Ok, another fairly basic project I want to take on. I want to be able to cut power to a circuit if the water temperature gets too low in the fish tank. I have an automatic fish feeder on an outdoor system. There is a timer powering the feeder so it isn't really as easy as buying a thermostat to plug between the power and the feeder since I want the timer to keep it's schedule and most of those thermostats would probably not react fast enough if they didn't have power until the timer turned on.
So the control probably needs separate power from the feeder but have it control a relay that will not allow the feeder to get power if the temperature is too low for the fish to eat. (Ideally I would be able to manually adjust things but unfortunately I travel too much and our weather here can be very crazy through the winter so I don't really want to "not feed at all" while I'm gone but that will be the solution if I can't build something.
I've already successfully made a picaxe repeat cycle timer relay that has been working very well for me and I always hear people say that temperature control is an easy one so I think I'll jump in and try it.
So, I did some searching and not quite finding the examples I probably need. Please point me to some threads or tips that will help get me started. I understand basic power supply for the chips and how to deal with relays. What I need to know is how to hook up a temp sensor (what kind would be best? temp range between 32 F and 100 F more or less) and how to program to say turn off the relay if the temp falls below 45 F and turn it back on when the temp comes up to 50 F and whatever timing I need to keep from chattering the relay near the set points.
Some day I might want to create something a bit more elaborate with sensors and a relay board or at least some way to data log temperatures and load them to a computer or the internet but one step at a time.
So the control probably needs separate power from the feeder but have it control a relay that will not allow the feeder to get power if the temperature is too low for the fish to eat. (Ideally I would be able to manually adjust things but unfortunately I travel too much and our weather here can be very crazy through the winter so I don't really want to "not feed at all" while I'm gone but that will be the solution if I can't build something.
I've already successfully made a picaxe repeat cycle timer relay that has been working very well for me and I always hear people say that temperature control is an easy one so I think I'll jump in and try it.
So, I did some searching and not quite finding the examples I probably need. Please point me to some threads or tips that will help get me started. I understand basic power supply for the chips and how to deal with relays. What I need to know is how to hook up a temp sensor (what kind would be best? temp range between 32 F and 100 F more or less) and how to program to say turn off the relay if the temp falls below 45 F and turn it back on when the temp comes up to 50 F and whatever timing I need to keep from chattering the relay near the set points.
Some day I might want to create something a bit more elaborate with sensors and a relay board or at least some way to data log temperatures and load them to a computer or the internet but one step at a time.