Need a Single-Outlet Temperature & Humidity Controller

Titikshu said:

I saw that! Do I have to have Alexa or will it work without a "smart" computer living in my house? The only issue with smart controllers is that there are two failure points...one is power and the other is wifi. If it works without wifi than I'd feel a bit safer.

Click to expand...

No you don't need a Smart speaker. I think you are confusing wifi and the internet. Sonoff do many different solutions some RF based, some wifi based and some internet based. They can also be configured to work in different ways, depending on what you want to do. I have been using Sonoff Basic wifi switches since April and they have been faultless.

It all starts with the first, then all of a sudden you're addicted. Maybe you just *think* you want a single humidity and temperature sensor linked to a single solenoid controlling a few fans, but maybe you want to go deep down the rabbit hole...

If you like a little DIY and want to be able to use multiple inexpensive sensors and outputs, it is time to check out automation.

With automation, data is recorded at set intervals, think temp/humidity/VPD recorded every 30 seconds. Events can be triggered with logic based on sensors, time, moon phases, etc.

It starts with a cheap raspberry pi and a couple of sensors and solenoids. A lot of temp/humidity sensors are easily found for less then $5.

Here is a more advanced example of a home assistant automation system.


@5:07 into the above video for the win in fan control. BTW that ESP32 can be hookup up by usb.

Jesusgrowsmygrass said:

It all starts with the first, then all of a sudden you're addicted. Maybe you just *think* you want a single humidity and temperature sensor linked to a single solenoid controlling a few fans, but maybe you want to go deep down the rabbit hole...

If you like a little DIY and want to be able to use multiple inexpensive sensors and outputs, it is time to check out automation.

With automation, data is recorded at set intervals, think temp/humidity/VPD recorded every 30 seconds. Events can be triggered with logic based on sensors, time, moon phases, etc.

It starts with a cheap raspberry pi and a couple of sensors and solenoids. A lot of temp/humidity sensors are easily found for less then $5.

Here is a more advanced example of a home assistant automation system.

@5:07 into the above video for the win in fan control. BTW that ESP32 can be hookup up by usb.

Click to expand...

My plan is to get a Sonoff Zigbee hub, some temp/humidity sensors and some sonoff basics and use a Raspberry Pi 2B running OpenHAB. At the moment I am just controlling my lights with Sonoff and a Google Assistant rountine.

Sooo....OK Everyone. It's not the most elegant option, but here's what I did for now. Basically, I just bought another 4" fan since it was cheaper and easier than any of the controllers and safer than wiring things myself.

My 4x4 tent now has 3 inline fans (yes....3...it's stupid, but another fan was cheaper than any other option) and 1, one-way passive airflow vent...

To get cool air, I have routed a duct directly from outside into a plastic tote with a lid. Inside the tote is a 4" intake filter feeding into my 4x4 tent. This tote basically acts as an air-conditioner (see....it only works in the winter).

In the 4x4 tent, when temps get too high, both the 6" exhaust fan with carbon filter AND the 4" intake fan leading to the cooling tote turn on. This pulls cool air from outside (filtered twice) into the tent. A third fan, another 4" fan is hooked up to the humidity controller and pushes air directly (through an intake filter) from my basement space which is 35-50% humidity. Since this 4" fan will push dry air into the tent, but there is no "out-take" air, I put in a 4" dryer backdraft blocker in a bottom hole in the tent which allows air out, but won't allow air in. When the 4" fan pushes dry air into the tent, the old humid air is passively pushed out through the hole into my larger veg tent...

So far so good! Temp and humidity is more constant than ever and my fans aren't running 24/7. . . I just have to keep an eye on the weather and adjust the temp/humidity set points to be practical and within VPD ranges until winter finally comes and stays...

Jesusgrowsmygrass said:

It all starts with the first, then all of a sudden you're addicted. Maybe you just *think* you want a single humidity and temperature sensor linked to a single solenoid controlling a few fans, but maybe you want to go deep down the rabbit hole...

If you like a little DIY and want to be able to use multiple inexpensive sensors and outputs, it is time to check out automation.

With automation, data is recorded at set intervals, think temp/humidity/VPD recorded every 30 seconds. Events can be triggered with logic based on sensors, time, moon phases, etc.

It starts with a cheap raspberry pi and a couple of sensors and solenoids. A lot of temp/humidity sensors are easily found for less then $5.

Here is a more advanced example of a home assistant automation system.

@5:07 into the above video for the win in fan control. BTW that ESP32 can be hookup up by usb.

Click to expand...

OK....Nice and very interesting since I just purchased a few computer networking courses as I'm looking to jump industries and was literally just on the RaspberryPi site looking at various projects thinking, "maybe there's something here for garden automation..."
Awesome coincidence. I will jump into the rabbit hole....