Another project of mine is my engineering thesis project, which is an extended and more advanced version of the SMART WATERER system. In this iteration, the device has been significantly expanded with new features and improved modularity. The system now supports:
- 3 soil moisture sensors,
- a water-level sensor,
- a light-intensity sensor communicating over I2C,
- a set of buttons, including individual controls for each station and an emergency button.
The device includes multiple screw terminals, allowing easy connection of:
- a water pump,
- 3 electric valves,
- various actuators such as LED lighting.
The pump, valves, and lighting are all MOSFET-controlled, ensuring safe and efficient operation even under higher loads.
The lighting module offers two full-spectrum LED modes:
- Automatic light-maintenance mode – LEDs turn on when the sensor detects insufficient ambient light.
- Sun-simulation mode – the LEDs smoothly adjust their brightness based on real sunlight intensity. This is especially useful if a plant is placed far from a window and needs light conditions that mimic natural daylight.
To protect the system, I added Zener diodes and fuses, preventing potential damage — particularly important since the entire device operates at around 2.5A.
The electronics were designed in Altium Designer, and a dedicated enclosure was also created, which may soon be added here as well.
