MY True HP Aero Plug&Play Pods

Its good to ask questions and seek advice, i wish i`d had someone to ask.. it would`ve saved me a lot of trial and error and dead ends
You need a pressure switch to sense the pressure in the line from the pump to solenoid with the accumulator tee`d off the line. Something like this one from mercoid (dwyer) looks like a good choice, http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/499877
Hp aero components aren`t that expensive as you can see by the $19 price tag, the trick is knowing what to buy

Heres a link to the PS pdf, model #CXA-S3 (NC) 35-150psi range with a 30-40psi deadband or possibly the CXA-S2 if you want a tighter 20psi deadband.
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/PDF_files/CXA_cat.pdf

A cycle timer and solenoid wont cost anything close to $259, don`t buy it from the BC site, i`ll bet that one uses a cheap vibratory coffee machine pump

With high pressure aero you are essentially doing the same thing as with an air atomized system. That is your filling a chamber with a cloud of small droplets intermittantly rather than trying to spray each plants roots with a separate sprayer as in low or medium pressure aero in tubes. Consider that an air atomizer is usually able to emit the same droplet size but in a larger volume than the typical high pressure low volume spray heads used in a high pressure aero. This just meas using less spray heads but delivering the same volume for the same chamber volume. There is also more adjustability but at a very large cost as an atomizer cost much more than a high pressure sparay head.

Using small aero 3" to 6" tubes instead of a chamber would not allow the easy spread of droplets in a cloud as in a largely open chamber. So while very short intermittant high pressure aero might still get the small droplet watering effect on a small part of the roots, the larger percentage of the roots laying horizontally in the bottom of the tubes would not get the better effect that the hanging hair roots in a deep chamber would receive. So really I can't see much advantage to a high pressure in aero tubes over the cost of just medium pressure intermittant set up. The slight advantage of the smaller droplet size in the cramped confines of small tubes with the largest part of the root mass laying on the bottom of the tubes would not offset the costs of the high pressure systems tank, pressure switch, pressure reduction valve, pressure relief valve.

I think the high pressure system used in chambers can easily recoup the cots due to vastly inproved performance verus medium pressure aero or low pressure aero in tubes. I think it can very easily recoup its costs versus DWC, regular hydro, bubbleponics etc. I myself have not yet gotten personal emperical proof to back up my opinions yet but it is avialable on line on other sites. I am investing a ggod bit of money and time into seeing how well I can get a atomizer system to perform in a drain to waste system. When I figure in what I spend on chillers, pH controllers, EC controllers, auto water top off sytems etc, etc that I won't need I think the pay back of the atomizers systems will be quite quick and less prone to failures. The worse possible component failure would be a compressor and I can live with the cost of a redundant compressor, or even a full redundant atomizer-compressor-timer system if the performance turns out to be as good as I have read in other forums.

fatman7574 said:

With high pressure aero you are essentially doing the same thing as with an air atomized system. That is your filling a chamber with a cloud of small droplets intermittantly rather than trying to spray each plants roots with a separate sprayer as in low or medium pressure aero in tubes. Consider that an air atomizer is usually able to emit the same droplet size but in a larger volume than the typical high pressure low volume spray heads used in a high pressure aero. This just meas using less spray heads but delivering the same volume for the same chamber volume. There is also more adjustability but at a very large cost as an atomizer cost much more than a high pressure sparay head.

Using small aero 3" to 6" tubes instead of a chamber would not allow the easy spread of droplets in a cloud as in a largely open chamber. So while very short intermittant high pressure aero might still get the small droplet watering effect on a small part of the roots, the larger percentage of the roots laying horizontally in the bottom of the tubes would not get the better effect that the hanging hair roots in a deep chamber would receive. So really I can't see much advantage to a high pressure in aero tubes over the cost of just medium pressure intermittant set up. The slight advantage of the smaller droplet size in the cramped confines of small tubes with the largest part of the root mass laying on the bottom of the tubes would not offset the costs of the high pressure systems tank, pressure switch, pressure reduction valve, pressure relief valve.

