Plaato airlock

[Coronajax]

curious how many here are using one and what their opinion is about it.
https://plaato.io/

 

[BarbarianBrewer]

I don't have one but, there have been discussions on the forum about them. From what I remember, the consensus was they probably wouldn't work well with bucket fermenters where a significant amount of CO2 leaks from the lid. Also, temperature changes (like a diacetyl rest) would lead to inaccurate readings.

 

[thunderwagn]

curious how many here are using one and what their opinion is about it.
https://plaato.io/

I don't have one but I have a beer machine that works on basically the same thing. It monitors fermentation and adjusts temps (hot or cold) estimates and notifies when fermentation is complete.
I like the Plaato keg sensors myself!

 

[Coronajax]

I don't have one but I have a beer machine that works on basically the same thing. It monitors fermentation and adjusts temps (hot or cold) estimates and notifies when fermentation is complete.
I like the Plaato keg sensors myself!

do you have a link to the "beer machine"?

 

[56 Firedome]

So, I had never heard of Plaato sensors. It would seem to be similar to a Tilt, something I also don't have. Having read about the Tilt, it seems interesting as does the Plaato.
I read above that you use it on the keg. I thought the Tilt was used in the fermenter. How do you use it?

 

[Coronajax]

So, I had never heard of Plaato sensors. It would seem to be similar to a Tilt, something I also don't have. Having read about the Tilt, it seems interesting as does the Plaato.
I read above that you use it on the keg. I thought the Tilt was used in the fermenter. How do you use it?

The Plaato sensor is an airlock style design whereas the tilt unit goes directly into your fermentation vessel. Plaato also offers a keg sensor that helps keep track of volume of beer left in the keg, temperature, optional co2 monitoring etc, the airlock unit is a completely seperate device. it sounds to me, from the feedback I have so far, that the tilt may offer a bit more accuracy over the Plaato depending on what style of vessel you use and the type of beer you brew. I like the idea of not having to take samples to dertermine if FG has been reached and fermentation is complete. I am very new to all of this so if you are trying to make a decision please research further. best of luck!

 

[Bubba Wade]

Before retiring, I was an instrumentation engineer for 38 years. Plato and Tilt work on quite different principles. Plato appears to measure CO2 emitted from the fermenter and infers a specific gravity based on the total amount of CO2. Tilt uses a more direct method by using a calibrated inclinometer: the higher it floats, the higher the specific gravity.

Plato provides an ambient atmosphere temperature while the Tilt provides a liquid temperature measurement at the top of the fermenter.

I decided to go with the Tilt. I think there are a few too many uncontrolled variables on the Plato, namely viscosity and level of the fluid in the airlock. Both of these parameters can affect bubble size that could throw off the calibration. Having said that , I still think it would be an effective monitor for indicating when fermentation is nearing completion.

 

[Donoroto]

Agreed. Tilt is more of a measurement, Plaato is more of an inference.

Neither is perfectly accurate, as external issues can and do affect the readings. But as a general way to gauge fermentation progress, both are effective.