Month: October 2016

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Removing Sulfur Smells from Perlick 650SS Faucets

by Lee Bussy; “LBussy” on HomeBrewtalk.com

Update 7/20/20: A gentleman from Perlick reached out to me about this post. He’s informed me that as of May 2017, faucets in stock at Perlick were all 304 SS which eliminated this issue. To identify the newer 304SS taps, he shared:

There should be a date code laser-etched underneath the faucet body, so the date codes ending with “17C”, “18C”, “18D”, “19D”, or “20D” will be the all 304 stainless steel construction.

Perlick staff member (personal communication, July 20, 2020)

I want to thank Perlick for reaching out to provide this information.

What follows is the original article written circa 2016 when people were having this issue. Occasionally I have to re-passivate my taps, and it’s valuable as a method to passivate other items. What follows is the original post for reference purposes.

You will not wonder if it happened to you.  You will walk up to your tap, excited after a long day at work to pull a pint of your favorite cider or other beverage.  What comes out may knock you over.  The sulfur smell some people are experiencing from their Perlick 650SS taps is real, is unmistakable, and thankfully is avoidable.

What I present here is not new.  I learned about it in a thread on HomeBrewTalk.com where members “agrazela” (Agrazela, 2016) and “sctcts” (C., 2016) summarized very succinctly what a lot of people had been discovering and sharing.  While these summaries were very good, I believe they were somewhat more technical in nature and assumed some advanced capabilities or knowledge at the very least of terminology not generally used by homebrewers.  I wanted to present in no uncertain terms exactly what a person needed to know to get rid of the issue once and for all.  If you can follow a cookbook, you can get rid of the smell following this write-up.

The Issue

With a characteristic rotten egg smell, hydrogen sulfide is a poison.  It is detectable at extremely low levels, with 50% of the population able to detect it at 0.47 parts per billion in the air (Iowa State University Extension, 2004).  With lethal doses beginning at 320 to 530 ppm (Lindenmann, et al., 2010), or 681 to 1128 times higher than the detectable level, it is exceedingly unlikely that anyone need worry about toxicity of H2S from their taps.

Our taps are made of stainless steel; a few of the parts are made of 303 stainless steel (C., 2016) [See note at beginning of article].  This is a form of stainless which is specially formulated to be easy to machine by virtue of an addition of sulfur and phosphorous (ESPI Metals, 2016).   All stainless steel is passivated after machining.  Passivating is a process intended to allow a thin film of oxidation to form on the surface which in turn protects the steel.  When this type of stainless steel is passivated with nitric acid, manganese is etched from the surface while allowing elemental sulfur to be retained (Shen, 2004).

This elemental sulfur on the surface of the stainless steel and within crevices formed by etching of the manganese is assumed to be the root of our issue.  Empirical evidence strongly backs this theory.   The theory continues that when a highly acidic liquid such as a some wines, kombucha, cider, or cleaners like Star San are left in contact with these surfaces, the elemental sulfur (S2-) combines with the free hydrogen ions (H+) provided by the acid to form H2S, to greatly offend our sensibilities.  Generally a few ounces through the tap are all that is required to flush the smell away.  The smell will continue to come back after the system has time to sit with the acidic liquid again.  Some suppliers have even gone so far as to recommend not using the 650SS for more acidic beverages (Adventures in Homebrewing, 2016).

Trial and error has led to the common belief that a single part, the handle lever, may be the only part responsible for all the trouble (Agrazela, 2016).  Since reports of the sulfur smell come only from the owners of the 650SS faucets, the parts unique to this faucet design are reasonable suspects.  We will target three parts within the faucet to be sure of our efficacy (C., 2016).

In order to rid the parts of the issue once and for all, the parts must be thoroughly cleaned, the sulfur deposits removed and the parts re-passivated.  These steps can be followed easily in one’s kitchen with a minimum of special equipment and ingredients.  Most homebrewers should possess the tools needed to get the job done.  The chemicals are available locally.

The Process

The faucets will be disassembled, cleaned, passivated and cleaned again.  The original process used to passivate the parts during manufacturing is assumed to have used nitric acid.  We will follow a process based on the citric acid passivation methods outlined in ASTM A967 (specifically, citric I) along with the recommendations by Shen (Shen, 2004).

