Home made cycle timer. Looking for suggestions.

[Happyflolucky]

Hi all.

I have a timer a friend made me and am looking for possible things to add to it. I am going to use this one for a pump timer on my flood table, but will prob try to get more made (less than 1/2 the coast of the cheapest cycle timer I have found) for poss co2, o3 ect.

The timer can be set to run in either seconds or minutes with an on/off range of 1-999. It has dip switches inside to preset the time, so if there is a loss of power it will start back up at what you have preset.

Anyone have any ideas at what could make this better? This one can run a 600 watt light and could be made to handle a 1k if needed.

 

[Nubie Biatch]

You could post a DIY on how to make one of these switches and then someone would be able to tweak the design and offer better uses.

 

[Villain]

Can you make me one that does 30sec on/ 3 min off lol.

 

[Happyflolucky]

Not sure about a diy. It was made from a blank circuit board by hand and has quit a bit of time put into it. I don't know anything about electronics beyond plugging them in, so about the best I could do is open it up and show you.

I'm just looking for ideas to pass along to my friend for possible upgrades to the next one made.

Villain- The timer can run everything from 1 to 999 seconds on and off and can be set to count minutes instead of seconds, so it could do 30 sec on and 3 min off np.

 

[Happyflolucky]

I wish I could make a diy for this, but this is about the best I can offer.







I am told the next one will be made with 4 switched ac outlets and will run on a micro controller, so it should be a lot easier to make.

 

[pontiac]

Cycle timers dont have to be that complex, one can make a simple one (though quite unaccurate) based on a 555 timer ic. All parts can be acquired from radioshack (or it uk equivalent maplin?), and should cost around $10.

 

[Happyflolucky]

Yeah, when making this one he went with what he had on hand and only had to buy the box and power supply (think he called it a triax?) The stuff used to make this is pretty old and out-dated I am told. He still has 100s of chips like the ones used to make this timer. This timer is really accurate and runs off the power cycles just like an alarm cloak would.

I think he has plans on making the next one to be upgradeable with modules to run co2 monitoring and injection, temps, humidity and something else he had in mind. I am told it will also have it's own .net server and web based pages to set it up and will be accessible from an internet connection.

My friend doesn't understand simple. hehe

Back on track- The one thing I was thinking is, it could use a green led display over the red one.

I know you guys are full of ideas. lets hear some of em =)

 

[1toke]

I like what your friend has done. I am hoping to be at that level one day,but until then I can dream.. these are some of the idea's that have been floating around my head for acouple months.

I have been thinking of automating my theoretical grow using a PIC chip(coded with PicBasic Pro)...Use an internal clock to trigger a relay for HID lights, control 12v fans to maintain a temperature of between 75 and 88. I have considered using bluetooth to send data to my computer. but I am in the very basics of learning all of this. especially the hardware. If your friend ever gets on here, ask him to post some info about controlling 120v AC with 5v DC via relays, aslong as its not to much of a burden.. I can barely see the schematic, and may not understand it if I could .

I also found this that may be of interest to you
Txt Message controlled Relays - http://www.serasidis.gr/circuits/sm...scontroller.htm

the ultimate goal is to maybe someday build a website, monitor conditions and the state of fan/light/smoke detector, trip the electric via txt message(if its not done by the breakers first) and close contacts(or open) to open a solenoid attached to fire extinguisher, should the occasion ever arise.

Well, check out this thread too. hope someone can get some use out of this.

1toke

 

[Happyflolucky]

Hi 1toke. I'll get him on here to post for ya, just need to get him tor and ff running first. might be a day or 2 =)

 

[1toke]

I use tor and privoxy, am not familiar with ff. whats it all about?

 

[Happyflolucky]

Here is my friend posting:

@pontiac:
Yes a 555 can be used to make a timer very cheaply, but there are drawbacks to the approach.
1) very long times require useing ultra low leakage capacitors. Normal alum electrolytics are not suitable for long times.
2) it would be very tedious to set a long time duration setting when you wanted to change the timing. Requireing trial and error adjustments of a pot.

@1toke:
The PIC Basic microcontrollers are fairly expensive, you might want to look at the PICAXE microcontrollers. The PICAXE parts don't require anything more than a serial cable from a PC to program them (standard serial port or USB) and the development software is free. The language the software uses is kinda a cross between basic and C. The PICAXE microcontrollers run from about $4-10 each depending on internal mem capacity and # of available signal pins. The PICAXE parts are just PIC microcontrollers with a bootstrap and minimal OS already programmed into the part so you don't need any special or expensive programming hardware to work with them.

The current timer was just a quick and dirty approach I could make with parts mostly already in my bins. The next generation will be microcontroller based.

 

[Happyflolucky]

1Toke- I use firefox as a web browser over ie now. I am trying to talk him into using it with the tor stuff, but he is resistant to putting stuff on his pc. I'll just let him use mine to post for now =). ff = firefox.

 

[1toke]

I have heard of picaxe before, but I think it would be more costly for me. I already have a programer attached to my computer. Aswell as the compiler and programer installed onto my PC for the PIC family line of microprocessor. I have acouple 16F876's, a few 16f88's sitting right here.. can you refer me to a datasheet for the 555?

I have gone through 2 tutorial books for programming these things. examples of some projects are clocks with buttons to set the time, temperature sensors sending data via RS232 output to my computer, controlling an LCD display, some ADC stuff and acouple of servo projects, but no robots. . .yet..

I think alot of this could be programmed easily, but the hardware side is where I fall short. I am learning to design PCB's at work right now using ExpressPCB, but using only schematics drawn up by my boss. i'd love to get some more info from you regarding hardware. Ithought about tying 3904 transistors to 12v and switching the ground in and out on a relay that could withstand 120v AC for my light. but if you think the 555 is better i will def. look into it.

i use IE with tor and privoxy. its just prefrence right? he doesnt NEED ff does he? Thanks for the info thus far.

have a good evening,
1toke

 

[Happyflolucky]

I don't think he was saying the 555 is a good choice for what your after rather was replying to Pontiac. I'll get him back on here when I can (shouldn't be long). FF isn't needed, but it makes it easy with the tor button added to go secure when needed. ie to me means internet exploder. I just seem to have bad luck with ie.