Inkbird Environment Control Automation - VPD Made Easy!

[NezA]

@latigid aikon

 

If the WiFi connection the controllers are linked to dies then the rules will stop automatically switching the controllers will default to trying to hold the last know values. You do get an error notification that a rule has failed to run if they lose WiFi so you'll know if it happens. The device that manages your rules and the controllers themselves don't need to be on the same network they just need an internet connection at both ends to monitor / update.

 

Hope this helps

[Slippy One]

I wonder if anyone uses the automation on the 'Controller 67' from AC Infinity for perfect VPD? I have this controller and use it manually for the ideal range, but it has amazing automation for temps and humidity and can be bought for about £55. Needs an EC fan to work though.. As for drying, just turn all the equipment off, turn all central heating off and ride the extract speeds until you have 60%. I'm assuming you have a 0-100% fan controller?> congrats on a 2nd successful job  

[Slippy One]

Just to add, the Controller 67 app is beyond amazing. Everything can be automated, watch real-time X/Y graphs over hours-days-weeks-months for current and past temps, humidity. Then bar graphs for 'temperature distribution' and 'humidity distribution' with a big EXPORT DATA button below. You can adjust the time, speeds, automations, alarms, notifications. You can name each controller, for example if you had multiple grow/nursery/breeding rooms, even display brightness is in there. It's bluetooth only, so you have to be within range. Anyone currently using 2 or more Inkbirds plugged into a humidifier, de-humidifier and heaters might like what a decent fan controller can achieve with a quarter of the costs.

 

[latigid aikon]

1 hour ago, NezA said:

@latigid aikon

 

If the WiFi connection the controllers are linked to dies then the rules will stop automatically switching the controllers will default to trying to hold the last know values. You do get an error notification that a rule has failed to run if they lose WiFi so you'll know if it happens. The device that manages your rules and the controllers themselves don't need to be on the same network they just need an internet connection at both ends to monitor / update.

 

Hope this helps

Thanks, that saves me loads of time.

 

I wondered if they might require a connection to the Inkbird server for the automation to work because I noticed the logs end up with gaps when the wifi goes down which must mean they are also going onto Inkbirds server.

 

I've been looking into controlling them directly and some others have already done some groundwork so I might end up using maybe a raspberry pi or something as a server.

 

Just now, Slippy One said:

I wonder if anyone uses the automation on the 'Controller 67' from AC Infinity for perfect VPD?

Does it just control fans or can it control humidifiers, dehumidifiers and heaters?

[Slippy One]

Just now, latigid aikon said:

 

Does it just control fans or can it control humidifiers, dehumidifiers and heaters?

Not the heaters, but can be programmed to keep a temperature if that makes sense..e.g if your thermostat on the radiator broke and it got hotter, Controller 67 would do its best to blast that heat out by speeding up to the top speed you programmed. You can even adjust the transition temps, it's ridiculously geeky, but I prefer my trusty old non wifi 306T for my double tube heater duty.

 

With temps being the easy bit, the humidy is where the C67 really shines. I think I've seen one for £58 including postage. Mine was £55 from small grow shop in Cornwall. 

 

edit to add: If the temp drops below a certain point, it can turn off the fan completely. I'm lucky to have found the sweet spot using precise speed controller, or more to the point, slower extraction to increase the humidity and increase speeds to reduce humidity. If anyone wouold like to see screenshots of the app, I'm happy to upload some. 

 

Edited April 14, 2021 by Slippy One

[NezA]

If you're interested in going down the Pi route @latigid aikon check this thread out:

 

 

Also this guy has an awesome series of videos on how to create a fully automated grow room. It's incredible: 

 

 

I'm technically minded enough to go down this route and may eventually do it but I am also lazy. The reason I started this thread was because automating VPD via the Inkbird app is just do damn accessible anyone can do it. 

 

But if you want to go all in there are far better setups that can be achieved the sky is the limit.

 

Hope you find this stuff useful.

[BlueberryCookie]

I've got the basic heating thermostat, I plugged it in with no heat source plugged into it & I put the sensor on a table next to 3 thermometers that all were within 1 degree of each other so I could see if the thermostat needed adjusting. But the temperature on the thermostat keeps changing. It kept going 4 degrees above the thermometers & then 4 degrees below. I gave up with it in the end. Probably a simple way to sort it but I'm not clued up on things like that.

