Yellow RAPT Pill - Hydrometer & Thermometer (Wifi & Bluetooth).
The RAPT Pill allows true real-time specific gravity and temperature logging and control via wifi/bluetooth integration (see note below) with the RAPT fermentation chamber, RAPT mobile app or RAPT IOT.
The RAPT Pill acts as both a real-time gravity testing hydrometer and thermometer allowing instant gravity and temperature measurements and also logging from inside your fermenter during fermentation.
The RAPT Pill boasts many advantages over other wireless hydrometers and thermometers including tough design, better ergonomics, sanitary design and less susceptible to error as a result of hops, krausen or CO2 bubbles generated from fermentation.
Important Note: Ensure the RAPT Pill is charged for 24 hours before use. This is to ensure that it is fully charged and the battery is callibrated.
Once the RAPT Pill is connected via USB-C and connected to wifi, the firmware will automatically update to the current version (if needed). The Pill must be plugged in via USB-C and connected to WiFi in order to receive firmware updates. A 2.4gHz network is required.
Recommended Accessory
The pill hydrometer will need to be charged periodically with a USB type C cable. Every time you open and close the pill its possible that you have not done up the housing to the same tightness. As a result it's a good idea to mark the housing so you always do up the two halves to the same tightness or preferably re-calibrate the device. If however you purchase this wireless charging device here you can avoid opening and closing the pill when charging. This greatly increases the accuracy and eliminates the need to continue to keep calibrating.
Download the App
The web wrapper application will assist in rendering the app.rap.io webpage into your mobile device screen. It also allows for push notifications to work to your mobile device.
The Google Play Android App can be downloaded via the link below.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.rapt
The Apple App Store RAPT App can be downloaded via the link below.
https://apps.apple.com/th/app/rapt/id1573192994
Bluetooth Bridge
Although the Pill Hydrometer will work in wifi mode the optimal solution is to use the Pill in bluetooth mode as this has several advantages including:
1. Bluetooth is more power efficient so it saves battery life. This enables the Pill to save battery by only using power efficient as it's only giving out low energy Bluetooth beacons but then the bridge device that is connected to mains power is doing the heavy lifting and transferring that data to the RAPT web portal. This is by far the most reliable way to use the Pill Hydrometer.
2. Bluetooth signal is better at penetrating through the fermenter more easily especially if you have a stainless steel fermenter or fermenter inside a fridge or fermentation chamber.
3. Bluetooth bridge mode allows you to use the Pill Hydrometer as the temperature probe to get a core fermenter temperature without the need for a thermowell. The onboard Pill Temperature sensor is also very accurate as it's an onboard digital sensor with no flexible cable. (please not if you have just charged or been in AP mode excessive heat from the battery does effect temperatures readings so wait 30min after charging for the battery temp to reach equilibrium)
4: Bluetooth connectivity allows for powerful fermentation control with the ability to use gravity and gravity acceleration to set automatic and accurate fermentation control.
To take advantage of the Bluetooth bridge mode you will need to pair the RAPT Pill to either a RAPT fermentation chamber or a RAPT Temperature Controller.
Please watch the youtube video on how to do this.
Long Battery Life
The RAPT Pill has a long battery life and can last 5 months between charges when utilising Wifi. If only using Bluetooth the battery can last 2+ years before needing to be recharged. The RAPT Pill has a USB-C charging port on the circuit board allowing fast charging from any USB-C cable.
How long will the pill last between charges?
60min telemetry frequency - 1.5 years
30min telemetry frequency - 9.5 months
15min telemetry frequency - 5 months
Note: This is the default telemetry frequency is 60 min so if you do not change the settings then out of the box the battery should last 1.5years approximately.
Pill Housing Design
The RAPT Pill housing boasts many advantages compared to other wireless hydrometers such as:
- Made from strong BPA Free Tritan Plastic
- Greater ergonomics - The shape of the RAPT Pill has been designed for improved usability compared to other wireless hydrometers such that the Pill seperates into two pieces at the midline of the Pill rather than requiring a difficult to remove end cap to be unscrewed.
- Sanitary design - The RAPT Pill has no exposed thread and a double o-ring seal which allows for a water-tight seal with reduced risk of infection.
- Less susceptible to error - The larger housing of the RAPT Pill compared to other wireless hydrometers means that the gravity logging is less susceptible to error from krausen, hops or CO2 bubbles from fermentation.
Different housing colours are sold separately, allowing customisation of your RAPT Pill.
Specifications:
- Accuracy: +/- 0.002 SG points
- Temperature Range: -20C(-4F) and up to 60C(140F)
- Pressure: 0-5bar
- Battery: Li-Ion 18650 (we use the EVE Brand)
- Size: 37mm Diameter x 125mm Long
Temperature Accuracy: +/- 0.2C (0.36F)
*Accuracy will be effected if solids are stuck to the outside of the pill hydrometer. If you shake the fermenter from time to time this generally helps to wash hops and solid chunks of krausen off the body of the Pill and through the fermentation these will generally drop to the bottom of the fermenter.
New Gravity Velocity Function
If you update your firmware we now have a new Gravity Velocity (GV) data stream that gives you the ability to automate your fermentation profiles more reliably. See this video on how to do this:
What is RAPT?
The RAPT IOT Hub is a free service whereby any RAPT enabled product can both log and store data to the hub where you can conveniently access this data. The RAPT hub can also allow you to control your devices remotely giving you absolute control of the device irrespective of where you are. The RAPT portal enables you to make complex temperature profiles that involve different temperature settings over time meaning you can start/run a temp profile giving you a set and forget experience. The RAPT portal also controls the alert/notification process for you so you can receive email notification in the off instance that something doesn't go to plan.
There is no limit to the number of RAPT devices you can connect the RAPT IOT Hub. This is in contrast to other popular wireless hydrometers where you are limited by the number of hydrometers you can connect to an app.
Please note:The RAPT Pill is fully wifi and Bluetooth capable. Bluetooth integration requires a compatible RAPT Bluetooth enabled device such as a RAPT Fermentation Chamber or RAPT Temperature Controller.
