Setting a timer for automatic watering in a greenhouse. Timer for drip irrigation: purpose, types and features of making it yourself Do-it-yourself watering timer for gravity systems

What is a watering timer? This question interests those who have a garden, cottage or greenhouse and want plants to grow and develop without worries. After all, summer residents always have to think about ensuring timely watering. Particular attention should be paid to this on hot days.

Sometimes it is difficult to provide watering to green spaces if they are located far from the main place of residence. Depending on the type and requirements of the plant, you can select a program that will allow you to supply water in the required mode. Some types of timer controllers can be installed outside a room or structure. The advantage of controllers is that you can supply water both to the space near the estates and to vegetable gardens with a huge area.

Timers can be divided into 2 types: single-channel and multi-channel, the latter are divided into manual and automatic. By design Watering timers are divided into:

• automatic;
• mechanical;
• electronic;
• digital.

The difference between manual and automatic is that manual is easier to use.

To work with manual view The device needs to set the time and duration of water supply. And in order to start using automatic view device, you must first set the date and time, and then select one of the programs with a timer. The timer stops the pump and water supply, and after the time set in the timer, the supply resumes. The duration of the break depends on the type of plant and the required amount of moisture.

Principle of operation

The timer is cut into a pipe with a diameter of 20-40 mm, which directs water for irrigation; a mechanism located in the tap stops and resumes watering at the required frequency and duration. For example, you can set it to water 30 minutes every 10 hours. After 30 minutes of operation, the water in the tap stops. The faucet runs on a battery, which will have to be changed once a season.

Electronic watering timer (video)

Water timer manufacturing options

If you plan to install a lightweight system at your dacha drip irrigation, then you should think about a device with a timer. The water supply can be made completely independent of energy and without the use of electronics.

Design No. 1 - watering timer with dripper-wick. The wick, absorbing water, delivers it to required height, preventing rapid evaporation. If it goes beyond the boundaries of the container, water will begin to drip from the open end. This is based on a law of physics that favors the capillary mode of operation. Moisture permeability directly depends on the thickness of the wick, which can be adjusted. To use the timer in a container with a height of 5-8 cm, use plastic bottle in 5 or 10 liters. The water level in the container should be at the same height all the time. Make a small drainage hole at the bottom.

Cover the hole temporarily, fill the bottle with water and close the lid tightly. Place a bottle filled with water in the trough. As water flows out of the container, it will compensate for the losses. It is better to make a wick from a rope or a tourniquet required thickness woven from a piece of fabric. Having placed the ends correctly, you should install the wick in the container.

The advantage of such a device is that on rainy days, compensation for moisture loss from the bottle will stop.

Design No. 2 - a device controlled by a ball valve or a timer for drip irrigation.

The timing of the timer depends on the drops in it. Water flowing out of the structure reduces its weight. Due to the lack of weight of the container, the faucet handle cannot be held and the water supply is triggered.

To set up such a timer for drip irrigation you will need:

• barrel;
• ball valve;
• 2 circles of plywood or metal;
• 5 liter bottles made of plastic or canister;
• construction glue;
• sewing thread (spool).

For uninterrupted operation of the system, it is advisable to modify the ball valve by attaching a small pulley - a rocker arm - to a handle secured by a screw. The angle of inclination of the crane handle changes, due to this it is brought into working condition.

The pulley is made from a pair of plywood circles, which are glued together with construction adhesive, or from metal ones, attaching them with bolts. Wind a strong cord around the pulley. Tie a ballast weight to one end of the cord, and a container of water of similar size to the other. This container will be the timer for drip irrigation. A hole is made at the bottom. The time can be set for several days.

To operate, the container should be placed on a level place and filled with water. If the bottles at both ends are equal in weight, the tap should be closed.

Thus, if you have a vegetable garden, dacha, personal plot large size, if your green spaces are far from your home, if you care about the healthy, full and carefree growth of your pets, clear advice: you should think about setting an irrigation timer.

The water supply timer will be yours faithful assistant, which will save time that you usually spend watering by hand and you will have more time for other things, such as harvesting or other types of care. I will delight the plants, grow beautiful and impeccable.

