Controlling multiple valves with timers seperately for sprinkler system

Projects Programming
1

Hi all,

This is my first post here, new to Arduino. I have all valves ready to purchase, but before I go on with the purchase, I first want to know whether my plan will be executable for a beginner.
I have experience with how valves can communicate with a controller, the procestechnical side. But I'm completely new to the programming side.
I have 2 weeks until I will leave for 4 months, leaving my house in Thailand in the hot season. I want to make a system with a back up system for sprinkling the garden (6 seperate areas with seperate timing and 1 back up system). And either I buy a timer for each valve and use normally open or normally closed valves, or I can actually program everything exactly the way I want from one board. The last option is much better, because the likelihood of that many timers being so accurate as to not starting to overlap each other over the course of 4 months (which would lead to cavitation of the pump), is pretty low in my experience. But I'm quite unsure whether I can make this as a total beginner in like a few hours time on the programming side?
Is it easy enough to understand quickly for someone that only got some very basic and very different programming like 10 years ago?
If not, I will just install the more straightforward option with all the seperate different timers.

If it is possible to not only time the seperate valves with the Arduino, but also include a logic of only opening certain valves when a specific pressure is reached or when certain other valves are open or closed, that would be even better. But for now, a solid timer that works under a unified time and can control up to 10 valves would be enough.

Sorry, long post for just asking whether it's possible for a newby to make something like that in a short period of time. Then I know exactly what to order from hardware.

2

Welcome to the forum

What you describe is certainly possible using the appropriate hardware but you will be hard pressed to learn to program the Arduino to do what you want and test it within your timeframe

It is extremely unlikely that the valves can be controlled directly from the Arduino due to the voltage and current that they almost certainly require so it is likely that intermediate hardware and/or electronics will be required

Which valves to you have in mind to use ?

3

Thank you for your response. I indeed thought it would be unlikely in my timeframe.
I was looking at solenoid valves similar to this:

4

As I suspected, those valves operate at voltages that would require extra hardware to interface them with the Arduino. This is not impossible but unless you are already familiar with such devices then this is not the time to find out

5

Okay. Thank you for your response. Then I will try something like that when I get back to Thailand. For now I will try to make it work with normally open and normally closed valves.

6

I used a valve like that and controlled it with an SSR. Just make your code control a logic pin connected to the SSR, and the SSR controls the valve. In order to prevent cavitation, just write the code so that only one valve is triggered at once. One solution is to turn off the other 5 before turning on the one.

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Thank you for your response. I will definitely look into that. It sounds like that might be the best option for now

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