Microprocessor Controlled Multipot Flood,Bubble & Drain by URBN TRCHMLGY

[Londinium]

Light mover!

Light mover!

Took some pics the other day after a 2 day absence from the room. Had to move the lights up 5" or so(New bulbs caught me out)and a couple of the POG's looked a little light paled ,but nothing to worry about. I bent a few of the tops that had got close to the light in the pics and the canopy is a little more even now.
Growth has been pretty quick and PH and EC have needed little attention as I've been keeping the Rez fuller than I need to aid continuity and avoid daily top-ups. Have changed irrigation from 420 secs every 3 hours to 210 secs and I'm gonna put lids on the buckets as the Humidity is straying up to 67% mark early morning and there is occasional dew from touching leaves that I dont want later in flower.
It was necessary to move the bucket with the 4 diff cuts seperated in it out of its lower bucket as they are shorter plants in a 1 bucket SOG and weren't getting fair share of Lumen's. I put a lid wth a hole on the lower bucket and placed the top bucket on the lid. There are 4 little wicks made from blue nylon rope that I potted into the bucket,one for each diff cut(just in case of such events). The 4 wicks hang to bottom of lower bucket and keep the cuts moist and aerated as the rest are irrigated. I used to grow SOG with a wick system in the early 90's and had good results before we started making Active systems.
Ario cheap RezBubbler £12 (on a MOOG not cheap Synth)

Changed irrigation time with couple of button presses

Below the action

Doc lites on

POGs at back lites on

Room shot lites on

1 light is higher with wider spread

POGs lites off latest

Lites_off roomshot

Latest lites off GD

Latest lites off POGs

Air lines to each Bucket

 

[Londinium]

FREE AIR FILTERS!

FREE AIR FILTERS!


I almost forgot....I saw a friend yesterday who is an Industrial ventilation /AC installer and he gave me a box of 20 of these Air Input filters that are for systems they've stopped Installing now. They are about 15" and have two different grades of mesh at the back and front and are 1 1/2 inces thick. They are easy to cut and will sort out our Input ventilation for a few different projects for gratis(The box of 20 is worth £280)so that was rather nice of him.
Don't worry I made sure my generous friend left my yard with a nice,big baggie of 'Sugar Puffs' and 'GrapefruitKush'for his trouble!

Front

Back

Side

 

[sog army]

wow.. grow on man.

 

[Londinium]

wow.. grow on man.

Thanks SogArmy,we intend to!
Heres a few recent pics from day 19 of flower,they are doing fine so far...
I will put some more system details up asap...

 

[John goodman]

great stuff

 

[Dr. Buzz]

Hey Londinium

Are you going to sell these systems to the general public? I am very interested if you could build a turnkey solution for the hobbiest grower. I love your work. Keep it up Man.

 

[Londinium]

great stuff [/QUOTE
Glad u like it JG!

 

[Budweiser13]

Any diagrams yet for wiring/programming one of these things..........

 

[Londinium]

Hey Londinium

Are you going to sell these systems to the general public? I am very interested if you could build a turnkey solution for the hobbiest grower. I love your work. Keep it up Man.

Thanks Dr.Buzz nice to meet ya.
We have had bad experiences with Shops and distributors in the past so have taken the last few years to make sure we have no unscrupulous competitors and hope to have controllers and whole systems off the peg within 2 summers. But they may not be available in the shops just on a one to one semi-custom basis for trusted clients so "General Public" No but "Informed Public" Yes. Our systems and ones inspired and instructed by us are already out there but not with people likely to show you their gardens on here.
But we more wanted to inspire people to look into better DIY stuff themselves in the meantime as we think all the Systems available to hobbyists are pretty shite except GH which are overpriced and underpowered IMHO.
I'm trying to convince my partner at the mo to put up technical build details for a system like the one in this thread but he is still taking some convincing as he is very protective due to Industry problems I mentioned earlier.
He is semi-convinced that if we share our Ideas and methods in too much detail then some other greedy fuckers will make a load of money by copying it exactly,therefore ruining our open gesture anyhoo!
Also they are a little tricky to build/program and if you aren't qualified with electrics then we would be helping you to kill yourself possibly so not for every grower only the more technical ones. This is our simplest controller setup and most DIY system builders wouldn't know where to start with this its a little more in depth than DWC or Simple one timer,2 pump Flood and Drain.
If U can wire electrics to local specs and can program PLC's then you can do it if not then I can't help ya for a while,But first come first served when they're available so u got a good spot on the list if you're patient Dr.

 

[Londinium]

Sorry for my absence but problems with computers and connection...Heres some kwik Pics from day 35,a week ago......Will post more pics & tech asap but my web keeps cutting out when I'm posting and uploading so having a nitemare!
JBo@URBN-TRCHMLGY

 

[GrowerGoneWild]

Any diagrams yet for wiring/programming one of these things..........

Well those "things"

Allen Bradley or Siemens has a similar PLC to the Mitsubishi PLC. They are also called Pico controllers. Its more of a smart relay than a full blown PLC.

These things are fairly simple to program Allen Bradley is what I work with and all the programming and wiring basics are found on their website in a PDF format.

Simply put, if you can wire up a basic AC/DC circut, and understand ladder logic. (just read along with the AB literature and do the excercises). You can make one of these systems.

 

[Londinium]

Well those "things"

Allen Bradley or Siemens has a similar PLC to the Mitsubishi PLC. They are also called Pico controllers. Its more of a smart relay than a full blown PLC.

These things are fairly simple to program Allen Bradley is what I work with and all the programming and wiring basics are found on their website in a PDF format.

Simply put, if you can wire up a basic AC/DC circut, and understand ladder logic. (just read along with the AB literature and do the excercises). You can make one of these systems.

