Build Your Greenhouse
- Thread starter Zeez
- Start date
Zeez
Well-Known Member
Duck tape too. The plants are real survivors.
DarkWeb
Well-Known Member
Nice! I think they have wax in them......wax heats up and releases the spring loaded piston? Slick shit.Ridge vent action. No longer need to run the fans all day
Zeez
Well-Known Member
It's a 12v 12" weatherproof actuator. This one is on a timer to close at night and open in the morning. It will also close if it rains.
DarkWeb
Well-Known Member
Slick!
Zeez
Well-Known Member
Matter of fact, Light dep has been in the plan since the beginning. Extra hoops are installed on the ends for overlap on the light dep cover. I have the extra roller motors and everything ready to go for next season. I wanted to get a couple seasons to learn greenhouse growing before taking that step.
@EastCoastGenetix
Well-Known Member
Can you write up a tutorial? This is killer!
Zeez
Well-Known Member
The controller I use is called a Vera Plus. We control our whole house and greenhouse with it. The latest standard is called Z-wave Plus. Everything works from a phone app or voice control. In the waterproof box (harbor freight) there are two "Zooz strips". Each has five outlets that can be controlled by schedule, manually, or by sensor - Light, humidity, or temperature. Setting up the routines is pretty easy. If someone decides they want to go for it, that would be a good time to start the thread and I'll walk them through it. I started using it years ago running s full hydro set up.
@EastCoastGenetix
Well-Known Member
Im going to get started working on my light dep greenhouse after new years. I started building a micro version of a concept i had came up with using scraps i had laying around but i ended up going through a messy breakup and i had no room for it when i moved out. But light dep has my heart! So after i knock out a internal conversion setup for a ebay greenhouse, im going to build my micro concept again but better. I understand the concept for the builds but im lost when it come to using relays for reversing polarity and wiring it to a timer. The best understanding of how to do it has been from watching diy's on automated chicken coop doors. I focus on internal deps because greenhouses in my area don't draw attention but a rolling blackout tarp definitely would.
I made a change to how i wanted to open the door. The drawing doesn't show how i doubled the width.
V1
V2
This was as far as i got on it before I moved.
This is my current greenhouse. I set it up but never grew a plant inside it. But i was going to school at the time for CNC Machining so now im done with that i can focus back on the light dep conversion. I have a concept of a build for it. It will work similarly to a Forever Flowering Greenhouse curtain slide. I just need help with the controller part.
Zeez
Well-Known Member
Excellent!! I'm doing light dep this spring too. It is pretty easy to do the blackout time during the cooler hours of daylight early morning and early evening. The Vera controllers can reference to sunrise and sunset making it very easy.
If you use a ridge vent it will save allot of electricity on fans. The relay is called a DPDT Double Pole Double Throw. No big deal, they cost about five bucks. I can show you how to wire it. Looks like this.
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@EastCoastGenetix
Well-Known Member
I'm going to need tutoring lol i don't understand electrical schematics and drawings.
@EastCoastGenetix
Well-Known Member
My plan was to close the curtains before sunrise and open them around 9-10am and let them roll through the rest of the day. I also want to connect a switch that will only allow lights to come on if the curtains are closed.
Zeez
Well-Known Member
There is some early evening time that can be used for black out time as well. All the switching (lights, fans, black out) can be done with the Vera controller.
Zeez
Well-Known Member
There are two parts to the relay, the relay and the base. On the base, output side, take two small pieces of wire (small like 1" length) and connect them criss cross like the diagram above (7 to 13 and 8 to 14 in the base pic below). Next, connect your actuator or roller motor (whatever you are powering) to the bottom two screws, 13 & 14.
On the other side of the base there are also four screw terminals. Two are for the power going to your appliance (roller motor, actuator, 12v for me etc) and two are for powering the relay, 110v for me. I chose 110v relays because my z-wave is 110v outlets. When the relay is not powered it goes to one position and when energized it goes to the other. With the "X" wires on the output side, this makes it reverse polarity and it can never short. look close at my close up pic and you can see the black wires doing the criss cross on the output side. On my pic 5 Z& 8, red and white, are going to the roller motors.
