Electronics > Beginners
gear 0.1?
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larsdenmark:
This should be easy enough.

You need a (solonoid) valve to control the water flow. These are expensive so start with just one. They are often driven using 12 V or 24 V (12 V will be easier to work with). When testing use your power supply. For the final design I suggest a 12 V transformer to make sure you don't have 220 V near any water.

Step 1 is difficult. You need to be able to measure how many liters you supply and you need to be able to count days/hours/minutes.

Step 2 should be fairly easy. You can measure the earth moisture (e.g. using resistance). If the content is too low you switch on the valve (for a certain amount of time).

You can e.g. use something like this:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13322
You should be able to find a local supplier of Sparkfun items.

This should be doable using only analog components. Once this works you can slip into step 3 that will require a digital circuit.
Gregg:
Definitely a good project to start your new hobby.  Get your wife involved so that she sees merit in what you are doing so that in the future you won't get accused of wasting your time.  Maybe you wont have to listen to the  :blah: :blah: :blah: later   
Doctorandus_P:
If you want to work with mains related voltages an Isolation Transformer is defenately a big plus.
But as you say you are a beginner, it is probably better to not mess with mains voltages directly for a few years.
An isolation transformer is no guarantee for not letting some smoke escape from your oscilloscope or fingers.
If you don't work with mains related voltages, you have no need for an isolation transformer.

Get some extra multimeters.
You often want to measure several voltages at the same time, or monitor current & voltage.
These other meters do not have to be very accurate / reliable / expensive.
You can check them with your Fluke if there is any doubt.
The aneng AN8000 series is very popular lately.

The finding a good project is the hard part.
A watering timer is a very common piece of kit:
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=watering+timer
And because water flow is relatively constant, there is not much use in adding a flow meter.
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=flow+sensor
On the other hand, If you buy a separate electrical valve (and possibly flow meter) you probably have much better quality components than the "watering timer" from the link mentioned above.
Seems like a doable project for a "beginner".

It seems that you do not have a function generator.
You can buy a fancy 10MHz+ version, but for starters it is always handy to be able to at least have an easy way to generate some kind of test signal.
This version with the ICL8038 seems a nice compromise between very cheap and usefull.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/High-Precision-Function-Signal-Generator-Module-DIY-kits-for-Wave-Output-3Hz-300kHz-Adjustable-Frequency-Amplitude/32838770885.htm
(put it in a box with a power supply, front panel and real switches instead of the jumpers for ease of use).
james_s:
For the project you have in mind it sounds like you may want to start by learning to program a microcontroller, there are many different choices there, do you know any programming languages already? If not then you might try to learn C as it's the most common used, or the Arduino uses something that resembles C. Start by learning to control LEDs and small motors and such, once you have that figured out then moving up to controlling water valves is only a small jump.
tpowell1830:

--- Quote from: uc on May 23, 2018, 07:00:56 pm ---This is my project:
My wife received a green house for here 60 years present from our children.
Now I finally erected it.
She is complaining that she is not able to visit our grandchildren due to all the “growing stuff” that needs water.
So my project is:
Step 1 (today)
1.   Power input: 220W AC
2.   Safety against electric shock.
3.   Individual valve regulated water injection for 10 units (several plants in one unit). Based on liter/day
Step 2 (future)
1.   Power input: 220W AC
2.   Safety against electric shock.
3.   Individual valve regulated water injection for 10 units (several plants in one unit). Based on moisture in the dirt.
Step 3 (future future)
1.   Power input: 220W AC
2.   Safety against electric shock.
3.   Individual valve regulated water injection for 10 units (several plants in one unit). Based on liter/day optimized for moisture in the dirt and monitoring and regulated  via apps.
Do you think of it is “over my head”?
//uc

--- End quote ---

Don't forget Step 4: Make nice happy plant LEDs so your wife knows which pots are hydrated... preferrably changing colors every few seconds on a 3d printed sunflower maybe? This will be icing on the cake...

 :popcorn:
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