The PC Full Auto Greenhouse Build Tek

Transcription

1 The PC Full Auto Greenhouse Build Tek FOAF was asked to do a tek for the PC Full Auto Greenhouse, so here goes. The R&D link is here: The build can be broken up into two parts, the Greenhouse Build, and the PC Automation Build. Materials for Greenhouse Build: 01) 1 two tiered greenhouse (buy online) 02) 1 cool mist (buy online or at drug store) 03) 1 ultrasonic (buy online or at drug store)

2 04) ~10 feet of 5/8" hose (buy online or at pet shop) 05) 1 PC fan (buy online) 06) ~16 feet of surgical rubber tubing (buy at Home Depot) 07) 1 can of Great Stuff Styrofoam sealant (buy at Home Depot) 08) 1 AC to DC converter for PC fan (scavenge a used one) 09) 3 1/2" PVC Union pieces (buy at Home Depot) 10) 1 plastic tray for bottom of greenhouse (buy online)

3 11) 2 Styrofoam pool toys (buy online) 12) 1 HEPA heater filter (buy at Home Depot) 13) 1 wire clothes hanger (scavenge a used one) 14) 1 ~4 x4 piece of thin Plexiglass 15) 1 reptile heater pad (buy online) 16) 1 small fan type space heater

4 17) 1 CD jewel case 18) 1 light with fixture Materials for PC Automation Build: 19) 1 THUM USB humidity/temperature sensor (buy online) 20) 1 USB controlled switch controller (buy online)

5 21) 2 RF signal boosters (buy online) 22) 4 controlled appliance switches (buy online)

6 23) 1 controlled light switch (buy online) 24) 1 copy of HomeSeer software (buy online) 25) 1 THUM HomeSeer script file (roll your own) 26) 1 USB cable extender (buy online) 27) 1 PC (use your work PC :) Tools for Build: 28) 1 pair of heavy duty scissors 29) 1 pair of plastic gloves 30) 1 drill and bit for cutting deadbolt hole in doors 31) shrink tubing or electrical tape (buy online)

7 32) 1 roll of Duct Tape The Greenhouse Build: A) Assemble the greenhouse (01) and place in plastic tray (10). B) Cut the Styrofoam pool toys (11) into lengthwise halves and stuff cut halves between sides of greenhouse (01) and plastic tray (10) for sealing up the greenhouse (01) cover with the plastic tray (10).

8 C) Punch a small ¼ hole in the four top corners of the greenhouse (01) cover, and stuff a ~4 foot piece of surgical tubing (06) into each hole and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07). D) Attach all four tubes (06) into one end of a PVC Union (09) and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07).

9 E) Cut a ~6 piece of 5/8 hose (04), and stuff one end into outlet of ultrasonic (03) and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07), and stuff the other end into the other end of the PVC Union (09) from step (D) and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07). The ultrasonic (03) is now hooked up to the greenhouse (01) and could be put on a timer for automated (non- PC) control. F) Punch a small 1 hole in the top back portion of the greenhouse (01) cover, stuff the end of a ~4 piece of 5/8 hose (04) into the hole and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07), and stuff the other end into a PVC Union (09) and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07).

10 G) Cut a ~6 piece of 5/8 hose (04), and stuff one end into outlet of cool mist (02) and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07), and stuff the other end into a PVC Union (09) and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07).

11 H) Cut a ~6 foot piece of 5/8 hose (04), and stuff one end into the other end of the PVC Union (09) from step (G) and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07), and stuff the other end into the other end of the PVC Union (09) from step (F) and seal with Styrofoam sealant (07). I) Optionally, (i) cut a hole in the top of the cool mist (02) and with the Styrofoam sealant (07) seal the top of a plastic bottle into the hole for easy filling, (ii) cut a cut a large ~2 hole on the front of the cool mist (02) and with the Styrofoam sealant (07) seal in a piece of jewel case (17) for creating a window to see when the cool mist (02) needs filling, (iii) add a aquarium heater for warm mist applications. The cool mist (02) is now hooked up to the greenhouse (01) and could be put on a timer for automated (non-pc) control.

