Forget about watering your plants!

Automatic irrigation system with Arduino

Versión en español

What is Arduino?

Arduino is an easy-to-use hardware and software based open source electronics platform. Arduino boards can receive input data such as light on a sensor, a push of a button or a Twitter message and turn it into an output to activate an engine, turn on a LED light or publish something online. You can tell your Arduino what to do by sending a series of instructions to the board’s micro-controller.

This is a definition taken from the official Arduino website where they explain what it is and what you can do with it.

I have always been passionate about technology at both the user and creative levels. As a developer, I have always focused on software (websites, mobile applications, etc.), although I have also been very interested in hardware and electronics.

At first it may sound a bit ‘complicated’ to be encouraged to do some hardware projects, as it involves purchasing certain physical products and tools. However, if we develop programs, being all digital, it is much simpler and the cost is lower. All you need to do is download some software and start writing code.

Looking for a project to do in my free time, I decided to build an automatic irrigation system. I found this project interesting, useful and without much difficulty.

What are we going to need? Components

I have acquired the necessary components for this project from Aliexpress, they come from China and it is the cheapest way to get them. These are normal components that you can find in any electronics, physical or online store.

If we already have the necessary tools such as: soldering iron, tin, pliers and multimeter, the total cost of the components needed to assemble the system does not exceed 11 USD.

Let’s schematize our design!

Once you have purchased the components, or even earlier, you can start designing the assembly of your circuit. The reason I say you can do it earlier is because there are certain tools to emulate your circuit. I have used the tinkercad.com platform, you can use it online and it is free. Not all the components that exist are there, but it is very useful to simulate parts of the circuit.

To make diagrams like the one below, I used the fritzing tool. Unlike tinkercad, you will not have the possibility of simulating circuits but it offers a wide variety of components with which to carry out the assembly scheme.