Preparation

You will want to procure the following in addition to normal household utensils:

In addition to these items you will need several non-reactive spoons or other utensils for portioning and stirring.  Most all tableware these days are stainless steel.  If you have any doubts about your utensils, gather glass or other lab grade pieces suitable for the task at hand.

Disassembly

perlick
Figure 1 (Perlick, 2014)

Do not completely disassemble the faucet.  Some of the O-rings and seals are more difficult to remove and will be damaged if you remove them.  Perlick recommends replacement of several of the O-rings if they are removed.  If your faucet has been in use, soak the faucet in warm cleaning solution for 1-2 minutes to help free the parts. If it is new, a dunk in warm water will help.

Refer to Figure 1 below.  Remove the tap handle if you still have one on the faucet.  Next, remove the handle jacket (1) from the handle lever.  Unscrew the compression bonnet (2) and remove it and the bearing cup (4) from the handle lever.  Lift upward on the handle lever (5a) and push back slightly to remove it from the faucet.  Set the handle lever aside, this is one of the parts you will be passivating.

The entire flow control assembly is referred to by callout 11 in the diagram.  Unscrew the flow control lever from the control barrel.  Unscrew the compression bonnet and remove.  Gently pull the control barrel from the body, noting the relationship between the pin on the end of the control barrel and the corresponding hole in the flow control compensator.

The control barrel has two O-rings.  These may be gently removed to ensure the entire surface of the control barrel is accessible for passivation. There are two schools of thought on removing these O-rings.  Some will remove them and some will recommend not risking damage to the O-rings believing that the solution will reach anywhere the beer will.  This is a personal decision and the implications and risks should be considered.

Set the flow control barrel aside, this is the second piece to be passivated.  At this point the flow-control compensator (9) should freely slide out of the rear of the faucet.  Removal of the coupling gasket (8) is not necessary.  The flow-control compensator is the third and final piece to be set aside to be passivated.

The Mix

Lye solution, especially as it gets hot, will cause severe burns to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes (Certified Lye, 2013).  It is a severe caustic substance and will ruin your day.  It is used in soap making and a lot of people use it safely every day with reasonable precautions, so have a look on the Internet for Lye Safety and have a good read before messing with it.  One such article is the Soap Queen’s Back to Basics: Lye Safety Guide (White, 2015).  Regardless, it is pretty nasty stuff so do yourself a favor and make this a beer-free endeavor.  You can RDWHAHB afterwards.

If you have at least two containers, prepare them ahead of time to make things go more smoothly.  If not there’s no time-critical nature to the process and you can do it as you go along.  In one of the containers prepare a 5% lye solution, in one prepare a 10% citric acid solution.  To prepare either solution, follow these steps:

  1. Don your safety gear (glasses & gloves at a minimum).
  2. Mark your container with the name of the solution you intend to make (5% Lye or 10% Citric).
  3. Place your container on your scale and tare the scale.
  4. Pour ~300 grams of distilled water into the container. The exact amount is not important, measuring it is.
  5. Multiply that weight by 0.05 if you are making the lye solution, and 0.10 if you are making the citric acid solution. g.: if you poured 312 grams of water and you are making the 5% lye solution:
    312g * 0.05 = 15.6g
  6. Tare the scale with a dry cup or plate. Measure that amount of the dry chemical (in this case 16g of lye) into the cup or plate.
  7. Pour the chemical into the water (NOT the other way around, EVER!) and stir until it is in solution. Lye dissolving into water will create heat.  Do not let the undissolved lye rest on the bottom of the container or it will create localized heat and potentially crack the container.  If stirred, this amount of lye will not create enough heat to cause a problem.  Do this in/over the sink in case of accidental spillage or breakage.
  8. Set the marked containers back from the edge of the counter to prevent accidents, and proceed.

You’ve completed the hardest part of the entire process.  You can reward yourself with a pat on the back and a deep breath of relief.  The rest is easy.

The Cook

First, give the parts a good cleaning with dishwashing detergent.  The initial lye wash is more than likely going to remove almost anything that is on the parts, but I don’t know if it will remove keg lube for instance.  Taking a few extra seconds is pretty cheap insurance.  Use a brush to get the nooks and crannies.  Once the parts are clean, place them in a dish or other container with your cheap alcohol which is used as a wetting solution.

