Temperature/Humidity/CO2 Sensor

cbr shadow · Nov 21, 2019

I'd like to buy a little display for my tent which says the CO2 in PPM, plus temperature and humidity. What are you guys using? I'm hoping for something inexpensive that I can mount inside my grow tent/shelves.
What would you recommend?
I see lots available on Amazon for $150-$200, but was hoping to spend less, and I don't think I can trust the reviews on Amazon.
Links to your suggestions would be ideal!
Thanks,

weedtech · Nov 22, 2019

And this is why you should build your own. The expensive component is the CO2 sensor. Temp and humidity can be covered with a AM2315 probe ( ~$15 ) and I recommend the MH-Z16 for the CO2 sensor ( cost would vary depending on using serial or I2C ) Raspberry Pi as the compute/display device.

Seems like alot of detail, huh? The upside is you can use the data collected to provide control signals if you want to implement automation.

This, you cannot buy. But you can build it.

basscaptain · Nov 22, 2019

weedtech said:
And this is why you should build your own. The expensive component is the CO2 sensor. Temp and humidity can be covered with a AM2315 probe ( ~$15 ) and I recommend the MH-Z16 for the CO2 sensor ( cost would vary depending on using serial or I2C ) Raspberry Pi as the compute/display device.

Seems like alot of detail, huh? The upside is you can use the data collected to provide control signals if you want to implement automation.

This, you cannot buy. But you can build it.

View attachment 912931

I need this right here.. I don't have co2 but maybe at some point love the info screen .. you set this up???? links to the stuff you have????

ty

weedtech · Nov 22, 2019

@basscaptain All hail Open Source. Start here: What MIT wished they had used for their Open Agriculture project

cbr shadow · Nov 22, 2019

weedtech said:
@basscaptain All hail Open Source. Start here: What MIT wished they had used for their Open Agriculture project

This looks pretty cool but I'm not looking for a big project, learning to code, etc.. I'm really just looking for a simple sensor/display to hang on the wall and see what the C02 levels are in the room when I'm in there, or when I look through my IP Camera. I see there are lots of options on Amazon, but I'm hoping you guys have experience with a specific one.
Impressive setup though!

weedtech · Nov 26, 2019

Actually - you just install it. You don't have to learn to code, just how to install the software. The skill is in connecting the sensors that are supported. So connecting wires is the most important skill set. Unless you use USB or Bluetooth devices. Those are mostly just plug in or add to the list of paired devices.

I'd suggest finding a tech-wise young person - and tell them they cannot do it. If you get 'em fired up enough, send them my way and I'll help where I can. I just turned 61 and I still don't accept that I cannot do something, if I want it enough. I learn how. Better yet - bet them a hundred bucks they can't do it. Economic incentives are proven motivators.

I would also note: this project has nothing to do with Open AG. I just felt that was an expensive experiment done by folks that never did what most everyone here does pretty regularly. In a tiny little fucking box. What were they thinking?

CosmoGrows · Nov 26, 2019

weedtech said:
Actually - you just install it. You don't have to learn to code, just how to install the software. The skill is in connecting the sensors that are supported. So connecting wires is the most important skill set. Unless you use USB or Bluetooth devices. Those are mostly just plug in or add to the list of paired devices.

I'd suggest finding a tech-wise young person - and tell them they cannot do it. If you get 'em fired up enough, send them my way and I'll help where I can. I just turned 61 and I still don't accept that I cannot do something, if I want it enough. I learn how. Better yet - bet them a hundred bucks they can't do it. Economic incentives are proven motivators.

I would also note: this project has nothing to do with Open AG. I just felt that was an expensive experiment done by folks that never did what most everyone here does pretty regularly. In a tiny little fucking box. What were they thinking?

I am 24, a computer programmer, web designer, and graphic designer. I run and program my own online game. I like tech, projects, and numbers. You just gave me my next project for the next couple of days. Good fuckin looks :D This whole thing is free?

weedtech · Nov 26, 2019

I've been trying to kick-start open-source here for awhile. The only thing you pay for is the hardware you may or may not destroy - depending on skill level.

And you may only be proving my point about the real essence of youth. Inside every young person is what George Bernard Shaw called "The unreasonable man".

So for the price of a Raspberry Pi and whatever sensors you want to deploy - you get relatively state of the art measurement and control.
The code-base is Python3 if you like entrails, however you don't need to know a damn thing about python to use it. I've used it for over two years just for monitoring even though it could control the lights and probably make coffee, if I configured it for that use. Some folks use it to build sous vide cookers. It was originally designed to support growing mushrooms, hence the name Mycodo.

cbr shadow · Nov 26, 2019

weedtech said:
I've been trying to kick-start open-source here for awhile. The only thing you pay for is the hardware you may or may not destroy - depending on skill level.