I think the high pressure system used in chambers can easily recoup the cots due to vastly inproved performance verus medium pressure aero or low pressure aero in tubes. I think it can very easily recoup its costs versus DWC, regular hydro, bubbleponics etc. I myself have not yet gotten personal emperical proof to back up my opinions yet but it is avialable on line on other sites. I am investing a ggod bit of money and time into seeing how well I can get a atomizer system to perform in a drain to waste system. When I figure in what I spend on chillers, pH controllers, EC controllers, auto water top off sytems etc, etc that I won't need I think the pay back of the atomizers systems will be quite quick and less prone to failures. The worse possible component failure would be a compressor and I can live with the cost of a redundant compressor, or even a full redundant atomizer-compressor-timer system if the performance turns out to be as good as I have read in other forums.

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from what i have learned so far from this system ,drain to waste would work well since i am misting so little and there is very little run off anyway. im using only about 5 gallons aday when you break the mist cycles down. of that 5 gallons approximately 2 gallons is used, so that would only be 3 gallons a day actually wasted. Ec levels are very low so nutes dont figure much for cost. what does suck though is making the 5 gallons a day because of the waste effect of making RO water.

The controller does not contain a pressure regulator it is merely a cycle timer it does not evem n control each mister seperately. A Plastic pressure reducer valves are available cheaply on eBay. He previously accepted my offer of $15 each. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220142623512&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The cycle timer I use for other application that would work very well is the industrial Omron Multi-Function Timer H5CXA. They retail for about $150. I buy them on eaby when the come up usually for about $75 each. They seldom come up on ebay. Time ranges: 0.001 s to 9.999 s, 0.01 s to 99.99 s, 0.1 s to 999.9 s, 1 s to 9999 s, 0.1 min to 999.9 min, 1 min to 9999 min, 0.1 h to 999.9 h, 1 h to 9999 h , 1s to 99min59s , 1min to 99h59min.
http://www.ia.omron.com/product/item/h5cx4004g/index.html
I have put over four dozen into use in the last four years and have never had one go bad. I use them on my coral reef tanks and I use only the best controls with them.

1/4" stainless sttel solenoid valve: http://cgi.ebay.com/SOLENOID-VALVE-ASCO-8262C62-1-4-STAINLESS-STEEL_W0QQitemZ170412744875QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item27ad6420ab

Just keeping an eye on eBay can make a huge difference in costs.

tree farmer said:

from what i have learned so far from this system ,drain to waste would work well since i am misting so little and there is very little run off anyway. im using only about 5 gallons aday when you break the mist cycles down. of that 5 gallons approximately 2 gallons is used, so that would only be 3 gallons a day actually wasted. Ec levels are very low so nutes dont figure much for cost. what does suck though is making the 5 gallons a day because of the waste effect of making RO water.

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I understand that. I mix my own nutrients so they are cheap but my RO water cost is higher than the nutrient fertilzer cost. I use a commercial RO filter taht only wastes about 1/3 gallon of water making 1 gallon of RO water but my water cotst at the tap is 4 cents a gallon. My fertilizer cost is with an EC of 900 only $0.018 so with an atomized system at an even lower EC the water costs $0.053 will defintely be higher.

Atomizer said:

Its good to ask questions and seek advice, i wish i`d had someone to ask.. it would`ve saved me a lot of trial and error and dead ends
You need a pressure switch to sense the pressure in the line from the pump to solenoid with the accumulator tee`d off the line. Something like this one from mercoid (dwyer) looks like a good choice, http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/499877
Hp aero components aren`t that expensive as you can see by the $19 price tag, the trick is knowing what to buy

Heres a link to the PS pdf, model #CXA-S3 (NC) 35-150psi range with a 30-40psi deadband or possibly the CXA-S2 if you want a tighter 20psi deadband.
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/PDF_files/CXA_cat.pdf

A cycle timer and solenoid wont cost anything close to $259, don`t buy it from the BC site, i`ll bet that one uses a cheap vibratory coffee machine pump

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So I just ordered that and now need a cycle timer I assume. I think I can find one but if you have one that you would suggest I am all ears.

If you are stateside i think TF or fatman7574 would be the ones to ask, nothing better than local knowledge for finding the bargains

There are two of the Omron Multi Function Timers selling as a pair on ebay for $150. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270489501128&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

They retail for at least double that price. Here is a retailer that wants $150 each: http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=Z1645-ND

Atomizer said:

If you are stateside i think TF or fatman7574 would be the ones to ask, nothing better than local knowledge for finding the bargains

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OK, thanks again for all the help. I will be working on getting this all hooked up and post pics when i am done. Hope is soon!

