Pulse watering with Sonoff

[kunkgrow]

I don't know about you guys, but I've always wanted the Sonoff timers to allow seconds on the timer scheduler.
However due to a software limitation it has never been possible, up until now. Sort of.
With the new 4ch Pro Rev 2, you can now set up to 16s inching for an output.
In other words, when you turn ON a button, it will stay ON for only the amount of seconds which you have set (via dip switches) and since this is a hardware feature you can rely that it will not stay forever ON.

So the way I am using is I like to auto feed 4x times a day for short 15s bursts. So i've set up this particular pump output as an Inching out and configured it to stay on for 15 seconds.

Then If you set the output is set to Inching, when you set an ON timer it will only stay on for the amount of seconds you set on the dip switches.
For example, you set 10S inching for Out1 and you set an ON timer for 10:00, when it triggers it will stay ON for only 10 seconds, even if you don’t have an OFF time set up.

Neat!

[Sativant]

Yes - that’s cool. I hadn’t thought of using them that way. I have a couple of the low voltage Sonoffs that have Inching too.

[ziky]

What pumps do you guys use? also do you use a splitter to water evenly?

[alienfarts687]

I just set one channel of my Sonoff 4ch Pro to do this for my water pump and will try it out today!

I've been hand watering for the last few months and only just bought the pump. It's a pretty standard 240vac aquarium pump. Pond pumps can also work. It really depends on how big your reservoir is and where it is in relation to your plants. If you have it pretty high up, you might not need a pump at all and just use gravity.

[Sativant]

I have mine up high, so I just need an electronic valve to open or shut. Has anyone found something like that ? It would make for an interesting option to Blumats.

[alienfarts687]

I tested the pump last night on 16s, but I think it was a bit much. The flood tray almost overflowed. I think I'll have to set it to a lot less, maybe 4s.

[alienfarts687]

I have mine up high, so I just need an electronic valve to open or shut. Has anyone found something like that ? It would make for an interesting option to Blumats.

This is the kind of thing you want: https://www.adafruit.com/product/997

Some hardware stores might sell them as well, but probably 110vac versions, not 12vdc. To control it with an Arduino, 5v would be even better, but 12vdc will work.

[Sativant]

Thanks alienfarts! I could use that with my low voltage Sonoff switch that has “inching”.

[LEDG]

I have mine up high, so I just need an electronic valve to open or shut. Has anyone found something like that ? It would make for an interesting option to Blumats.

This is the kind of thing you want: https://www.adafruit.com/product/997

Some hardware stores might sell them as well, but probably 110vac versions, not 12vdc. To control it with an Arduino, 5v would be even better, but 12vdc will work.

Nice find

[alienfarts687]

Turns out mine isn't Rev 2, so I get 4s inching max, which isn't really enough. I might just try to set them back to self-locking and just set a 1 minute timer. Will this be way too much?