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Track the total volume of water spent and evaluate approx. evaporation rates by temperature, humidity, and pressure to prevent water overuse

Especially during a pandemic related to a virus that washing your hands is efficient to stop its spreading, it is crucial to preserve water sources even a little bit worldwide. Thus, in this project, I wanted to focus on a minuscule yet cumulative problem causing water overuse - watering plants. Although watering houseplants is an everyday task that most of us have not taken an interest in and therefore it is struggling to discern its effect on sustainable water supplies, repetitive water overuse adds up to tons of liters of water. To aid this problem, I decided to create a device that tracks the total water discharged while watering houseplants, evaluates the approximate evaporation rates by using temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and lets the user observe soil moisture and altitude.

To obtain temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and approximate altitude, I used an Adafruit BME280 I2C or SPI Temperature Humidity Pressure Sensor. Below, you can inspect the formulas I implemented to calculate the approximate evaporation rates by temperature and humidity.

To detect the water flow rate and the total water spent, I used a YF-S201 Hall Effect Water Flow Sensor. And, to observe the soil moisture, I used a Soil Moisture Sensor.

To create an interface to display the mentioned variables, select modes - A. Tem. Eva., B. Hum. Eva., C. Moisture, and D. Usage - I used a Nokia 5110 Screen and pushbuttons (6x6).

Also, I added two indicator LEDs (green and red) to check whether the thresholds given for each mode surpassed or not.

After completing my design on a breadboard and testing the code, I designed a PCB (Plant Water Management System) with a unique water drop shape to create an apt and easy-to-use accessory for houseplants :)”

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