A timer with a 0-5 second pulse is more than plenty, the pause timing range should be at least 0-5 mins.
I didn`t see any spec on the accumulator regarding working pressure so it might pay to check that out to make sure its safe.
Other things to consider are which nozzles you plan to use and the working pressure range of the system (pump cut in & cut out pressures). Once armed with the info, along with the cycle timing, you can calculate the drawdown time on the tank and work out how long the pump runs for and how often.

I just found this timer and thought it was a good deal http://www.horticulturesource.com/sunlight-supply-encore-repeat-cycle-timer-15-amp-p1973/?osCsid=2f45e347210c1624d10cfaa36f0618f1
So, this and the pressure regulator and hook these http://www.biocontrols.com/secure/shop/item.asp?itemid=55 up and i should be good? I plan on buying them from someone else but want to use these misters.

you need something completely variable that will adjust down to 1 second
Something like this: http://www.4hydroponics.com/grow_room/capARTtimer.asp

The nozzles 0.04 oz/sec works out to about 4.25LPH, perhaps more at 100 psi. I`m pretty sure the nozzles TF uses are available in that flowrate and pressure too.

Atomizer said:

you need something completely variable that will adjust down to 1 second
Something like this: http://www.4hydroponics.com/grow_room/capARTtimer.asp

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Ok I think I got it now. thanks again! You've been alot of help! I will probably have more questions once i start hooking everything up. Hope you dont mind. BTW I got some white widow on the way gonna grow some mothers while i setting this system up and take clones when I am done with the set up.

Atomizer said:

you need something completely variable that will adjust down to 1 second
Something like this: http://www.4hydroponics.com/grow_room/capARTtimer.asp

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Pretty good price. That is suprising for C.A.P., usually they want top dollar for every thing they sell. Nice simple manual dials and prewired. Less versatility but good enough. The Omron will allow for more than one interavl function such as it will allow for sepearte cycles for when the lights are off if you wish so. The digital programing is more difficult, a PITA really, and it is not prewired. Pretty digital LED readouts though. On board memory and auto reset from power outages etc. But nearly twice the price retail.

1 gallon per hour high pressure misters for $0.74 each. TF gave me the link about 20 pages back.

http://www.dripirrigation.com/index.php?cPath=43&sort=2a&page=3

These links could help with adjusting the external pressure switch or precharging the accumulator with air. They can be daunting tasks if you`ve never done it before.

http://www.inspectapedia.com/water/WaterPumpAdjust.htm
http://www.inspectapedia.com/water/Water_Tank_Bladder_Adjust.htm

I came across this on the home depot site. could this be used or is it to much. its max psi is 1000 http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xr5/R-100485941/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I can't fathom the system. I down loaded what they call a manual which is just brochure and they show it as handling from twelve 0.014 nozzles to fourty-five 0.008 nozzles. 1 gpm through a 1/4" nylon tubing for a feeder line to the nozzles. 3/4 horse power electric motor. That would feed a good size green house. It is actually made to be used to spray a mist on steel buildings to keep the metal siding and roof cool through evaporative cooling. They are used a lot in agriculture for chicken annd turkey factories. Definitely over kill for the nearly all pot growers. Can you imagine shutting the flow through a nylon line with a fast acting solenoid with the tubing being pressurized to 1000 psi. They show the tubing being attached with a simple compression fitting. Bet that would be quite a pop.

fatman7574 said:

I can't fathom the system. I down loaded what they call a manual which is just brochure and they show it as handling from twelve 0.014 nozzles to fourty-five 0.008 nozzles. 1 gpm through a 1/4" nylon tubing for a feeder line to the nozzles. 3/4 horse power electric motor. That would feed a good size green house. It is actually made to be used to spray a mist on steel buildings to keep the metal siding and roof cool through evaporative cooling. They are used a lot in agriculture for chicken annd turkey factories. Definitely over kill for the nearly all pot growers. Can you imagine shutting the flow through a nylon line with a fast acting solenoid with the tubing being pressurized to 1000 psi. They show the tubing being attached with a simple compression fitting. Bet that would be quite a pop.

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Thats kinda what i thought too, but i wish it would show how low you could set the psi. I went to my local home depot and they dont carry them so all the info i have is from that site.

So if i hook this http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Garden-Center-Irrigation/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xppZapw5/R-100197371/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 to the cycle timer coming off of the tank will that work right?

68 bar pressure, it could double up as a pressure washer
Its brass which isnt good, not forgetting the noise it might make.. i`d get moaned at bigtime if i fired my pressure washer up at 3am