Next, raise the temperature of your first 5% lye solution to between 160° and 180° F (70° and 80° C).  I found this easiest to do in a double-boiler setup.  I first raised a pot of water to boiling and then placed the flask containing the solution in the pot while turning the heat to low.  Keep the outer water at 170° F (75° C) and swirl occasionally.   It will take a few minutes for the temperatures to equalize so you can either measure the inner container, or give it about 5 minutes arbitrarily.  After it has reached temp (or after 5 minutes) set your timer for 30 minutes and drop in the parts carefully to avoid splashing.  Stir or swirl occasionally.

After 30 minutes has passed, fish or strain out your parts and give the parts a quick rinse with distilled water.  Drop them back in the alcohol wetting solution as you prepare the next bath.  Repeat this process with the 10% citric acid solution at 150° F (65° C) for 30 minutes, rinse and rest in the wetting solution while bringing the lye solution back to heat.  Bathe in the 5% lye solution again at 160° to 180° F (70° to 80° C) for 30 minutes.  After completing all three baths, you will have completed the process to remove the sulfur deposits and re-passivate your faucet parts.

You will also note that the second bath, the 10% citric acid, may generate some odor.  This is a good thing.  The odors we generate here are smells we will not get when we pull a beer.  I did not notice the smell was as strong as it was when I had a cider on tap, but it was definitely noticeable so you will want to make sure you have the windows open or an exhaust fan running.

When it comes time to dispose of these solutions:  Pouring the solutions down the drain poses no issues to your drains.  Lye is commonly used to clear drains, and citric acid is generally regarded as safe (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2015).  Be sure to check local regulations of course, and be sure to flush with plenty of cool water.

Assembly

Refer to Figure 1 above for an exploded diagram.  Slide the flow-control compensator (9) in from the rear of the faucet.  The open end goes in with the rounded end out.  Note that there is a single hole in the smooth part on the side of the compensator that corresponds with the pin on the flow control barrel.  This hole should be visible through the hole in the faucet body for the flow control assembly.

Replace the O-rings on the flow-control barrel.  Slide the barrel into the side of the faucet.  A thin coat of keg lube on the O-rings will help assembly.  The post on the end of the barrel must engage the hole in the side of the flow-control compensator.  Replace the compression bonnet hand tight on the valve assembly and tighten until snug.  Replace the flow-control lever and verify operation of the flow-control valve.  Turning the level should cause the flow-control compensator to move in and out of the rear of the faucet.

Slide the handle lever (5a) back into the faucet body with a slight forward motion and then to the back until it seats against the front seat (7).  Ensure the flat sides of the threaded portion of the handle lever are oriented to the sides of the faucet, slide the bearing cup (4) concave surface down over the handle lever.  The bearing cup fits into a recess into the faucet body when properly installed.

Re-install compression bonnet (2) hand tight only over the faucet body and handle lever.  Re-install handle jacket (1) onto handle lever.

Summary

Again I want to be clear I’m not presenting data that is new.  I’m not an expert at this and I don’t presume to be breaking news.  I would not be able to share this were it not for the people who came before me.  I wanted only to allow someone who might not yet follow what’s going on to be able to fix their faucets.  Frankly it sucks to have to go through this and I think Perlick ought to own up to it.  Until then, this is what we have.

