Pimp out any E61 prosumer espresso machine with Arduino!

Need help with equipment usage or want to share your latest discovery?
matteo411
Posts: 47
Joined: 10 years ago

#1: Post by matteo411 »

So this all started as an effort to make a simple shot timer integrated into my Expobar HX Office Lever machine and it just kept expanding.

Here is a quick summary of what it shows on the OLED display
1. Relative humidity and ambient temperature.
2. Elapsed seconds from how long your pump has been on. This is effectively your shot timer.
3. Grouphead (brew) temperature (courtesy of Eric's awesome adapters)

Display on top of the steam lever

View with case off. The protoboard is mounted onto the metal side of the reservoir container with standoffs. It was a convenient location since I don't user the reservoir.

Zoomed-out view of the mounting

Sensor connections to Arduino


Parts/Price Summary
1.) 120VAC Neon Bulb
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062374
$3.99

2.) Photoresistor
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062590
$3.99

3.) Arduino Nano
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CJ7EARG/
$16.5

4.) OLED Display
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JM88A94/
$10.99

5.)Thermocouple interface board
http://www.adafruit.com/products/269
$14.95

6.) Ambient temperature and humidity sensor
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CDHH3WQ/
$6.8

7.) 10k resistor

8.) Omega Thermocouple
KTSS-18G-2.00-SMPW-M (order from Eric S.)
$34

9.) E-61 Thermocouple interface kit
order from Eric S.
$72

Total = $163.22

Credits:
1. BIG thanks to Adafruit. Their Arduino libraries for these displays and sensors really made this project plug-and-play. Support them by ordering from them!
2. Eric S. for his grouphead adapter goodies

User avatar
damonbowe
Posts: 476
Joined: 11 years ago

#2: Post by damonbowe »

This is very cool. I want one.

User avatar
bostonbuzz
Posts: 1256
Joined: 13 years ago

#3: Post by bostonbuzz »

Cool! Envious of your electrical abilities. Any easy way to add a brew pressure transducer and PWM to code programmable preinfusion at certain pressures?
LMWDP #353

rjamadagni
Posts: 46
Joined: 11 years ago

#4: Post by rjamadagni »

Awesome, I want one and I am going to build one (with help of course).

matteo411 (original poster)
Posts: 47
Joined: 10 years ago

#5: Post by matteo411 (original poster) »

An easy way to add a pressure transducer? I have no idea because I've never worked with one. The only thing I had in mind for further enhancements was some extra code that would monitor brew temp, time since last shot, etc. to give you assistance on timing your cooling flush.

jonr
Posts: 610
Joined: 11 years ago

#6: Post by jonr »

Once you have a micro-controller (like the Arduino), you only need a few more parts to control vibe pump output. Then you can get repeatable flushes and pre-infusion and with a little more effort, flow profiling and volumetric shots.

Johnny
Posts: 8
Joined: 19 years ago

#7: Post by Johnny »

Nice work and very inspiring!

User avatar
TomC
Team HB
Posts: 10535
Joined: 13 years ago

#8: Post by TomC »

This is incredible and it would be quite cool to figure out how to incorporate the display into the faceplate somehow, where it's clean and safe from damage.
Join us and support Artisan Roasting Software=https://artisan-scope.org/donate/

matteo411 (original poster)
Posts: 47
Joined: 10 years ago

#9: Post by matteo411 (original poster) »

Yes right on the face plate would be better. I don't want to cut or drill into it obviously in the interest of keeping it reversible back to stock configuration. Maybe a slim housing of some sort that could stick on like a kitchen magnet. Any ideas??

matteo411 (original poster)
Posts: 47
Joined: 10 years ago

#10: Post by matteo411 (original poster) »

Thanks jonr. Sounds like a good second phase to this. I'll look into it.

Post Reply