Automatic Plant Watering Device (simple version)

Step 5 Test it.

Before we finish, let's test it to make sure it works.

Put some water in the bucket and run the bottom pump for a minute.

It should fill, and then overfill the top reservoir with the overflow recycling back into the main bucket. Make sure everything is positioned to minimize splashing, especially splashes that leave the bucket.

Run the top pump for a minute.

The pump should completely pump the water out of the top tub. It will probably run dry for a bit, but it's not much of a problem as long as the pump remains moist. Catch the water it pumps and measure it. It should be roughly equal to what you measured back in step #1.

Calibrate again, if needed.

If you got more water than you wanted then enlarge your hole in the tub. If you didn't get enough then some duct tape over the bottom edge of the hole will fix you up.

Comments

[YotaTruck]

What a great idea! So simple it just works. The top pump running dry seems like the only possible hiccup, but @ $10 I guess the remote possibility of a burned out pump is no biggie except for the plant dying.

[Grathio]

I was concerned about wearing out the pump early on, but I've been running it every day for three years now and it still works perfectly.  Which is frankly a lot more than I expected from a $10 pump.

Next time I'm digging around behind my plant I'll probably switch the pumps so that they wear more evenly and hopefully I can get another 3 years out of it.