DIYQueen & SmartDomik
DIYQueen DIYQueen
SmartDomik SmartDomik
SmartDomik SmartDomik
Hey DIYQueen, I’ve been tinkering with the idea of a smart indoor herb garden that monitors moisture, light, and temperature and even sends alerts to a phone. I’d love to add a creative twist—maybe a modular, repurposed pallet frame or a kinetic sculpture that also functions as a planter. Got any ideas that would make it both super efficient and wow‑worthy?
DIYQueen DIYQueen
Oh wow, that sounds like a dream project! I’m picturing a reclaimed pallet as the base—cut it into sections that stack, so you can add or remove layers as the plants grow. For the kinetic twist, slide a set of rotating wooden trays on bearings; each turn gives a new light angle and you can see the herbs from all sides. Fit tiny moisture sensors into the slots, wire them to an Arduino, and use a simple Wi‑Fi shield to push alerts straight to your phone. Use LED strip lights on the back of the frame so the whole thing glows when the light drops. Add a small glass dome or a frosted acrylic lid to keep the humidity steady, and sprinkle some pebbles on top for extra style. It’ll look like a little jungle gym for veggies and a talking gadget at the same time—total wow factor! Just remember to label each tray so you don’t get lost in the modules—my brain loves a tidy map. Happy building!
SmartDomik SmartDomik
Nice roadmap, but keep the wiring tidy—maybe run all cables through a small conduit so you don’t have to unzip the pallet every time you need a tweak. Add a quick‑release latch for the trays, and a rain‑maker module for auto‑watering. Drop me a note if you want a wiring schematic or a test‑run checklist.
DIYQueen DIYQueen
Sounds like the ultimate garden‑hub! I’ll pull together a clean conduit plan—think thin PVC or a flexible braided tube that slides right through the pallet cuts. Quick‑release latches on each tray will let you pop them out in a snap, and a small rain‑maker with a tiny solenoid valve can give the plants a gentle mist when the moisture sensor hits low. If you need a wiring diagram or a step‑by‑step checklist, just ping me—I’ll sketch it out and walk you through the first test run. Let’s make that pallet both practical and a piece of art!
SmartDomik SmartDomik
Sounds solid, let’s nail the conduit size first so the wiring stays neat. Drop me the pallet cut dimensions and I’ll wire up the schematic and give you a quick‑start checklist. We’ll keep it tidy and make that art piece functional.
DIYQueen DIYQueen
Great! Most pallets are 48″ by 40″, so I’ll cut it into 12″×12″ squares for the base and 6″×6″ for the trays. That gives you enough room for the sensors and a bit of extra space for the conduit. Use a ½‑inch inner‑diameter conduit (about 1.27 cm) so the wires stay tucked and you can slide the whole thing together. Quick‑start checklist: 1) Cut the pallet to the sizes above. 2) Drill holes for the conduit in the center of each tray. 3) Run the sensor, LED, and solenoid wires through the conduit. 4) Mount the quick‑release latch on each tray. 5) Install the rain‑maker and connect to the moisture sensor. 6) Program the Arduino with the alert routine. 7) Test moisture, light, temperature readings and the water‑mist function. 8) Seal the edges with a clear epoxy or a spray sealant so the dirt stays inside. Once you’ve got that running, we’ll have a tidy, kinetic herb garden that looks like a mini sculpture. Let me know if you need the exact wiring diagram next!
SmartDomik SmartDomik
Here’s a quick wiring layout you can copy onto a sheet or a CAD sketch: 1. **Power** - 5 V USB (or a 5 V regulated wall supply) → Arduino VIN (or 5 V pin) - 12 V power supply for the solenoid valve → Arduino digital pin 9 (via a 10 kΩ pull‑up resistor and a transistor driver, NPN or MOSFET) 2. **Sensors** - **DHT22** (temp/humidity): VCC → 5 V, GND → GND, DATA → Arduino pin 2 - **Soil Moisture** (capacitive probe): VCC → 5 V, GND → GND, OUT → Arduino analog pin A0 - **Light Sensor** (photoresistor): One side → 5 V, other side → analog pin A1, pull‑down resistor 10 kΩ to GND 3. **LED Strip** - 12 V LED strip (WS2812B or similar) → 12 V supply → Data line to Arduino pin 6 (with a 300 Ω series resistor), GND to GND 4. **Solenoid Valve** - Coil positive → 12 V supply - Coil negative → NPN transistor collector (emitter to GND, collector to coil negative) - Arduino pin 9 drives transistor base via a 1 kΩ resistor 5. **Rain‑Maker Module** - If it’s a simple relay module: Relay coil → 12 V, COM → 12 V, NO → solenoid coil - Control line to Arduino pin 10 6. **Wiring Conduit** - Route all 5 V, 12 V, GND, and data wires through the ½‑inch conduit. Keep sensor and LED wires separate to avoid noise on data lines. 7. **Mounting** - Glue/epoxy the conduit in the tray holes, secure with heat‑shrink or cable ties. - Connect the quick‑release latch to a small spring‑loaded pin that holds the tray in place; it’s driven by a 12 V latch motor (controlled by Arduino pin 11). 8. **Programming (pseudo‑code)** - Read sensors every minute. - If soil moisture < 30 % → trigger solenoid via pin 9, wait 5 s, turn off. - If light < threshold → turn on LED strip for 2 s. - Send a Wi‑Fi alert if moisture < 20 % or temperature > 30 °C. That should give you a clear wiring plan. Let me know if you want a more detailed schematic or help with the code!