ourkansaw
Active Member
So I'm a bit of a computer/tech nerd and a programmer by hobby, and I'd really like to find a way to have a basic computer hooked up to my grow box, acting as a server for the op. It would have a wifi card to connect to my network, and I could log into the server and check the moisture, humidity, temperature, etc. It would be pretty rudimentary to write a script that would water when moisture or humidity drop too low, for example, but I would also like to be able to remotely control the lights and fans. I think I could figure out how to set up the computer and software side of things, but I'm not sure where to start with the hardware interface. Is there a simple commercially available serial port controller for this kind of thing that research labs use? Will I have to do some soldering of wires from serial cables to some kind of switches? What kind of hardware would I need? The purpose of this is to be able to monitor and control my attic grow without having to climb up my attic hatch every day (or maybe even a couple times a day). Obviously I'll need to refill water reservoirs and adjust the lights or prune the plants once in awhile, but I'm trying to get my in-person visits to the grow box down to one or two times per week, preferably once a week. Any help is greatly appreciated! I prefer a DIY approach, but I will consider commercially available products if they are reasonably priced.