IoT Irrigation Monitoring & Controller System

This guide will help you build an IoT-based Irrigation Monitoring & Controller System using Raspberry Pi. The system will monitor soil moisture levels and control irrigation automatically based on the data received, optimizing water usage and ensuring efficient irrigation.

Components Required

• Raspberry Pi (Model 3 or later)
• Soil moisture sensor
• Relay module (for controlling irrigation valves)
• Water pump or solenoid valve (for irrigation control)
• Temperature and humidity sensor (optional)
• Connecting wires and breadboard
• Power supply (for Raspberry Pi and components)
• Cloud service account (e.g., ThingSpeak, Blynk, or AWS IoT)

Setting Up the Hardware

Follow these steps to set up the hardware:

1. Connect the Soil Moisture Sensor

   Place the soil moisture sensor in the soil where you want to monitor moisture levels. Connect the sensor to the Raspberry Pi using the GPIO pins to read the moisture data.

2. Integrate the Relay Module

   Connect the relay module to the Raspberry Pi and the water pump or solenoid valve. The relay will control the irrigation system based on the moisture levels detected by the sensor.

3. Power the System

   Ensure all components, including the Raspberry Pi and irrigation hardware, are powered correctly using appropriate power supplies.

Programming the Raspberry Pi

Write the code to read data from the soil moisture sensor, control the irrigation system, and send data to the cloud. Below is a basic example using Python:

                import time
                import requests
                import RPi.GPIO as GPIO

                # Configuration
                MOISTURE_SENSOR_PIN = 17
                RELAY_PIN = 23
                CLOUD_URL = "https://api.thingspeak.com/update?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"
                MOISTURE_THRESHOLD = 500  # Adjust as needed

                # Setup
                GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
                GPIO.setup(MOISTURE_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN)
                GPIO.setup(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.OUT)

                def send_data_to_cloud(moisture_level):
                    response = requests.post(CLOUD_URL, data={"field1": moisture_level})
                    print(f"Data sent to cloud: {response.status_code}")

                def control_irrigation(moisture_level):
                    if moisture_level < MOISTURE_THRESHOLD:
                        GPIO.output(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.HIGH)
                        print("Irrigation ON")
                    else:
                        GPIO.output(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.LOW)
                        print("Irrigation OFF")

                try:
                    while True:
                        moisture_level = GPIO.input(MOISTURE_SENSOR_PIN)
                        send_data_to_cloud(moisture_level)
                        control_irrigation(moisture_level)
                        time.sleep(60)  # Check every minute

                except KeyboardInterrupt:
                    GPIO.cleanup()
            

This Python code reads the soil moisture level, sends it to the cloud for monitoring, and controls the irrigation system based on the moisture threshold.

Setting Up Cloud Integration

To visualize and manage irrigation data, integrate the system with a cloud service. Configure your cloud service to receive and display data from the Raspberry Pi, and set up alerts or notifications based on moisture levels.

Testing and Calibration

Test the system by simulating different soil moisture levels and verifying that the irrigation system responds correctly. Adjust sensor thresholds and code parameters as needed for accurate moisture detection and control.