these info sites... could the info contained be used in a SHTF or even a teotwawki event? transportable 3d printer... Bergen Makerspace Transportable 3D Printer Arduino Controlled Smart Hydroponic Modular System Arduino Controlled Smart Hydroponic Modular System "Easy Mode" FIGJAM 5 Gallon Bucket Swamp Cooler "Easy Mode" FIGJAM 5 Gallon Bucket Swamp Cooler: 7 Steps (with Pictures) Etch a Circuit Board With Kitchen Supplies Etch a Circuit Board With Kitchen Supplies
These projects would be just as relevant to a non SHTF / TEOTWAWKI environment...for those wishing to be self sufficient/reliant and who wish to reduce their environmental footprint.
The hydroponics system shown is well worth considering now, but near useless in a SHTF situation. The greatest advantage of using that type of watering with minimal soil is it does away with the effects of temp, humidity, sun light, etc, on the times and amount of water you supply the plants. You just need a timer to pump water thru at predetermined times and every couple days, monitor the water and re balance the nutrients. In the real world, temp of the environment, air temp above about 60 and below about 90, has been the biggest problem I face and the use of heaters, fans, shutters, and shade cloth are my biggest problems , intense lights will give some more food, but unless you have a way to enclose the greenhouse at night, it can be seen for a long ways, uses a lot of energy, and is of the greatest benefit in winter when the heating costs are the highest. If you wish to play with the system shown in a low tech situation, you would use wood rather than al for the stands, skip the computer read outs and automatic feeding system. The use of plastic pipe and wooden racks is good, a tank to draw the water from and a pump and timer is good, and being able to use test equipment to manage and control ph, nutrients, and the tips on setting up the system are excellent. It is an excellent low cost system for a college or urban farm in which the reliability of the help, school vacations, help doesn't work week ends, during a 6 month period may have 15 different people taking care of it, and of course the professor or agency supplying the grant will want complete data and a final report. It is apparent from the photos that the project was done in a controlled environment, little light was available, and a major consideration was spilling water, soil, or other things on the tiled school floors. That said, the use of the minimal computer, the programs shown, and the sensors used is of intense interest to anyone who has any interest in greenhouses, and who doesn't want to spend many thousands of dollars for a commercial system and while you may not want to run a feed pump, etc, you can use sensors and outputs to control motors for fans or pumps, heaters, supplemental light, vents, etc. Good catch and I plan on spending a few hours looking at it.
