# Dalian 1KG roaster and profiling software



## Dartmoor Coffee (Feb 4, 2020)

Afternoon all,

A lot of the commercial roasters allows you to connect to profiling software to record temperatures, etc. The Dalian (from Bella Barista) doesn't have from what I can tell such facilities so I was wondering is it possible to either add additional probes or can we manually add the temperatures to a profiling software.

I've seen in the following link: 



 the Wolff college of coffee mention - see around 2:15 onwards about adding additional probes.

In addition what is a good profiling software - cropster, artisan?

Thanks

Phil.


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## filthynines (May 2, 2016)

I'm in the process of adding custom-made probes to our Dalian. It has been a colossal pain in the ass, largely because I'm not technically minded.

Biggest difficulty so far has been obtaining correct fittings to install the new probes. The old ones aren't suitable for that purpose. I now have some that I think will do the trick, but I am concerned that the probe won't reach far enough into the drum, now.

I have also purchased Phidget components suitable for attaching RTD probes to a USB hub, which will then allow me to use Artisan.

How successful will this be? I don't know. But I do know several members are successfully using Artisan with the Dalian.


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## Batian (Oct 23, 2017)

I use a Yoctopuce

https://www.yoctopuce.com/EN/products/usb-environmental-sensors/yocto-thermocouple

This is connected to the spare thermocouple situated to the left of the trier. As such, it is not an accurate measure of the temperature of the bean mass but using it via a tablet and https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=alex.coffeeroasterpro&hl=en_GB it provides a back up to the PIDs on the machine. It can also manually record temps shown on the screen. It will provide a graph and all recordings can be exported etc.

It is possible to switch over the two 'front of machine' thermocouples, but this would mean the PID was no longer the best source of information and control of the bean mass temperature. I find, particularly the last few minutes, very work intensive, so I do not need to be pfaffing about with touch screens and the like! I let it run in the background and use the simpler method of pen and paper as the main collector of roast information! Perhaps it's an age thing? 😅

The Yoctopuce can also be set up to work with Artisan.


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

I did this when we had one. It was easy. We used a Voltcraft K202. The standard K type probes supplied with the Dalian plug in to it then it goes to PC via USB.

Works perfectly with Artisan. I did literally 100's of roasts with and never had a problem.

Takes 2 minutes to set up.

Edited to add - it is via serial not USB although you could convert serial to usb if your computer does not have a serial port.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Voltcraft-K202-Digital-Thermometer-2-Channel-/133121454841


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## filthynines (May 2, 2016)

BlackCatCoffee said:


> I did this when we had one. It was easy. We used a Voltcraft K202. The standard K type probes supplied with the Dalian plug in to it then it goes to PC via USB.
> 
> Works perfectly with Artisan. I did literally 100's of roasts with and never had a problem.
> 
> Takes 2 minutes to set up.


 I wish I'd known this six months ago.


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

filthynines said:


> I wish I'd known this six months ago.


 Oh, sorry my man.


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## filthynines (May 2, 2016)

BlackCatCoffee said:


> Oh, sorry my man.


 Don't be! It might yet be our Plan B!


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## Dartmoor Coffee (Feb 4, 2020)

Many thanks for the thoughts and ideas - I will take a look at them. For these devices is there any guide where best to place the probes and would it break warranty?


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

@Dartmoor Coffee

Have a look through the other Amazon Dalian threads for @Hasi details on dual output sensors (from the existing PT probes, 1 wire goes to the PID, 1 to the data bridge of your choice) thus keeping the safety element of the PID's being there intact. You could also go down the K type probe use or enter the data manually into artisan as you go along until you figure the above out. I do this and yes it does get a bit hairy from just before first crack onwards but you soon get used to octopus hands as also record on a paper template in case I miss entering the data in Artisan! I do Artisan input every 30 seconds for ET / BT temps and record on paper at minute marks same plus cooling / smoke sliders positions and wattage. I really should look to automatically record data at some point but the above works for me and roasts are repeatable.

Hope of help and ideal of course is to have something running in the background or some other method of repeating roasts that leaves your attention on what is going on in the drum bearing in mind automation of roasts given the manual nature of the air sliders would make it difficult to control roasts remotely.

John


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## Dartmoor Coffee (Feb 4, 2020)

johnealey said:


> @Dartmoor Coffee
> 
> Have a look through the other Amazon Dalian threads for @Hasi details on dual output sensors (from the existing PT probes, 1 wire goes to the PID, 1 to the data bridge of your choice) thus keeping the safety element of the PID's being there intact. You could also go down the K type probe use or enter the data manually into artisan as you go along until you figure the above out. I do this and yes it does get a bit hairy from just before first crack onwards but you soon get used to octopus hands as also record on a paper template in case I miss entering the data in Artisan! I do Artisan input every 30 seconds for ET / BT temps and record on paper at minute marks same plus cooling / smoke sliders positions and wattage. I really should look to automatically record data at some point but the above works for me and roasts are repeatable.
> 
> ...


 Many thanks I will take a look and you answered my other query, which I hadn't asked yet, and that does Artisan allow manual inputs .


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