Digiten DFC15 Liquid Flow Controller -Installation, Setup, and Accuracy Test

[@PortlyGentleman]

I'm pretty sure that's the most badass brewing water setup on KZbin my friend 🍻🍻🍻 I'm definitely going to be picking one of those up! Thank you so much for showing me how to set it up.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

For sure!! It is definitely precise in the water volumes!! 👍🍻

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I received information regarding the temperature range on the solenoid and the hall sensor. Solenoid temp range is 0-100c (32-212f) The hall (flow) sensor it rated for

[@chubbymermaidbrewing]

Thanks Brian

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

No problem! 👍🍻

[@freshcleanair]

Great review, Brian! I especially liked your T-shirt🍻

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Thanks Jim!! 👍🍻

[@jasongames6004]

Just what I am looking for thanks for the video ☺️

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Welcome! 👍

[@BeerMan421]

That’s a very cool item I will definitely have to look that up! Thanks for sharing! Cheers 🍻

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

For sure! 👍🍻

[@BeernuT100]

Damn this is nice. Great review Brian.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Thanks!! I'm anxious to use it on a brew day.

[@michaelkennedy8766]

Great video, thanks for the clear explanation.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Glad it was helpful!👍🍻

[@wallyfeck]

That one is a lot nicer than my Chinese unit. I chose not to use my temp probe since I'm just filling my hlt and going kettle for strike water. I made a spreadsheet converting gallons to liters, every half gallon. It works great. You'll love that during the brew day. Cheers Brian!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Thanks Wally! I knew you had one I just didn't remember what it was.. I'm looking forward to using it!! 👍🍻

[@wallyfeck]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers we're like twins (not the movie) except your stuff is a lot nicer. lol.

[@DavidHeathHomebrew]

Cool T shirt and nice video as always. Should have kept it on metric :p

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Haha I knew I'd get that!! Lol 👍🍻

[@bcarlisle2575]

Can't remember where I saw it...but I bought one...love it to the moon. Calibrate it and forget (said brew geek Ron Popeil)

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Awesome to hear!!

[@chubbymermaidbrewing]

Brian awesome video, question are all of those parts prior to water being heated another words what is the temperature limit of the flow meter and the solenoid. This would work better for me on the brew rig at strike water temperatures

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I have a question in to the manufacturer. There is no listed info on the solenoid or hall sensor.. The temperature sensor is rated for 255f

[@chubbymermaidbrewing]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Thanks Brian, if this is good for high temps I would like to use this on my brew rig to move water to mash tun for both strike and sparge. Thanks buddy!

[@reggrempe6858]

Looks like I'll have to get one! Great video. If I was to put this on a separate line (separate from sink) with a filter for filling my brew kettle, should the flow control be before or after the filter? Or would it not matter?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I'd put it after the filter. 👍🍻

[@robpratt8995]

I have my RO output routed directly to my HLT. However, keeping track of when the HLT is full of 20 gallons of water is a manual effort and I've had a few overflows... This looks like it would be an awesome solution to that!!!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

If your flow rate is high enough it might work.

[@rbmrobin]

Great video. I was looking for info on this specific setup but didn't hope for such a complete review. Thanks! Could this be used on the beer side after fermentation?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I don't think I'd use it that way? I'm not sure how well the solenoid would react to the beer. And cleaning etc. 👍🍻

[@rbmrobin]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Yes that makes sense. Maybe if they came in stainless steel it could be considered!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@rbmrobin yeah you might look into a stainless solenoid. Glad you enjoyed the video! 👍🍻

[@rubenpalma3828]

so i just received this unit (with 3/8 JG quick connects)... great video showing how this works! ...but i'm looking for the detail = "How is the thermostat connected inline??"

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

You'll need a threaded T inline with the proper threads.

[@rubenpalma3828]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers where on earth did you find a 1/2" NPT with M8-1.25 'T'?!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@rubenpalma3828 oh I didn't find one I was just saying.

[@rubenpalma3828]

😂@@ShortCircuitedBrewers ... k, so how did you install yours? i wound up just using a tap(& die) kit to thread a hole in some 80PVC. Now i've discovered, the person who purchased this unit for me to install bought 24v solenoid and meter... digitens vague instructions implies we can install a bigger power supply (comes with 2v and says can handle 5v), but still vague. NOW where to find a 5v that wont fry the unit??

