Recently I made a project of automatic plant waterer which is free energy plus a self watering schedule. This means that the plant watering device does not require electricity, but uses solar panels and batteries as its power source. This tool only works during the day to pump water, which can be channelled to the plants either by spraying, rinsing or using a sprinkler. This device does not work continuously, but only at certain times. Suppose I want to water the plants for 10 minutes, stop watering for 50 minutes, go back on, so on and so forth.
Why do I want this device to stop n Go? That's because I designed it to resemble a drip irrigation system. This is the plant's most preferred method of watering. Plant roots like flowing water, that's why a hydroponic system makes plants grow faster.
You may see in the demo video, the device flushes for 10 seconds. Then stop for 5 seconds and run again for 10 seconds. Then when there is no light, at night, this device will automatically stop. I can actually adjust this command according to my needs, I just need to change the program code on the microcontroller IC.
Plant's Automatic Waterer Circuit Schematic
If you are interested in making this automatic plant watering device, here I have prepared the circuit schematic. I will also share the program code, free of course.
Okay here's the schematic, the left side is a 5 volt solar panel that directly charges the battery. with 5 volts voltage through the diode, voltage drops from 5v to 4.2 or 4.3 volts which is the full voltage for 3.7 volt battery. So that should be safe enough, it won't damage your battery. I actually made the same schematic for LED love chaser that has been working for 3.5 years now, the machine still works and the battery is still alive. Please check this beautiful led love here.
The next part is a light sensor to detect day or night, using an LDR (light dependent resistor). I deliberately design it like this because I want this machine to only work during the day, while at night it turns off. Of course so, because it is intended for watering plants, at night the air is quite humid, your plants won't need watering.
For this light sensor scheme, whether you want to make your device light up during the day, or vice versa, you want to light up at night. The key turns out to be very simple, you need only to switch the position of the LDR and the resistor. Incidentally I have also made a video about it, please take a look at this video
Next, during the day the LDR will give an active signal, then activate this microcontroller IC, atmega 8. After that, this IC which already contains the program will run the watering schedule. sprinkle the water for a certain period, then stop also for a certain period. That's depending on how you want it, but I already made the schedule which I think, it's good enough to imitate a drip irrigation system, without ofcourse draining too much battery. See also hot / cold air conditioner
Plant Watering Schedule Program Code
Here is the code I wrote for watering plants that I've made. This program uses Bascom software with simple and easy-to-understand code. You can also see how to make beautiful running leds or led chaser program code using BASCOM AVR here in my previous video
rem AUTOMATIC PLANT WATERER / SPRAYER v1rem DVS www.finderonly.netrem Created: Fri Jan 14 2022rem Processor: ATmega8rem Compiler: BASCOM-AVRrem Write your code here$regfile = "m8def.dat"$crystal = 1000000Config PortD = OutputRinse Alias PortDDim X As ByteDim A As ByteA = 1Do' Watering schedule ACTIVATED BY LIGHT SENSOR (WORKS DAY ONLY)' STOP AND GO INTENTED TO IMITATE DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMSRinse = &B00001000Wait 600 '10 minutes water pump ON (6 AM)Rinse = &B00000000Wait 10200 'water pump OFF until 9AMRinse = &B00001000Wait 300 '5 minutes water pump: ON (9 AM)Rinse = &B00000000Wait 10200 'water pump OFF until 11:55 PMRinse = &B00001000Waitms 300 '5 minutes water pump: ON (12 PM)Rinse = &B00000000Wait 7200 'water pump: OFF until 2 PMRinse = &B00001000Wait 300 '5 minutes water pump: ON (2 PM)Rinse = &B00000000Wait 7200 'water pump: OFF until 4 PMRinse = &B00001000Wait 300 '5 minutes water pump: ON (4:05PM)' STOP, not repeatedLoop until A = 1END