OurBrewbotMoving from MyBrewbot
Your settings#
The controller keeps its settings as JSON files in a separate part of the flash memory (the LittleFS partition). That partition survives firmware updates. OurBrewbot uses the same file names and field names as the original firmware, but several settings mean something different, so if you install it on an existing MyBrewbot without erasing, it converts your settings once on its first start. Fermenters, probes, Tilts, iSpindels, smart plugs, profiles, your WiFi and your Brewfather or Brewer's Friend ID are carried across. Probe names, Plaato, MyBrewBuddy and monitor.beer are not.
A profile that was running is stopped, so start it again on the Profiles tab. Press your brew service's Test button to check it still works. Your WiFi network and password are moved into the controller's own WiFi store, and the original's WiFi settings file, which held the password in plain text, is deleted.
The untouched original files are kept in the orig folder, and
orig/conversion.txt lists every change that was made. You can view them, and the
settings files, in the admin page's file browser, or fetch them from /fs/files
and /fs/file. Check your plugs and fermenters there before you start a brew.
The README
has the full list of what is converted.
Differences from the original firmware#
OurBrewbot does the same job as the original MyBrewbot firmware, but it doesn't copy it exactly. These are the differences you are most likely to notice:
| Area | Original MyBrewbot | OurBrewbot |
|---|---|---|
| Setting up and monitoring | The Blynk app and mybrewbot.co.uk, both now shut down | A web admin page on the controller, a REST API, and MQTT with Home Assistant discovery |
| Temperature control source | Chosen per fermenter: probe, Tilt, ambient probe or iSpindel | Chosen by each sensor's role. A fermenter uses its beer Tilt, then its beer probe, then its beer iSpindel, then its ambient probe, and shows which one it is using |
| Gravity source | Chosen by the SG Control setting | Picked automatically: the fermenter's Tilt, then a reporting iSpindel, then an estimate |
| Alarm tolerance | A percentage of the set temperature | Degrees outside the floor or ceiling that raise the alarm straight away. A smaller drift raises it after a delay |
| Compressor delay | Delays switching cooling on and off, and switching straight between heating and cooling | Only delays switching cooling on |
| Setting up WiFi | Nothing is controlled while the setup hotspot is open, or while it's trying to connect at start-up | The fermenters keep being controlled while the setup hotspot is open |
| Losing WiFi | Keeps controlling for 21 minutes, then switches every plug off and restarts, and controls nothing until the WiFi is back | Keeps controlling the fermenters, and opens the setup hotspot if the WiFi doesn't come back |
| Probe names | Set by you | Set by the probe's position on its jack, such as Probe Bus1-2 |
| Brew services | Brewfather, Brewer's Friend, monitor.beer and Plaato | Brewfather (Custom Stream API) and Brewer's Friend, switched on per fermenter |
| Firmware updates | Installed from the MyBrewbot server | Uploaded from your browser. A daily check tells you when a new release is out |
| Controller temperature | Shown from the probe on the circuit board | Not read (Not found on my board) |
| Clearing WiFi | Press reset twice | Press reset twice within 10 seconds. The OurBrewbot-XXXXXX setup hotspot then stays open until you enter new WiFi details, and the fermenters keep being controlled |
| Crashes | The reset reason was recorded | The crash details are logged and sent to ourbrewbot.com to help fix bugs (can be switched off) |