Automation

[YouGrowBoy]

Thanks guys. I think I get it. I'm looking for a bit more then on/off situations. I'm currently handling that with some X10 modules and regular timers on power strips, I programmed my X10 to be a cycle timer for aero pumps (on 1 min, off 5 min).

The programming of the PLC looks a bit confusing or cryptic to me. I like GUI's and regular expressions. But that's because I'm not a programmer or tech head.

YGB

 

[Hephaestus]

Check out ebay for smart relays (plcs of a different name) some of them have a nice GUI interface... But the older ones (ie the fx1s melsec's I have) are a lot less user friendly unfortunately...

Luckily ladder logic really isn't that hard to pickup - and handle the basics; it's once you get into the funky stuff (ie encoders, pwm outputs etc) that it gets really complicated...

 

[GrowerGoneWild]

Heres a basic topping valve built with everyday parts.

This is a toilet valve connected to a garden hose, Plastic bracket is just an ordinary plastic wastebasket cut up. The tank is a garbage can.

Set your desired level of nutirent, and the water will be added back.

I figgure people have better things to do than pour water into tanks.

If you need more details just ask.

Well I tested this today Works as promised.

Make sure you fasten the fill line or drill a hole through the bracket so it doesn't flop around from the pressure.

 

[gardenlover]

GGW- what was your total cost in parts and such? I was thinking of doing something like this as well. Do you think the cock and ball type would avoid the thing biding up?

 

[GrowerGoneWild]

GGW- what was your total cost in parts and such? I was thinking of doing something like this as well. Do you think the cock and ball type would avoid the thing biding up?

Parts list: (estimate)

- Tank Valve 10
- Small garbage can used for bracket Free
- Stainless steel u-bolt 3/8 inch 4
- Stainless steel washers 4
- Stainless steel wing nuts 4
- Toilet Line 5
- 3/8 to 1/2 adapter 5
- 1 inch 1/2 brass nipple 5
- 25 ft garden hose 25
- Teflon Tape Free

Roughly 57 dollars.

Yes you could use a float type valve, and for some people this may work better. But in that picture the tank is not showing the 2, 1/2 lines feeding the hydropoincs, the PH/PPM probe wiring, the hydro manifold that extends into the tank. The valve works fine, it did not stick or bind up during testing.

WARNING:

Make sure you plumb your tank with an overflow line. If the valve leaks or the float fails, you're looking at a potential flood. I just turn on the valve, and turn it off when I leave the garden. The overflow line will be in place, as soon as I plumb the drain line.

I plan on an overflow tank line soon..

 

[YouGrowBoy]

I don't mean to poop on your party, but why not just buy one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hydro-Logic-Stealth-Float-Valve Hydroponics_W0QQitemZ220471460015

 

[GrowerGoneWild]

I don't mean to poop on your party, but why not just buy one of these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hydro-Logic-Stealth-Float-Valve Hydroponics_W0QQitemZ220471460015

That would work too.

I think you have to adapt that to 1/2 hose.

I still dont like that float design, vertical or horizontal mounting. I have alot of stuff at the top of the tank. Water in, pump wire,
waterfall created by flow of hydro back to the tank. etc. etc..

Mine can be made with everyday plumbing parts. Thats a special order item.

But..

That one is cheaper...

 

[YouGrowBoy]

Boom, boom, boom, another one bites the dust!

 

[Mulletsoda]

Some thoughts :

Upgrading to the Atmega328 doesn't require any code changes, except direct memory addressing (rare, and if you knew what it was, you wouldn't have the question)

For the nutrient / pH adjusting I have been checking out dosing pumps. 20mL/min rate is what I've been thinking. Makes it easy to dose out small amounts of concentrate. Ebay item #250556502684

For others, the individual # of plugs isn't what the limit is, it's the # of GROUPS of plugs. Example : I have 1 pin controlling 'pumps' which is actually a 12A 8 outlet power strip that all of my pumps get plugged into.

Why would a float switch be analog? It's either On/Off, right? (I'm new at this)

"I'll probably steal someone elses and modify to suit my general needs... Then let some people who actually know what they're doing further develop it" Steal? Isn't that how it's done??? I was unaware there was any other way.

I bought this for my LCD http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Basic-Stamp...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0f1cf9cf ~ I still need to learn how to interface with it, but it looks simple and it's got a lot more room than the normal 2x16 or 2x20s I see for the same $$$.

For a reservoir empty sensor, I plan on using a pressure sensor for weight. Put it under a corner, and use the weight to guess the rez amount. This may be unnecessary if I go with mechanical RO water topoff. A simple presence of water detector may prove to be simpler.

I'm going to have one controller per system (rez, not light), in order to help with scalability. Things like lighting, air temp, and CO2 control can be disabled and offloaded to other controllers, while still maintaining the ability to add as many controllers as needed.

I'm envisioning a custom nute schedule for each strain; different ratios of nutrients for different points throughout the flower system. This could be loaded from the SD card, which could also be used for log storage.

