pam on Nostr: This sourdough monitoring device has been a fun hobby project. Hardware took 15 ...

This sourdough monitoring device has been a fun hobby project. Hardware took 15 minutes and software took 5 . Right now it's in a mini DIY box with ice packs for temperature control, and it rises nicely.

I learnt that after every feed, the fermentation peaks like an asymmetrical bell curve. Once it drops, that's the best feeding time, so it sends me a notification on my phone. A mature starter doubles consistently and levain triples. Thank goodness fermentation is this mathematical because I would not have figured it out by just looking at the mason jar.



On the software side, I am using buzz.xyz for the first time. In about 5 minutes, Bumble built a dashboard, monitoring logic and structured files that would've taken me a day or two in Claude directly. And API cost a fraction of Fable.

Right now I've just been collecting and analysing data before the next code run. I might include prediction analysis which needs ML and maybe add CO2 and pH sensors for accuracy but I reckon in version 2 or 3.

I am so tempted to build a temp-controlled box which would only cost $15 but time is a factor right now



I shared this ugly DIY circuit on a breadboard in the cardboard inside this styrofoam container to a friend who started her sourdough business from home and just opened a cafe in Singapore. She is so excited and wants to connect me with pasta madre and panettone experts. It's always a nice feeling when people like what you build.

But now I gotta figure out how to make it more user friendly and less ugly looking =)

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nevent1q…756m

After a failed sourdough starter attempt, building a kit to measure temperature + track its rise, with a bot to ping me when its time to feed (when it peaks). I’ve got ESP32 + ToF distance + temp/humidity + Telegram bot. Also testing buzz.xyz with goose harness + anthropic API to build the web dashboard. Buzz is fun. All in about $10 (hardware + api). My serendipitous kinda projects.

A starter is ready when it reliably doubles within a predictable window. But it goes through a phase. The first few days, bacteria rules and it stinks so bad. Then it has its moment of silence; you'll think it died. Finally the wild yeast wakes up and the smell shifts from sour to bready. Temperature, humidity, how much you feed all makes a diff.

Testing this, I was quite excited when it started pinging me but I was out all day and v1 fermented so hard it overflowed and coated the sensor. v2 sensor incoming with lessons learnt!