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Thanks and yes- the Teros sensor is what my colleagues at the University of Arizona are using. I wish I could get my hands on one to explore- a bit too pricey though for a backyard citizen scientists. I still think there’s a lot we might determine from temperature as an affordable analog : th-cam.com/video/4yfhJRE4qDU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IPuJ9EaXba2qnj67

@@ModestMaker Dielectric permittivity is a decreasing function of temperature. Generally for subsurface probes we don't take this into account as diurnal soil temperature does not fluctuate to the same degree as air temperature. To estimate available water capacity including the permanent wilting point, the soil water characteristics calculator may be helpful to you www.ars.usda.gov/research/software/download/?softwareid=492&modecode=80-42-05-10 Estimates of percent sand, silt, clay, bulk density, organic matter, and salinity for your soil are input values. Bulk density is easy to measure, percent sand, silt, clay can be obtained from USDA-NRCS Web Soil Survey for your soil type (preferred) or estimated via column sedimentation. Since you're located in an arid region salinity (saturated extract) may be important. Check with Web Soil Survey or measure this with an inexpensive meter. And good luck with your adventures in capacitive soil moisture sensors.

Thanks! An ARS calculator for wilting point- I love it. Agreed- not too much temperature variance at depth, but definitely a diurnal signature a few inches down. io.adafruit.com/biod101/dashboards/soil-experiment-ambient-shade. Maybe the first few inches can tell me something, although I agree rooting depth is the key. It’s fun to measure all this stuff anyway. th-cam.com/video/1fKoxlAXaAU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=pQZ5eV6Q4TPdMJfG

For what it's worth, I've been working with the University of Arizona on an irrigation control system that uses Teros 12 sensors (metergroup.com/products/teros-12/). Working with a student, we managed to get these to interface with an ESP-32-S3 for controlling a suite of irrigation control valves (solenoids) at a research site. The Teros 12 sensor supports the SD1-12 communication protocol for which there is an Arduino Library. Since the code and project are not my own, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to share that on my channel but I will confirm it's doable. I have reached out to Meter Group asking if they would donate a sensor so I can produce a formal tutorial on how to do this for the benefit of others, but they declined. The issue is the sensor is costs about $258 which is something I can't afford, but it is an alternative you might explore.

@@ModestMaker the Teros 12 sensor is highly unlikely to pass the better half approval test. But I will check into it. I was planning on building at least 4 sensors, but more likely 8, as we have winter storage in 4 different location. We have a large collection over wintering. I am fine with a sampling technique in each area. Thinking a large pot and medium pot sample would get me close enough for my objectives. I want each one to be wireless, so I can remote monitor them. As a retired professional coder, software will not be an issue. I am new to esp32s. I have done a little bit of micro PLC work, so building the hardware should not be an issue. I love the work you have done. Very nicely executed !

Thanks. My experience has been that the capacitive sensors do not hold up to the elements very well over time. Here is the full playlist : th-cam.com/play/PLqJ5k4cakypy1E4J_tvEiD0kpFK1tGY3D.html&si=r4vya3sAPACIluSV

I checked all that here: th-cam.com/video/lb4HdcpYWCQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=_xzaAGwenIYx4eBV . All sensors went through thorough quality control before selection.

You're most welcome.

Thanks for the feedback☺️

Wow, thanks! I do have other Arduino-related videos on my channel. Appreciate that!

Rest assured I will be checking in 👍.

Sorry- been away from this project outside of range tests so really can’t say for sure.

What kind of sensors did you use? I’ve had no luck with capacitive soil moisture sensors over time- they bias results after initial wetting.

@@ModestMaker I'm terrible at documenting, but I'll get it all together n share eventually. For now, I cheated a bit with a month of testing different stuff ... I found the perc levels in my soil, where it drains at different rates, n put my sensors there surrounded with a medical grade silicate sand that does not stick to the CS and it dries along with surrounding soil, it kinda "breaths" in the dirt with moisture if that makes sense. I get from 510 to 290 CS readings and when I test with other devices, stand alone ones, the sensors are right on. So far, plants n trees are perfect... Would love to figure a reliable pH sensor to determine when I need nutrients🤞

@livetohash6152 thanks for sharing those details. You may want to check this video out : th-cam.com/video/iqiwVXhgNKw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=dWcI4t72yOCv5oBh - just something to be aware of 😉. Interesting approach in using silica sand - sounds like it might work over the long haul (?)

@@ModestMaker we'll see, but they are medical grade, not regular choice... designed to absorb n dissipate... I'll get into it when I get it documented once I'm all done. I'm about to move it all into a planter to lift it up for privacy, about 3 feet. So I'm thinking I make part of the side glass with holes to test various layers 🤔

I would like to test this. Do you have a recommended supplier for silica sand?

Thank you for sharing these pointers- makes posting these videos worth the effort👍.

Thanks- bike is still running strong.

The final project is up to you😊. This is only meant to give you the tools and code necessary to facilitate your own inventions.

I love the car- am in the process of purchasing a second (used) one for my youngest son. It's a little zippy for a teenager, but I recall seeing a "teenager" mode in the settings-- need to investigate.

I am 6"1' and have the seat post raised about 3 inches and am riding it comfortably. I just tried raising it another 3 inches without issues - I think you'll be okay.

I have always had the friction-style brakes that came on this bike so nothing really to compare to. On that note, no issues that I can see stopping- works just like my old school road bike👍.

I am 55- bike has held up well; no complaints beyond a slightly complicated process for repairing rear wheel flats. Recommend Tuffy liners 👍.

