Arduino based room controller

[Maer]

You can get peristaltic pumps used online or at surplus type places pretty cheap. Remember, the goal is not to reinvent the wheel.

Please PM me some links. I did just find a 3 pump with controller for $200 3 pump add on is $100 so that might be the easy way to go.

If you set them in the proper ratios and they store the settings between power outages the you could just turn them on for a set number of seconds / minutes to bring your ppm back in range.

 

[Maer]

The Ethernet Shield's SD card it usable to write to in your sketches. So you can use it for data logging.

So do I need an RTC also? My thought is the device connects to a mysql db and the db can provide the time that each reading came in. But I have only taken fortran (lol) so wtf do I know.

 

[OG13]

So do I need an RTC also? My thought is the device connects to a mysql db and the db can provide the time that each reading came in. But I have only taken fortran (lol) so wtf do I know.

You can build a RTC (for timing functions) for about $4 if you don't want the $20 data logger. Yeah I took fortran in '85......you don't need to know much for this tech, a bunch of cut and paste.

 

[dadums]

They still taught FORTRAN in 85 I took it in 76. This is throwing KISS out the window and I love following this. Taking pc grow to a different level.

 

[Maer]

They still taught FORTRAN in 85 I took it in 76. This is throwing KISS out the window and I love following this. Taking pc grow to a different level.

Well, a sealed room with CO2 and hydro probably already not as simple as possible... The point of my (and steves) system is to be low maintenance so even if it is complicated it should have maybe 4(?) actual hands on actions during a flower cycle.

When I was in soil I spent a couple hours every 3-4 days watering, draining, mixing, pulling my hair out, testing, phing.

Maybe we can even automate res changes.... lol

 

[OG13]

Res change is easy, solenoid valve to drain. Have a premixed res gravity drain to refill the "in use" res.

 

[OG13]

Which has a SD card reader that I can't get to work

Hey PP (hope you don't mind me calling you that), never got the card working? Did you try reflowing all the solder on the board? That's what I did to get mine working. Not sure which connection on mine was "bad" but works like it should. I'll get loggers in a few days (Lesson 5) maybe we can figure it out then.

 

[OG13]

When I was in soil I spent a couple hours every 3-4 days watering, draining, mixing, pulling my hair out, testing, phing.

I'm still in soil 20 plus years later. All I do is water (from the tap) and harvest. Start with good soil and decent sized pots and it is easy. The environment is key.....that's why I started this thread. (alright, I apply tea a couple times but no pH or pulling hair) That's what is so great about growing, so many ways to do it, can keep you busy your whole life trying new ideas if you want.

 

[PrairiePoet]

Hey PP (hope you don't mind me calling you that), never got the card working? Did you try reflowing all the solder on the board? That's what I did to get mine working. Not sure which connection on mine was "bad" but works like it should. I'll get loggers in a few days (Lesson 5) maybe we can figure it out then.

Call me anything, just not late to dinner. I thought about hitting the pads to re-solder them, but I think the problem is they used the big SD card socket. I can't find them any more, only the adapter for the micro SD cards. Their library is very picky about timing and such on the card. It isn't a big problem, since I have one on the ethernet shield. And it works fine. My biggest problem is getting an ethernet shield that will work with my Mega board.

So do I need an RTC also? My thought is the device connects to a mysql db and the db can provide the time that each reading came in. But I have only taken fortran (lol) so wtf do I know.

Arduino does support a software RTC, which works fairly well. There are also ways for it to sync with the computer when ever you are connected. Or you could just use the date/time field in MySQL when you insert rows.

 

[Xlr8]

Super cool thread - thank you for taking the time, OG13. I gave you +rep on Steve's thread. Nice job!

 

[Maer]

Res change is easy, solenoid valve to drain. Have a premixed res gravity drain to refill the "in use" res.

Nope, not nearly complicated enough. Well I agree with the solenoid but I would have RO in a res (enough to refill the nute res) above the nute res then have the dosing pumps crank the ppms back to where they were.

 

[OG13]

Nope, not nearly complicated enough. Well I agree with the solenoid but I would have RO in a res (enough to refill the nute res) above the nute res then have the dosing pumps crank the ppms back to where they were.

Oh, you just want to be difficult. You have your work cut out....

 

[Maer]

Well it is more or less how my system works now, except I use float valves - the flow rate is too slow for an auto refill. I would have to upgrade to 1 inch bulkheads and tubing / pipe.

 

[Maer]

CMOS Camera - 1300x1040 - SparkFun Electronics

So it can take time lapse pics too? From multiple angles... OMG DROPPING FUCKING LOADS ALL OVER YOUR GROW ROOOOOOMMMMMMM. WET PLANTS

2 different light color sensors?

Color Light Sensor Evaluation Board - SEN-10701 - SparkFun Electronics
Color Light Sensor - Avago ADJD-S311-CR999 - SEN-10656 - SparkFun Electronics

 

[TorturedSoul]

Does this device have an ethernet port so that it could be assigned an IP address, connected to a router, and used remotely via the Internet? Or would a person need to interface it via a computer and then access it that way (either through specialized software, a terminal app, or by using software to directly access/control the computer that it is connected to)?

 

[Maer]

Does this device have an ethernet port so that it could be assigned an IP address, connected to a router, and used remotely via the Internet? Or would a person need to interface it via a computer and then access it that way (either through specialized software, a terminal app, or by using software to directly access/control the computer that it is connected to)?

You can add ethernet, WiFi, it connects via USB for live interface. So all the things you mention are possible.

 

[SteveHman]

Awesome thread OG +reps! As soon as I have free time I am building one of these (or a few of these) to monitor and control a few spaces.

 

[SteveHman]

I just looked at those color sensors, they are tiny, I don't know how I would solder those things without messing them up. You almost have to be a M2 tech to do those.

I wonder if they could be used to build a PAR meter of sorts?

 

[PrairiePoet]

Does this device have an ethernet port so that it could be assigned an IP address, connected to a router, and used remotely via the Internet? Or would a person need to interface it via a computer and then access it that way (either through specialized software, a terminal app, or by using software to directly access/control the computer that it is connected to)?

TS, you can add a Ethernet shield (card) to them, for around $30 to $50. They did just announce some new boards in the last week at Maker's Fair. One of the new units will have Ethernet on board.

So, yes you can do all of that. Though I'm not sure of how well the security would be, since you don't have a large programming space. My design is the master unit has TCP/IP stack, but not allowed outside of the internal network (router setups). The master will be communicating to a PC for long term logging and control. From there I'll build a web interface for all of that.

 

[PrairiePoet]

I just looked at those color sensors, they are tiny, I don't know how I would solder those things without messing them up. You almost have to be a M2 tech to do those.

I wonder if they could be used to build a PAR meter of sorts?

My first thought was nope. But then I took a look at the datasheet and the Spectral Response. After that I would think a person could.

Here is a pic of my Arduino Nano with the 2.4Mhz radio. And yes, soldering small things isn't very easy. I have to use a magnifying glass to do most of my work.