My DIY Home Assistant Garden Automation System – Climate Control, Dosing, and More. Pt.1 – Hardware
My DIY Home Assistant Garden Automation System – Climate Control, Dosing, and More. Pt.1 – Hardware
Parts list is now included below. This is a quick peek at the hardware portion of the DIY garden automation system I’ve been slowly building over the past year or so. Currently, the system is managing climate control, doing pH and nutrient dosing, fertigation schedule, light cycle, and has flood detection capability. It’s a work in progress and I’ll be sharing more about it as I go.
I’d be happy to hear any comments, questions, or suggestions you might have, and would like to know what you’ve got going on if you’re doing something similar.
Part 2 here: https://youtu.be/XjcLWVci6_I
Here are my home assistant .yaml files (bear with me – I’m new to GitHub): https://github.com/ledgardener/gardenAutomation
PARTS LIST: (I’m currently unemployed so you bet your sweet ass these are Affiliate links):
***CONTROL BOX***
BUD Industries NBF-32026 Plastic ABS NEMA Economy Box with Solid Door, 15-47/64″ Length x 11-51/64″ Width x 6-9/32″ Height, Light Gray Finish:
https://amzn.to/2XnDMgD
Plastic Internal Panel to Mount Gear:
https://amzn.to/2VbwtG4
Panel-Mount AC Connector for Box:
https://amzn.to/3c75OB9
Nylon Standoffs:
https://amzn.to/3b3fDA4
Cable Glands for Passing Cable In and Out of Control box:
https://amzn.to/2VotryG
*** CONTROL BOX MISC ELECTRONICS ***
Amazon Fire Touch Panel Tablet:
https://amzn.to/2JWE2eN
Right-angle Micro USB Cable for Tablet:
https://amzn.to/3efeTdk
Mean Well 12VDC Power Supply:
https://amzn.to/2JUHd6B
Drok Voltage Stepdown Converter with Readout:
https://amzn.to/2RqgP91
Dupont Cables:
https://amzn.to/2yQio9M
Breadboards:
https://amzn.to/3e4jM8K
Screw Terminal Blocks:
https://amzn.to/2x9F2tl
8 Channel Relay Board:
https://amzn.to/2JR01DX
*** DEVELOPMENT BOARDS (CONTROLLERS) ***
Raspberry Pi kit for Home Assistant that I started with:
https://amzn.to/3a0cIXo
You can also use other hardware, check out this page for a good writeup:
Arduino Mega:
https://amzn.to/3eaeNDr
ESP32S WiFi Development Board (Handles WiFi communication between control box and Home Assistant server as well as from inside tent to Home Assistant server):
https://amzn.to/2JSNdgb
Whitebox Labs Tentacle Shield to Add Atlas Scientific Gear to an Arduino and provide electrical isolation of probes (pH probe needs to be isolated from EC probe):
https://amzn.to/3aYVzPl
*** SENSORS ***
BME280 Temperature/Humidity/Pressure Sensors for Tent and Control Box:
https://amzn.to/3ed8hMb
Waterproof Temperature Sensor for Nute Reservoir:
https://amzn.to/2yQ8cy2
Atlas Scientific Conductivity Kit K 1.0 5-200,000 μS/cm:
https://amzn.to/39RFSIo
Atlas Scientific pH Kit 0-14 pH:
https://amzn.to/2JQVKQV
Moisture Sensors:
https://amzn.to/34BumA1
Catch Basin Float Sensor:
https://amzn.to/2XotuNj
*** PUMPS AND SOLENOIDS ***
Peristaltic Pumps:
https://amzn.to/3a1UWDg
Motor Drivers to Control Peristaltic Pump Speed:
https://amzn.to/2yR2MCX
Tubing for Peristaltic Pumps:
https://amzn.to/2UYHDzc
Nutrient Res Stirring Pump:
https://amzn.to/2UYGQhI
Nutrient Fertigation Pump:
https://amzn.to/34qHrM7
Normally-Open 12V Solenoid (Allows water to flow into system until solenoid is activated, which closes it – used for flood protection. Requires 12VDC power supply and 1/4″ spade connectors):
