Remote Solar Garden Watering System

This is my first instructable post, not sure if this will garner any interest, but if interested I'll post more details.

I decided to build something for the vegetable garden. I used a similar circuit from the LM317 datasheet to charge the battery. The solar panel is a 12v, but they usually run from 16v - 20v so the drop from the charging circuit isn't too bad.

The Solar panel charges the battery fairly well. The arduino monitors the moisture sensors and opens a solenoid to water the garden as needed. The arduino also controls some LEDs and monitors the nrf24l01.

Step 1: Inside Then Panel

I usually build my own Arduino for projects like this. I opted to connect three moisture sensors, to three different zones in the garden, I first used the regular ones off ebay, but those deteriorated after a week. I decided to make my own with some nails, worked very well, and was pretty easy to do.

The Arduino draws the power off the battery through a 3.3v voltage regulator. The Arduino controls the solenoid by a darlington pair transistor.

Step 2: Wireless

Yes, I added a remote control to the garden to trigger the solenoid at will, using two nrf24l01. I did that for two reasons. One, because I wanted to play with a transceiver module, and two, I have a cat that likes to use the garden too, and I wanted to change that behavior.

Comments

[LYousefian]

Any chance you could post a list of materials you used? I would really appreciate it :)

[vroyer]

any chance you could post some more details about your circuits?

[swmalone]

My chicken coop is set up with just a 12v timer and SPDT switch and a few sensors. If I can actually find the diagram maybe I will try to put together my first instructable.

[mdkemail]

You should do that, sounds like a sweet project. Up my way chicken coops are getting popular again.

[swmalone]

This looks awesome. I sort of stumble through electronics projects. I built a solar powered chicken coop door, but I think I would have trouble figuring this one out without a lot more detail. What was your estimated cost putting all of this together?

[mdkemail]

Thanks, my wife suggested I do something similar for the chicken coop too. we'll see, might need some advise on the. I plan on adding more detail, I'm traveling for business right now, but next week I should get a chance. Most of the stuff was just left over wood from other projects. The electronics, I can put something together, the solar panel was the most expensive, 47.00USD but now it's 57.00USD

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121370594390?_trksid=p2057...

Here is a link to the one I got off ebay. It's 20W more then I really needed, but I wanted to be sure. The rest I obtained through Newark, or ebay. With Newark.com you can ask for samples, they are really good at giving out samples of passive components. I'll update more when I get back. cheers

[DIY Hacks and How Tos]

This is way better than running extension cords to power it.

[mdkemail]

Only took once, running over one with a mower to learn that :P