Get your Geek on and control your grow room with Arduino!

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Did you/can you link to the kit you bought? It's likely we can source an online version of the CD contents for you, or provide you with alternates.
I was just checking my downloads folder and seem to have downloaded the stuff that is listed on the front of the CD so should be OK. I can always put it in the wife's laptop and copy it over to a thumb drive too.

What's bugging me more is why the hell aren't my drives working properly. Device mamnager says they are OK so I think I'll just delete them from there and do a reboot to see if they fix themselves. Not sure if it was the last Win7 updates I did the night before I noticed they weren't working but I lost my desktop background pic and it's not letting me put it back up.

pirate4.jpg
 

Timezone

Well-Known Member
I was just checking my downloads folder and seem to have downloaded the stuff that is listed on the front of the CD so should be OK. I can always put it in the wife's laptop and copy it over to a thumb drive too.
That works.

If you make a batch of CS, is there a way of testing it for the properties you wish to obtain? What properties do you wish to obtain? stronger solution? CS seems to be readily available here, can you not get it there?

That computer has been going for some time now...
 

ChiefRunningPhist

Well-Known Member
I was just checking my downloads folder and seem to have downloaded the stuff that is listed on the front of the CD so should be OK. I can always put it in the wife's laptop and copy it over to a thumb drive too.

What's bugging me more is why the hell aren't my drives working properly. Device mamnager says they are OK so I think I'll just delete them from there and do a reboot to see if they fix themselves. Not sure if it was the last Win7 updates I did the night before I noticed they weren't working but I lost my desktop background pic and it's not letting me put it back up.

View attachment 4459429
Upgrading to win10 is a bit of a necessary evil anymore. I don't like it, but I think you'll find more compatibility with newer software. You should be able to download any necessary drivers and Arduino related files from online, and there's tons of little beginner projects from hackaday or instructables ect.

I found a vid... He has implented POTs where Rs would normally be...

If you FF to 28:05, you can see how temperature change effects the cct - with and without the big R2 + diode tempco offset.

Far Left multimeter = LM334 current in mA
Far Right multimeter = Voltage input

If you FF to 30:52, you can see how input voltage doesn't effect the current source of the LM344 (as I was originally anticipating). There's still 22μA running through the LM344 (because R1 was set at ~3kΩ, and 0.0677V/3000Ω = 0.00002256A; 22.56μA) regardless the V being input.

I'm assuming the LED current fluctuation noticed with temp rise (you'll see the LM334 doesn't really fluctuate while tempco circuitry is plugged in) is because the transistor gain has a positive tempco, so as temp rises, the transistor gain increases a bit. He stated an hFE of 334×, but if you notice the current running through the LED is actually 8.4mA as opposed to 7.5mA. The transistor gain, or the hFE, or β, or the amount that the small signal current is amplified by, seems to be a bit different than 334.

0.000022A × 334 = 0.007348A; 7.348mA

0.0084A ÷ 0.000022 = 381.81

It looks like his transistor gain, or hFE, is actually closer to 382. This calculated 382 gain matches up pretty spot on with his ambient temp readings but looks to increase as the temp rises.

I'm not sure why the LED mA drops as Vin drops but while the base current is maintained at 22μA. ??? Maybe transistor hFE is also slightly dependent on V?

Idk how much voltage is burnt over the transistor or the LM334, but it seems (at least at this point in time lol) that the Vin should not mess with the current out. The transistor could be keeping the LM334 voltage constant though, so I'm not completely convinced that the current output is unchanged by Vin, just more so convinced. Also, I looked up the diode he is using and it seems to give a 1.5mV/°C tempco using the method which I tried to implement with the 1N914B (which gave me a 1.25mV/°C). I wish he'd measure his R2 POT resistance because I'd really like to see what its set at. In his explanation before the breadboarding he referenced a 10× constant used to multiply R1 by to arrive at an R2 value/size. But then in his breadboarding he reverts to POTs, which makes me wonder if his static R values derived from a 10× multiplier was giving less than stable results, thus why he switched to POTs. If we knew the the POT resistance values, we could calculate R2:R1 ratio and we could see how far off or how close the 10× multiplier was.
 
