with no visual cues at all, and know if fermentation has begun (or ended).
When I made a kolsch about 10 days ago, I saw on my desktop that the temperature had suddenly crept up to 68 degrees- and that was handy for sure.
 
I think it will be great to not have to open the fermenter at the end to check for final gravity and waste ounces of brew in the hydrometer flask each time.
 
I made three iSpindels and just love the results. With these you do not need a secondary device. It will send the data straight to brewersfriend (or a bunch of other places) when you configure it. The batteries don't last as long as the tilt but are rechargeable. So between brews I just place it on my phone charger for a day or so. I built the three for about $60. Having said all that I someday hope to have a tilt too.
 
Can anyone tell me if I can use my every day iPhone to connect to the Tilt or does it have to be a designated device? I really don't need minute by minute updates but if I can go stand by the fermenter and connect once a day or every other day or so?
 
Bubba Wade said:
I have spent lots of my money on beer and brewing equipment. I have just wasted the rest.
Click to expand...
It's a hobby for me too not a way to drink beer for cheap. Hobbies cost money. I spend disposable income on the equipment and doo dads. I think messing with all the gadgets and building all the equipment is part of what makes it fun!
 
^Tony^ said:
Can anyone tell me if I can use my every day iPhone to connect to the Tilt or does it have to be a designated device? I really don't need minute by minute updates but if I can go stand by the fermenter and connect once a day or every other day or so?
Click to expand...
It does not need to be a dedicated device if you just want to check the temperature and SG. I have a dedicated device (my wife's obsolete iPad), but that's mostly so I can track it and watch the curve. If I can see the curve it gives me a bit better idea of how the fermentation is going and whether it is ready for packaging.

I have a cider fermenting now. Looking at the graph below, I can see that the SG is starting to flatten out. I'll plan on packaging in the next 3-4 days. Graphing just provides a little better visual.

cider.JPG
 
Bubba Wade said:
It does not need to be a dedicated device if you just want to check the temperature and SG. I have a dedicated device (my wife's obsolete iPad), but that's mostly so I can track it and watch the curve. If I can see the curve it gives me a bit better idea of how the fermentation is going and whether it is ready for packaging.

I have a cider fermenting now. Looking at the graph below, I can see that the SG is starting to flatten out. I'll plan on packaging in the next 3-4 days. Graphing just provides a little better visual.

View attachment 10472
Click to expand...

I really like the graph. I especially like being able to see the flattening of the gravity curve.
 
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