Look at the diagram I posted above and the 'A' "B" are the positive and negative powering the relay. When powered, it pulls those sidebars in the diagram down and makes it happen. When it's not powered the relay goes back to it's default position. Easy! and only $6.
Simply put, If just the transformer is powered the motor rolls down. If both the transformer and the relay are powered then the motor rolls up. No chance of a short. The relay reverses polarity.
On my set up the roll up sides and the ridge vent actuator are 12v and the sprinkler valves are 24v. There are also fans that are 110v.
On the other side of the base there are also four screw terminals. Two are for the power going to your appliance (roller motor, actuator, 12v for me etc) and two are for powering the relay, 110v for me. I chose 110v relays because my z-wave is 110v outlets. When the relay is not powered it goes to one position and when energized it goes to the other. With the "X" wires on the output side, this makes it reverse polarity and it can never short. look close at my close up pic and you can see the black wires doing the criss cross on the output side. On my pic 5 Z& 8, red and white, are going to the roller motors.
Look at the diagram I posted above and the 'A' "B" are the positive and negative powering the relay. When powered, it pulls those sidebars in the diagram down and makes it happen. When it's not powered the relay goes back to it's default position. Easy! and only $6.
Simply put, If just the transformer is powered the motor rolls down. If both the transformer and the relay are powered then the motor rolls up. No chance of a short. The relay reverses polarity.
On my set up the roll up sides and the ridge vent actuator are 12v and the sprinkler valves are 24v. There are also fans that are 110v.
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Zeez
Well-Known Member
On the cheep.
I would go with a Zooz power strip and the Vera plus but that's probably an extra $40.
Power strip option $70 ($10 more and one extra outlet - fans)
www.thesmartesthouse.com
This would control two sets of roll up motors on a schedule or from your phone. It requires a cat 5 internet connection.
Vera Edge controller. $69 The /Vera Plus for $99 is better.
www.thesmartesthouse.com
Two ZOOZ Z-WAVE PLUS S2 DOUBLE PLUG ZEN25 WITH USB PORT $30 each
www.thesmartesthouse.com
Two MEAN WELL MDR-60-12 AC to DC DIN-Rail Power Supply 12V 5 Amp 60W $22 each
Two DPDT Relays $12
DIN Rails $8
A box to put it in. $28 minus 20% coupon $23
I would go with a Zooz power strip and the Vera plus but that's probably an extra $40.
Power strip option $70 ($10 more and one extra outlet - fans)
Zooz Z-Wave Plus S2 Power Strip ZEN20 VER. 3.0
Safe & Smart Power Up NEW 800LR VERSION COMING 3/2024 PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS 5 Z-Wave Plus power outlets for wireless control of small appliances and electronics (total under 15 A resistive load) 2 USB ports for phone / tablet chargers report on / off status to the hub (NO Z-Wave control) NEW...
www.thesmartesthouse.com
This would control two sets of roll up motors on a schedule or from your phone. It requires a cat 5 internet connection.
Vera Edge controller. $69 The /Vera Plus for $99 is better.
VeraEdge Z-Wave Gateway Controller
Easy yet powerful one-app control for cameras, door locks, sensors, thermostats and other home automation and security devices (sold separately) you can view and control from anywhere!
www.thesmartesthouse.com
Two ZOOZ Z-WAVE PLUS S2 DOUBLE PLUG ZEN25 WITH USB PORT $30 each
Zooz Z-Wave Plus S2 Double Plug ZEN25 with USB Port
2-in-1 Power DISCONTINUED PRODUCT: SHOP ALTERNATIVES HERE PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS 2 Z-Wave Plus outlets for Z-Wave or manual control - turn each one on or off individually or together Connect lamps and small appliances (total 10A max between 2 outlets, DON'T connect motors or fans, use ZEN15...
www.thesmartesthouse.com
Two MEAN WELL MDR-60-12 AC to DC DIN-Rail Power Supply 12V 5 Amp 60W $22 each
Amazon.com: MEAN WELL MDR-60-12 AC to DC DIN-Rail Power Supply 12V 5 Amp 60W : Electronics
Buy MEAN WELL MDR-60-12 AC to DC DIN-Rail Power Supply 12V 5 Amp 60W: Internal Power Supplies - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com
Two DPDT Relays $12
DIN Rails $8
A box to put it in. $28 minus 20% coupon $23
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