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OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
That works.

If you make a batch of CS, is there a way of testing it for the properties you wish to obtain? What properties do you wish to obtain? stronger solution? CS seems to be readily available here, can you not get it there?

That computer has been going for some time now...
I test the ppm before I start. Should be zero as I'm using distilled, de-ionized water I buy at the drug store in 4L jugs for about $4. Then I add an oz of a previous batch to help kick off conductivity. Really slow to get going with water that pure. After a while if you shine a laser pointer thru it you can see the beam in the water where you won't at first. The laser pointer on my infrared thermometer will do it. After a while I stop to clean the coins off as they build up a fluff on them, Mainly on the Anode I believe. That fluff should be a lot less with this circuit in there.

When I stop to clean I check the ppm and generally stop when it reads 6 or 7. You don't get a true reading but can figure 2 - 2.5X the reading is close to the real ppm and is really strong enough for most uses. When it starts going all grey then you're just eating up the silver and putting actual atoms in clumps in there instead of ionic silver.

When I figure it's done I run it through an unbleached coffee filter and fill up a 4L jug or now have some brown glass bottles I can use but need 2 for the STS sol'ns. Got to get more. Jug is OK if kept in the dark.

This PC is pissing me off. Most of the time when I put it to sleep it hangs and I have to hold down the power button to force it off. Reboots OK but then all my progs like FireFox are off. At least FF keeps the tabs I had open when it was forced off.

I have Win10 on the drive that came with this PC and used it a bit at first but didn't like the lack of privacy. Found a good page of how to cut off almost all of the things used to spy on you so will go with that and my ProtonVPN to hide my goings on which are mainly what I do on pot forums. Win7 helped so I could access my phone's files and move stuff back and forth but is so lacking in current tech that I almost don't have any other choice than Linux.

I'm pretty sure my little circuit is going to work fine but I'll take a look at that video about it. @ChiefRunningPhist

Having a bit of a low day again today. Haven't been eating much lately. Off my feed I guess.
 

spek9

Well-Known Member
If you make a batch of CS, is there a way of testing it for the properties you wish to obtain? What properties do you wish to obtain? stronger solution? CS seems to be readily available here, can you not get it there?
I make my CS so it's 40 PPM. This is very high strength. My wife and I use it topically, for ear aches, orally in small doses when ill etc.

Myself though, primarily, I use it to force female plants to produce pollen, which I then use to pollinate other plants to make feminized seeds.

I can make four quarts in the matter of five hours of 40ppm Colloidal Silver for less than a couple of dollars. That's pennies per gallon compared to buying it at that PPM.

I clean off my silver and softly stir the solution every 25 minutes. This reduces blackening. I store it in amber 50-600mL eye dropper bottles (I bought a whole bunch of random sizes from Amazon a few years ago).

As @OldMedUser does, I start with a base of previous product to get the conductivity going, and use only distilled water (0 PPM). Everything is sterilized thoroughly. I do 2-4 one-quart jars at a time, in my large crock pot that acts as the outside boiler of a double boiler system. This is how I maintain a constant temperature throughout the proces.

The jars that aren't in use, are stored down in the cold root cellar in my basement along with my seed and pollen store.
 
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OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
I make my CS so it's 40 PPM. This is very high strength.
That's strange because once I get mine reading 6 or 7 and keep running after that it starts going grey. I bought a new ppm pen that does single digits until it goes over 1000ppm and diluted 1000ppm calibration fluid to 20ppm and use that to calibrate the pen for better accuracy when testin sub 20ppm sol'ns.

PPM pens do not accurately read CS ppm.