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@rubenpalma3828 I didn't install mine. I don't care about the temperature. I just left it zip tied up with the rest of the wiring.

[@BEERNBBQBYLARRY]

Hey, I have that same Pink Floyd shirt. Was just wearing it yesterday. LOL In other news, I've been looking for an accurate flow meter. This looks promising.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

It is extremely accurate. I dispensed 18 gallons and it was right on the money. Great shirt too!! Cheers Larry! 👍🍻

[@Rhork77]

I just purchased! Thanks for this! I have a very similar water setup as you, so could you tell me what extra parts you had to get to install this. You didn't really show everything inline after it was installed.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Sorry about that I showed the connections briefly. Are you on PEX?

[@Rhork77]

Yes I would install it exactly like you did.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@Rhork77 I used 2 of these 1/2" PEX to NPT adapters www.menards.com/main/plumbing/hoses-tubing/pex-tubing/sioux-chief-powerpex-reg-1-2-poly-pex-closet-adapter-fitting-1-pack/637px420pk1m/p-3289655538082694.htm And a threaded 1/2 PVC connector. www.homedepot.com/p/Charlotte-Pipe-1-2-in-PVC-Sch-40-FPT-x-FPT-Coupling-PVC021020500HD/203811422 Just be sure to use plenty of Teflon tape.

[@PetraKann]

Impressive level of accuracy if set up correctly. Did you try higher volumes of water with the same settings? (like 4 gallons or higher?) Imperial units is a blast from the past, here in Australia.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I did not want to waste water. It was accurate 3 times at a gallon though.

[@PetraKann]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Fair enough. Does this flow metering system hit the volume marks in your brewing tanks? Do they match the readings as your tank fills? Would certainly make brew day flow a lot more smoothly. Your home set up is becoming more automated and monitored which is the case in many micro breweries and industrial set ups. The future for brewing could well end up in the AI bin - with robotic automation. I know that in the food industry generally, robots and automation are popping up everywhere. My first experience of this was a robotic system used to pack boxes of cheese onto pallets. Apparently there are robotic cheese and wine tasters....where is the fun in that?

[@jlco25]

Brian Great video, Quick question, how did you calibrate the flowmeter to account for the length of the plex lines (hoses). I have this same device and I have not been able to account 20' of pipe line, So i am typically short on volume. Thank you in advance, Cheers Jorge

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Don't need to. Those lines don't "drain" Once the flow stops. If they did I would have to account for it, the system only allows the exact amount of water to flow through the system. Do your lines drain? 👍🍻

[@bososz]

I spy with my little eye a spade connector that had the wire pull out of it :) nice fix for it though. Why didn't you mount the controller next to the tap to make it easier to fill your pots?

[@DarrenDawe]

I came to ask the same question!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Haha... Those connectors are almost a one time connection!! Geez Louise almost had to use needle nose to pull it off when I had the solenoid upside down.. Had to quick fix it to move on.. You guys have good eyes.. Lol👍🍻

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

See answer 2 for the first comment.. Lol the cable is not long enough to reach the faucet it is about 30 of wire length away.. 👍🍻

[@ericgiernalczyk4735]

Did you have any issues sealing the straight pipe to npt?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I didn't not actually, just use about 5 wraps of Teflon tape.

[@jomilsison9873]

So does the pump also automatically turns off and on or you need to turn it on manually?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

It turns off automatically when it reaches the pressure cut off due to the valve closing. The pump has a high limit pressure switch built in 👍🍻

[@fagan316]

How is the digiten working for you after 2yrs

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Great! Been really reliable.

[@alfonsoramirez6911]

What filter system do you use for RO water?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Stealth RO 150 kzbin.info/www/bejne/omWmnHuMaLakpdE

[@PURGE-3000]

Will it work on cooking oil ?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Don't see why not but you would probably have to adjust the parameters to get the flow rate accurate. 🤞

[@fdk7014]

would it not make sense to have a manual valve in front of the device as a kind of "master switch" so that you would not have to trust the device to not malfunction if it's not used for a long while?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I suppose you could but I have a faucet hooked to it so even if the solenoid failed open. The faucet would prevent the system from draining. Just a side note it's been installed for years now and never had any issues. 👍🍻

[@fdk7014]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers oh you connected it to the faucet? I guess that's the same thing basically. Yeah I wouldn't expect it to fail but you never know. There might be a manufacturing flaw in your particular device or maybe there is a lightning strike messing it up or something.

