I need a way to power something momentarily once every week or two. Here's the deal, my friend's little brother is a senior in highschool, and there is a technology/invention project I'm supposed to be helping him with. We decided a self watering flowerpot would be a cool thing. So the idea is to hook up a couple of sealed lead acid batteries and an old windshield washing pump out of a car, but I need a way to trip it for 5-10 secs once every week or two. (I don't actually have plants, because of forgetting to watter them, so I don't know how often they need to be watered.) If it's not to much trouble, while you are at it, a way to make the amount of time it waters the plant variable would be cool. Thanks, Daniel
Actualy a automated plant timer available at garden or home stores can do just that. I know I have seen them in weekly modes, rather then daily modes.
It's better to water pot plants when they need it rather than on a timed schedule. A soil moisture detector triggering the watering would be better and much simpler.
Yeah, I'd thought about that except all the ones I've seen said not to leave them in the soil for extended periods of time. Also I couldn't think of anyway to make it trigger anything. BTW, lol, better for the plants. I'm just trying to keep them alive! I made a deal with him, I'll help him build it if i can have it when he's done. That way I can finally have a living plant in my office. Thanks though. All the help is appreciated.
Copper probes will corrode, but stainless steel wires or carbon rods (from a dry battery) should be OK. A comparator circuit would be the easy way to drive a relay or transistor switch to the motor.
