Hi, I'm working on a project that I need help with. First off, I am a newb at this sort of stuff, so sorry in advance for my ignorance. I'm a biologist working on a simple device. I need to turn an airpump on for 5 minutes and then off for 8 hours. I think I can construct something of value with this, if I could pull it off super cheaply. So I've been doing some searching online and getting familiar with electronics, and I see that a microcontroller of sorts is what I need. An arduino might be overkill for my application but I do not know. So.....
What it does and what's needed.
- A battery powered device that when turned on will turn on a pump every 8 hours for a duration of 5 minutes. Then it repeats. Simple on off toggle switch to activate.
- Needs to hook up to an air pump. I have no idea what to buy here. Do I buy any battery powered air pump? Is there a specific air pump that is designed for Arduino or other hardware specific to what I need?
3)So there must low power requirements but have enough capacity to power an air pump when on the "on" mode for the 5 minutes, and be able to repeat many many times
I don't even know how to state some of the questions I have. Like how exactly can I make it battery powered, what parts do I need, and what is the feasibility with regards to cost. I am completely clueless to electrical engineering or computer programing. Also I'd like the whole project to cost under $20 for each one.
Any help, comments would be appreciated.