Espresso machine integrated shot timer

[fg1972]

I've been toying with the idea of installing a shot timer of some sort on my Giotto but not a stick on timer where you manually start/stop/reset the timer.
I'm thinking along the lines of using an Arduino controller to display the timer via a 7 segment display and use the pump switch (via a relay) as an input to the controller to start/stop the timer.
The controller could be configured to auto reset the timer say 10 seconds after the timer is stopped.
What do you think? Has anyone done something similar?

Fiorello

[Dimal]

G'day Fiorello...

Should be easy to do with an Arduino or Raspberry PI 1/2 and I think someone has mentioned doing this sort of thing late last year. Definitely a CS geeky thing to do anyway...

Would probably be better from a coffee quality perspective though, to integrate coffee flow volume with time; just an idea...

Seen this one on Home Barista?

Mal.

[fg1972]

Thanks Mal,

That one on Home Barista is amazing.

[fg1972]

I like how he is measuring the group head temp using an "Eric" thermocouple adapter but I don't fancy the cable coming out of the E61 head which would be a bit of an eye sore.

[Dimal]

Agree with you mate....

But, it might give you some ideas of how to go about such a project for yourself...

Mal.

[fg1972]

Cheers Mal,
I will do something very similar some day and share the progress on here.

[Nightlase]

Hey all,

just reading through your posts, I also have a Giotto and have contemplated pimping it with some more Smarts... I would love to also intergrate a timer... Similar to those on synessos..

Having been doing some digging around, I have found an Australian guy that is actually developed smart timers for espresso machines. He is in Sydney, the company I believe is 'Alcorn Cafe Engineering'

Commercial link removed per site posting policy

Hope this helps