https://amzn.to/3el7qJI
1/4″ Spade Connectors:
https://amzn.to/3efd3Js
Normally-Closed 12V Solenoid (Restricts water between RO res and Nute Res, requires pump in RO res to push water through it):
https://amzn.to/3aUnyzA
Pump to push water through solenoid:
https://amzn.to/2UYGQhI
*** NUTRIENT JAR STIRRING SYSTEM ***
Nutrient Jar Stirring Fans:
https://amzn.to/2JT0PYR
Nutrient Jar Magnetic Stir Bars:
https://amzn.to/3aUleZo
Nutrient Jar Magnets:
https://amzn.to/3aZl4jp
Nutrient Jar Superglue (I used LePage but I don’t think it’s available in the States so this should work):
https://amzn.to/3ebdHYb
*** RESERVOIRS ***
Reservoir Totes:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-27-Gal-Tough-Storage-Bin-in-Black-HDX27GONLINE-5/205978361
1/2″ Double-Threaded Bulkhead for Connections to Reservoirs:
https://amzn.to/2yHAcnh
1/2″ Tubing to go between reservoirs and out to plants:
https://amzn.to/3a0epEp
Sharkbite swivel to attach tubing between 12V solenoid on RO res and 1/2″ float valve on nute mix res (requires wormdrive clamp to secure hose to fitting):
https://amzn.to/2JVwR6s
Wormdrive Clamp:
https://amzn.to/2Xq5bif
Nut Res Fill Float Valve:
https://amzn.to/2yIs7yG
1/4″ Float valve for DIY Humidifier and RO Res:
https://amzn.to/2xmtBOX
DIY Weigh Scale Kit for Reservoir:
https://amzn.to/2RI1BfN
*** MISC ***
WiFi-Controlled AC Plugs:
https://amzn.to/3csgVVs
DIY Humidifier Ultrasonic Discs:
https://amzn.to/39TySKV
Reverse Osmosis System:
https://amzn.to/2x9MRze
Wire Rack:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-72-in-H-x-36-in-W-x-16-in-D-5-Tier-Wire-Shelving-Unit-in-Black-21656PS-1/203846576
Thousands and thousands of dollars for THREE tomato plants. Are you insane? I mean, I love gardening, but who’s putting this much effort into 3 tomato plants. Get a license and grow pot dude.
This is pretty high tech for some plants! Good stuff
Just curious why on your diagram do u have a Rasberry Pi and Arduino board, instead of just having just a one Rasberry Pi controlling everything, can you explain the reason behind the separate setup ?
Your system is really beautiful, but isn’t that system’s cost too much for a few vegetables? With such a system, a really great greenhouse management can be done easily. Maybe tomatoes and peppers grow spontaneously in my country if their seed falls accidentally on the ground. I really respect your work. You are very patient and determined, you worked hard.
Or a kilogram for a liter of water!
Instead of the relays, I went with smart power strips, and then flashed the esp8266 with tasmoto. Makes for a very clean setup to buy the power strips, flash the rom, then have 100% control locally. Thanks for sharing your setup.
Can you go into the details about your rez setup? solenoids usage & float valves.
This is so inspiring! I might just make one myself. What does all of this cost?
Awesome set up. Very informative and well explained. Very distinct colored fan in the project box. Thanks for sharing with everyone.
This is really cool, however, I can not shake the feeling, that this is a serious cade of overengineering the watering of three plants 😂
It is beautiful
No way this guy isn’t growing weed
Nice, just need a sensor for the leaf temperature get the VPD dialed right in.
You aren’t worried about the magnets in the stirrer interacting with the metals in your solutions?