Automatic tap timer for irrigation with mechanical control (video)

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One of the conditions for the full growth and development of plants is timely watering. But due to the busyness of the owners and the remoteness of the site from the city, it is not always possible to provide it. Solve the creation problem optimal conditions Setting a timer will help with maintaining the humidity regime. This device will not only simplify the care of green “pets”, but will also have a beneficial effect on the quality of the harvest. The device you need for your household can be purchased at a gardening store, or you can make a watering timer yourself. About how to choose best option Models or making a simple device yourself will be discussed in the article.

The irrigation timer is a single or multi-channel shut-off mechanism that controls the water pump. It opens at certain intervals, allowing water to flow into the irrigation system.

Drip irrigation systems provide the opportunity to not appear on the site for several days or even weeks, without worrying about your seedlings

Timer automatic watering solves a lot of problems in one fell swoop:

• Provides watering with given intensity and frequency;
• Prevents soil from waterlogging and root rotting due to measured and slow water supply;
• By supplying water to the roots of garden crops, it solves the problem sunburn leaves and minimizes the risk of their disease;
• Providing local irrigation helps solve the weed problem.

For ease of maintenance, water supply timers are placed together with other equipment in plastic boxes installed underground.

To allow quick access to devices, such boxes are equipped with a removable hatch or a tight-fitting lid

Based on the counting principle, timers are divided into single-action devices (when triggered once) and multiple-action devices (when they trigger several times with preset shutter speeds).

Depending on the type of mechanism used, the timer is:

• Electronic– the control unit of the device includes electronic equipment that determines the response time and opening solenoid valve. The undeniable advantage of this type of device is the wide range of response times, which can vary from 30 seconds to one week. The watering regime can be adjusted both locally and remotely.
• Mechanical– is a control unit equipped with a spiral spring and a mechanical valve. It works on the principle of a mechanical watch. One plant cycle spring block is capable of ensuring continuous operation of the mechanism for up to 24 hours, opening the valve according to a user-specified response period. The watering mode can only be adjusted manually.

Both devices are multi-channel designs. The mechanical irrigation timer is characterized by its simple design and the absence of electrical supply wires. This significantly reduces the cost of the device.

A mechanical timer, compared to its electronic counterpart, has a more limited duration of a given cycle.

In a mechanical timer, it is enough to set the watering cycle by selecting an interval. With an electronic model it is somewhat more complicated: you first need to set the date and time, and only after that select the optimal program for the crop being grown.

Many have noticed that in the water supply systems of country villages in daytime Due to intensive water intake, the pressure decreases. By setting an automatic watering timer, you can schedule irrigation for the evening and night hours.

Depending on the modification of the device, timers may have an internal or external “regular” pipe thread, and are also equipped with quick-release hose connectors or quick-connect connectors with an irrigation system.

The most expensive models have additional functions, for example, determining humidity, depending on which indicator watering is automatically reduced or extended

Water timer manufacturing options

When planning to install an automatic irrigation system on your property, it is convenient to use water timers to control the taps. With their help, the water supply system can be made completely energy independent, avoiding the use of any electronics.

Design #1 - timer with wick dropper

The wick fibers, when saturated with moisture, lift it up to a certain height, preventing the water from quickly evaporating. If the wick is thrown over the side of the container, the absorbed water will simply begin to drip from the free end.

This method is based on physical laws that create the capillary effect. It occurs when a fabric wick is lowered into a container of water.

The moisture throughput can be adjusted by adjusting the thickness of the wick, the density of twisting of the threads and pinching them with a wire loop.

To set up a timer, place a five or ten liter plastic bottle in a container with low sides, the height of which does not exceed 5-8 cm. One of key conditions The operation of the system is to maintain the liquid level in the container at a constant height. The optimal ratio of capacities is easiest to determine experimentally.

The determining factor in its operation is the water column. Therefore, the height of the bottle and the depth of the wide container are interconnected things

A small hole is made in the bottom of the bottle to allow water to flow out. The bottle is filled with water, temporarily covering the drain hole, and sealed with a lid. The filled bottle is placed in the trough. The water seeping through the bottom will gradually flow out, stopping at a level when the hole is not hidden under the thickness. As water is consumed, the water flowing out of the bottle will replenish the losses.