And you may only be proving my point about the real essence of youth. Inside every young person is what George Bernard Shaw called "The unreasonable man".

So for the price of a Raspberry Pi and whatever sensors you want to deploy - you get relatively state of the art measurement and control.
The code-base is Python3 if you like entrails, however you don't need to know a damn thing about python to use it. I've used it for over two years just for monitoring even though it could control the lights and probably make coffee, if I configured it for that use. Some folks use it to build sous vide cookers. It was originally designed to support growing mushrooms, hence the name Mycodo.

This is getting me interested, but still I'm not exactly sold on it due to the total price.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd need:
- Raspberry pi module $50
- MH-Z16 Co2 Sensor $115
- Temp/humidity sensor $15
Total cost: $180 + setup time

The other option is to buy a co2 Sensor from Amazon (infrared C02 sensor) that includes a display for $109.
I'd also need a temp/Humidity sensor (includes display) for $10

So the raspberry pi setup costs an extra $60 plus setup time, but the benefit is that you can track trends over time. Does that all sound right?

Moshmen · Nov 26, 2019

CosmoGrows said:
I am 24, a computer programmer, web designer, and graphic designer. I run and program my own online game. I like tech, projects, and numbers. You just gave me my next project for the next couple of days. Good fuckin looks :D This whole thing is free?

Wish I knew that I just spent hundreds on a new website , would have rather given my money to someone I sorta know! Lol

CosmoGrows · Nov 26, 2019

weedtech said:
I've been trying to kick-start open-source here for awhile. The only thing you pay for is the hardware you may or may not destroy - depending on skill level.

And you may only be proving my point about the real essence of youth. Inside every young person is what George Bernard Shaw called "The unreasonable man".

So for the price of a Raspberry Pi and whatever sensors you want to deploy - you get relatively state of the art measurement and control.
The code-base is Python3 if you like entrails, however you don't need to know a damn thing about python to use it. I've used it for over two years just for monitoring even though it could control the lights and probably make coffee, if I configured it for that use. Some folks use it to build sous vide cookers. It was originally designed to support growing mushrooms, hence the name Mycodo.

So after 6 hours of ups and downs and trying to install Rasbian through a BACKDOOR, not using Rasbperry PI, avoiding the cost. Using a virtual machine, i was able to get it all booted up. unfortunately, i couldnt find a way to get rasbian to boot on a partitioned harddrive on my backup laptop. I think im going to have to suckup the cost to do it legit as when i finally did get it to boot on a virtual machine, i started to install mycodo, with rasbian buster, it installed with errors and i could not fire the program up. I AM STILL WORKING ON IT. Im going to try and see if i can just buy the sensors. Worst case scenario i buy the damn rasbperry pi and do it legit, or, i have found some cheaper knock offs. Such as OrangePI. I am working with a couple tech buddies to see if we can fire this up under a VM in the meantime, well i wait for funds to buy the shit needed. Its been a project, but its been entertaining.

@weedtech i got your message, i will be responding shortly with some more in depth results. maybe you might know a thing or two i dont. Smart with computers, but im not a genius.

I mean, i know how to get it all installed and everything, i just dont understand why its pulling errors on the install.

I aint scared. Trust me.

Moshmen said:
Wish I knew that I just spent hundreds on a new website , would have rather given my money to someone I sorta know! Lol

BRO. Cover your costs of the site, domain, host, etc, ill program it all, design your graphics all for .... less than whatever the fk they charged u... You got the THCfarmer guarantee here bro hahahah.

ill keep you guys updated on whether i get this running on just a normal windows pc or not, thats ultimately the goal, why not just go buy the raspberry pi? well, im working with what i have.

CosmoGrows · Nov 26, 2019

The tracking features of this software is whats really drawing me in. Im thinking about wiping my old laptop completely and trying to install a cpu version of rasbian, without a partitioned hard drive. Would turn my old laptop purely into a grow calculator/work comp

CosmoGrows · Nov 26, 2019

Knowing bits about python, java, html and multiple other sources of programming it would be amazing to be able to take this program, and create other controllers within the software. Make my own controllers for people to use, such as CosmoGrows Co2 Controller, people would be able to get mycodo and use my co2 controller programmed by me etc. this is part of the goal to. i would love to bring more technology to growing, be able to incorporate numbers more for higher accuracy. i feel like numbers are truly what makes your plants grow, i mean not the only thing, but a huge contributer, all we do is control them. humidity, temp, co2 ppm. As fun as im having with this, i think its opening a HUGE door for automation for pot growers.

