Automation

Does anybody still use old fashion timers, with old computer around. Why would anybody us a a timer , when you can set up to 8 channels with a printer port relay $36 to $120 and a controler program likd relayrunner.With over 15 plus years of using a computer with one failure,(dam compute battery went bad the same day as the power went out) It has a restart thats part of the program. Do a search for relayrunner, it has a free test , so you can start it up , under emulation mode , make all your programs , save them , and your set.
Note you can have up to 256 different relay with 5 control times.
8 channels work great mod 74 printer relay.
Do to time problems with Windows you may be off a few seconds so remember to allow a late crop of 10 seconds. Unless you have the computer call the time thing , then your crop will not be 10 seconds late. For a fail safe thing change computer battery at Christmas, blow 3 buck on your crop.

Just picked up a 8 channel recorder for the system.
This saves lots of problems
What is the co2 average, and what happen if I go in the room to work
What is the water temp and times , that way you will know if everything is working
What is the room temp, are fans working, are lights working at max output, did the tank refill ,and is full.
Having grown next to narks and cops , you can not run to the grow space.
You want things to happen when noise will not be a problem, refilling tanks at 3:00 am. Venting room max to reduce total room temp. Mine is done at 3:00 to 5:30 to make max effect of cooler air.

Sanclem- what are you using for hardware?

Interface/relay board, x10?

Recorder?

I wanna clone your rig ;)

I've entertained the idea of using a PC to control a grow op- I have several relay cards for a PCI bus laying around due to my line o' work.

However, I decided use timers, both mechanical and digital for one reason- their operating systems don't crash! :D

BTW, I've seen folks use the X-10 stuff quite successfully as the X-10 control unit responsible for doing the tasks is only accessed by a PC to program it. The X-10 control module deals with the instructions on its own- and is much more stable than a PC.

I use 2 types
1 a printer port 74- relay box
1 pci relay card
Using relayrunner, Now the systems have been groiwing for over 12 years now and only had one failure. The computer backup battery went out the same day a power outage.
I just figure when Christmas comes I install a new computer battery.
With 3 know systems, 16 events per day That 36 years of 16 controls per day and one failure.
Note relayrunner has a restart at current time if the power failures. The only failure is the computer battery.
If your real paronoide about system crashing use a battery backup on the computer.
note the mean time between failures was 17520 to 1. About 0.000057 % failure rate.
If only windows is running with only Relayrunner , on a junk computer not much can happen.
note x-10 uses a control that florsents and mag ballast will cause a glich that will turn things on and off. As hard wired control is as safe as it gets.

Most of my systems are resivore is in the ground , the best system because it keeps the water cooler. ;););)

Do to problem of not being able to do that and put the holding tank 100 gallon feed troug (cattel tank):thumbsup:
You need to add one more step in the filling , empting. The in the ground way just uses gravity,(that never failed)
All is need is one more step in the filling process and one more pump, and controler. I have used it in a real small system and it worked with out a problem.
If anybody would like the plans just ask:thumbsup:
Automation makes so much easer , you can grow and leave the grow on its own for a month at a time.
Data taken , tanks filled , fill times, ph and pm , water temp,light working, sun circles working,pumps working and the best part it all simple wiring.
It makes a great system , as long as you use duck tape to keep you mouth shut. NEVER TELLING ANY BODY.
Even the narks say I have the best system and the judge commented on it.
with a med permit, takes away some of the excitment .
I even have a system to tell if cops are in the neighborhod

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Originally Posted by oldsanclem

If anybody would like the plans just ask:thumbsup:
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I'd love to see them, man.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by oldsanclem

with a med permit, takes away some of the excitment .

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Yeah, it's just not the same if you're not being naughty...

I had so wired that I could tell when the cops were in the neighborhood.
Which was rough sometimes as a nark lived next door.
You gota love the technology (sp) of todays toys.
note the x10 2.4 gig camera recievers would go bonkers when cops keyed there body senders. Download relayrunner and see how easy it is, its has a fail safe feature's so a moron can set it up.

Relay control has worked from the Old days of DOS and batch files.
You would think people would like to up date from the 1970's to future of pot automation.
Chicken shit worked back in the 1800's should work in 2000's and with old or new free range chicken shit, both have weeds.
Pinching you plants to get more nodes worked the same way back in the 1970's
Hydro buckets are still the same size, ppm and ph have not changed.
Just a relay to put this back to the top, and open up some ones thinking.