The easiest way to make the wick itself is from a rope of suitable thickness or a rope twisted from a piece of fabric. It is placed in a container with the ends correctly distributed

The main advantage of such a timer is that due to the same level of water in a wide container, in the event of rain, replenishment of moisture losses from the bottle will be suspended.

Craftsmen who have already tested such a device in practice claim that a five-liter bottle with a flow rate of 1 drop/2 seconds is enough for 20 hours uninterrupted operation. By selecting optimal size a bottle that acts as a water column, and by adjusting the intensity of the drop, you can achieve the effect of multi-day delays.

Design #2 - device regulating the ball valve

In a water timer, the response time is determined by the action of the drop. Water flowing out of the container, which acts as ballast, reduces the weight of the structure. At a certain point, the weight of the container is no longer enough to hold the stopcock handle, and the water supply starts.

To set up a water timer you will need:

• Water barrel;
• Ball valve;
• Two plywood or metal circles;
• Canisters or 5-liter plastic bottles;
• Construction adhesive;
• Spool of sewing thread.

For uninterrupted operation of the system, it is advisable to modify the ball valve by attaching a small pulley - a rocker arm - to a handle secured by a screw. This will allow you to move the tap from a closed state to an open state by changing the angle of the handle.

The pulley is constructed from two identical plywood circles, gluing their planes together with construction adhesive, or metal ones, connecting them with bolts. A strong cord is wound onto the pulley, making several turns around it for reliability. When constructing a lever, pieces of cord are firmly fixed at its edges. A ballast weight and a container of water compensating its weight are tied to the free ends of the cord on opposite sides. The weight of the load must be such that under its weight the crane comes into a lever state.

It is convenient to use five-liter plastic bottles as cargo ballast and a water container that compensates for its weight.

The easiest way to adjust the weight of containers is by adding sand to one of them and adding water to the other. Metal chips or lead shot can also serve as a weighting agent.

The container with water will serve as a timer. To do this, a tiny hole is made in its bottom with a thin needle, through which water will seep in drop by drop. The flow time will depend on the volume of the bottle itself and the size of the hole. It can range from several hours to three to four days.

To operate the device, the watering container is placed on a flat surface and filled with water. Bottles suspended from the ends of a cord to a pulley are also filled: one with sand, the other with water. When the weight of the filled bottles is equal, the tap is closed.

As water is dug out, the container loses weight. At a certain moment, the ballast weight, outweighing the partially empty bottle, turns the tap to the “open” position, thereby starting watering

There are situations when it is necessary to obtain a full opening of the tap, bypassing intermediate positions - the so-called toggle switch effect. In these cases, a little trick will help: closed position From the tap, the edge of the thread is wound to the weight, which will serve as a fuse, and its free end is fixed to the tap. When the mechanism is closed, the thread will not experience any load. As the water container empties, the load will begin to outweigh, but the safety thread will take over excess weight without allowing the ballast to move the valve to the “open” position. The thread will break only if there is a significant overweight of the load, instantly switching the tap and ensuring the free passage of water.

To restore the system to its original state, simply remove the load or fix it in a suspended state, eliminating the tension of the cord.

The system is ready for operation; before leaving, all that remains is to fill the watering barrel and timer with water and hang the ballast, securing it with a thin thread. Such a device is easy to manufacture and convenient to maintain. Its only drawback is its one-time operation.

Other ideas for creating mechanical timers can be found in thematic forms. For example, some craftsmen use a cylindrical plunger with polyethylene granules in oil as the working body of a timer. The device is adjusted so that when the temperature drops at night, the displacer is retracted, and the weakened spring opens the tap. To limit water flow, a diaphragm is used. Warm up during the daytime sun rays polyethylene granules increase in size, pushing the plunger to its original position and thereby cutting off the water supply.

Design #3 - electronic timer

Craftsmen who own basic knowledge electronics, can build simple model electronic timer. The device manufacturing instructions are presented in the video:

One of the conditions for the full growth and development of plants is timely watering. But due to the busyness of the owners and the remoteness of the site from the city, it is not always possible to provide it. Setting a timer will help solve the problem of creating optimal conditions while maintaining humidity conditions. This device will not only simplify the care of green “pets”, but will also have a beneficial effect on the quality of the harvest. The device you need for your household can be purchased at a gardening store, or you can make a watering timer yourself. We’ll look at how to choose the best model option or make a simple device yourself in the article.