References

Adventures in Homebrewing. (2016). Perlick 650SS flow control faucet. Retrieved from Adventures in Homebrewing: http://www.homebrewing.org/Perlick-650SS-flow-control-faucet_p_4896.html
Agrazela. (2016, March 10). Examining possible solutions to issue of sulfur smell from Perlick 650ss faucets. Retrieved from HomeBrewTalk.com: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7463562&postcount=17
C., S. (2016, March 13). Examining possible solutions to issue of sulfur smell from Perlick 650ss faucets. Retrieved from HomeBrewTalk.com: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=7468733#post7468733
C., S. (2016, March 16). Examining possible solutions to issue of sulfur smell from Perlick 650ss faucets. Retrieved from HomeBrewTalk.com: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7472964&postcount=66
Certified Lye. (2013, May 1). Material Safety Data Sheet: Sodium hydroxide. Retrieved from Certified Lye: http://www.certified-lye.com/MSDS-Lye.pdf
ESPI Metals. (2016, April 17). Stainless Steel 303 – Alloy Composition. Retrieved from Welcome to ESPI Metals: http://www.espimetals.com/index.php/technical-data/199-stainless-steel-303-alloy-composition
Iowa State University Extension. (2004). The science of smell part 1: Odor perception and physiological response. Iowa State University Extension.
Lindenmann, J., Matzi, V., Neuboeck, N., Ratzenhofer-Komenda, B., Maier, A., & Smolle-Juettner, F. M. (2010, December). Severe hydrogen sulphide poisoning treated with 4-dimethylaminophenol and hyperbaric oxygen. Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine: the Journal of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society, 40(4), pp. 213–217.
Magee, J. H., & Mohr, R. K. (2016). Passivating and Electropolishing Stainless Steel Parts. Retrieved from Carpenter Technology Corporation.
Perlick. (2014). Perlick Forward Sealing Beer Faucets. Retrieved from Perlick Corporation: https://www.perlick.com/files/8414/0423/2648/Forward_sealing_faucets_-_spec_sheet.pdf
Shen, T. H. (2004, April 22). The Cleaning of 303 Stainless Steel. Retrieved from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: https://e-reports-ext.llnl.gov/pdf/307089.pdf
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2015, April 1). CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21. Retrieved from U.S. Food and Drug Administration: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=184.1033
White, E. (2015, July 20). Back to basics: Lye safety guide. Retrieved from Soap Queen: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/back-to-basics-lye-safety-guide/

[1] Things to consider with these containers:  Lye will generate a good amount of heat when added to water.  Borosilicate labware is ideal for something like this.  Mason jars are capable of withstanding quite a bit of heat however.   If the lye is stirred in without letting it sit on the bottom of the jar for too long, it will be fine.  Do not use Pyrex measuring cups for reasons that take too long to explain here.  Erlenmeyer flasks such as you use for yeast starters are great for swirling, but harder for fishing parts out.  Read through the guide and think about how you will work through each step before buying anything.
[2] Tap water may be suitable if it is very low in minerals.  It is safest to use distilled water especially given the very low cost for a gallon of it compared to the cost of one of these faucets.

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New Install under Raspbian Jessie or Stretch

(This article is being re-written for BrewPi Legacy Remix.  Expect an update within a week or so – LCB on 1/9/19)

This will detail step by step instructions for installing BrewPi for an Arduino Uno.  We start with a clean Jessie or Stretch install, prepped according to my previous articles.

  1. Install Arduino Core as root: 
    sudo apt-get install arduino-core -y
  2. Clone the BrewPi tools into your home directory: 
    git clone https://github.com/BrewPi/brewpi-tools.git ~/brewpi-tools
  3. Execute the install script as root: 
    sudo ~/brewpi-tools/install.sh
  4. When prompted, install to /home/brewpi.
  5. When prompted, copy the BrewPi web files to /var/www/html.  The script will warn you that the directory is not empty, this is normal and ok to proceed.
  6. Accept all prompts for crontab entries.
  7. When complete, change password for brewpi: 
    sudo passwd brewpi
  8. Run the updater script to change the installation back to the Legacy branch for Arduino support: 
    sudo ~/brewpi-tools/updater.py --ask
  9. When prompted, select [1] Legacy for the branch you wish to update.
  10. Select [Y] to update even though it is not your current branch.
  11. When prompted, select [3] Legacy for the branch you wish to update.
  12. Select [Y] to update even though it is not your current branch.
  13. When prompted to install firmware on your controller, ensure the Arduino is plugged into your Raspberry Pi’s USB port and select [Y].
  14. If you are prompted about whether your controller is unresponsive, select [Y].
  15. If you are prompted to restore settings or devices select [N].
  16. When prompted for the release to install, select [0] 0.2.10.
  17. Change “KeepAliveTimeout 5” to “KeepAliveTimeout 99” in /etc/apache2/apache2.conf (command is a single line): 
    sudo sed -i -e 's/KeepAliveTimeout 5/KeepAliveTimeout 99/g' /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

sudo service apache2 restart

Arduino setup is complete.  Browse to your BrewPi with your web browser and follow instructions for device configuration.