Hi GGW good to see ya,The only difference with the Mitsu's is u dont program using regular ladder logic it has an even simpler system which is one reason we prefer them along with the big range of accessories ,sensors etc(They aren't cheap though).

For others asking if they can make their own refer to what GGW says in paragraph above....I WILL post some more details but my techie partner is quite ill rite now and I can't post til he helps and approves them as we are a 50/50 unit all the way.Also I am not a great typer or very web-friendly as I have only used computers for Music until recently so bear with me,please peeps.
I am collating info from our other setups past and present(A lot of work) and will try to cover small and large Systems with diff PLC's etc and give some wiring and programming tips.... But It really is an open playing feild when it comes to Pumps,tubing ,contactors etc and we've rarely made them to same specs as diff clients need diff ins and outs etc.
Experimentation is the key,If we have to make them 4 peeps to our specs they wont be cost effective unless made in bulk anyhoo so follow GGW and our example and research all the other PLC's and alternative's as we won't be doing a "step by step How to" for every Tom,Dick and Harriet when its taken us a Decade to Reach this point and so far GGW and 1 other person are the only peeps we've found with a similar take on it all,Who might be able to teach us something as well so it would be like working for free and I have Mouths to feed if ya get me?
Heres some Day 42 pics....I am just sorting out the system for the room next door at the mo and its taking longer than usual on my own,so I'll post some diff system pics soon when I have some Tech details to post as well....Heres some links about PLC's the first Mitsu one shows the sort we use for small systems....

http://www.electrodepot.com/al10mra.htm
http://www.pneumaticlines.co.uk/Site/img/PDF/Alphas.pdf
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mitsubishi-Me...tcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://www.eng-tips.com/threadminder.cfm?pid=791&page=60
http://webtools.delmarlearning.com/sample_chapters/Du-fm.pdf
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Plant-Automation-Controls-2477/
http://www.scadacentre.com/servlets/scada.index?action=GeneratePage&process=index

...tbc:

 

[Londinium]

day 46 pics:

 

[Budweiser13]

Buds are looking nice and frosty man...........

 

[Londinium]

Buds are looking nice and frosty man...........

Thanks B13 they are doing good,just trying to get room two flowering at the mo with some longer flowering strains but struggling on my own. But partner is on the mend so will be back to help soon,hopefully.
I have copied a lot of stuff to my portable hard drive and will sort through it on this laptop so I can get u some info collated in my spare time at home. I have been taking some build pics from the newer room as I've been getting it sorted which will be from parts level to finished room(when done) unlike b4 so along with notes they may be of use to you and others. I'll send u a P.M. tomorrow Bud (web-willing) as I need to know more details of your schematic and I've a question or two 4 u !! JBo

 

[John goodman]

looking phat bruv ....still lurking

 

[HOVAH]

LOOKIN GOOD MAN

 

[tobaaaac]

The true aero in bucket idea is great. I feel like bucket systems are great because of plants are still removable and movable within the space. I'm really interested in the type of system that you have going on here. I don't see having any problem programming that Mitsu AL2, and I have been successful so far wiring up ballasts and and installing other electrical. I am, however, unfamiliar with the what the type of relays and float switches necessary for this project. Also, about the tube that you have running in the top of the container, is that the bubbler mechanism, or is the air somehow forced through the same tubing as the flood water.

 

[werdna]

Amazing !!!

Amazing !!!

I have been reading about the bucket systems for along time now. They seem to grow beatiful Big plant !,yours arbeautiful !. I am thinking of getting abucket system, but am not sure on sizes.Should a 5 gal. bucket be large enough ?, and I wouldhave to have an air pump (as a compressor is to loud). Any Help, Please ?.I have 4-1000s ,air cooled. I appreciate any help ! Thanks. Was growing soiless, aeroponically, equiptment is to old,so I want to grow Big Plants, I hav very nice strains.Thanks in Advance !!!

 

[Londinium]

Ta Hoova.
Tobaaac.....the tubes are from an air-comp and lead to a ring of air-tube in the bottom of each inner bucket(in the medium).It pumps air for 15 mins of each daytime hour usually.There are hundreds of diff relays(just need enough amps for the purpose,nothing special)and Float-switches(just need right voltages)you can use and a thousand diff ways to program the PLC...You wont find the parts we use unless you go to the shop(not specialist) that I walk to and buy them and dont wanna tell u where that is really,sorry! I don't get parts from the internet ever,so have no links 4 u!! I like to see what I am buying personally and who I buy it from!!
Sorry 4 my delay in answering,thanks for the interest....
Werdna hi,The buckets we use are 11 litre(not sure gallons) and we use 4 plants(although others use more) per 600w light[avg 4-7oz per bucket if growing for yeild]...maybe 6-8 of these buckets per 1000w,or 4 buckets of twice the size per 1000w would be cool.
We have set-up similar system system for friends with one plastic 90litre dustbin(garbage pail) per 600w light(just over 1msq),bigger tubing and pumps ...That grows 20-26oz plants regularly in each container(under each lamp),if u like em BIG and Auto...lol.
An air pump will be fine...although the system is pretty good just flood'n'draining with some bubbling in the res to be honest as it pumps and sucks quite powerfully,so has very good root aeration as standard,but the extra bubbles do make a small difference for sure...I use compreesor to do up to 20 long airlines sometimes so its overkill for a few buckets really anyhoo! As far as media goes I like Diahydro and mapito(RW and PUfoam) best myself but Clay pebbles(hydroton), rockwool cubes(cellmax) or coco/clay pebbles mixed can be used....Mineral-Hydro or Bio nutes.
Luck'n'Lumens JBo ;]