Parrot based on Raspberry Pi

[PeeGee]

I have been working on a parrot that will display ABV of liquid or vapor in a still using a temperature sensor(s).
It is in part a replacement of the electric parrot that Tim Ebert made and sold.

So far using a package called Node-Red on a Raspberry Pi computer I have a basic display working.
Uses a node called T2ABV and displays onto the Node-Red dashboard.

Has anyone also developed such a parrot or know of anyone who has done the same thing?

[GrantB]

Wow, sounds very interesting, best of luck with it.

[PeterC]

I have one of the originals but am interested if I need a replacement eventually. I did download the code for an Arduino solution but it was a bit beyond my skillset.
The background is here http://eparrot.org/index.php/board,51.0.html

[PeeGee]

Thank you all for your input.
The T2ABV node in Node Red is based on the Brau tables that date back to around 1957(?).
It uses around 350 ABV data points for both liquid and vapour values.
Having got the Raspberry Pi Parrot working, now intend to integrate a pressure sensor and another temperature sensor.
Then will build a decent dashboard for different uses: Pot still, Reflux still etc.

The polynomials I have seen are rather inaccurate and I decided against using them when first starting this project.

As far as I can tell the parrot I have is as accurate as and will be more versatile than the Electric Parrot that was sold by www.5stardistilling.com.au..

[PeeGee]

Hi,
An update.
Have the Raspberry pi working with two temperature sensors now.
One for a probe in the vapour path and one in the barrel to get a value of remaining ABV as the distillation run progresses.
The latter is an indication only but as the run progresses the ABV drops to very low values very close to zero.
Have found this quite useful.

The pressure value required is inputted manually at the moment.
An adjustment for altitude will follow.

[bluc]

Wondering for the boiler one is it in vapour or liquid?

[PeeGee]

The boiler one is for liquid.
The Brau tables contain values for liquids as well as vapour.

Both temperature sensors( one-wire) work well.
Have been playing with a pressure sensor(I2C) that does work by itself but it kills the temperature reading when I put it in the Node Red flow.
Considering importing the barometric pressure from the web as the T2ABV node requires pressure to run.
Keeping me occupied.
Have to spend more time on creating useful dashboard(s) for the project...

[PeeGee]

Parrot now working with input from BMP280 pressure sensor.
Altitude of the still does make a difference to the ABV.
The sensor agrees with a calculated pressure adjusted for altitude.

Still at the breadboard stage so not pretty but works...
Happy with the result so far. Have tried to make the unit portable with a small screen, works but have to adjust the dashboard to suit.

[Darwin award]

How u going with this? I played around with the arduino as well, but gave up...

[B-Man]

I have thought about it but haven't had the time to look into it anymore, would love to make everything more digital, and somehow be able to automatically record all the data into a spreadsheet