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Step 4Adjusting and testing
Once everything is ready; put the battery clip on a battery, insert the probe into soil that is of the proper moisture content; and press the button. If the red light comes on, adjust the trimmer pot. until you get a green. Then do the same for one that is not quite the proper moisture.
I few times around with get it just where you want it. Red LED for too dry, and Green for enough.
EDIT: Once I housed everything into the box, I found it was hard to get to the adjustment trimmer, so I bored a hole in the end of the device, as a small access hole as shown in the last picture. The trimmer has a slot for using a small screwdriver or similar tool on. Extra Note: on projects that have inductive sensitivity, one normally would not use a metal screwdriver for adjustment, but rather a plastic or nylon tool.
Since I made this a simple project, I did not build in any hysteresis, so adjustment to the proper moisture level is imperative.
The tester should be used before watering, since the plants roots, most likely will be in the bottom 2/3's of the soil. Press the probe in as far as you can without burying the contacts (unless you have waterproofed them with hot glue or something) before pressing the button. It is imperative that you get to that level if possible, and to always measure from the same level each time.
Watering tips can be found on line at places like this link to watering different types of plants.
Eventually, the probe will tarnish some, and the conductivity will not be as good, thus lowering sensitivity. This will make the monitor inaccurate.
You have two choices then: using a product like tarn-x to convert the tarnish back to the original metal (copper cleaner is OUT of the question as you only have a very thin layer to start with), but then you mush make sure the probe is SUPER cleaned afterward. Tarn-x and similar products are highly toxic to humans, pet, and plants.
OR you can replace the probe.
I few times around with get it just where you want it. Red LED for too dry, and Green for enough.
EDIT: Once I housed everything into the box, I found it was hard to get to the adjustment trimmer, so I bored a hole in the end of the device, as a small access hole as shown in the last picture. The trimmer has a slot for using a small screwdriver or similar tool on. Extra Note: on projects that have inductive sensitivity, one normally would not use a metal screwdriver for adjustment, but rather a plastic or nylon tool.
Since I made this a simple project, I did not build in any hysteresis, so adjustment to the proper moisture level is imperative.
The tester should be used before watering, since the plants roots, most likely will be in the bottom 2/3's of the soil. Press the probe in as far as you can without burying the contacts (unless you have waterproofed them with hot glue or something) before pressing the button. It is imperative that you get to that level if possible, and to always measure from the same level each time.
Watering tips can be found on line at places like this link to watering different types of plants.
Eventually, the probe will tarnish some, and the conductivity will not be as good, thus lowering sensitivity. This will make the monitor inaccurate.
You have two choices then: using a product like tarn-x to convert the tarnish back to the original metal (copper cleaner is OUT of the question as you only have a very thin layer to start with), but then you mush make sure the probe is SUPER cleaned afterward. Tarn-x and similar products are highly toxic to humans, pet, and plants.
OR you can replace the probe.
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