RE: Re: Automating small outside plant watering

["Paul" <groups@xxxxxxx>]

Thanks Ian,



I did the UKHA video - so, yes, I've seen your setup many, many times!  ;) 
Good stuff.



All good info - I do run a lot of HA kit including HV, Comfort, ACE etc etc
etc



My main problem to start with is that the only external water tap is
protruding out of the kitchen wall into the garden in an exposed and
aesthetically obvious place. If I wanted to add all this kit, the garage
would be the best place but I'd have to run a water pipe etc - not a small
job :-(



I think I'll start with a mechanical simple version and go from there.



Cheers,

Paul.



-----Original Message-----
From: ian.bird@xxxxxxx [mailto:ian.bird@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 22 July 2003 13:08
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Re: Automating small outside plant watering




For the auto version:

How do you plan to control the automated version? Do you HV, Comfort or
anything else.

Have a read of my watering the garden page under projects at
www.mollyology.com for some ideas.

This seems to fall into a few distinct areas.
1) Control - how HV, Comfort, PC or other. I am assuming the use of a relay
board here between the controller and the valves themselves.
2) Wiring - how are you going to get power and control signals from your
controller to your valves. I use CAT5 if it helps
3) Initial water distribution - I am using a hozelock 1 into 4 block for
about 17 quid from Homebase
4) Turning the water on an off - this is the valves and for the price I
have not found anything better than the ones from RS. I use copper adapters
to attach these to the hozelock 1 into 4 distribution thingy again from
Homebase.
5) Water from the valves to the plants - lots of standard irrigation
choices here and as long as they all originate at some point from a hose
pipe this will suit any system.

OK, how does this fit into the commercial systems. If you only want a
couple of circuits and relatively inflexible on times then the garden
centre digital or mechanical stuff will do you just fine. If however you
start wanting more circuits or more adventurous schedules then something a
little more comprehensive is needed. Also, ignoring the controller at the
moment the cost starts to break even at around two to three circuits. As
mentioned before the actual watering hose based stuff is the same for both
systems. The hozelock timers (as these are the ones I have seen) are quite
chunky and you can only get 2 onto a 4 way block as mentioned above. There
is a picture of this block on the UKHA video about 1/4 of the way through
and just after the Homebrain stuff from David. I don't have a pictures on
my site just yet.

Reusability: Sadly the bets are that none of this stuff (ignoring the hose
side of things) is reusable in a fancy automated environment. If you find a
way of doing this then you are luckier than I was when I looked at it a
couple of years ago.

So, costs:
Controller: If you don't have HV etc. or a PC 24/7 then the world is your
oyster and you could spend as much as you want. I am building a xAP powered
stand alone controller at the moment but it is a way from even the
prototype at the moment.
Relay board: Lots of choices here but none better than mine (blatant self
plug). Seriously though, there are lots of choices and lots of different
available features.
Wiring: That is just plain hard work and SWMBO pleasing is possibly the
hardest bit.
Valves: About 11 pounds something + VAT each. Other copper and plastic bits
are extra but this could be as much as 50 quid for a 4 valve system.
Irrigation plumbing: Cheap enough in small quantities, the problem is once
you have some you want more ;-)) Try Wilkinsons for the hozelock type stuff
as thier brand is half the price.

Time:
It takes about two days to get all the bits plus assembly time for a system
like mine. Again your choice of controller here will dictate time to a
degree. If you have an HV unit I can supply you with all the code
necessary.

Have fun

Ian






---------+------------------------------>
"drownedrat"
<drownedrat@idlecur
iosity.net>

22/07/2003 12:14
Please respond to
ukha_d

---------+------------------------------>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To:       ukha_d@xxxxxxx
cc:
Subject:  [ukha_d] Re: Automating small outside plant watering
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Paul" <groups@s...> wrote:
> mmm... considering I don't have much time, maybe a mechanical kit
would be better - I can leave the automating bit till I get back - If
I get the bits that can be used in an automated system, even better :-
)

The only difference between the mechanical & the automated is the
controler & valve, all the distibution, drippers, sprayers etc should
be interchangeable.



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