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Setting up Raspberry Pi

These are the general steps I follow when preparing a new Raspberry Pi image for use with BrewPi:

  1. Download your new Raspbian image: https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/ (get the full version, not the “Lite” one)
  2. Install the image on your SD card:
  3. Insert the SD card, connect keyboard, mouse, monitor, and boot to graphical desktop. (1)
  4. Set up Wireless LAN:
    • Click on Wireless graphic in top-right taskbar
    • Select your network by name
    • Enter your pre-shared key
  5. Complete configuration:
    • Select Menu > Preferences > Raspberry Pi Configuration
      • System Tab
        • Expand Filesystem, Do Not Reboot (2)
        • Change Password
        • Change Host name (suggest: BrewPi)
      • Localization Tab
        • Set Locale (Assuming a US user:)
          • Language: en (English)
          • Country: US (USA)
          • Character Set: UTF-8
        • Set Timezone (Change zone to proper one for your area:)
          • Area: America
          • Location: Chicago
        • Set WiFi Country (Assuming a US user:)
          • Country: US United States
      • Select OK and reboot

After the Pi reboots, open a terminal window:

  1. Issue the following commands to ensure your software is up to date: 
    sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get upgrade -y
  2. Install support for Microsoft Terminal Server Client connections*: 
    sudo apt-get install xrdp
  3. Issue the following commands to clean local repositories, deleting space used by downloaded archives: 
    sudo apt-get clean

sudo apt-get autoclean
  4. Issue the following command to update the firmware of your Raspberry Pi: 
    sudo PRUNE_MODULES=1 rpi-update
  5. Menu > Shutdown > Reboot; or: 
    sudo reboot

Your Raspberry Pi should now be accessible on the network via PuTTY and with Microsoft Terminal Server Client (mstsc) as “{servername}.local”.   To validate name resolution, open a command prompt on another computer on the network and type:

ping {servername}.local

You should see something like:

C:\>ping brewpi.local

Pinging brewpi.local [192.168.1.110] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.110: bytes=32 time=418ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.110: bytes=32 time=197ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.110: bytes=32 time=27ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.110: bytes=32 time=681ms TTL=64

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.110:
 Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
 Minimum = 27ms, Maximum = 681ms, Average = 330ms

If you receive an error stating that the host could not be found, it may be that Bonjour services is not installed on your local computer assuming you use Windows.  You can obtain Bonjour either by installing iTunes, or with the stand alone installer found here. Bonjour also enables accessing the BrewPi web page with  “{servername}.local” without having to apply a static IP or remember an IP address.  If you use Linux you will need libavahi; under Mac, Bonjour should be installed with the base OS.

RDP Errors

There is a new desktop interface called “Pixel” released with the latest Jessie, dated 2016-09-23. There is a bug between this and xrdp which a lot of us use to connect to our Raspberry Pi’s desktop with Microsoft Terminal Server Client (mstsc). It will connect to the familiar X window and hang, displaying something like this:

connecting to sesman ip 127.0.0.1 port 3350
sesman connect ok
sending login info to sesman
login successful for display 10
started connecting connecting to 127.0.0.1 5910
error - problem connecting

If you press “ok” it will present you with a credentials prompt and if you re-enter credentials it will give the same error.

To fix this, issue the following commands:

sudo apt-get --purge remove xrdp
sudo apt-get --purge realvnc-vnc-server

sudo apt-get install tightvncserver tightvnc-java
sudo apt-get install xrdp
sudo reboot

 Notes:

    1. A “headless” install is now possible.  Previously one needed to boot the Raspberry Pi in order to connect to wireless networking.   This is no longer necessary.  To do this, perform the following two steps while the SD card is mounted after flashing the boot image:
      • Create a file called “ssh” (without any extension) on the root of the boot partition of the SD card.  This allows SSH to work on first boot, circumventing new behavior in Raspbian which disables SSH by default.
      • Create a file called “wpa_supplicant.conf” on the root of the boot partition of the SD card.  In it, place the following information: 
        country=US
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1

network={
    ssid="SSID"
    scan_ssid=1
    psk="PASSWORD"
    key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
}

        Replace “SSID” with the SSID of your local wireless network, and “PASSWORD” with your wireless network password.

