Hello world,
I finished my 4 wheel drive project with great success to my standards. Next, I want to create a system that uses 1 pump but waters multiple plants with multiple sensors. Does anyone know of similar projects that can be of good guidance?
Thanks,
bull engineer
My recommendation would be to use time rather than sensor input.
By this I mean if you are have a pump that can deliver a 1/2 liter of water in 6 seconds as an example, and you would normally provide the plant about a liter a week, program 12 seconds of pumping once a week and be done with it.
Yes, it makes the system not "smart" because it isn't adapting and responding to soil conditions and varying water usage and temperature and whatever.
Everything I've seen says reading soil moisture meters effectively isn't real successful (corrosion, inaccuracies, calibration, lack of soil contact).
For the big plant pots on my deck as an example, I know about how much a day I am going to put on them. If I wanted to automate that, I would would just pump that much and not worry about much else. A proper light soil mix means sufficient drainage such that over watering isn't really going to be a problem. And you could just tweak the programmed time if needed anyway.
My two cents- simplify things and skip the sensors. Then it is turning on a pump and opening and closing a few solenoids on a timed schedule using a real time clock module.
Big Red,
Great advice as I haven't seen this design anywhere. Should I delay the program for 6.048e+8 s in order to accomplish the once per week? or is there a more efficient approach. This seems like overkill, but that's the point of the project haha.
Please advise,
Bull Engineer
BullEngineer:
Should I delay the program for 6.048e+8 s in order to accomplish the once per week? or is there a more efficient approach.
I would want to let a real time clock module do the time keeping rather than count millis or set delay(gazillion) on the Arduino.
Make turn on the pump, open a solenoid, read the clock, and check the time value into functions.
Then I think your program conceptually is a "loop, read clock, check the time, if it's time turn on solenoid(s), turn on pump, turn off pump after a bit, turn off solenoids, end loop" kind of thing.
Besides, an RTC module gives you something else to screw around with.
Thanks, Good karma coming your way. I will let you know how the project progresses
There are over one thousand hits on a site search of 'watering'. Just sayin'.
Hey all,
I need help with my code. We are getting close.
I am working off of this project
except I added 4 sensors!
So I get a rather simple error
'moistureSampling' was not declared in this scope
refering to moistureSampling() in the void loop()
I have attached the 2 codes below!
I am happy to say it is built!
Please advise,
BullEngineer
MoistureSampling.ino (979 Bytes)
AutomaticWatering_4_sensors.ino (6.84 KB)
Is there a problem with your other thread on this topic?
DO NOT CROSS POST!
Mark
1.) didnt know that was a rule
2.) new project guideline, sorry mate
Figured it out! I will keep you guys updated on more questions!
@BullEngineer, do not cross-post. Threads merged.
holmes4:
DO NOT CROSS POST!
BullEngineer:
1.) didnt know that was a rule
You would have if you had read the sticky that's at the top of each section of the forum.
Big red and coding badly,
Thanks for your help and advice.
Everyone else, Please don't comment farm on my thread. If you have advice let's hear it. If not, no comment is better than a comment farm.
Anyways, Is this the same pump used in the video?
BullEngineer:
If you have advice let's hear it. If not, no comment is better than a comment farm.
I was advising you, on where to read the rules.
(I see you meantime advised someone else (incorrectly) how to use the code tags, which is quite rich since you didn't use them in any of your L298 related posts.)
Whatever! I will just start a new thread #Kappa
BullEngineer:
Whatever! I will just start a new thread #Kappa
Which will likely get merged into this one, and all you will have achieved is to piss the mods off.
But as you so eloquently put it, Whatever.
If you start a new thread ensure it has NOTHING to do with this one !
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Anyways, Is this the same pump used in the video?
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Anyways, Can Anyone answer this?
No, it probably isn't the exact same pump, but if it is the pump you have, use it. Control principles will be the same even if exact specs are different.
I have seen this type of thing done with both a submersible and a non submersible pump.
Bigred,
You're fantastic(good karma coming your way)! Does this pump seem powerful enought to do this task? Secondly, What size tubing will I need if the ID: 6mm and the OD: 8.5mm??