[@housecall000]

I’m lost when it comes down to setting K parameter. The meter had a number already set, it was 1.98. You said start with 28.30, and I read another guy used 40.25 (or something around there). How do I know what to use for mine? What do you measure?

[@EclipseBrewing]

😍👍

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

👍🍻

[@rondadesanpatricio1p.h287]

Could I use this type of flow meter and sensor to measure OLIVE OIL?

[@mattxander12]

Since the solenoid is early in the line and not at the end of the run, is that why the K-value has to be messed with to account for the water in the line that's no longer pressurized and not coming out the faucet?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

No, the k value was not set properly for the sensor from the factory for whatever reason. It does not measure pressure only flow. 👍🍻

[@joshuamsteele]

Do you know what adapters you need to fit this on an RV hose? Tks

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

You just need a garden hose adapter for it. To go from the 1/4 hose to the filter.

[@vidmaillet]

I think the way you've got this setup probably works well for biab or single vessel setup. In a HERMS 3 vessel system where water is heater in the HTL, how would you suggest setting this up? I figure it would have to be installed inline between the HLT and the mash tun. Is it rated to handle water temps in the 150F range? I looked and couldn't find any info on that. Thanks for the review. I think this would be a great addition to my system.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I cannot find a temperature rating on the valve or the solenoid. My plan is to use it for all my systems for filling mainly. It will be nice to set it and go do something else while the system is filling. I will contact the manufacture and see if I can get clarification. The temp sensor reads up to 255f? I'll report back on what I find.👍🍻

[@edfain5814]

Brian & Stephane, I’m using this same unit to monitor recirculating rate in my HERMS setup, using one of their lower flow meters (3/8 inch capable measuring as low as 0.5 L/min). It works well, but I had to use a different temp probe to obtain an accurate temp reading (probe needs to be in the flow stream), the probe I’m using is a 50k and similar in size to an Inkbird temp probe. I too had to dial in the K value for the smaller flow meter (I’m using 68.5). I have the flow meter and temp probe on the output of my recirculating pump, it is providing interesting information on mash temp and allows me to dial in the HERMS flow rate using a Riptide pump, I also use the unit to measure flow rate during fly sparge. It took some work to get it set up to do what I wanted, but overall I’m very pleased with the Digiten DFC15, a great value versus a traditional mechanical flow meter!

[@edfain5814]

Short Circuited Brewers, the flow meter I’m using is rated for up to 80 C (176 F) I’m sure most of the others are as well.

[@vidmaillet]

@@edfain5814 Thanks for the detailed description Ed. This is a very interesting application. I too had wondered if I could use this to monitor sparge rate. Will definitely look into this.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

See the comments below and I got this from the manufacturer Solenoid temp range is 0-100c (32-212f) The hall (flow) sensor it rated for

[@johnbailey215]

Does the unit use the temperature sensor to help determine the volume of water? I understand that in your setup the temperature isn't going to vary that much, but it could if used inline with the hlt.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I have a question in to the manufacture about maximum temps. The sensor is good up to 250F but that is the only thing that it listed. I seriously doubt the system uses the temp sensor for expansion rates at increased temperatures though. My biggest concern would be the temperature capability. I'll let you know what I hear.

[@ironbends649]

how does the mounting bracket mount to your board? if you have a picture that would be great.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

There is no mounting bracket there's just screw holes in the back of the unit.

[@ironbends649]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers I mean the bracket for the solenoid how does that mount to the board?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@ironbends649 it's not mounted it's just floating free the connected both ends to the pipe

[@ironbends649]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers oh ok so you didn't use the mounting bracket

[@RiggyRly]

Can this regulat a constant flow of water to a specific ammount per minute or only a total amount?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Only total amount. 👍🍻

[@gerardoeme2585]

So, what´s the k value for?? Should I modify it???

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

It is for the output of the hall sensor. If you watch the whole video I explain how I set mine. 👍🍻

[@stanleyjoseph4941]

Could you help out. As you can see temp probe isn’t inline. Any tips? I’m dumbfounded

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I responded to your email. 👍🍻

[@acquosatecnika2464]

could i use that flow meter and controller for OLIVE OIL?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I don't see why not. The calibration might be different due to the viscosity. 👍

[@acquosatecnika2464]

changing the K value , right? thanks from Colombia

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Yep

[@brewthatbeer5651]

M8 threaded temp sensor is hard to install can't find an adapter. Any ideas?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

This might work?? It goes from the M8 to 1/4" MPT? www.mcmaster.com/2684K723

[@brewthatbeer5651]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers That would probably do it. Rock on thank you.

