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  • Author Author: sasquatch84
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Automatic Arduino Garden-Watering Project

sasquatch84

This is the first entry of my first project since joining here.  I work a lot and would like to have my garden watered by my Arduino.  I want the water to turn on every morning at the same time for the same duration. 

As far as parts go, I have an adafruit water valve, 4 module relay, Arduino Uno for prototyping and a nano for the finished product. 

It appears my first job is to figure out how to make the Arduino activate the solenoid at the same time.  I could ise a clock of some kind, but I could also have it turn on with the rising of the sun. 

Both ideas seem like they are possible for my level of skill.  Decisions, decisions.

  • in reply to sasquatch84

    Hi Clinton,

     

    So sorry this completely slipped my mind for a few weeks!

     

    I've uploaded it: greenhouse_water_fertilizer_basic.ino

     

    It's not super accurate for time, but by the 80/20 rule works plenty well enough image

    At quick glance it looks like the start time is offset by the run times, but you could adjust the wait time to a number that subtracts the run times.

     

    Cheers,

    -Nico

  • I did a project that might help you with some ideas.

    It uses however an older version of Arduino IDE.

    Arduino Multiple Timer. Day Based and Alarm Based: 3 Steps

    With it you can use up to 6 timers and set up the period they run for and also choose the days of the week when they run.

    It uses a DS1307 timer but other compatible timers have been used for this project with success.

     

    HTH.

  • in reply to ntewinkel

    oh ps, to avoid using a clock or having to set the time, the timer starts with a watering cycle upon startup, and then repeats that every 24 hours - or whatever interval you set for it. One year I tried every 6 hours and as it turns out, tomatoes don't like swampy conditions image

  • A few years ago I built a similar watering setup for my greenhouse, but using pumps.

    Mine has 2 relays - 1 for the water pump, and 1 for a fertilizer pump.

    It would run the fertilizer pump at the start of the watering cycle to inject fertilizer in with the water, and shutting the fertilizer off early so that none of it was left in the lines (to avoid algae and such).

    The timing doesn't have to be accurate, so the software just relies on the internal clock. That seemed to stay close enough on time that I didn't notice any deviation throughout the watering season.

    I use 120v (not really safe for beginners) but it can be done with lower safer voltages too if you choose 12v pumps, for example.

     

    I originally had much bigger plans, like tracking sunlight, humidity, temperature, soil moisture, and the idea was to only water the plants when the soil moisture was down to a certain point. Ultimately I ran into issues with sensor numbers being unreliable, likely due to wire lengths, so I settled for having it just be a timer.

     

    I like the water valve you mentioned - it sounds like you could use the same 9v supply to run the Arduino as well as open the valve. And no need for a water barrel and pump!

     

    Let me know if you want the source code for that, I'd be happy to share. I don't have schematics or anything, but it's really just as simple as "connect pin A to relay 1, connect pin B to relay 2). And you don't even need relay2. It was mostly unused in my setup for several years. In any case, it might give you some starting ideas.

     

    Cheers,

    -Nico