Alfred Searle used a Tyndall meter to measure how many particles of silver were present in a solution. It is a device that uses light to test for hue and reflection, which are used to determine the particle count and their size. These devices use light wavelengths as the means of measurement. Most modern sellers of silver products instead purchase an electronic device that measures the conductivity of the finished product. The conductivity of different solutions will always vary greatly, so these meters cannot possibly do what they are advertised to do. For example, if salt were added to the water, then it would have a different effect on the conductivity than if copper were added, because of their differing electrical properties. Yet the sellers of these meters claim that they are able to get accurate results measuring particle counts regardless of a solution's ingredients. If salt or another electrolyte exists in the water, the conductivity of the water will increase dramatically, even whilst the number of particles will stay roughly the same. Particle size and the temperature of the solution also effect the conductivity, which the meter has no way of determining. Even a gust of wind will give a different reading, due to the electrostatic effect upon the surface of the solution. In the case of colloidal metals, electrically gauging the concentration is even more futile than it is for other types of solutions, because the metallic liquid is an electrolytic capacitor with a constantly changing capacitance. Electricity cannot be used to measure the amount of metal in a solution when the surface area of the metal cannot be verified, and when the capacitance of the solution is ever-changing. It is like trying to get a consistent light measurement from a fireworks display. The capacitive solution itself will produce its own tiny currents, and it will block currents from the meter, which makes electronic testing an exercise in absurdity. The only way to accurately measure concentration in a fluid with metallic colloids is by using light. Thus, the parts per million rating given by most colloidal and ionic silver sellers is meaningless. Since colloidal silver changes the color of the water, clear colloidal solutions are frequently just expensive water, regardless of any measurement that sellers purportedly get. In the case of ionic silvers, it is impossible to measure the particle count, since the particles are too small to reflect light.

TDS Meter, the de facto manufacturer of the new testing equipment, even acknowledges the uselessness of its own meters on its website, in an amusing attempt at damage control:

" ...temperature changes by a tenth of a degree may increase or decrease the conductivity. Additionally, the temperature coefficient (what the reading is multiplied by to adjust for temperature differences) changes slightly depending upon the range of ppm... Even a tiny air bubble that has adhered to one of the probes could potentially affect the conductivity, and thus the reading... Electrical charges off fingers, static eletricity off clothes, etc. on the meter and lingering electrical charges in the water will affect the conductivity of the water... Plastic cups retain lingering electrical charges more than glass. If the meter touches the side of the glass or plastic, it could pick up a slight charge. If the plastic is retaining a charge, it could also affect the water... The amount of water in the sample may affect the conductivity. Different volumes of the same water may have different levels of conductivity. Displacement may affect the conductivity as well... The depth and position of the probe in the water sample may also affect the conductivity. For example, if a meter is dipped into the water, removed and then dipped into the water again, but in a different spot, the reading may change..."
The expensive methods of testing colloidal solutions that are utilized by modern laboratories are likewise grossly flawed. Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy is one of the leading laboratory methods for analyzing colloidal solutions. It uses extreme temperatures to destroy a colloidal solution, and then observers rate the colors of the flames, in an attempt to visually gauge the metal concentration. Fire is impossible to control with the precision that is needed for a valid analysis; and of course, the test results are in the eyes of the beholder. These machines cost about $50,000 (U.S.), so it is unlikely that anyone outside of the chemical industry actually owns one. There are similar devices which utilize a beam of light that is projected through the flames during the analysis. These devices have the same inaccuracy issues, and they are even more expensive.

 

spek9

Well-Known Member
That's strange because once I get mine reading 6 or 7 and keep running after that it starts going grey. I bought a new ppm pen that does single digits until it goes over 1000ppm and diluted 1000ppm calibration fluid to 20ppm and use that to calibrate the pen for better accuracy when testin sub 20ppm sol'ns.

PPM pens do not accurately read CS ppm.

