I've been using arduinos for over a decade now for all sorts of projects. Normally they are projects I'm following a guide to so there is usually a sketch already written and I just modify to my needs.
I'd like to know where to start on my "smart bucket" Watering my plants daily has become a choir needles to say. I'd like to make a smart bucket that will handle the feeding of my plants.
My over all goal is to have a small screen with PH sensor, TDS sensor, Temp sensor etc so that it displays the nutrients information in live time but this is some things I will add as I learn.
For now I just want the program to be simple. I'd like to be able to press a button which would open a solenoid to allow water to flow until a water sensor is triggered to close the solenoid to stop the water. From there I will continue to add sensors and more in depth process like control over individual pots and more.
I currently have multiple arduinos, 4 way solenoid module, water sensor and screen, so I'm ready to start the project.
If you need those I have doubts of your water supply. Your main concern I guess is to not let the plants dry up, or the opposite. A soil moisture sensor will serve you in that area. Something like a DHT11/22 will show you temperature and humidity. To get info about nitrogen content etc is difficult if not impossible, that's something you use a lab for.
Do You know the need of water and cycling between watering and not watering for the different plants? That's needed to make the plants live well.
What s the formula for using PH, TDS, Temp etc?
One plant knowing person told that most plants killed are drowning from too much water. Onle a few are killed by getting too dry.
To the project! Make test code to operat just one peripheral item. Do that for all peripherals. When You understand and master them You can delvelope the total code, step by step.
Schematics showing The project and datasheet link to solenoids, driver, sensors would be helpful.
I will bet there are dozens, if not hundreds, of projects identical to this on the internet. Start here in the Arduino Project Hub, then do a general Google.
We are here to help after you have made a serious attempt. That means the code is substantially done and the hardware is mostly all wired up. See the pinned post re 'How to get the most from the forum' for more information.
I'm not sure why you are doubting my water supply?
5 gallon bucket would be at least a week worth of nutrient feeding but due to temperature, light and other considerations TDS and PH of the nutrient solution can change over time, its important for me to know that my nutrient feed is still good and between 5.5-6.5 ph for optimal results.
at first I simply want it to work when I push button and stop when water triggers the water sensor. I can add on from there but just trying to learn the basic concept before making it more complex.
at first it would require me filling the bucket manually (mainly because the nutrient solution is multi part nutrient and has to be mixed in various combinations depending on the stage of plant growth.
Basically I'd like to fill up a weeks worth of nutrient in a 5 gallon bucket. When I want to water my plants I'd like to push a button that would then begin to water 6 pots when the last pot fills with water in its over flow it would trigger the water sensor to stop the solenoid from flowing water.
I just want a really basic set up, I can make it more complex later but right now I want to push a button then it waters plants and when water hits the water sensor it turns off until i push the button again.
Unless the plant sizes and containers are small and consistent wouldnât that need extremely careful positioning of every sensor?
My (commercial) unit just opens its solenoid for a set duration at a scheduled time every evening. My contribution is trial and error to set the flow rate delivered by the small âsprinklersâ stuck into each pot or hanging basket.
Your project is presumably on a much larger scale?
each pot has a run off plate. when watering there should be a 10-20% run off any way to make sure salt and other nutrients do not build up in my medium. If there is excess water, its fine for me as my plants will absorb it in a matter of hours. For simplicity I plan to add only 1 water sensor to the furthest pot from the watering source, once water triggers the last pot it would stop all watering to all pots or maybe the sensor will need to be on the pot near the water soruce, I wont know until I trial and error. I do plan to make it more complex but I just want a really simple system to start with before trying to add more to it.
hit button water starts, water touches water sensor and stops is all I'm currently trying to achieve so I can see how it works in real time and then can make changes as I need.
Its worth noting I am growing in coco coir, my substrate contains no nutrients. the watering does not need to be an exact science (at least not for me).
At the early stages I'll be pushing the button which would feed multiple plants, this alone saves lots of time since I wouldnt need to water each plant individually. plus having to mix a weeks worth of nutrient solution instead of having to do it every day also saves time. I dont need this to be fully automated, at this point I'm just trying to save time when watering my plants. If I can mix up nutrients every Monday and through out the week all I have to do is push a button to feed my tent full of plants, this would save me many many hours a week.
If that really is all that you want your project to do to begin with, as youâve said several times, then I assume you will find that very simple? Show us your sketch so far.
Your last part, pushing the button etc., is simply done with a relay, often referred to as a hold on relay.
It's used a lot to control pumps in tanks and wells.
It needs translating into code where a button push latches on the solenoid or whatever, then a sensor or float switch turns off or unlatches the solenoid.
That is how my irrigation system works! I am the one manually closing the relay and the water pressure from the pump keeps it closed. A sudden drop in water pressure opens the relay shutting the pump off. It is a safety feature so the pump does not operate with no water.
Yes, it's beautifully simple.
Widely used in waste water treatment works and in situations in pumping stations where a tank or wet well needs to fill to a high level then pump out to a low level. Here, in a fully automatic situation, two float switches are used, one at high and one at low.
Of course it can be done with a PLC and float switches replaced by electrodes or an ultrasonic level sensor, but the relay method can be fixed by any electrician whereas a PLC might need a specialised technician.