Automated Bonsai Watering (without Arduino)

This project shows you how to make an automated watering system for Bonsai trees or plants (see video) yourself. In contrast to a lot of systems that you can buy, this system does not need a water-connection. The water is pumped from a small tank to make it ideal for indoor use of small plants. The system is using standard industrial items like a digital timer switch where no programming or coding is needed (without Arduino).

Automated Bonsai Watering (with salvaged 18650 cells)

This project is the second project in a miniseries about an automated watering system for Bonsai trees or plants. The first part showed the construction of a system including a digital weekly programmable time switch and a peristaltic pump. A disadvantage of the system was that it required a power supply next to your plant. Therefore this project is about to replace the power supply by a battery pack to make the system completely stand-alone without a water connection or a power supply. Since the programmable time switch requires 12 Volts, three 18650 Lithium type batteries in series salvaged from an old laptop battery pack were chosen. When in operation for one minute a day the system can run on batteries for one month.