12 J) Cut the end off of the AC to DC converter (08) wiring and wire to the PC fan (05) and seal with shrink tubing or electrical tape (30). Plug in the AC to DC converter (08) and test the fan (05) before sealing the wires. K) Seal the fan (05) onto the HEPA heater filter (12) using the Styrofoam sealant (07), let dry, and cut fan out from the HEPA heater filter (12). Make sure to note the air flow direction of the HEPA heater filter (12) and mount onto the fan (05) so that the fan (05) will be blowing HEPA filtered air.

13 L) Cut a centered square-shaped hole in the top cover of the greenhouse (01) and seal in place with Styrofoam sealant (07). Make sure that the HEPA filtered air blows into the inside of the greenhouse (01). M) Make two w-shaped brackets from the wire clothes hanger (13) and mount inside greenhouse so as to support the fan (05). Add some duct tape to bottom of w brackets for padding. Melt four holes in the corners of the 4 x4 piece of thin Plexiglass (14) and fit over the w brackets to act as shield to keep the fan (05) from blowing directly onto the greenhouse (01) shelves. Test the fan (05) to make sure that it causes the greenhouse (01) to inflate. The HEPA filtered fan (05) is now hooked up to the greenhouse (01) and could be put on a timer for automated (non-pc) control.

14 N) Place reptile heater (15) under plastic tray (10) and space heater (16) near greenhouse (01). The heaters (15, 16) are now hooked up to the greenhouse (01) and could be put on a timer or temperature switch for automated (non-pc) control.

15 P) Mount the light (18) over greenhouse (01). The light (18) is now hooked up to the greenhouse (01) and could be put on a timer for automated (non-pc) control.

16 The greenhouse (01) build is now complete and the greenhouse (01) could be put on timers for automated (non-pc) control. The PC Automation Build: A) Attach the USB controlled switch controller (19) to a USB port of the PC (27). Plug in the RF signal boosters (21) into two different AC sockets of your house. Plug in cool mist (02), ultrasonic (03), fan (05) and heaters (15, 16) into respective of the controlled appliance switches (22), which are plugged into respective AC outlets. Plug in the light (18) into the controlled light switch (23), which is plugged into an AC outlet. B) Load the HomeSeer software (24) onto the PC (27). Configure the switches (22, 23) in the HomeSeer software (24). At this point, the greenhouse (01) can be controlled by the HomeSeer software (24), including manual, timed, and other modes. C) Attach one end of the USB cable extender (26) to the THUM device (19) and mount the THUM device (19) over the plastic shield (14) in the greenhouse (01) so that the fan (05) blows on the THUM device (19), and attach the other end of the cable extender (26) to another USB port of the PC (27) and load and run the included THUM device (19) software. Test the THUM device (19) for accurate temperature and humidity readings inside the greenhouse (01). D) Copy the THUM HomeSeer script file (25) to the HomeSeer software (24) plug-in directory. Configure virtual THUM temperature, humidity, and dew point devices in the

17 HomeSeer software (24), run the HomeSeer software (24) and ensure that the script file (25) is working and providing temperature and humidity measurement values to the HomeSeer software (24). E) Create events in the HomeSeer software (24) for controlling the cool mist (02), the ultrasonic (03), the fan (05), the heaters (15, 16), and light (18). The greenhouse (01) can now be fully PC (27) controlled. For example, for fruiting, the light (18) can be configured to turn on at dawn and turn off at dusk. The fan (05) can be configured to turn on for one minute every 11 minutes. The heaters (15, 16) can be configured to turn on and off based on the THUM device (19) temperature level measurement of about 75 F. The ultrasonic (03) can be configured to turn on when the THUM device (19) humidity level is below 92% RH and turn off when the RH level reaches 93%, whereas the cool mist (02) can be configured to turn on when the THUM device (19) humidity level is below 92% RH and turn off when the RH level reaches

18 95%. Using these techniques, the cool mist (02) and ultrasonic (03) can be run in a very efficient manner, such that extra water storage tanks, etc., need not be employed. Finally, enjoy the fruits of your labor!