10-24-2015, 10:57 PM
Also what are some honest opinions on what you would pay for a controller like this?
Example:
The kit would included absolutely everything you need to build it, from display to power supplies to cables with exception to power head patch cables because not everyone needs four of them. Of course no equipment of any kind is included except for the 3 temperature readings on the home page, I think those have to be connected so they are included.
With the Atlas Scientific probes or DFRobot PH probe you are required to buy the small circuit boards from either supplier. Those start getting expensive so they can't be included because a lot of people only want PH or maybe nothing. This is how all the other controllers work. Their boards may have a place holder for the circuit but not the actual circuit.
Without real numbers done I'm hoping to stay under the $400. Yeah sounds scary.
However when I look at costs of other controllers that do basically the same it appears to be cheaper, more features and has a full color 7" touch screen none of the other big controllers offer. They forget some of us don't like to use a phone to control everything. Having the 7" display and having it located away from the equipment really took the cost up, in my opinion it couldn't be any other way though.
My main goal since I got serious on this was to keep the cost as low as possible and give as much as I can for the price. This is everything you'll be able to control on a Robo-Tank DIY Controller Kit for hopefully under $400. The only add-on some might need which I'll have at some point is a signal converter for the 16 channels of LEDs so it works with all driver types. It won't cost to much though.
Example:
The kit would included absolutely everything you need to build it, from display to power supplies to cables with exception to power head patch cables because not everyone needs four of them. Of course no equipment of any kind is included except for the 3 temperature readings on the home page, I think those have to be connected so they are included.
With the Atlas Scientific probes or DFRobot PH probe you are required to buy the small circuit boards from either supplier. Those start getting expensive so they can't be included because a lot of people only want PH or maybe nothing. This is how all the other controllers work. Their boards may have a place holder for the circuit but not the actual circuit.Without real numbers done I'm hoping to stay under the $400. Yeah sounds scary.
However when I look at costs of other controllers that do basically the same it appears to be cheaper, more features and has a full color 7" touch screen none of the other big controllers offer. They forget some of us don't like to use a phone to control everything. Having the 7" display and having it located away from the equipment really took the cost up, in my opinion it couldn't be any other way though.
My main goal since I got serious on this was to keep the cost as low as possible and give as much as I can for the price. This is everything you'll be able to control on a Robo-Tank DIY Controller Kit for hopefully under $400. The only add-on some might need which I'll have at some point is a signal converter for the 16 channels of LEDs so it works with all driver types. It won't cost to much though.
- 16 Channels of LED's
- 16 Relays for AC Power each acting as a timer and four relays will have 4 timer settings per day.
- 6 - DS18B20 Temperature Sensors
- 1 - DHT22 Humidity / Temperature Sensor
- 4 Fertizlier / Chemical Dosing Pumps
- Automatic Fish Feeder
- ATO Pump
- ATO Optical Water Sensor
- ATO Backup Float Switch
- 2 - Water Overflow Sensors
- 4 - Digital Power Heads / Water Circulation Pumps
- 1 - LUX Meter (possibly)
- PH
- ORP
- Dissolved Oxygen
- Conductivity
- Basic Internet Control
- Many many web alerts
- 2 - Heaters Individually Controlled Based on Temperature
- 4 - Light / Water Cooling Fans Indivdually Controlled Based on Temperature
- Technically possible to control two aquariums