[@garyelderman1229]

Just when I thought i had everything i wanted.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Sooooorrrry.. Lol 👍🍻

[@robpratt8995]

Actually, I'm questioning if this would work for what I would want it for. If I tie this thing into the output of my RO system, there's still the waste water output that I have routed down the drain. When this hits 20 gallons through the RO output, would it just block that pathway and route all of the water through the waste water tube then?

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

What is the flow rate on your RO system. There is a minimum spec on the flow meter and most RO systems don't have near the amoutnof flow needed to measure it properly. Which is why I have a reservoir with a pump. Most RO systems only produce waste water when they are filtering so your question would be no. Once the flow stopped the waste water would stop as well. Hope that helps.

[@robpratt8995]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers so mine is a 100gpd system but I don't have the required pressure to hit that number. I get roughly 1.5 - 1.75 gph. Do you know what the minimum flow rate is for this device?

[@ironbends649]

The line coming out of my carbon filter is a 3/8 id. from a 3/8 barb fitting. would that change the K value? I could always change to 1/2 tubing if I had to.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

I assume you are running your rap water through the filter and then to the kettle through this device? You probably will have to adjust the K value slightly..it pretty easy to dial in though. 👍🍻

[@ironbends649]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Thanks Brian, You're a great help. I love the idea of set it and forget it!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

@@ironbends649 game changer! For sure! 👍🍻

[@ironbends649]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers I imagine I should run this before the filter in order to keep flow down to exact .5 gal since the filter is only good at that volume. Or would it matter since the control would only allow a flow of .5 gal no matter if it was placed before or after the filter?

[@luiskite]

Hello, I hope you can help me. I would like to be able to control the maximum amount of water that passes through the pipe per day, I rent rooms to people, sometimes there are water leaks in toilets and they leave faucets open. I would like it to be possible to program a maximum amount of water per day, to prevent water from running out due to excess use or leaks. Some system that is programmed so that each day it allows certain liters of water to pass through and after these it closes and the next day it automatically allows a certain amount of water again. I thank you very much

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

This system is not capable of that. That I'm aware of. You'd need a scheduler function. I'd look at a sprinkler system programmable manifold? If you're renting rooms to someone you might also want to check and make sure that's not some health code violation not having running water unless you're just looking at setting it up on the commode itself.

[@fallbranch4349]

The solenoid valve I received leaks, on Amazon 25% of people gave a 1 star rating for the valve.. it also takes forever to get as it comes from overseas, disappointing...

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Interesting, I did not and have not had any issues with mine. Sorry to hear about that. 😔

[@fallbranch4349]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Thats for the 3/8" fitting valve on the reviews... ordered a replacement, hopefully the new one's good, great idea to incorporate into brewing

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Please report back. 👍🍻

[@fallbranch4349]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers Got the replacement from Amazon, works perfect! Digiten is also mailing me one for free. This thing is really cool, its worth the wait.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Good to hear! They were pretty responsive when I dealt with them. 👍🍻

[@metalheadbrewery5414]

DI water isn't the best for brewing or especially drinking. It has no minerals so it will affect your mashes big time. It will grow bacteria at a much higher rate due to it being so pure. I assume you are building your water back up with salts etc but be aware it is aggressive and everything downstream needs to be plastic or 316 stainless. Cheers!

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Yes of course I build my water back up, that's the entire pont of using RO water If you shouldn't drink it wjy do they make systems for your kitchen that are "drinking water" systems. Just so you know the holding tank has been full for a couple months with no bacteria. There is nothing in the water to "grow". Cheers!! 👍🍻

[@metalheadbrewery5414]

@@ShortCircuitedBrewers RO is rated for drinking water, but DI doesn't use food grade resin and any open air into the tank is the issue. Just don't want you to have a problem, I build and service RODI systems for medical and manufacturing.

[@ShortCircuitedBrewers]

Ok thanks

[@belacwilliams6155]

If you are going to buy this device please don’t skimp-buy the correct threads (g threads) for this