• The main types of such devices
• Water timer manufacturing options

The irrigation timer is a single or multi-channel shut-off mechanism that controls the water pump. It opens at certain intervals, allowing water to flow into the irrigation system.

Drip irrigation systems provide the opportunity to not appear on the site for several days or even weeks, without worrying about your seedlings

The automatic watering timer solves a lot of problems in one fell swoop:

• Provides watering with a specified intensity and frequency;
• Prevents soil from waterlogging and root rotting due to measured and slow water supply;
• By supplying water to the roots of garden crops, it solves the issue of sunburn of leaves and minimizes the risk of their disease;
• Providing local irrigation helps solve the weed problem.

For ease of maintenance, water supply timers are placed together with other equipment in plastic boxes installed underground.

To allow quick access to devices, such boxes are equipped with a removable hatch or a tight-fitting lid

The main types of such devices

Based on the counting principle, timers are divided into single-action devices (when triggered once) and multiple-action devices (when they trigger several times with preset shutter speeds).

Depending on the type of mechanism used, the timer is:

• Electronic– the control unit of the device includes electronic equipment that determines the response time and opening of the solenoid valve. The undeniable advantage of this type of device is the wide range of response times, which can vary from 30 seconds to one week. The watering regime can be adjusted both locally and remotely.
• Mechanical– is a control unit equipped with a spiral spring and a mechanical valve. It works on the principle of a mechanical watch. One winding cycle of the spring unit can ensure continuous operation of the mechanism for up to 24 hours, opening the valve according to a user-specified response period. The watering mode can only be adjusted manually.

Both devices are multi-channel designs. The mechanical irrigation timer is characterized by its simple design and the absence of electrical supply wires. This significantly reduces the cost of the device.

A mechanical timer, compared to its electronic counterpart, has a more limited duration of a given cycle.

In a mechanical timer, it is enough to set the watering cycle by selecting an interval. With an electronic model it is somewhat more complicated: you first need to set the date and time, and only after that select the optimal program for the crop being grown.

Many have noticed that in the water supply systems of suburban villages during the daytime, due to intensive water intake, the pressure decreases. By setting an automatic watering timer, you can schedule irrigation for the evening and night hours.

Depending on the modification of the device, timers can have internal or external “regular” pipe threads, and are also equipped with quick-release hose connectors or quick-connect connectors with an irrigation system.

The most expensive models have additional functions, for example, determining humidity, depending on which indicator watering is automatically reduced or extended

Water timer manufacturing options

When planning to install an automatic irrigation system on your property, it is convenient to use water timers to control the taps. With their help, the water supply system can be made completely energy independent, avoiding the use of any electronics.

Design #1 - timer with wick dropper

The wick fibers, when saturated with moisture, lift it up to a certain height, preventing the water from quickly evaporating. If the wick is thrown over the side of the container, the absorbed water will simply begin to drip from the free end.

This method is based on physical laws that create the capillary effect. It occurs when a fabric wick is lowered into a container of water.

The moisture throughput can be adjusted by adjusting the thickness of the wick, the density of twisting of the threads and pinching them with a wire loop.

To set up a timer, place a five or ten liter plastic bottle in a container with low sides, the height of which does not exceed 5-8 cm. One of the key operating conditions of the system is maintaining the liquid level in the container at a constant height. The optimal ratio of capacities is easiest to determine experimentally.

The determining factor in its operation is the water column. Therefore, the height of the bottle and the depth of the wide container are interconnected things

A small hole is made in the bottom of the bottle to allow water to flow out. The bottle is filled with water, temporarily covering the drain hole, and sealed with a lid. The filled bottle is placed in the trough. The water seeping through the bottom will gradually flow out, stopping at a level when the hole is not hidden under the thickness. As water is consumed, the water flowing out of the bottle will replenish the losses.

The easiest way to make the wick itself is from a rope of suitable thickness or a rope twisted from a piece of fabric. It is placed in a container with the ends correctly distributed

The main advantage of such a timer is that due to the same level of water in a wide container, in the event of rain, replenishment of moisture losses from the bottle will be suspended.