Alfred Searle used a Tyndall meter to measure how many particles of silver were present in a solution. It is a device that uses light to test for hue and reflection, which are used to determine the particle count and their size. These devices use light wavelengths as the means of measurement. Most modern sellers of silver products instead purchase an electronic device that measures the conductivity of the finished product. The conductivity of different solutions will always vary greatly, so these meters cannot possibly do what they are advertised to do. For example, if salt were added to the water, then it would have a different effect on the conductivity than if copper were added, because of their differing electrical properties. Yet the sellers of these meters claim that they are able to get accurate results measuring particle counts regardless of a solution's ingredients. If salt or another electrolyte exists in the water, the conductivity of the water will increase dramatically, even whilst the number of particles will stay roughly the same. Particle size and the temperature of the solution also effect the conductivity, which the meter has no way of determining. Even a gust of wind will give a different reading, due to the electrostatic effect upon the surface of the solution. In the case of colloidal metals, electrically gauging the concentration is even more futile than it is for other types of solutions, because the metallic liquid is an electrolytic capacitor with a constantly changing capacitance. Electricity cannot be used to measure the amount of metal in a solution when the surface area of the metal cannot be verified, and when the capacitance of the solution is ever-changing. It is like trying to get a consistent light measurement from a fireworks display. The capacitive solution itself will produce its own tiny currents, and it will block currents from the meter, which makes electronic testing an exercise in absurdity. The only way to accurately measure concentration in a fluid with metallic colloids is by using light. Thus, the parts per million rating given by most colloidal and ionic silver sellers is meaningless. Since colloidal silver changes the color of the water, clear colloidal solutions are frequently just expensive water, regardless of any measurement that sellers purportedly get. In the case of ionic silvers, it is impossible to measure the particle count, since the particles are too small to reflect light.

TDS Meter, the de facto manufacturer of the new testing equipment, even acknowledges the uselessness of its own meters on its website, in an amusing attempt at damage control:



The expensive methods of testing colloidal solutions that are utilized by modern laboratories are likewise grossly flawed. Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy is one of the leading laboratory methods for analyzing colloidal solutions. It uses extreme temperatures to destroy a colloidal solution, and then observers rate the colors of the flames, in an attempt to visually gauge the metal concentration. Fire is impossible to control with the precision that is needed for a valid analysis; and of course, the test results are in the eyes of the beholder. These machines cost about $50,000 (U.S.), so it is unlikely that anyone outside of the chemical industry actually owns one. There are similar devices which utilize a beam of light that is projected through the flames during the analysis. These devices have the same inaccuracy issues, and they are even more expensive.

Thanks for that info. I honestly didn't know a TDS meter didn't show the actual PPM of the silver. Never really researched that angle of it.

Either way, it's always worked for me without any problems, but I am now curious as to the real potency of what I make, so I'll have to go down that rabbit hole. Thankfully, I have made some good friends in testing labs, thanks to my work on the water purification system I built this past summer, so I think I'll send an email and see if this is something they are able to test for me.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
VPNs are maybe not as secure as they advertise. Your traffic can still be sold by the VPN company ect. I use Tor Browser if I'm looking for privacy. It's free.
I've used TOR for years but it's no more secure than a good VPN. ProtonMail/VPN is based in Switzerland and one of the highest rated for security and privacy. All email is encrypted and I actually got it installed in Raspbian for the Pi but it's command based in that. I asked and they say they are working on a Linux GUI for it. I bought a 2 year plan and can select what country I want to look like I'm from from 40+ and some servers run thru TOR and I can use secure core servers as well.

I don't like letting my ISP know where I'm going and the places I go not knowing where I'm from. I've been fighting back against invasions to my privacy since I was young and some a-hole at a store wanted my SIN as identification for a cheque cashing card. He didn't get it but I got my card. It bugs the hell out of me that I have to use my real name etc to buy stuff online. When I go shopping in the city I get enough cash from the bank to cover it so they can't track my shopping habits. The wife has any rewards program cards in her wallet.