  1. Raspbian will now automatically expand to use all of the available space on the SD card during the initial boot.
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BrewPi on Windows under WAMP

BrewPi was developed to run under Rasperry Pi.  As such, tools and supporting libraries were developed to run optimally underneath that platform.  It can be made to run under Windows for testing, however you will find that there are certain compromises at times, and things may not be as polished on Windows as they are on Rasperry Pi.  That’s not to say some amount of customization may not be possible.

This list of steps will cover the bare minimum necessary to enable BrewPi on Windows with an Arduino.  Further “polish” is left to the reader.  Certain assumptions about the reader’s abilities are made such as the ability to navigate the command line and install software to other than standard locations.

  1. Install Arduino to C:\Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Donate (needed for flashing Arduino only)
  2. Install Python 2.7.x: https://www.python.org/downloads/release/python-2712/
  3. Add Python to path (e.g. C:\Python27)
  4. Upgrade pip: 
    python -m pip install --upgrade pip
  5. Install support libraries in Python 
    python -m pip install pyserial
python -m pip install configobj
python -m pip install simplejson
python -m pip install psutil
python -m pip install pygit
  6. Install Visual C++ Support files below for WAMP.  Note:  If you have a 64-bit Windows, you must install both 32 and 64bit versions, even if you do not use Wampserver 64 bit.  This is item number 20 of TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS of Wampserver: http://forum.wampserver.com/read.php?2,134915
  7. Install WAMP:  http://www.wampserver.com/en/
  8. Install git for Windows:  https://git-scm.com/download/win
  9. Clone BrewPi website: 
    git clone https://github.com/BrewPi/brewpi-www C:\wamp64\www\brewpi
cd c:\wamp64\www\brewpi
git checkout legacy
git pull
  10. Create virtual host within WAMP for brewpi
  11. Download BrewPi scripts: 
    git clone https://github.com/BrewPi/brewpi-script c:\brewpi
cd c:\brewpi
git checkout legacy
git pull
  12. Copy c:\brewpi\settings\config.cfg.example to c:\brewpi\settings\config.cfg
  13. Edit c:\brewpi\settings\config.cfg 
    # ======= settings above this line have been added automatically =======
# uncomment settings here, these override the settings in defaults.cfg
# scriptPath = /home/brewpi/
wwwPath = C:\wamp64\www\brewpi
port = COM3
# altport = /dev/ttyACM1
# boardType = leonardo
# startupDelay = 1.0
# debug = true

# On a standard pi installation, the defaults should work.
# If you are using a different linux flavor or Windows, you can set the tool locations here
arduinoHome = C:\Arduino\
avrdudeHome = C:\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr\bin
avrsizeHome = C:\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr\bin
avrConf = C:\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr\etc

# on Windows, the scripts defaults to an Internet socket instead of a system socket.
# useInetSocket=true
# socketPort=6332
# socketHost=127.0.0.1
  14. Copy C:\wamp64\www\brewpi\config_user.php.example to C:\wamp64\www\brewpi\config_user.php
  15. Edit C:\wamp64\www\brewpi\config_user.php: 
     $scriptPath = 'c:\brewpi';
  16. Download proper 0.2.10 firmware (Uno, Leonardo, Spark): https://github.com/BrewPi/firmware/releases
  17. Execute c:\brewpi\start.bat
  18. Add a virtual host in WAMP pointing to brewpi and restart WAMP.
  19. Open a web browser:  http://brewpi

At this point, an Arduino with BrewPi firmware will communicate with the script provided the COM port is correctly configured in c:\brewpi\settings\config.cfg.  I was unable to upload the firmware with the maintenance panel tool.  Two options are:

  • XLoader:  http://russemotto.com/xloader/
  • AVRDude: Part of the Arduino software.  Command line I used (single line): 
    bin\avrdude -U flash:w:brewpi-arduino-uno-revC-0_2_10.hex:i -C etc\avrdude.conf -v -p atmega328p -b 115200 -c arduino -P COM3