I've setup some super basic fermentation temp profiles: one for an Ale, one for a lager, one for lagering using Alexa Routines and I control my InkBird WIFI that way.
There are some big limitations (Alexa Routines only supports a maximum of 4 hours for a wait statement, so you have to add 6, 4 hour wait statements if you want to start at one temp, wait 24 hours, and then ramp up to another temperature, but it is dead-simple, drag-and-drop in the Alexa app automations.)
I also am doing simple timed-based activation of my malt mill. (Turn on malt mill, wait x minutes, then turn off malt mill.
I'm pretty sold on just using simple Alexa enabled IoT devices and configuring routines to do some basic brewery automation. (I REALLY wish one of the new WIFI hydrometer devices supported Alexa...)
-I just purchased a Shelly One WIFI relay and I'm going to install it in my electric brewery control panel and what I'm hoping to do is to just have my main power on button wired to the Shelly One as a physical on switch and have it activate my main contactor, but I can also then have an Alexa Routine configured to turn on my main brewery contactor 1 hour before I wake up on a brew day, and then have my PID already set to my Strike temp so my HLT starts pre-heating before I wake up. (Then the malt mill turns on 15 min before I wake up and mills the grain and turns off.) -I can mash in before breakfast and get an early start.
-I'm using a simple Alexa enabled outlet switch to turn on my kegerator tap tower fan @ 5:00pm (about an hour before my typical pint time) and then turn it off at 9:00pm so I avoid a foamy first pint AND don't waste electricity and prematurely wear out the fan.
I know there's some hard core geeks on here that love messing with gadgets for use in their homebrewery, but I don't want to mess with gadgets. I just want some basic and simple automations that make things easier on me.
Adam