Personally I'm glad I won't be here in 30 years. I've lived thru all the good times and can leave the mess for others to clean up under the watchful eye of Big Brother. I'm not at all happy the way the world is going now and getting worse fast.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
I think I'll send an email and see if this is something they are able to test for me.
That would be sweet. I'll send you a sample of mine to slip in. ;)

I found the bookmark I was looking for. This site has tons of info about CS. They sell generators but also have a page on how to make your own so not predatory like most sites.

 

Timezone

Well-Known Member
A few pages ago, I posted photos of my controlled boxes, the black box with the sensors, and

screenshot.png
the Node-Red dashboard. If you noticed in the Status column, the "aircool" and "soilsolenoid2" were turned on. The "aircool" turns on a relay in one of the controlled boxes, that's pretty straight forward. The "soilsolenoid2" does things a little different as I had to separate the mains power from the water contact components.

P6150263.JPG
I did this by filling two boxes with stuff. ;) Stuff like a 12Vdc pump and 7 solenoids in the larger box, and the power supply and all the controls in the smaller box, with an umbilical cord between them. Here're some details in photos.

P5220253.JPG
I chose a pump and manifold and started by drawing up models of components, which I then manipulated to fit into this box.

P6100254.JPG
A bit of aluminum with holes for aerodynamics, gives me a platform I can build something on.

P6100255.JPG
On the bottom go the terminal strips for all the wiring,

P6100258.JPG
and on the top are the pump and solenoids.

P6110261.JPG
The wiring is almost finished. Notice the diodes connected to the solenoids. That keeps them from causing arcing at the contacts in the relays.

P6110260.JPG
The plumbing is beginning. I'm using this tubing.

P6190268.JPG
Big box is finished for now.

P6190267.JPG
This is the business end with a pickup tube, feeding the self priming pump, and discharge tubes feeding the plants. The electrical cable delivers 12Vdc to each solenoid and the pump.

More later as I have hit a "photo limit" for this post...
 

rustyshaclkferd

Well-Known Member
A few pages ago, I posted photos of my controlled boxes, the black box with the sensors, and

View attachment 4460128
the Node-Red dashboard. If you noticed in the Status column, the "aircool" and "soilsolenoid2" were turned on. The "aircool" turns on a relay in one of the controlled boxes, that's pretty straight forward. The "soilsolenoid2" does things a little different as I had to separate the mains power from the water contact components.

View attachment 4460176
I did this by filling two boxes with stuff. ;) Stuff like a 12Vdc pump and 7 solenoids in the larger box, and the power supply and all the controls in the smaller box, with an umbilical cord between them. Here're some details in photos.

View attachment 4460193
I chose a pump and manifold and started by drawing up models of components, which I then manipulated to fit into this box.

View attachment 4460228
A bit of aluminum with holes for aerodynamics, gives me a platform I can build something on.

View attachment 4460233
On the bottom go the terminal strips for all the wiring,

View attachment 4460243
and on the top are the pump and solenoids.

View attachment 4460251
The wiring is almost finished. Notice the diodes connected to the solenoids. That keeps them from causing arcing at the contacts in the relays.

View attachment 4460256
The plumbing is beginning. I'm using this tubing.

View attachment 4460280
Big box is finished for now.

View attachment 4460292
This is the business end with a pickup tube, feeding the self priming pump, and discharge tubes feeding the plants. The electrical cable delivers 12Vdc to each solenoid and the pump.

More later as I have hit a "photo limit" for this post...
sick dude, nice tutorial
 

Timezone

Well-Known Member

rustyshaclkferd

Well-Known Member
Thanks @rustyshaclkferd and welcome.

View attachment 4460400
This is the smaller, control box. Mounted on the back of the box, and not shown, is this 12Vdc 10A power supply and 12Vdc to 5Vdc converter. On the back panel, is an 8 channel 5Vdc relay module and a fuse box. Finally is the green board mounted to the top. That contains a 5Vdc to 3.3Vdc IC, an 8 channel logic leveling IC, and an ESP-32 development board. Then there is the wiring and programming and...
I love the innovation and your attention to detail is impressive
 
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