Optimizes time for a sprinkler
I fashioned a Raspberry Pi to monitor the temperature and humidity of the air and calculate the optimal irrigation time to keep a water sprinkler turned on. A hygrothermograph is used to measure the temperature and humidity and the information is displayed on a LCD. A LED bulb is also used as an indicator for the sprinkler.
The system was programmed using Python. The hygrothermograph measures the temperature and humidity every minute. Every hour, it averages the data it gathered and compares it to data extracted from the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) website. The local data and CIMIS data are then used to calcualate the ideal irrigation time, potentially saving up to 50% more water per day.
ET is the evapotranspiration, or the loss of water due to evaporation and transpiration. The local ET can be calculated by using the equation: local ET = (CIMIS ET) * ((local T / CIMIS T) / (local H / CIMIS H)). It is used as an indicator for how much water plants need for healthy growth and is therefore essential in calculating the amount of water needed to irrigate. The amount of water needed is then used to determine the amount of time needed for a sprinkler to be turned on.