An accelerometer. The board that drives the Neopixels has one embedded 😊.

@@ModestMaker oh dang, that's awsome

Super satisfying!

Thanks again!

Hey Izzy! College level Battle bots competition at Pima Community College next Saturday 3/23- at the downtown campus- fyi.

@@ModestMaker Oh wow, is there I way I could get more info about it

Checking now. Would you want to help with the event?

@@ModestMaker yes I would

@@ModestMaker I'll have my mom text you,

All the sensors are holding up fine through the present except for the capacitive soil moisture sensors- those simply do not report valid data and failed rather quickly.

io.adafruit.com/biod101/dashboards/soil-experiment-ambient-shade

Thanks. That's useful information. I have been looking at making my own multi-level soil probe. A shame about the capacitive soil moisture sensors.

@brudwyr Sure. Here is the full playlist : th-cam.com/play/PLqJ5k4cakypy1E4J_tvEiD0kpFK1tGY3D.html&si=KDV-10mbkuRZm4x7

Thanks. I think shielded wiring can help mitigate that challenge a bit which is something I learned about after this video was posted. I appreciate your feedback!

Agreed that TTN coverage is spotty here in the US- unlike the EU which has amazing coverage. Alternatively, Helium (another LoRa network) coverage here in US is pretty good, but I have no idea how to plug into that. I like the free access that TTN offers so if you can set up a gateway or receiver for your local needs and don’t need high bandwidth (e.g. just sending a few numbers), it works pretty well with very low power requirements. No judgement here though- whatever fits your needs is the right answer.

Thanks - appreciate your kind words.

Hmmm… I am not clear why your sensor and gateway are not also 915 MHz since that is what licensed by FCC for LoRa in the U.S. It might work but the range will be likely be impacted since not optimized for your antennae. Why is it 865 MHz?

@@ModestMaker Thank you for the quick reply...my area license is IN865Mhz ..I bought a gateway RAK These send with an antenna 900 to 915 MHz /5.8 dB.. .. I installed a gate at a height of 8 meters... and a sensor about 50 meters away... There are no obstacles, buildings or trees. Does it affect it significantly? I don't see any readings on the platform? Once again thank you for the hard work

I think that's a pretty big shift between your antenna and your sensors. If it's not working, it's likely due to that - like trying to listen to a favorite radio station on the wrong frequency where all you hear is snow. You might consider building your own antenna. I managed to build and test one for LoRa here: th-cam.com/video/ZGqLQNsd_cI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=tCJU88WeKcB2gbU9 . More details are in the description of the video. - you would have to just modify the frequency parameter when designing the antenna to match your sensor and gateway.

@@ModestMaker I see .. thanks ..I will make an antenna. Frequency is required.. and I will inform you of everything new. Thank you again

Buying, Programming, and Testing Capacitance Soil Moisture Sensors th-cam.com/video/lb4HdcpYWCQ/w-d-xo.html

Glad you liked it!

I have some in stock I can drop off at SRO (assuming this is Jason Elliot), but you might try a Hall effect sensor as a simpler alternative.

Not really sure, but the battery, motor and hub have been holding up fine after two years of modest riding.

climate change is fake, wake up.@@ModestMaker

Thanks! Certainly a team effort!

What is it that doesn’t work? It’s kind of hard to debug off a comment in TH-cam.

@@ModestMaker the readings the i'm getting are wrong for example i dont have south but it read SSE in both ways

Sounds like something isn’t quite right in the array- I would double check those values to see if they match what the spreadsheet is showing.

There are only three working TTN gateways I am aware of in Tucson with fairly good line of site. Helium has much better coverage with details and experiments summarized in this playlist : th-cam.com/play/PLqJ5k4cakypzJPcVFz7onbwzc0EWFHU7p.html&si=pH_MfZFJa_WTpDtQ .

I don’t know what string art is, but the motor is certainly easily programmable to pull and release strings in a spool if that’s your goal. I have provided sample code that can help with the same.

You should be able to make something out of PVC pipe from your local hardware store.

Absolutely. The code I shared can be hacked to do this. You could for instance tie an environmental sensor to an Arduino to position the pointer.

The soil was initially broken up but settled when I saturated the columns. The full playlist with subsequent experiments is here : th-cam.com/play/PLqJ5k4cakypy1E4J_tvEiD0kpFK1tGY3D.html&si=CV6QYCToKY1i2yJY

Because we get so much sunlight in Arizona and since these are relatively low power systems, I haven’t had to deal much with power management but it is something I am exploring at this time 👍.

Will check if out- thanks!

Thanks- couldn’t help my curiosity 😊.

Gotta wonder if those solar storms are having an impact.

Glad it helped! I think the best way to go for our monsoon type storms is to develop a weight-based gage that is insensitive to intensity (so you can use it year round.) I'm actually working on one right now as a project for my 3D-print class. Accuracy challenges of tipping buckets are summarized here ;) th-cam.com/video/iR331RDdPW4/w-d-xo.html

Glad it helped😊.

Any commercial connectors were cut off with wire ends tinned and soldered. I also like to use terminal blocks to make my setups more modular where I can 👍 - like here : th-cam.com/video/_55sEQ0vM38/w-d-xo.htmlsi=SH0uccNInk0ZndDU . See minute 2:36.

www.arduino.cc/en/software - it's free for download online.

Agreed.

Good to know. It’s only happened one other time since purchase. Since I am close to 5K on miles, it must have been something I was doing in regards to technique. I will keep an eye on this.