Krypto's Ultimate Controler

[Guest]

disclaimer
I didn't invent it,, just making it available to evryone who wants an easy to use Hydroponic system at a fraction of the cost of it's original counterpart. Also any electrical parts in this tutorial are for use with U.S electrical current.
This thread is to give you an idea of what is needed, where to get it, and how to use it.
I'll clean it up or rewrite with better pics at a more convenient time.

We'll begun with giving you an idea of what the controler housing looks like. You'll need something to house the eletrical components to keep you from getting fried in an unpleasant manner.

These are two different versions of the housing I've made. One from sheet metal, the other from an old plastic container.

Interior View:

 

[Guest]

Your gonna need ONE per control unit. It is very important that the correct timer be used. You may find a similar timer than this brand but it has to be: SPDT FIVE Terminal .

Diehl Timer.
You will not find a better price than this site.
Part Number: TA4079
Description: Time Clock, 24Hr, 120V, SPDT 5 Term

http://www.poolandspa.com/catalog/product004500000385.cfm

 

[Guest]

Float Switches were extrememly difficult to find until i came across this guy. Extremely reasonable price for this type of switch. You can find them elsewhere for @ $15 to $20 US

http://www.floatswitches.net/floatswitch.html

You need FOUR of the Float Switches per controler .

 

[Guest]

The Relays. Looked High and Low for these on the net and here thye are at a local Radio Shak.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.a..._name=CTLG_011_002_013_000&product_id=275-217

125VAC/10A DPDT Plug-In Relay

You will need two Relays per controler.

 

[Guest]

Two AC Outlets.
Whichever type you use for the electrical current in your area.
I found these at Home De Pot. Lowes does not have them .

Four 90's, show here are 1/2 inch.

At Least 10 1/2 inch straights . The number of straights needed depend on how many outlets to buckets are needed. I will be using four in this tutorial .

16 1/2 inch Grommet's.

Two 90 barbs.

8' cord.

 

[Guest]

Will return to edit in some more instruction .

 

[Hooked-On-Grown]

anxiously waiting............

 

[venge]

I to am very excited in your design.

thanks

Venge

 

[HerbWeedman]

Yeah keep it coming. (As Herb rattles the filing cabinet) Krypto's parts examples, for the most part, are used. I like that.

 

[GreatLakes THC]

That's what I like to see...

Growers helping growers to be better growers.

GreatLakes THC

 

[Guest]

We need to start drilling some holes.
I am going to use a 5 gallon bucket for the controler and a 3.5 gallon for the pots. Ideally your controler should be taller than your pots.
I am having a hard time finding black buckets and have found a supplier, but can't tell if what they carry is what we need by the pics in their catalog. I need those buckets, but will continue with what is readily available.
Notice the difference between the support at the top of each bucket?
The white Bucket is what I need because two of them fit into each other leaving a smaller amount of space between the two. This is necessary because you want your water/nutes to fill the medium bucket without Overfilling the flood bucket. You could just not fill your medium bucket completely, but that is not the ideal situation.
The White bucket is known as a Full Beam.

Lowes used to carry all black buckets but they've since changed to white. It may have something to do with Black not being Food Grade but It's a conspiracy against Marijuana Growers I tell yah .

You can use ANY type of bucket round, square or whatever, this is just what I have on hand .

Tomorrow we'll drill holes, set the float switches and whatever else we can get at . You will need a 13/16th inch spade bit .

 

[Hooked-On-Grown]

I use 5 gal buckets with a tall 5 gal bucket for the controller. I used to clean pools and remembered the chlorine tabs came in a tall 5 gal bucket. I am using 3.5 gal on the inside of a 5. Give s me more room for a larger root ball.

Just waiting for my parts to arrive!!

 

[Guest]

Damn fine info Krypto

I damn near ordered my parts also

Great thread

Tex

 

[Bonzo]

Basco has 6 gallon buckets, as well as all other sizes, i just received thier catalogue today. 6 gallon looks good for the controller if using gallon 5 medium buckets, or , 5 gallon with 3.5 inserts. this is great info Krypto, cant wait to start building new room and bucket system to go with. With the combined efforts of you and HOG anyone will be able to build an awesome, customized bucket system for half the price of store bought, not to mention the satisfaction of having built it themselves, i love that part

 

[Guest]

I also have their catalog Bonzo.
It's not very descriptive.
I don't understand the need for the smaller bucket in a larger one? Using the full beam buckets there is @ a 1.5 to 2 gap between the two which is sufficient. If you used the most common bucket with the rim like the black one shown here as your medium and flood buckets, you would have @ a 4" gap between them.

But this is just a guidleine, people can experiment and build various ways to suit their needs.

 

[mybeans420]

i really like that diagram. i think i've finally decided now how i plan on going hydro organic.
i'll have to put this thread to good use

 

[Guest]

Now your gonna need whatever vessel your going to use as a Controler Bucket. I've changed my mind and only need 3 lines going out. You can add more if you wish. I believe the original comes with 5.

Begin by marking for your feed to bucket lines 1 inch from the bottom of your bucket and two inches apart from one another.
If using 5 or more fill lines you should space them 1.5 inches apart. Using a 13/16ths inch spade bit, place the point of the bit on the mark you made for each hole and drill slowly and evenly so you will get a nice cut. When your finished, if your hole is not that smooth you can clean it up with sandpaper, a file or a utility knife.
It should look like this:

Completely opposite the holes you just drilled, on the other side of the bucket, mark a single spot one inch from the bottom of the bucket and drill. This hole will be used to connect hose from your return pump to the reserviour.
Directly above that hole one inch from the top of the bucket, mark and drill another hole. This hole will be used to connect your fill pump, which is in the reserviour to the controler.

It should look like this:

 

[Guest]

Tip:
Before drilling for the switches sit your bucket down and decide which side you want your timer mounted on. It's a nuisence to have the timer facing a wall, you want easy access to it even though once it is set you rarely touch the thing.

You need to connect these two parts and make them leak free.

I tapped one end of the 90, wrapped a little plumbers tape around the threads i put into the 90, threaded the wires through it and screwed the float switch right in.

You could also push it in and seal it with a little hot glue or silicon.

For reference, the distance from the tip of the float to the center of the 90 is 3 inches.

 

[Guest]

The c-clip at the end of the float is approximately 1/8th of an inch thick. The thickness of the bottom of the bucket is also approximately 1/8th of an ich thick and there is approximately and 8th of an inch ridge around the bottom of this "particular bucket". These measurements are for the buckets I am using only, and will entirely depend on the size controler you will be building.
So now we have approximatley 3 and 3/8ths inches slightly heavier when measured from the outside of the bucket.

On the Side of your bucket mark and drill two holes, one 3 and 1/2 inches from the bottom of your bucket and the other two inches to the side of the last one and 3 and 3/4 inches from the bottom of your bucket. These two holes will be used to hold your bottom two switches, "drain switches" in place.

Should look like this:

 

[Guest]

Before we drill our final holes in the controler, we need to take some measurements on the buckets we will be using as our vessels to be flooded.
The bucket I am using is 11 inches tall. I like to keep the water/nute level at least 1/2 of an inch from the top of the flood buckets. From the center of the 90 to the end of the switch is 3 inches so we want to drill our holes at least 3.5 inches from the top, or 7.5 inches from the bottom of our controler. We want our water to reach that mark but not go beyond it.
note: I am setting these on a very level surface, if the floor in your area is not very level you may want to correct that figure by a half of an inch, 4 from the top, 7 from the bottom. This will lower the level of the flood in your buckets. If you make a mistake here it can easily be corrected bye placing a spacer either under your buckets or your controler.