As far as digital ballasts putting out EM / RF interference for probes :http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/FB-74/FERRITE-SPLIT-BEAD-0.5-ID-13MM-/1.html and http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/FTR-10/10A-EMI-FILTER/1.html

 

[Hephaestus]

Float switch is analog - well kinda... in the digital world there's no grey area - it's got to be either 5v or 0v - nothing in between...

Been thinking about it lately - Probably handle them without the analog; feed 5v to the switch - signal wire would need a pull down resistor... Might work... I'll have to test it out here...

 

[Mulletsoda]

http://www.virtualvillage.com/horizontal-liquid-tank-float-switch-009700-019.html

This is an either open or close switch. Wouldn't this work for what you're thinking of? The inputs on the arduino have built in 20k pullup resistor, does that take care of it?

 

[Hephaestus]

Yup typical float switch, I've been playing around with them, my easy solution was an I2C 4 channel ADC, then it's 100% right 100% of the time from practical testing - I like the ADC as it's got some debouncing and isolation built right in...

I know some of the i/os have pull up resistors - other than the 1-wire library automatically turning the SDL/SCA on - never played with them...

 

[medi-useA]

This being an Automation thread...though I've not put in much work on it of late..soon to be recified..
I thought I'd pose the question I need answered...

On the road to Automation I am making some improvements..additions to my equipment...
This is my carbon filter/exhaust setup..

to which I would like to connect

This controller comes from a roof mounted 240V evaporative air conditioner...

It controlled waterpump on/off and fan on/off with dial control potentiometer {I think?}

I want to place this controller on the outside of the cab...connected to a powerpoint installed on the inside of the cab...I plug the fan into this powerpoint and control it from outside the cab...I'm trying to plan for future upgrades...

So how do I connect it to control 2 powerpoints...one on/off and one on/off variable speed control.

Please chime in with idea's, suggestions....directions?

It's a nice little controller unit...even came with spares! hehehe

Like ya sig, Heff...diddn't hafta google it either!...hehehe....one of the benefits of once being hardcore AD&D player!

muA

 

[Mulletsoda]

What is the model # on that controller? Manufacturer?

Can you take it out of that case, turn it over, and get a clear pic of the other side of that board?

What exactly is it you are trying to do?
"how do I connect it to control 2 powerpoints...one on/off and one on/off variable speed control"

Control 2 powerpoints ~ Do you just mean control the power of 2 outputs?

one on/off variable ~ Was this a variable speed fan controller before, or are you hooking the second output up to a variable controller?

Are you trying to use this thing as a thermostat? According to those stickers, the outputs on that AC controller are rated enough to power your fan.

 

[medi-useA]

What is the model # on that controller? Manufacturer?

Can you take it out of that case, turn it over, and get a clear pic of the other side of that board?

What exactly is it you are trying to do?
"how do I connect it to control 2 powerpoints...one on/off and one on/off variable speed control"

Control 2 powerpoints ~ Do you just mean control the power of 2 outputs?

one on/off variable ~ Was this a variable speed fan controller before, or are you hooking the second output up to a variable controller?

Are you trying to use this thing as a thermostat? According to those stickers, the outputs on that AC controller are rated enough to power your fan.

It's a Tekelek controller...

I cannot remove it without ripping out the pcb...

The board has 2 rocker switches and a dial connected to a pot.

I want to use one rocker and pot to control the speed of the fan when I plug the fan into it.

The other is simply a rocker switch...Control, pump, fan and active are the connection names...


Th controller is made for contolling the speed of a roof mounted evap air con.

To start with...my Fan has 3 prongs...thus 3 wires...

it looks like the controller only uses 2 wires...wh@ should I do with the other wire?

muA

 

[Mulletsoda]

Is the third wire a ground?

 

[medi-useA]

I would think so...but I do not know where to connect it and i do not think I should leave it unconnected...

muA

 

[Mulletsoda]

Connect it to the controller? You don't really need to, ground is more to provide a safe, secondary path for electricity gone wild. It isn't involved in the actual functioning of electronics. The controller has a plastic case; no where to put it, really.

I'm not sure about that controller, though, I can't tell how it works from what I see there.

 

[medi-useA]

There are two wires connected to it...They are for the 2 switches...
Rocker switch 1 turns on the fan and regulates the speed via a potentiometer-dial....the 2nd is a simple rocker switch th@ switched on the pump.

I think th@ next week when I have the $$ I will buy a double power point box and install it.

I will report on wh@ happens...

muA

 

[Mulletsoda]

Okay, you're trying to control that fan, right? Based on temp or humidity, both?

Here are a couple other options for just temp:

A regular old mercury thermostat hooked to a relay. Simple and effective.

Any digital AC/heat thermostat for a house, such as:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Heat-Cool-Therm...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4838e327e6

This switch will close (turn on) when it reaches 95F and open back up when it cools to 90.
http://cgi.ebay.com/5-pcs-Temperatu...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a53fb4584


You said you can't remove it without ripping out the PCB. I wanted you to take the PCB out so I can see it's other side. That screw in the upper left isn't enough to remove it?