Automation

[[]D[][]V[][]D]

I guess everyones mileage varies. I've been using the Growtronix system for years and have always been happy with the product and especially the customer service. I usually get replies to my questions in a matter of minutes and they've gone above and beyond to help me get a large flip flop system running. I see it as a must for larger setups because there aren't many other options to properly orchestrate all the equipment. I do agree that they are slow to ship but the products are top notch and widely used in the medicinal community.

 

[gardenlover]

Medi: I can't really comment on the system itself because I never fully used it because it was incomplete. In theory it is a vary versatile system, I am realy bumed it went down this way I still would like to use the system if there some way to still get the TDS/PH/TEMP, I would probably back the guy but he just stoped replying to my emails.

[]D[][]V[][]D: When I ordered the system I went in knowing something bad may happen as I had read mixed reviews about timely shipping but I never thought this may happen. Basically what happened was after about 6 month of waiting I contacted him and he said he would get it out soon, a little more time passes and I contact again and he says he has shipped it out to the wrong person. He contacted this person who says he never got it (He probably did and used it) and so this is when it kinda end. The guy would not really return emails and finally when he did he just said it was shipped out a long time ago. I had asked for shipping receipts or tracking #, and never got one. I figure this guy shipped it to the wrong customer and never got it back so he is out $400 or whatever so he just passes it on to me the customer.

I had a huge automated system planned out but this messed it it all up. basically the way the system works is it logs data (what ever you have plugged in that senses temp/humidity ect.) and you have presets for this data on when switches would turn on and off. so I was going to hook up a the pumps for the nutrients and set it to turn on the power that was hooked to nutrient pump.

And for the record I would totally back this company if I were to finally receive what I payed for!

 

[medi-useA]

DVD-> Thanks for the info and feedback. Glad to hear the product is not the prob, just the dealer...th@ can be fixed.

gardenlover-> Have you thought about a polite, complete, concise e-mail to the County/State/Country head office?
If the manufacturer knows his customers products are not being delivered and the excuses th@ are being given, They may put the effort in to do right by you.

If you do, let us know how it works out....this type of treatment by shonky dealers is bad for their business...

muA

Is this one useful guys?

http://www.oceancontrols.com.au/controllers/kta223_Relayduino.htm
http://www.modbus.org/

muA

 

[gardenlover]

unfortunately I believe this is just one or two guys running this company (vary small no distributors just direct order). I have tried every approach but being mean and slandering his service publicly which I now am doing and warred him I would do so probably a year ago! anyway i will leave it at that. I don't want be the reason this thread gets off topic.

 

[medi-useA]

 

[medi-useA]

Here's something to potentially work into an Automated setup.

Water flow gauge project update

http://www.practicalarduino.com/

muA

and this one...

Online thermometer

from http://www.practicalarduino.com/news?page=3

hehehe .....mooore!

Library for SHT15 temperature / humidity sensor

from http://www.practicalarduino.com/news?page=4

 

[chef]

Been thinking of software based controls for awhile.
I want a clean Flash/Flex GUI w/USB to a Flash drive. Plug in your laptop, set it, forget it!

Going to have to look that Arduino over some more. Cool stuff

P.S. I wish imnotcrazy was my neighbor lol

 

[medi-useA]

Time-Lapse Camera Controller

from http://www.practicalarduino.com/projects/time-lapse-camera-controller

muA

Chef...try these...

http://usb.brando.com
http://www.oceancontrols.com.au
http://www.omega.com
http://www.practsol.com/thum.htm
http://www.temperaturealert.com
http://www.usb4you.com.au
http://www.arguscontrols.com/titan_main.htm
http://gavishusa.com/

muA

 

[medi-useA]

Water Tank Depth Sensor

from http://www.practicalarduino.com/projects/water-tank-depth-sensor

muA

Hep...this one looks interesting...

http://www.pachube.com/

muA

Keypad for Microprocessor

from http://store.arduinofun.com/keypad-for-microprocessor.html

muA

 

[chef]

I will medi thx

That's as far as I've made it on my idea, because its the part I could create myself. Have about a decade exp in GUI design. A GUI & code to set some Params to a Flash drive I can handle. A really schweet lookin one too

 

[Hephaestus]

Ooooh how come I haven't found practicalarduino before? some interesting circuits in there...

 

[disfunktional]

how do you learn about this stuff? just trial and error or school? i just cant seem to grasp it for some reason.

 

[Hephaestus]

Did take some in school, but that's where I started to see the two types of personalities... There's those who think very linearly and those who think very abstractly... The linear folks did really well in electronics 10 - where it's pretty much V=IR; the abstract didn't - tables turned in electronics 20/30; where you started getting into the IC's, logic and programming...

Nothing wrong with being on either side, just nature and how your brain is wired. I still have trouble with some of that basic electronic theory, but I can sit with a datasheet and turn a IC into something functional... ?!?!

 

[medi-useA]

How much electrical exp?
I have a Tekelek on/off fan speed controller from a roof mounted evap air con.
I want to wire it in to my fan/filter combo...
if I post pics, think you can help?

muA

 

[Bobby Stainless]

I am going to get the Intelliclimate and Intellidose and hook it all up to a Netbook as the control unit.

I also plan to run a security system off it as well.

 

[chef]

I was thinking of a netbook as a brain too a flash drive model.

 

[pimpjuice]

I've been using the intellidose for years, best piece of gear I've ever bought.

 

[Hephaestus]

Oi, 1500$ and all the solenoids/pumps etc are in addition to that base price?

This is why I'm putting together the growshield; EC/nute PPM's are not built into the circuit (I'll look at for another shield design) - but we're still talking 1/8th the cost...

 

[pimpjuice]

1500 would get the intellidose with 4 solenoids. I guess I feel like my free time is worth quite a bit so diy'ing a nutrient controller isn't really my idea of fun. One of the main reasons I went with the intellidose is so I wouldn't have to spend much time in the garden, I've left it unattended for 3 weeks at a time.

 

[Hephaestus]

Badabing... http://www.octiva.net/projects/ppm/ Ooooh look tds as complicated as that circuit looks - just one chip (ebay says... 4@tl074 = buck each after shipping from taiwan)

Will have to look at adding that as a second growshield... Should be cheap like borscht, and ridiculously quick/easy.