Week 2

Reverse Engineering Dispenser

Key issues & findings:

• Dismantling the Fish feeder was relatively easy as well as finding out what to connect to our arduino set-up
  • We were able to get the feeder to turn on and off with the use of a relay which we could then use as a way to dispense our chemical powders and treat the tap water.
• Our initial plans were to find the time required for the dispenser to dispense the correct amount of regulator in the Clean Water Fish Tank. However, as the dispenser rotates it does not dispense the same amount of regulator each in each revolution. This results in the dispenser require a range of different timings in order to dispense the right amount of regulator
  • To offset this, we will instead be monitoring the TDS values of the Clean Water Tank instead. Once the clean water tank reaches a suitable TDS value, we will switch off the dispenser.
  • To account for the varying amount of regulator dispensed, we will be accepting a range of TDS values which the Clean Water Tank will allow.

Float Sensors

Key issues & findings:

• To combat the spike in TDS and pH values when using the water level sensor, we have purchased a float sensor which does not take in the conductivity of water in order to give us a reading of water levels.
• Instead, the float sensor acts as a ‘switch’ – it gives off only 2 readings which are ‘HIGH’ and ‘LOW’.
  • ‘HIGH’ = High water level
  • “LOW” = Low water level
• The buoyant portion of the sensor located in between the shaft will float on the water surface and transmits either a ‘HIGH’ reading or ‘LOW’ reading depending on its position on the shaft.
• We place these float sensors onto the Clean Water Tank and Main Fish Tank
  • Main Fish Tank
    • ‘HIGH’ reading + Dirty water conditions = Pump water Out
    • ‘LOW reading’ + Dirty water conditions = Stop pumping water out
  • Clean Water Tank
    • ‘HIGH’ reading + water is treated = Pump clean water into main water tank
    • ‘LOW’ reading = Stop pumping clean water into main water tank

MESSY WIRING

Our current wiring management is very poor and we really need to find a way to better manage it. If we continue to work with such wiring, it will lead to even more problems down the road such as water spillage risks since they are all quite exposed and also, we may forget where the wires are suppose to connect in relation to the other wires.