Electronic Waterer/Monitor (Automatic grow box)

I'm trying to set up a grow box that will take care of its self for small periods of time (2-5 days) without having to be checked up on.

The components of the box would include:
Power switching (lights on a schedule)
Temperature control (fans switching on and off)
Watering

I'm planning on setting this all up on my arduino micro controller, and I already have the lights and temp control figured out, but I don't know what kind of electronic part I can use to control water flow to the plant, or maybe even sense water levels in the soil.

I'm not sure if there are any electronics savvy peeps in here, but if any of you have any ideas for a water flow control system, and/or a soil moisture sensor, it would be greatly appreciated.

not shure about it but could you throw up how it looks and possibly some quick how you did it.

Break open a moisture meter (can find these in any gardening place) and turn the dial into a switch so that when it gets to the DRY point, it closes a circuit that will run a water pump. Obviously when it's watered the dial will move and open the circuit, turning off the pump.

Fuzzotany said:

Break open a moisture meter (can find these in any gardening place) and turn the dial into a switch so that when it gets to the DRY point, it closes a circuit that will run a water pump. Obviously when it's watered the dial will move and open the circuit, turning off the pump.

Click to expand...

What a cool idea...

Fuzzotany said:

Break open a moisture meter (can find these in any gardening place) and turn the dial into a switch so that when it gets to the DRY point, it closes a circuit that will run a water pump. Obviously when it's watered the dial will move and open the circuit, turning off the pump.

Click to expand...

wow. that sounds like something I'd like to try one day.

digitalliquid said:

not shure about it but could you throw up how it looks and possibly some quick how you did it.

Click to expand...

Well I haven't created it yet, just in my mind. If you really are interested in how I know how to set up an automated light schedule and temp monitor I could explain that. But I don't have any pics to show sorry.

As for that moisture meter, that doesn't sound like a bad idea, but the part that is stumping me the most is how to automate the flow of water...

LemonMan said:

I'm planning on setting this all up on my arduino micro controller, and I already have the lights and temp control figured out, but I don't know what kind of electronic part I can use to control water flow to the plant, or maybe even sense water levels in the soil.

I'm not sure if there are any electronics savvy peeps in here, but if any of you have any ideas for a water flow control system, and/or a soil moisture sensor, it would be greatly appreciated.

Click to expand...

Hey LM,
I'm an Arduino / ATMega hacker as well.
I control lights, temp, humidity, pumps and fans with my own DIY Arduino based PCB's.

For watering my Moms in soil I just use a 10 buck timer controling a pump connected to drippers. Kind of a flood and drain setup without a real flood.

I do like the idea of hacking a cheap analog moisture sensor. I am on it.

That reminds me. Check this out:

http://www.botanicalls.com/

It is all there and open source except the pump controller which is a piece of cake.

Peace,
BB

There are industrial controls that you can use to sense the presence of or lack of water. They are usually refered to as level controls, they use a ground and a senseing lead. I have used this to sense my rockwool and to automatically turn the pump on and off with great success. The way i do it is with two probes, on opposite sides of the pot. Pumps come on when the leads do not sense the mosture, then turn off when it does sense moisture.

THe moisture meters aren't meant to be in the soil for long periods of time.
They will oxidize pretty fast. Plus you will need an amp to drive the uC pin. The voltage swing is very little. Too small to scale reliably on a uC.

Just figure out how often they need water and schedule it. A pump with a drip system works well. Use hydro nutes, since they are meant to be in water for long periods of time. Others may get funky. But the prob with the hydro nutes is pH drift. It will work its way back down to 5.x

(could just use MG's soil and forgo the nute/pH problem. Or use FFs time released nutes)

dude i've seen something exactly the way you want this on here http://www.cheapvegetablegardener.com/