Hello!
I'm building my mom a completely renewable energy garden watering project.
I will be collecting water in a rain barrel and then using an Arduino Trinket to control the system.
I want the be able to activate a water pump and open a solenoid valve but all of the ones made for garden hose sized tube/pipe operate on 12v.
Could I use a separate power source for these 12v items and then activate them with a 5v signal sent to a relay?
Thanks!
-Matt
blueman189:
Hello!I'm building my mom a completely renewable energy garden watering project.
I will be collecting water in a rain barrel and then using an Arduino Trinket to control the system.I want the be able to activate a water pump and open a solenoid valve but all of the ones made for garden hose sized tube/pipe operate on 12v.
Could I use a separate power source for these 12v items and then activate them with a 5v signal sent to a relay?
Thanks!
-Matt
Yes.
It is best to have separate supplies for your pumps/solenoids and your control electrenics anyway.
Really? Most of the garden systems I've seen use 24V AC. AC is better for things that might get wet in contact with the soil. DC will etch away one of the pins relatively quickly.
Either way, a relay doesn't care if it's switching AC or DC. That would be the best way to go. Just keep the Arduino and the relays as dry as possible and away from the soil.
You can drive relays and solenoids using a logic level MOSFET and freewheel diode.
Have you asked her if she would like you to take away some of the work of gardening before you do all this?