Grow controller? (DIY)

[Hephaestus]

Hmmm how to do this... I was thinking what i'm familiar with - just feed a 12v source (PWM through the mosfet for dimming as needed) - but these 3/4 pin are really simple - feed 12v and a pwm signal... Easy enough to add both just more space needed - I'll have to go pick one up this week and see what kind of connector is on it...

 

[Hephaestus]

Who's following along and wants one? Trying to decide right now...

I can put a run of test boards through batchpcb - ~20$ea (bare board) - see them in 4-6 weeks... Or there's a local company who can provide some next day - for about 60$ea (bare board). ic's and bits and pieces to assemble should run about 20$ - Could probably arrange to build a few if people are interested in the alpha version... The next day run - wouldn't be as pretty as the batchpcb (batchpcb's ones will look professionally run; next day - will look like a home etched board - no fancy paint to make things nice etc).

My IC's still aren't here - but the design has been proof'ed by an buddy (just on paper - he doesn't have the chips either - but the theory and wiring is right).

Any thoughts - preferences?

 

[Hephaestus]

Maybe I'm on my own...

Suppose I should look at the EC/TDS/PPM measurement - to make it really useful? probably throw it onto it's own shield - some may want it, some may not... but with a single 1$ chip on it, and some resistors/diodes - we're talking a +/- 10$ shield...

http://www.octiva.net/projects/ppm/

 

[medi-useA]

Hephaestus...Throw it on anyway!....it will eventually get used!

$10 to have ppm/ec/tds is nothing! Every $10 invested is $100+ saved/earned!

ph is on it, isn't it?

I vote to put it on!
is it on the digital side or the analog side?...what about the rest?
What's on what side?

muA

 

[medi-useA]

Found a couple of interesting Arduino related pages...
LED center is a useful site...

LED Wizard for Calculating Resistors and Drawing Schematics
http://www.arduinoprojects.com/node/886

in fact the whole site arduinoprojects.com is worth a look...

Here is an interesting use of Arduino [I think...they don't say...but they look like Arduino!] for paragliding...but the small x-bee chips make the monitoring devices portable

from http://www.embedded.arch.ethz.ch/Projects/EagleSenses/

Logging on a mini sd-card

Controlling high-current circuits
http://www.tigoe.net/pcomp/code/input-output/controlling-high-current-circuits

Controlling DC Motors
http://www.tigoe.net/pcomp/code/motors/controlling-dc-motors

muA

 

[Hephaestus]

Don't think that's actually arduino - looks more like one of the PIC*'s than an arduino; unless it's an oddball flavour...

 

[disfunktional]

i vote for the EC/TDS/PPM also well worth the money imo.

 

[disfunktional]

im suprised that there hasnt been more input on here other than mainly the three of us.

 

[Hephaestus]

I think due to space constraints - it'll have to be on a second board; there's also the desire to make this as universal as possible - TDS is used mostly in hydro - less in the aquarium world... There's no reason you cant stack it on as a secondary module (ie whole reason i'm keeping shield setup - so you can continue to stack on more as your needs dictate).

 

[disfunktional]

would there be a choice between EC/TDS/PPM? and when you say stack do you mean stack on top of eachother or is there a way of wireing them together?

 

[medi-useA]

Hephaestus...
seen this one? it might be used instead of your local guys, if the board suits ya needs...

http://store.arduinofun.com/arduino-usb-22-p22.html

muA

 

[Hephaestus]

Dis- designed to stack ontop of eachother and if ya don't do something funky - they all talk through eachother... EC/TDS/PPM - all come from the same measurement; just interpreted with different calculations.

Mua - that's just a bare arduino pcb? not of much use except to add a bunch of components and make an arduino out of...

 

[Hephaestus]

http://www.diy-labs.com/projects -> Not sure about this guy... Somewhat bothered that he's been on the arduino forums in the last few weeks asking for specific help on certain circuits - yet is offering them for sale as a shield... And no pictures of completed/working components...

Thinking I might bundle ORP with EC/PPM/TDS - what do you guys think?

 

[medi-useA]

ORP is what? again?...

{memory of a pothead!}

ORP is more a fish related measurement????....assuming peeps might also use this for aquaponics,
is there anything else th@ could be included?

muA

Have you thought about building a prototype as a paperduino?

just for shits'N'giggles?

muA

 

[disfunktional]

oxidation reduction potential courtesy of ScrubNinja in my neptune controller thread

 

[medi-useA]

disfunktional-> thanks....

gonna have to wikki it to find out about it....
You interested in some basic electronics tutes and instructions on how to use Aduino boards? They are out there....some good ones too...for dumbo's like me! hehehe

muA

 

[disfunktional]

hells ya i am!! i need all the help i can get.

 

[Hephaestus]

ORP measures available ions in the water - basically an overall assesment of your water quality... Low ORP translates into water is lacking ions to carry oxygen (and nutrients); is it totally necessary - nope... Handy to have... Yup...

All these shields are on paper actually - well digital paper anyway; gotta find a few pennies, then I'm going to send them off to be built; got a couple of the ICs for the main board today - still missing one, but playing with the design...

Got a shield done for the ORP / EC, got one to handle up to 8 - 2wire float switches, and playing around with the 2nd version of the primary shield design (greatly reduced in size - got it down to the size of the arduino; the current one is close to double the length).

 

[disfunktional]

i sware one day i will understand everything you guys are talking about, lol.

 

[medi-useA]

i sware one day i will understand everything you guys are talking about, lol.

I swear that one day I will understand what I'm talking about!....maybe...


muA