Appreciate your effort but i think you’re overdoing it a lot, and are using the wrong kinda solutions for your problems i.e. use ultrasonic sensor to measure the water depth in your boxes instead of weight measuring units… way cheaper and easier dont use capacitive soil moisture sensors as they don’t corode and instead of the 8 relais module use solid state relais as they have more cycles and PWM capability and maybe get a 3d printer to make everything leaner and maybe try to condense it down to one microcontroller instead of three or more but anyway appreciate your efforts and u learned a lot that way im sure
Genius👏
Are you using that one power supply to power everything in that box? Would you show how yo do that? I’ve bought a ton of adapters to power my devices but yours is so much cleaner. Don’t the watts matter even if the voltage is right?
Thanks!
What about some UV?
awesome
how do I contact u
Mind blown
03:15 *giggles in metric*
And then there is the others (us) spending time and having fun with it… Its organic, and the job on them is organic to… Think about that… BUT nice gadget u have there…
this is awesome , i have build before same setup . i was added CO2 sensor in order to further regulate the fan air flow .
when there is high humidity outside . you can monitor the minimum air flow needed (co2 concentration) and that way you get another point to auto fan speed .and control .
would be happy to hear your opinion .
thank you
Have you reached out to the Home Assistant podcast. You would be a great guest
YES. You are the first I have seen that has hacked the PWM for the AC fans. I’ve been holding off on picking up an AC but I’m buying an 8 inch ASAP now. Works well with 5v logic? or are you using it with the pi 3.3v logic?
Impressive
I love a mad scientist that isn’t crazy.
Fkn awesome 👏 👍🏻
nice im looking for some similar ideas just with node mcu.. relays and thinking to parcialy solar power it with few pannels and diy power bank from reused 18650 only sad thing im no go with writing codes but some how… willing to buld mini clear plexi glass terarium for chili peppers as a project and decoration
Can you give us your background in coding? Or anything you found helpful in learning it? I can do the circuitry but the coding is really rough for me.
Hey again, I’m trying to figure out how to calibrate the atlas scientific EC probe in tasmota. Anyone know how to issue the proper commands for the 0.1 ec probe in the tasmota console?
i feel the beginning of this video so much i have spent a fortune setting up my system
I’ve now shared all my Home Assistant and Arduino code, as well as a system wiring diagram and parts list! It’s covered in this update video: https://youtu.be/SMWJXIhill8
I love what you’ve done, I’m shocked you don’t have endless connection problems with a breadboard in a grow tent though
Very impressive system. Seems like a waste for a non-hydroponic setup.
Looks like someone is having a blast.
I would too.
Can you provide details on which power strip you used and how you modified it please? Thanks
Thanks for the video. Do you place the pH probe and the conductivity probe in the same container? Does one probe affect the reading of the other one?
@LED Gardener, thanks for sharing your work. Could you please clarify where your touch screen is connected?
This is like taking a tour of the Pyramid just as it’s completed. While the guide explains all of the features…. It would’ve been hella cool to follow from the beginning as you built this from the ground up. I’m hella curious what you do for a living, what your path has been with electronics, etc… This, my good man, is no small accomplishment. Kudos to you, humbled. I’m just looking at getting started.
I’m obsessed
Great project, i have done something similar in my greenhouse. I am working with node red for Software stuff, works perfectly stable and is pretty easy to use.
Next step is to implement openweathermap to it
Great Project,
I really enjoyed watching this!
so so amazing work . you are totally genus . friend is this design work with massive project ?
How did you make the interface on the screen?
I appreciate this! I have built my own contraptions I was proud of a 4 ft light I made with uv blue royal blue yellow warm white deep red far red infrared. I have so many parts from my light builds i can do so much more with the wifi sensors
have you discussed the nutrients in your jars anywhere?
Wow! This is great! I’m I DIYer myself and this year I decided to do hydroponics, mostly so I can gene splice plants. You sir have earned a subscriber who is about to binge watch all your stuff! Keep it up!
So 2 of the mason jars is PH and the rest 4 is nutrients?
I left software about 3 years ago to garden and I find myself back here……this is GNARLY. next automated monotub for grow shitake WHAAAAATTTTTT