I'm pretty new here and I still have to learn a lot but I like to start thinking on practical application and personal project where Arduino 'll help me on
PROBLEM TO SOVE: water waste.
my loveley girlfriend use to consume a looot of water when taking a shower and, of course, it's a water waste!
MY IDEA: timer+buzzer .
I'm thinking on something like a sensor that automatically detect when someone starts to shower + a timer which will activate a buzzer after 5 min or so, you 'll be warned!
NOTE: difficulty level .
As I'm a beginner, I'm not looking for a "tough" project... I mean: no water-flow control with solenoid valves, braking, braking wall, electric shocks to my girlfriend, ecc...
IS YOUR TIME.
For sure ther's somenething smarter/automated and fun that I can do with Arduino and maybe you can give me some cool idea....
many thanks to all the comunity and for any questions please leave a comment.
Sounds to me like a regular kitchen timer would work.
I have small timer bought from $1 store.
I set it for 10 minutes.
Push Start.
It buzzes 10 minutes later.
Push Stop.
You need something that will make the shower icy cold after 5 mins running - that'll get her out!
I used to stay in Abu Dhabi hotel for business and they had a notice on the shower about water use and it's something I still do today.....
Enter shower and turn on - shower with plain water for max 30seconds to rinse off body.
Turn shower off.
Apply shower gel/soap. Lather well.
Turn shower on - Rinse off and wet hair, Max 30 seconds.
Turn shower off.
Apply shampoo. Lather well.
Turn shower on and rinse for 30 seconds max.
There you have it - the 90 second shower that doesn't waste water and doesn't waste half the shampoo/shower gel down the drain either!
Maybe you could make a timer with led lights (like traffic lights) to do the visual warning and also have a motorised valve to stop/start the shower water???
I still prefer the icy cold option though - that would be you tube stuff!
skywatch:
You need something that will make the shower icy cold after 5 mins running - that'll get her out!
I used to stay in Abu Dhabi hotel for business and they had a notice on the shower about water use and it's something I still do today.....
Enter shower and turn on - shower with plain water for max 30seconds to rinse off body.
Turn shower off.
Apply shower gel/soap. Lather well.
Turn shower on - Rinse off and wet hair, Max 30 seconds.
Turn shower off.
Apply shampoo. Lather well.
Turn shower on and rinse for 30 seconds max.
There you have it - the 90 second shower that doesn't waste water and doesn't waste half the shampoo/shower gel down the drain either!
Maybe you could make a timer with led lights (like traffic lights) to do the visual warning and also have a motorised valve to stop/start the shower water???
I still prefer the icy cold option though - that would be you tube stuff!
hi there, don't bother about designing any shower timer with a pre set waiting timer; these guys in Spain have already done it and works really well;
you set the shower time and when you have used it all, then it shuts the shower off for several minutes so there is no ther option but leaving the shower
after this waiting period, a new shower is available.
skywatch:
You need something that will make the shower icy cold after 5 mins running - that'll get her out!
I used to stay in Abu Dhabi hotel for business and they had a notice on the shower about water use and it's something I still do today.....
Enter shower and turn on - shower with plain water for max 30seconds to rinse off body.
Turn shower off.
Apply shower gel/soap. Lather well.
Turn shower on - Rinse off and wet hair, Max 30 seconds.
Turn shower off.
Apply shampoo. Lather well.
Turn shower on and rinse for 30 seconds max.
There you have it - the 90 second shower that doesn't waste water and doesn't waste half the shampoo/shower gel down the drain either!
Maybe you could make a timer with led lights (like traffic lights) to do the visual warning and also have a motorised valve to stop/start the shower water???
I still prefer the icy cold option though - that would be you tube stuff!
that system is too hard in my opinion, it reminds me of the army
I presume Arelia's solution is the most suitable, and the most friedly solution to save water and gas with showers; they give you lets say 6 minute shower, and afterward, the device shut it off for 5 minutes, and this thing indicates the user the time left during the shower
there is also this American device : " showermanager " , which is miliar to the Spanish but poorer; it gives you 5, 8 or 11 minutes and the cut off is for 5 minutes; it does not have a display as the Spanish; I suppose it works well although it is much less complete and not suitable for all showers.
they are very popular in the US, AU and Nz but as far as I have been able to find out, the solenoid is not inside the timer as with the Acqua Tempus (Spanish) so we will need plumbering if we buy the Australian one, besides, it is not suitable for all showers
For something non invasive that will do what was actually asked for... A temperature sensor attached to the hot pipe could start the timer once the temperature gets above a certain level. Not sure how you'd sense when the water is turned off as it will take a while for the temperature to fall again.