[Slippy One]

2 hours ago, BlueberryCookie said:

I've got the basic heating thermostat, I plugged it in with no heat source plugged into it & I put the sensor on a table next to 3 thermometers that all were within 1 degree of each other so I could see if the thermostat needed adjusting. But the temperature on the thermostat keeps changing. It kept going 4 degrees above the thermometers & then 4 degrees below. I gave up with it in the end. Probably a simple way to sort it but I'm not clued up on things like that.

The really cool thing on the Controller 67 is that it has a calibrate feature, which would eliminate your issue.  

[latigid aikon]

5 hours ago, NezA said:

I'm technically minded enough to go down this route and may eventually do it but I am also lazy.

Same here TBH

 

I'm happy with the Inkbirds for now but I'd just like to try to eliminate the dependency on connecting to their servers if I can.

[latigid aikon]

2 hours ago, BlueberryCookie said:

It kept going 4 degrees above the thermometers & then 4 degrees below.

If it's unstable compared to other thermometers it must be faulty, mine match other thermometers closely as you'd expect.

 

8 minutes ago, Slippy One said:

The really cool thing on the Controller 67 is that it has a calibrate feature, which would eliminate your issue.  

You can calibrate the Inkbirds too but that's not much use if they keep changing.

[BlueberryCookie]

11 minutes ago, Slippy One said:

The really cool thing on the Controller 67 is that it has a calibrate feature, which would eliminate your issue.  

My issue is the thermostat wouldn't settle on a number, it just kept going up & down in temperature. So I'm not sure if it needs adjusting.

[Slippy One]

Using inkbirds for humidity seems fine until you factor in the additional costs of a humidifier and dehumidifier, additional wiring, a few hours of programming, trying to figure out whats's up with calibration between your heat inkbird vs your humidity inkbirds, RO or deionized water costs for the dehum etc etc.

 

...When your fan can take care of humidity by precise speed control for less money, less wires, less electricity sockets..

 

Don't work harder folks

 

 

 

[NezA]

For me it was the cheapest easiest solution may not be the case for everyone. If I come across a cheaper easier one I'll be sure to make another post about it. 

 

Humidifier £30 cost to date after factoring in a replacement part. Inkbirds £50 on an offer. I've never used RO or deionized water, yeah there's some residue on surfaces and in the early days until I worked out the right airflow some got on the plants, but even then it never caused a single problem with the plants. Just a wash and wipe down after each run. But you should be doing that anyway. I've not needed a dehumidifier yet but if I did need one I have plenty of headroom on my extraction so I'd just turn it up. Took an hour maybe 2 tops to set everything up and I've not had to touch a single thing since whereas before I was adjusting and monitoring my extraction several times a week a process that takes at least 15 mins of observation for each adjustment. Maybe it's because I'm in a loft and I'm far far more prone to environment shifts, but this has been a massive benefit to me. My environment has never been so on point. That's just my 2p I could've weighed out for a fancy controller for my extraction, and when I upgrade it I probably will. But until then my WAC1 and Inkbirds do the job perfectly. At a fraction of the price.

[NezA]

1 hour ago, BlueberryCookie said:

My issue is the thermostat wouldn't settle on a number, it just kept going up & down in temperature. So I'm not sure if it needs adjusting.

 

It sounds like yours might not be configured correctly I'd take a look at your hysteresis and cooling back values. I do get a slight temp swing but never more than 1c it's easy to adjust these settings in the app but how you do this on the non WiFi version looks like witchcraft to me.

 

Hope you get it sorted bud.

Edited April 15, 2021 by NezA

[BlueberryCookie]

11 minutes ago, NezA said:

 

It sounds like yours might not be configured correctly I'd take a look at your hysteresis and cooling back values. I do get a slight temp swing but never more than 1c it's easy to adjust these settings in the app but how you do this on the none WiFi version looks like witchcraft to me.

 

Hope you get it sorted bud.

 

1 hour ago, latigid aikon said:

If it's unstable compared to other thermometers it must be faulty, mine match other thermometers closely as you'd expect.

Thanks guys, I've got a smartphone now so I'll try the WIFI version as it seems the one I have now is playing up.