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PIC Training Course Grow Light Controller building a grow light and creating software for controller New January 2024 |
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This short course is for hobbyists who have an interest in experimenting with new ideas. As you work through the training manual you will build a grow light which runs with 80% efficiency with any input voltage between 10v and 24v. We start by using the controller as a simple time switch, then add the circuits and update the software to run the grow light from a solar panel and a 12v battery. |
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The picture above shows the GrowCon module programmed to run efficiently from any one or all three power sources. There are two display options. The LCD above is showing the main display option. PS= is the power supply voltage, S= is the solar panel voltage, B= is the battery voltage and V= is the voltage applied to the solar panel. The second display, shown below, shows the real time 24 hour clock, the power being absorbed by the grow light, the current going to the grow light and the voltage applied to the grow light. |
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I have enjoyed the challenge of writing the code to run my grow light from a 12v power supply, a 100w solar panel and a 12 volt lead acid battery. But if you cannot justify buying this course and a 100w solar panel there is no problem using this system powered only by a 12v power supply. If you do this you may be inspired later to buy a solar panel. Alternatively you may prefer to buy part 2 of the mini course instead. Mini course part 2 includes programming its training circuit to control a grow light using only a 12v power supply. I have been rasing tomato, cucumber, pumpkin and courgette plants using my own design of grow light since 2013. Just over a year ago I bought a 100w solar panel with the intention of using it to power my grow light. The basic system to do this is very straightforward but the problems arise because the solar panel only produces significant energy in sunshine two hours either side of midday. We add a battery to store the excess energy around midday and the simple idea becomes complex. This short course starts using the PIC circuit as a simple timer and power switch to turn the grow light on each day between 6am and 8pm. To do this we load the real time clock software from the Brunning Software library then add the simple test instructions to monitor the hours counter. It is good to know the power that goes to the grow light so we load the analogue to digital library routines and add the instructions to write the voltage, current and power to the LCD. In this way we gradually work through the task of designing the PIC circuit and creating the complex software needed for using any of the three power sources efficiently. |
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We start in chapter 2 by learning about grow lights and the theory of which colour LEDs are required. Then I give details of how my grow light is put together using araldite, two strips of ply wood and six lengths of heatsink. |
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The LEDs are glued to the heatsinks using a very thin coat of alraldite and wired in six groups of three LEDs. Two groups of three are wired in parallel to one of three constant current circuits. This system creates a grow light which runs with over 80 percent effeciency with any input voltage between 10v and 24v. This ensures that the grow light can be run from a 12v battery at its lowest voltage and from a 12v solar panel at its highest voltage. |
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The GrowCon module can be programmed using a Brunning Software programmer or PICkit3/4. The book assumes a P205, P931, P942 or P955 Brunning Software programmer is being used. The software is usually supplied on CD. If you require software on a memory stick send an email request to pic(at)brunningsoftware(dot)com Price List If you already have a Brunning Software programmer (P205, P931, P942 or P955) you need option 1. If you do not have a Brunning Software programmer you need option 1P. |
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Option 1: Grow Light Kit and Fully Populated GrowCon11..... £74.00 including delivery to UK GrowCon11 supplied built and tested.
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Option 1P: Grow Light Kit and fully populated GrowCon11..... £94.00 including P205 PIC programmer including delivery to UK GrowCon11 supplied built and tested.
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