ESP8266 Tutorial: Build an Automatic Plant Watering System

Recently, I saw many people creating smart-home equipment on the Internet, which aroused my interest, and then I created an automatic watering artifact which could surf the Internet. Programming of my device is based on DFRobot automatic watering kit. With ESP8266 module, the flower-watering kit could realize real time monitoring.

Required hardware:

ESP8266 Wifi Bee (Arduino Compatible)

Xbee USB adapter

(FTDI ready) EcoDuino - An Auto Planting Kit

12 Battery

As for mobile phone software, I used Blynk which is deasy to build up and providing Arduino library. Throughout the communication, ESP8266 WiFi Bee module was used as communication module. Arduino is the main controller here.

Step 1: Create a Blynk Item

Create A Blynk Item

Open Blynk software.

Add the following controls:

Value Display * 2 LED * 2 Slider * 1 Gauge * 1

Adjust the size and arrangement of controls, and then set their parameters respectively, as follows pic1:

Interface after adjustment is as follows pic2:

Channels (pins) used in controls are virtual, which transmit data to ESP8266, and then ESP8266 transfers data to watering kit motherboard.

Step 2: Download Program to ESP8266

Program source code can be found here. Switch WiFi Bee SEP module to UART port, and plug it into Sbee USB Adapter board to connect with the computer. Select FireBeetle-ESP8266 on Arduino IDE (Click here to link to the installation tutorial of FireBeetle-ESP8266).

Download program to WiFi Bee ESP module, as follows:

After downloading, switch WiFi Bee ESP module to BOOT port.
Note: before downloading program, you need to change your WiFi and password as well as the corresponding AUTHTOKENS code.