Hmmm....... already thinking about a soil moisture meter tester for MyCodo.

This is going to be fun.
Arduino integration etc. Hmm.

cbr shadow · Nov 26, 2019

CosmoGrows said:
Knowing bits about python, java, html and multiple other sources of programming it would be amazing to be able to take this program, and create other controllers within the software. Make my own controllers for people to use, such as CosmoGrows Co2 Controller, people would be able to get mycodo and use my co2 controller programmed by me etc. this is part of the goal to. i would love to bring more technology to growing, be able to incorporate numbers more for higher accuracy. i feel like numbers are truly what makes your plants grow, i mean not the only thing, but a huge contributer, all we do is control them. humidity, temp, co2 ppm. As fun as im having with this, i think its opening a HUGE door for automation for pot growers.

Hmmm....... already thinking about a soil moisture meter tester for MyCodo. This is going to be fun.
Arduino integration etc. Hmm.

I like where you're going with this. I'd love to have more control and be able to make micro adjustments (Light intensity/duration, co2 , humidity, amount of water, amount of fertilizer, etc) based on tracking and growth patterns.

weedtech · Nov 27, 2019

You can turn off the reporting to the developer ( in the configuration ) that may be a problem for the more paranoid of my friends. He's a good guy, I've worked with him through github and I've sent him sensors to be able to test what I want working. He's constantly updating and improving the code and robust upgrades. There is quite a bit going on under the covers and he does what I think is an awesome job making the code widely usable and available.

I wanted to have a sort of plug-together example to show. These are all new parts ( I've built a couple dozen of these ) and I'l let you know how they work for me. The prototyping techniques I've used up to now require soldering and skills I've learned over decades of building prototype hardware. This stuff is pretty easy, small enough to run on a table-top. I drop some photos in another post.

For soil moisture and EC monitoring ( not as easy as it may seem, most sensors corrode rather quickly due to the sensing method ) I use Xiaomi Flower Care sensors ( BTLE ) with Mycodo. Really awesome with coco, since you want to time the watering right at a certain point of dryness. I got mine on Ebay. Be sure to obtain the international version, update the firmware ( android and an account on a Chinese server, make it a throw-away ) and I've had really good success with that. About $16 a sensor and you get several channels (Lux, temp, and battery level. They will store samples when not polled and will download all that is stored on command. No wires and the simplest suggestion I could make for monitoring potted plants, no matter what you are growing.

weedtech · Nov 27, 2019

So here are some SparkFun parts ( Got here pretty fast, from Colorado I think )

You need a way to get sensors connected. You could use what are known as "Grove" parts that have cables available and stuff. I've used alot of that simply because it is cheap. These parts use a new interconnect standard called "Qwiic" that is very compact:

This shows a board that connects to a Raspberry Pi ( the one on the left ) that is connected to a 8-port I2C multiplexer. This gives you 8 isolated I2C sensor busses. Connected to that on the top right is a transceiver (one half, you need two) to run a I2C bus over CAT5 cable ( recall, I mentioned that you have to wire things correctly. I2C busses don't do well if you aren't mindful of the ways you can pickup noise )

Really small kit that will not struggle to be put in a box.

This is a different style connection to the Raspberry Pi - same connectors but dresses the cables differently in respect to the Pi

basscaptain · Nov 27, 2019

Moshmen said:
Wish I knew that I just spent hundreds on a new website , would have rather given my money to someone I sorta know! Lol

GO Daddy.............. for people like me.....

basscaptain · Nov 27, 2019

I need this for sure :)

weedtech · Nov 27, 2019

As projects go - I have an incredible amount of fun with this one, because it usually works, even when I've done something poorly. I really need that win now and again. I work in cloud tech so it is really satisfying to have something I can hard-reset. Remote shit is annoying. Actual, in the flesh tech is just awesome because you control the conditions. I'm sitting here now pounding on Azure. If it was in my shop, I'd be looking for something heavy to reset Active Directory right about now.

So I digress to the Farm and have a beer and a bagel dog while I await annoying remote shit.

Moshmen · Nov 27, 2019

basscaptain said:
GO Daddy.............. for people like me.....

That’s where I started! But there’s a lot of hurdles to cross when doin it yourself ! I’ve increased site traffic by 300% in the last month alone! Well worth having someone that knows what they doin! Plus now I’m viewable on mobile and people can text from the site as well as call .
I’m happy just would rather give my money to the little small business guys like myself ! Not a big fan of the big conglomerates!

Temperature/Humidity/CO2 Sensor

Temperature/Humidity/CO2 Sensor

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