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HOME ASSISTANT — NODE-RED August 31, 2020

Posted by rik94566 in agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponic systems, aquaponics, auqaponics automation, Controlled Environment Agriculture, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, internet of farming, Internet-of-Farming, Uncategorized.
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Researching how best to start learning Node-Red I spent a lot of time on YouTube watching what Node-Red is and how people learned how to use it. As always a lot of YouTuber’s put out content and some are clearly better at actually helping people understand concepts and produce valuable content that can be put to use by a non-computer programmer type person.
So I developed my list of people that were best for me to follow and start the process of learning this new skill set. Many of the ones I like were talking about the use of Node-Red with Home Assistant.
I had looked at Home Assistant some years ago and at the time it seemed Home Assistant was for very advanced users that are very good at the command prompt and with a lot of system knowledge. Way above my level at the time.
Then my research turned up this reference and changed my perspective on using Home Assistant.

This was, just what I was looking for.

DS18B20 – Resistor Module – parts defined November 4, 2019

Posted by rik94566 in 1-wire, agponics.com, aquaponic devices, aquaponics electronics, auqaponics automation, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, ds18b20, Electronic Componets, indoor aquaponics, internet of farming, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, One-wire, rik kretzinger, rik.diy.IOT, rik94566.
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Working with the resistor module is making things much easier and a lot less work on my part.  I am liking what I am seeing from a development standpoint and can see a real time savings that will deliver consistent results.  First step is understanding what is found on the board and which end goes with which connection.

DS18B20-RESISTOR MODULE-BREAKOUT-led2

Been looking for a better way – DS18B20 October 15, 2019

Posted by rik94566 in 1-wire, agponics.com, aquaponic devices, aquaponics electronics, arduino, auqaponics automation, Balcony aquaponics, Balcony Garden, Controlled Environment Agriculture, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, ds18b20, Electronic Componets, internet of farming, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, rik kretzinger, rik.diy.IOT, rik94566, sensor, Stainless Steel Temp Probe, Temperature Probe.
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I was doing some research on a totally different subject and this popped up.

Sensor Module – DS18B20

ds18b20 -resistor board

Why this one?

Well easy answer – I have been making my own 4.7 pull-up resistor connectors for sometime now.  Problem for me is that they take a lot of time and are very bulky and hard to work with.  For a little more cost a dollar or so I get a board that will allow easy connections to many (so I think) DS18B20 sensors using one resistor.  The order came and now I can start testing my idea.  Having a solution this turn key will save a lot of time and perform better, time will tell now.

I will be posting how the testing goes and what will be needed to get top performance out of this module.

Miniature Test Leads – which ones work best for my projects July 20, 2019

Posted by rik94566 in adafruit, agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponic systems, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, Instructables, internet of farming, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, rik kretzinger, rik.diy.IOT, rik94566.
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I wanted to move away from alligator clips because they were much large when working with small gauge wire.  They did not work for me in very small areas.  So was looking for a better solution.  Found this miniature test leads at Jameco Electronics when I was picking up an order, they were a good solution for me.

TEST LEADS - JAMECO

When first using these miniature test leads they worked very well.  But after a little time using these leads and problems surfaced.  The problem was that they were cheaply made.  The connection of the wire and the metal insert probe would break off without much stress placed on them.  One or two is understandable, but 5 out of 10 was not the experience I was looking for.

When doing a search for a new product on the Adafruit site I found these test leads

Test Leads – Adafruit

TEST LEADS - adafruit

These leads are a little larger than the Jameco test leads, but still were small enough for my use.  Construction and connections were of high quality and work perfectly and held up with repeated use.  So these are my new go to test leads for my development efforts.  They will be seen in a number of up coming Instructables that I am working on and all my testing of sensors and connectors.

 

WATER LEVEL INDICATOR – AQUAPONICS quest for a useful one September 13, 2018

Posted by rik94566 in adafruit, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, Balcony Garden, DIY aquaponics, Instructables, internet of farming, IoT aquaponics, rik kretzinger, rik94566, sensor, Uncategorized.
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THE PROBLEM IN AQUAPONICS  for me —

Up to this point I have wanted to have a simple, but effective water level indicator sensor for the water level in the Balcony Garden fish tank component of the build – that works!

Aquaponic Sensor Set for Balcony Garden  — see section on ultrasonic sensor

I spent a lot of time working with and trying to stabilize a ultrasonic solution.

First off these sensors are not waterproof ( the waterproof version is around $85.00 US  Waterproof version).  The non-waterproof versions run around $5.00 US.  So this would seem the best way to go and work to make it work by using some waterproofing strategies.  Hard to do when working in an aquaponic environment.

Ultrasonic Sensor – Amazon

Next they are very hard to mount in a way that they can be useful to determining water level in a tank.  There are a lot of instructables talking about this aspect for these sensors and even more youtube articles, but most if not all are just demos and breadboard applications.  No real useful solutions that really can be implemented in a scalable way.

Final issue is that I have yet to be able to stabilize these sensors and have wasted a lot of time trying to get them to be reliable in a usable way.

SOLUTION – find a better method or be able to purchase one that actually gets the job done in a simple and affordable and scalable way.

 

Ultra-sonic sensor - instructable

Make Magazine – digital release of vol 47 — September 22, 2015

Posted by rik94566 in DIY aquaponics, internet of farming, rik kretzinger, rik94566.
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I learned that Make Magazine vol 47 is now on-line.

So here is the link for review:

MAKEZINE – vol 47

make 47

It is my understanding that the Projects pages link has not been activated as yet.  This is where details of the build can be found.

Arduino Sketches are found there as well.

But understand it is only starting code that will be added to and developed as time goes on.  Right now the UNO sketches only handles a timer functionality.  As people build the Gardens and report back their code updates I will be posting them here for all of us to learn from.

There is also a IoT Sketch using the code generated by Temboo that sends a SMS message system that again is starting code.

I have to point out that I DO NOT support the sketches from a technical perspective they are purely for reference and a starting point for people to use and develop on there own.  As I build out the interface on the project I will be posting code and sketches that work and would be of interest to the readers of this BLOG.

Also I have released some Instructables that support the article from a build perspective.  More are to come as they are developed or change made in the design of the Balcony Garden.

BALCONY GARDEN – diy aquaponic system — Published in MAKE MAGAZINE this issue September 21, 2015

Posted by rik94566 in auqaponics automation, Balcony Garden, DIY aquaponics, internet of farming, rik94566.
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First article published in Make Magazine vol. 47
DIY aquaponic Balcony Garden — my copy came today!

Make sure and read it!

make article

Temboo — aquaponic “HELLO WORLD” equivalent June 1, 2015

Posted by rik94566 in agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, Balcony aquaponics, internet of farming, Internet-of-Farming, rik94566.
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With the help of Temboo – my aquaponic Balcony Unit generated its first TEXT Message:

SMS

MESSAGE IS:

aquaponic Balcony Unit grow bed now filling.