Craftsmen who have already tested such a device in practice claim that a five-liter bottle with a flow rate of 1 drop/2 seconds is enough for 20 hours of uninterrupted operation. By choosing the optimal size of the bottle that acts as a water column and adjusting the intensity of the drop, you can achieve the effect of multi-day delays.

Design #2 - device regulating the ball valve

In a water timer, the response time is determined by the action of the drop. Water flowing out of the container, which acts as ballast, reduces the weight of the structure. At a certain point, the weight of the container is no longer enough to hold the stopcock handle, and the water supply starts.

To set up a water timer you will need:

• Water barrel;
• Ball valve;
• Two plywood or metal circles;
• Canisters or 5-liter plastic bottles;
• Construction adhesive;
• Spool of sewing thread.

For uninterrupted operation of the system, it is advisable to modify the ball valve by attaching a small pulley - a rocker arm - to a handle secured by a screw. This will allow you to move the tap from a closed state to an open state by changing the angle of the handle.

The pulley is constructed from two identical plywood circles, gluing their planes together with construction adhesive, or metal ones, connecting them with bolts. A strong cord is wound onto the pulley, making several turns around it for reliability. When constructing a lever, pieces of cord are firmly fixed at its edges. A ballast weight and a container of water compensating its weight are tied to the free ends of the cord on opposite sides. The weight of the load must be such that under its weight the crane comes into a lever state.

It is convenient to use five-liter plastic bottles as cargo ballast and a water container that compensates for its weight.

The easiest way to adjust the weight of containers is by adding sand to one of them and adding water to the other. Metal chips or lead shot can also serve as a weighting agent.

The container with water will serve as a timer. To do this, a tiny hole is made in its bottom with a thin needle, through which water will seep in drop by drop. The flow time will depend on the volume of the bottle itself and the size of the hole. It can range from several hours to three to four days.

To operate the device, the watering container is placed on a flat surface and filled with water. Bottles suspended from the ends of a cord to a pulley are also filled: one with sand, the other with water. When the weight of the filled bottles is equal, the tap is closed.

As water is dug out, the container loses weight. At a certain moment, the ballast weight, outweighing the partially empty bottle, turns the tap to the “open” position, thereby starting watering

There are situations when it is necessary to obtain a full opening of the tap, bypassing intermediate positions - the so-called toggle switch effect. In these cases, a little trick will help: in the closed position of the tap, tie the edge of a thread to the weight, which will serve as a fuse, and its free end is fixed to the tap. When the mechanism is closed, the thread will not experience any load. As the water container empties, the load will begin to outweigh, but the safety thread will take on the excess weight, preventing the ballast from moving the valve to the “open” position. The thread will break only if there is a significant overweight of the load, instantly switching the tap and ensuring the free passage of water.

To restore the system to its original state, simply remove the load or fix it in a suspended state, eliminating the tension of the cord.

The system is ready for operation; before leaving, all that remains is to fill the watering barrel and timer with water and hang the ballast, securing it with a thin thread. Such a device is easy to manufacture and convenient to maintain. Its only drawback is its one-time operation.

Other ideas for creating mechanical timers can be found in thematic forms. For example, some craftsmen use a cylindrical plunger with polyethylene granules in oil as the working body of a timer. The device is adjusted so that when the temperature drops at night, the displacer is retracted, and the weakened spring opens the tap. To limit water flow, a diaphragm is used. During the daytime, polyethylene granules heated by the sun's rays increase in size, pushing the plunger to its original position and thereby cutting off the water supply.

Design #3 - electronic timer

Craftsmen with basic knowledge of electronics can build a simple model of an electronic timer. The device manufacturing instructions are presented in the video:

Last spring, planning to automate the watering of lawns near the house, I dug around on Ali Express and found this timer. I had experience using similar timers, only purchased in Poland. This one, unlike Polish, has as many as sixteen programs. (Polish has only two). That is, you can set your watering 16 times a day!!!... This, of course, is an option, because, in practice, basically, only two times are needed.
I personally use only two programs - that is, I set the timer so that watering occurs 2 times a day - at 0.30 and at 5.30. At this time, the “rain” does not bother anyone. In addition, the plants have “cooled down” at this time and do not receive temperature shock.
The manufacturer provides a hose connection at the outlet; for this purpose, the kit includes a quick-release connector.

Cost: ~1007

More details on Aliexpress