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GrowSmart Water

GrowSmart Water

Description​

The GrowSmart Water is the essential component for hydroponic environments, as it meassures the pH and EC levels, and also the temperature, of the nutrient solution.

In its current version it is a bit expensive, due to the pH and EC boards used, but those are still cheaper than any other "professional" solution. (An even cheaper version using 100% chinesium parts is currently being tested.)

Bill of Materials​

  • 1 * DFRobot Gravity Analog Electrical Conductivity Sensor/Meter V2 [DFR0300] (~$70) - make sure it's the K=1 version
  • 1 * DFRobot Gravity Analog pH Sensor/Meter Kit V2 [SEN0161-V2] (~$40)
  • 2 * DFRobot Gravity Analog Signal Isolator [DFR0504] (~$20)
  • 1 * DFRobot Gravity I2C ADS1115 16-Bit ADC Module [DFR0553] (~$15)
  • 1 * STS35 Temperature Sensor Probe (~$10) - you can use any SHT/STS version, just make sure it uses I2C
    • see below for a picture
  • 1 * SparkFun RJ45 Breakout Board (BOB-00719: ~$1) and RJ45 Jack (PRT-00643: ~$2) - not the MagJack version
  • 1 * 8-pin female header
  • 1 * male 8-pin header
  • 22 * M3x5x4 heat set insert
  • 19 * M3x6 socket/button head bolt
  • 3 * M3x30 flat head bolt

STS35 Temperature Probe: STS35 I2C

Assembly​

While there are a lot of heat set inserts and small bolts to this assembly, the case provides plenty of room to easily get this done. Pretty much everything except the three through-holes in the lid get an heat set insert, and all the M3x6 bolts are used to fix the boards in place. The three M3x30 are then used to hold the lid in place, after wiring everything up.

Most of the connections are simple plugs, only the ADS1115 and STS35 (or: both I2C) connections need to be done yourself.

Cutaway (The Analaog Signal Isolators are not show in the above picture, they mount to the lid of the case.)