I was trying to make a project involving a soil moisture sensor that could send you an e-mail whenever the plant needs watering or basically upload its status on a cloud.
I have done some research and found a wireless module named ElectricImp.
Problem is, I need some other stuff like an ElectricImp shield, an arduino redboard and a stackable header kit. That would cost me kinda lot for my budget.
So my question is: there are other cheaper ways of doing it? Or even some other solutions so I can compare them.
Thank you in advance.
P.S: i'm sort of a newbie at this, so please don't react badly if this question sounds stupid.
I got all my arduino stuff from China. Shipping takes forever (3-6 weeks usually) but everything is dirt cheap and you can buy small quantities without paying for shipping.
Please consider that I'm very new to arduino, but my first project is also a watering system and these are some of the parts that I ordered:
Most of these parts haven't arrived yet, so I didn't have the chance to figure out how and if they work. Especially with the Wi-Fi board, I'm not sure if it will do what I want it to do.
I got my basic stuff (Uno R3, Breadboard, Wires, etc.) from a different shop where it's a bit more expensive but they offer faster shipping to my home country (irrelevant for the US). You will also find these things on Aliexpress or eBay if you don't have them already.
You should also try to find out what the rules for taxes and customs are in your country. Usually, there's a threshold and you should try to keep each individual order below that. In Germany, you don't have to pay taxes or customs for anything below 22€, but it's different for every country.
Thank you very much for your replies. That Arduino Yun solution seems more practical. I await for more suggestions, so i can make some comparisons.
Also, notapantsday, i don't need an automatic watering system. I need its status uploaded on a cloud/sending e-mails so i can monitor it.
It would be pretty cool if it could water them too though with a simple control system and a pump. Or you could trigger a small pump remotely when the soil becomes under a certain moisture.
That's what I'm trying to build, but it's a lot more complicated than I anticipated. Maybe it would have been easier to build a monitoring system first and then slowly upgrade it.
I found this thread on the WiFi module that I linked above. I'm sure it doesn't have anywhere near the capabilities of that electric imp, but it may just be good enough. Maybe someone with a bit more knowledge on the subject can chime in here.
It's $3.25 vs. $49.90 (imp+shield) - I'd say you should at least try to find out if the cheaper option can do what you need it to do.
I guess it looks fine, just that makes me wonder at the last step: how can it be accessed from anywhere else other than LAN? It needs some hosting or something, as far as I know...
Hi, with conductive type moisture sensor is you have to feed them AC if you want long term reliable service.
The problem is electrolytic corrosion, so if its a DC sensor your will need to clean it regularly, and replace it at times because you will loose the conductive material.
On that example, step 4/5 sets up a HTTP web server which allows you host web pages and connect externally.Same as if you ran an Apache web server on your home PC - it can be accessed from anywhere on the internet with your IP/domain.
The Arduino Yun also runs a web services API called REST to be able to generate the commands based on HTTP pages and URLs. As long as the LAN is connected to the internet, it can be easily accessed remotely.
TomGeorge:
Hi, with conductive type moisture sensor is you have to feed them AC if you want long term reliable service.
The problem is electrolytic corrosion, so if its a DC sensor your will need to clean it regularly, and replace it at times because you will loose the conductive material.
Tom....
Hi Tom, could you limit the 'wear' on a DC fed sensor by connecting its power via a normally open relay only closing for a few seconds every hour or so to read?
okay, so apparently that solution can't be used because it's not enough to pass the firewall and router.
ElectricImp seems to work as a cloud service.
any other ideas?
I'm just curious why you would want a text message rather than let the arduino water the plants for you. Surely this would be simpler and would have a more beneficial effect on your plants.
