Hey gang, haven't written a how-to for a bit, but this one has been pretty fun, well, for a lazy guy.
I'm on a well, and therefore rely on RO filters to keep my tanks full, which is always a kinda slow process. I also have 6x100gal reservoirs, split into 3x200g pairs to water 3x10 light gardens. As anyone with RO can tell you, 200 gallons of RO takes a while to make.
So, I was on Amazon, and found Bacoeng 1" stainless 120v ball valves for about $70 US each. I got some 1/2" ones to use for the fill valves too, they're a little cheaper. Avoid the valves that use a solenoid to hold a valve open, they will burn a out staying on for hours. So, you could put these on a weekly timer, and just dump them outside, but my solution was a little more complex.
I didn't want to punch a bunch of holes in my concrete foundation, and I have a laundry sink already plumbed in that drains outside in a field of trees, so I needed to get the water from the floor l (gravity drain) up into the sink.
Using a Greentrees Hydroponic bucket system controller, with a 1000gph pump in it, I was able to plumb my 3 drains into one bucket, so when it fills with water, it pumps it up into the sink. Each drain line ends at one of the Bacoeng electric ball valves, so now I wanted remote control of them.
There are lots of companies that sell smart outlets, and odds are you either have, or can out wifi in your grow room. I used a pair of Amped Wireless wifi repeaters to get into my basement, and using Tuyasmart outlets, I can schedule whatever is plugged in to them to run whenever I want.
So, once a week, each garden shuts off its reservoir heaters, then that tank opens it's drain valve for 1 hoir, then closes. The fill valve opens on the RO line for 5 hours to fill 2x100g tanks, with float valves so they don't overflow, then those close. Then the reservoir heaters turn back on.
I also used the Tuya outlets to control my sulfur burners, turning all my intake and exhaust fans off, and the burners on for a couple hours a day, then switching all the fans back on.
If you have an extra Amazon Echo or Dot (or Google Home) you can even voice control all of those outlets.
Anywhere you have an internet connection, you can now control that outlet from your phone. The app is password protected, and all the outlets are WPA2 AES tkip protected too.
Have fun with the possibilities, the outlets are about $15 each and can run up to 10 amps @ 120v, though I wouldn't push them that hard. There are $40 outdoor smart outlets on Amazon too if water exposure is likely.
I'm on a well, and therefore rely on RO filters to keep my tanks full, which is always a kinda slow process. I also have 6x100gal reservoirs, split into 3x200g pairs to water 3x10 light gardens. As anyone with RO can tell you, 200 gallons of RO takes a while to make.
So, I was on Amazon, and found Bacoeng 1" stainless 120v ball valves for about $70 US each. I got some 1/2" ones to use for the fill valves too, they're a little cheaper. Avoid the valves that use a solenoid to hold a valve open, they will burn a out staying on for hours. So, you could put these on a weekly timer, and just dump them outside, but my solution was a little more complex.
I didn't want to punch a bunch of holes in my concrete foundation, and I have a laundry sink already plumbed in that drains outside in a field of trees, so I needed to get the water from the floor l (gravity drain) up into the sink.
Using a Greentrees Hydroponic bucket system controller, with a 1000gph pump in it, I was able to plumb my 3 drains into one bucket, so when it fills with water, it pumps it up into the sink. Each drain line ends at one of the Bacoeng electric ball valves, so now I wanted remote control of them.
There are lots of companies that sell smart outlets, and odds are you either have, or can out wifi in your grow room. I used a pair of Amped Wireless wifi repeaters to get into my basement, and using Tuyasmart outlets, I can schedule whatever is plugged in to them to run whenever I want.
So, once a week, each garden shuts off its reservoir heaters, then that tank opens it's drain valve for 1 hoir, then closes. The fill valve opens on the RO line for 5 hours to fill 2x100g tanks, with float valves so they don't overflow, then those close. Then the reservoir heaters turn back on.
I also used the Tuya outlets to control my sulfur burners, turning all my intake and exhaust fans off, and the burners on for a couple hours a day, then switching all the fans back on.
If you have an extra Amazon Echo or Dot (or Google Home) you can even voice control all of those outlets.
Anywhere you have an internet connection, you can now control that outlet from your phone. The app is password protected, and all the outlets are WPA2 AES tkip protected too.
Have fun with the possibilities, the outlets are about $15 each and can run up to 10 amps @ 120v, though I wouldn't push them that hard. There are $40 outdoor smart outlets on Amazon too if water exposure is likely.
