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Automated Urban Garden

Bluetooth Relay Pump Garden Soil Moisture Sensor Float Switch

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34 replies to this topic

#21 ShVerni

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Posted 14 July 2014 - 01:23 AM

I'm using pretty much the same moisture sensor you are, and it seems to be working alright, though it's not the most sensitive thing. I try to avoid the corroding problem by wiring the VCC pin of the sensor to a digital output, and only turning the sensor on while taking a reading. That seems to help and there isn't too much corrosion on the sensor yet, though if my sensor does go bad I'll have to try your fix!



#22 FourT2

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Posted 29 July 2014 - 03:18 AM

Well done project!



#23 jinzai

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Posted 02 June 2015 - 05:36 AM

Powering those blade type sensors all the time creates a nice electroplating system, not the intent of most systems! You can extend their life considerably by tinning them, either with solder or that paste used for tinning boards, although the solder will work best -- use the good stuff -- with silver. Great solution switching the power on only when taking a reading.

 

I like your drip irrigation, however -- I am building a system that uses a flood fill technique and Adafruit sells digital valves! They aren't even very expensive and they are 1/2" diameter. I have a utility pump that I got from Harbor Freight, but -- it is quite beefy, I think it is too much, and I am looking at small bilge (sump) type pumps.

 

I am going to put the electronics and battery in a cooler and use conduit to bring out the wiring and plumb it using PVC.

 

Thanks for sharing your project -- it is very cool!



#24 ShVerni

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Posted 02 June 2015 - 11:15 AM

I do use a digital output to keep the moisture sensor mostly unpowered, but I like your idea of tinning them with solder.

 

Your project sounds interesting, and I like the idea of flood fill, be sure to share how that all works once it's up and running!



#25 Giuliano

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Posted 26 June 2015 - 04:44 PM

Good day ShVerni, 

 

I cannot open the google drive you are sharing, it seems that I need to request permission to get access to it.

 

Anyway, what kind of soil moisture sensor are you using and what kind of pump you are using as well.

 

I am planning to do a similar project but I wanted to be WiFi, so I can receive alerts if I am away from home

 

Thanks.



#26 ShVerni

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Posted 26 June 2015 - 11:29 PM

Hi Giuliano,

 

I'm sorry you're having trouble accessing the drive, it seems to have public access set up, but who knows what the whims of Google are. Anyway, the moisture sensor I use is this one.

 

If you need access to any of the code or materials that you can't access in the Google Drive folder, PM me and I'll try to send it to you.

 

I've also been drooling over the Netduino WiFi, I think it'd make a great addition to the project, you'll have to let us know how it goes!



#27 Giuliano

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Posted 07 July 2015 - 05:22 PM

Hi ShVemi, 

 

Thanks for your prompt reply, sorry that I didn't reply any sooner. Thanks for the info on the sensor.

 

What kind of pump are you using?



#28 ShVerni

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Posted 07 July 2015 - 07:22 PM

Hello,

 

This is the pump I'm using:

 

http://www.amazon.co.../dp/B009X6ADCM/

 

You'll need a 12V power supply for it, but really, any pump will work as long as it can be plugged in.



#29 Giuliano

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Posted 07 July 2015 - 08:34 PM

Thank you so much ShVerni.

 

I am going to order the parts and I need to make some time to put all together. I'll keep you posted.



#30 Giuliano

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Posted 17 October 2015 - 04:26 AM

It's been more than 2 months and I cannot get the time to get this project done, so finally I am going to order the parts. One thing I missed to ask is that if you get PH information as this is going to be important to germinate the fruit plant I am planning to grow, if so, what sensor are you using?

 

Thank you



#31 ShVerni

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Posted 17 October 2015 - 06:57 PM

For my simple needs I don't use  pH sensor. I couldn't find a simple pH soil probe, and anyway the solution pH meters are generally pretty expensive. Sorry I can't be more help, but if you do find a soil pH probe, I'd like to hear about it!



#32 Giuliano

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Posted 20 October 2015 - 05:10 AM

Yes, I was looking at the PH sensors and they are super expensive. I found this one at sparkfun.com:

 

https://www.sparkfun.../products/12872

 

Then, I found this 4 in 1 sensor that Sears sells:

 

http://www.sears.com...a=SPM3567785921

 

Then, I saw the Parrot Flower Power, really nice implementation but it doesn't have PH information.

 

http://www.parrot.co...s/flower-power/

 

Looks pretty good but at the end I would like full control of my sensors, so I am going with the Netduino board and the humidity sensor you have suggested me to start with and I hope to add the sunlight, fertilizer, temperature and the PH sensors at a later time.

 

I'll keep you posted.



#33 Giuliano

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Posted 23 February 2016 - 12:36 AM

Allright, so it's being about 5 months since I got the parts and I was finally able to put it together this past weekend. If I continue this way I might die before I can complete some other project in life :)

 

Anyway, I am using the code provided by ShVerni which really helped to put this together.

 

A couple of issues I am experiencing so far already:

 

1.- The pump waters the plants in a matter for 2 seconds, it has tons of flow that I may need to either regulate its flow by installing some sort of nozzle to the hose for every plant, so it restricts the flow of water or turn on the pump for 1/2 second and then wait a minute for the water to settle down and the do a measure, if still dry, the water more and so on, at this point I don't know what's best.

 

2.- The Sparkfun Soil Moisture Sensor SEN-13322 (https://www.sparkfun...roducts/13322) that I am using reads about 379 to 387 when the soil is really humid, probably more that I wanted for these plants. It also reads between 372 and 378 when the soil is just a little humid. Additionally, if I removed the sensor from the soil, the reading is between 7 and 9, so with these 3 samples, it is hard for me to put in the code when to water or not, any clues what could be wrong?

 

I am using this pump from SparkFun:

 

https://www.sparkfun.../products/10455



#34 Giuliano

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Posted 23 February 2016 - 12:42 AM

Allright, so it's being about 5 months since I got the parts and I was finally able to put it together this past weekend. If I continue this way I might die before I can complete some other project in life :)

 

Anyway, I am using the code provided by ShVerni which really helped to put this together.

 

A couple of issues I am experiencing so far already:

 

1.- The pump waters the plants in a matter for 2 seconds, it has tons of flow that I may need to either regulate its flow by installing some sort of nozzle to the hose for every plant, so it restricts the flow of water or turn on the pump for 1/2 second and then wait a minute for the water to settle down and the do a measure, if still dry, the water more and so on, at this point I don't know what's best.

 

2.- The Sparkfun Soil Moisture Sensor SEN-13322 (https://www.sparkfun...roducts/13322) that I am using reads about 379 to 387 when the soil is really humid, probably more that I wanted for these plants. It also reads between 372 and 378 when the soil is just a little humid. Additionally, if I removed the sensor from the soil, the reading is between 7 and 9, so with these 3 samples, it is hard for me to put in the code when to water or not, any clues what could be wrong?

 

I am using this pump from SparkFun:

 

https://www.sparkfun.../products/10455

 

And here are pics of my project:

 

https://drive.google...Nnc&usp=sharing

 

Thanks



#35 Giuliano

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Posted 28 February 2016 - 08:33 PM

https://drive.google...Nnc&usp=sharing







Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: Bluetooth, Relay, Pump, Garden, Soil Moisture Sensor, Float Switch

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