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Automated growing system
    #3008359 -

If you're a prolific grower with large batches, a busy working citizen, or just a downright lazy person, I've got the answer for you. Your precious mushies put out more as they thrive nothing less than optimal conditions.

After careful pondering, researching, and more pondering, I have an initial design for an automated system that will be easy to set up and operate.


The system will have two key features:

1. Ability for customization. This will allow you to set certain growing parameters for specific species or even the different growing cycles.

2. Scalability. Adding additional devices to your custom rig will be easy (fans, lights, etc.) and you can configure each device accordingly. The software will also allow you to easily add other growing chambers with each one having its own set of separate temp/humidity sensor, heater, etc. and growing parameters. Think of the possibilities...
 




The brains of this system will be the software, which will for each chamber:
1. Monitor the humidity and temperature sensor and activate the heater and/or a humidifying device until the desired temp and humidity levels are reached.
2. Allow customization of the desired growing parameters.
3. Activate additional devices such as fans, lights, etc. on a scheduled basis as specified by the operator (daily, hourly, etc.)


The only actual *hardwired* device of the system will be the temperature and humidity sensor. This allows the operator to choose his/her favorite heater, humidifying device, light, etc. - just plug it in, because the basic interface will be an ordinary wall outlet. It's similar to having the computer control a surge protector that the devices are plugged into. Very simple.


I have done extensive research and all you'll have to do is buy a couple of components (all available online) and download the software that I'm going to write. There will be no jerry rigging, soldering, etc. Like I said, I want this system to be universal and robust so that anyone will be able to easily buy the parts, download my software, and get it to work.

The software that I'm going to write will be released under the GNU public license. It'll be free for everyone to enjoy. :smile: 

So far the equipment costs will be around $100 (approximately).

This system won't be for everyone, it's not cheap...and you might just like the manual way of doing things. But it might be worth it for some of you.

Once this project gets rolling, I'll be asking for input on what features should be included. In the meantime, feel free to comment, criticize, etc.

Edited by TheChiaPetFarmer (08/16/04 08:37 AM)

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3008366 -

i use the PMP and thats plenty automated for me. what happened to key feature number 2?


--------------------
I Am The Sickness.

Diploid: I think adults have a right to make stupid decisions and it's nobody else's fucking business.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3008369 -

oops. mislabeled. fixed.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3008371 -

lol, ok :smile:


--------------------
I Am The Sickness.

Diploid: I think adults have a right to make stupid decisions and it's nobody else's fucking business.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3008443 -

here is a link.......you might find interesting........



http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat...fpart=1&vc=

seems like a lotta work.......but if you have the geek bug......

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: PsyllyMe]
    #3008494 -

yeah i seen that........ way too much work for me. plus i aint got no geek bug


--------------------
I Am The Sickness.

Diploid: I think adults have a right to make stupid decisions and it's nobody else's fucking business.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3008509 -

Yeah, he had nice rig.

But the software he wrote *only worked for his rig*. This system won't be that way - it'll allow you to control your existing heater, humidifying device, etc.

In fact you won't really have to change your setup all that much. Nice thing about this setup is that you just throw a computer in to control the devices you already have.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3008555 -

listen here buddy, i aint throwin my puter anywhere, got it?? :grin:


--------------------
I Am The Sickness.

Diploid: I think adults have a right to make stupid decisions and it's nobody else's fucking business.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3015678 -

check this out, a USB temp/humid sensor.

http://practsol.com/thum.htm

write some software to connect this X-10 switches for humidifier and heater, job done.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3016824 -

That USB tem/humid sensor is pretty nifty...but not very cheap. For the price of that sensor, you can buy all the necessary stuff for a complete auto system.

The temp/humid sensor will be using the new 1-wire system and the switches to control the humidifier, heater, fan, etc. will be on an X10 system. I'd put everything on that new 1-wire system, however they don't have ready made switches/relays yet. The ones that are available require some soldering and tweaking. 

The software will be written cleanly in java (already has 1-wire and X10 libraries) and will have a pretty nifty interface that will allow you to control everything.

Everything should work out nicely.  :crazy2:

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3016849 -

whats the ETA of your system being publicly available?

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3016917 -

I'm broke as a joke right now, and with school starting next week I'll be even more broke (art supplies ain't cheap!).  :shake: So I can't get the $100 worth of supplies right away.

Do you have an X10 system? It doesn't cost didly to write software, so I can write the software and anyone having an X10 system can test it out and use it. I can write the software in stages, so I can write the X10 part that works on a scheduled basis (input by the operator). The cheapest X10 computer interface I had in mind is the Firecracker system
(http://www.x10.com/automation/ck18a_s_ps32.html) You need the COMPUTER INTERFACE, TRANSIEVER, and 1 APPLIANCE MODULE for every device you plan to control (http://www.x10.com/automation/am466_s.html).

If anyone has an X10 system with a computer interface, let me know and I'll get crackin on the software.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3016955 -

what about the temp and humidity monitoring? turning shit on/off a schedule aint no big deal.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3017186 -

Like I said, I won't be able to get the actual humidity/temp sensor right away cause I'm broke :tongue: I want to have it around so I can make sure everything checks out when I do write the code for it.

I can still of course write the code for the sensor, but since I won't have the actual sensor, it'll be hard to troubleshoot if things don't work out the way they are supposed to.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3018324 -

thats what I am asking. what will they be. i would like to research them.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3019209 -

Awesome idea Chia! Of course, the hard part is going to be actually doing the work.


-FF

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3020078 -

http://www.ibuttonlink.com/Linkcessories.htm

The MultiSensor is nice because it will allow other 1-wire devices to be daisy chained to it (no hub needed). So scaling would indeed be easy.

The TAI8540 Sensor works nicely because you drop it in as a probe, but it won't allow you daisy chain other 1-wire devices.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3020148 -

Mushrooms like to grow and all this extra time and money could very well not be as good as you wish... 2 timers one digital one old school would be more than enough..

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3020361 -

Yeah, but for us geeks...this is part of the fun. It's the challenge that makes it worth while. Those of us with a chemistry background contribute by sharing chemistry knowledge, same thing with hardware/software geeks. We can contribute too. :rockon:

In no way am I proclaiming this to be the supreme and only solution.
In the end, everyone has a method to their own madness. This may work for some, and may not for others.

But for those who want to perfect the growing climate of our little friends (and thereby get bigger fruits, etc.), this solution might help them do just that.  This can also be applied to strains/species (or other things people grow) that thrive under certain conditions with ittle or no fluctuations in climate.

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3020373 -

I just want to thank you in advance for creating such a wonderful tool. Also, I would gladly test out your creation, as you said you don't have the funds available. PLEASE PM me with the plans when you finish. Ill start building and testing immediately!

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: Noeton]
    #3020688 -

Why are they calling those temperature sensors "one wire"? It looks like they use cat. 5 cabling which is hardly one wire...

They look like pretty cool sensors anyway, and are pretty reasonably priced...

Good luck...


-FF

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Re: Automated growing system [Re: TheChiaPetFarmer]
    #3020951 -

They call them 1-wire because the data is sent on one wire. There are actually 2 wires used - a data and ground wire. 

They use cat5 cables because it's easier to incorporate a well established technology - it's so widely used and available (connectors and cables). That makes it cheaper for them to produce. :grin: Which equals cheaper for us to buy.

I agree, it's very reasonably priced. This project is about low budget automation and it fits nicely.

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