Category: Hydroponics

Electronics, Hydroponics, Woodwork

Plant Keeper Version 3

This is the final version of the Plant Keeper control system. It has 6 appliance plugins, a 7-button user interface, 3 modes and 3 sensors. I have separated the high power branch and load switching from the low voltage control system for safety and convenience. I made all of the electrical work modular so that I can add features to the system in the future. The firmware can be updated over the ethernet port on the side of the control circuit box.

Electronics, Hydroponics

Plant Keeper Control System V.2

This Plant keeper system is much closer to what I want the final version to be. It has a user interface that uses 7 buttons to navigate. The UI has 3 modes that all 4 plugs can use: Time of Day, Day of Week, and Temperature. I have it so you can calibrate the sensors in the UI. It also has 2 temperature sensors, a reservoir temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor. In the middle of making a testing the PPM meter will be added soon.

I am using an ATmega1284 IC. Was going to use the ATmega2560 but the pitch of the pins is too hard to work with without getting custom PCB’s. The 1284 has more than enough space and uses pins that fit on a breadboard so it is perfect. The other nice thing about this IC is that you can actually upload the Arduino boot loader to it and write programs in the Arduino version of C++.

The relay board that I made only has 4 relays but plan on adding 2 more before I put this thing in a wood housing or 3d-printed one.

I have been testing this with a few appliances and a grow tent. It has no problem controlling the 270W light fixture, ventilation fans and watering pumps. Definitely going to do a lot more testing before I start with a seedling or clone but seems to work without any issues. In theory any appliance that doesn’t exceed the ratings of the relays should work.

Electronics, Hydroponics, Woodwork

Plant Keeper Control System

This was my first version of a complete system that has almost everything I would want for a hydroponics control system. Although this version does not have a UI  it can connect to the internet using the Cayenne software and an ethernet shield connected to a WiFi repeater. This allows triggers and conditions to be made on your smartphone and monitor the conditions of the growing environment. It uses an optocoupled 8-channel relay board for a potential of 8 appliances. The micro controller for this box is an ATmega2560. The final version of this will have all custom boards and won’t use pre-made Arduinos or pre-made relay boards. But this prototype works and is a good physical representation of what I want the final version to look like. The UI and custom boards will take some time and planning. I also want to add things like PPM meters and possibly PH testers.