Intelligent Grounding System

Replies

• 

  KINETIC_JOULES

  So basically. . . it's a solar powered sprinkler/resistance tester?
• 

  DreamTheater

  Not exactly like that.... its powered by a 12v supply... its based on the assumption that when the light intensity increase, the ground resistance increases too.... so the intelligent system sprinkles a certain amount of moisture to reduce the ground resistance to a safe value...
  
  from a little bit of research that i hv done the reason why the ground resistance should be in a safe value
  
  [FONT="]If lightning eventually struck a structure in Boston, its powerful current would be accepted rapidly and dissipated quickly around the electrodes involved. Boston`s soil has an extreamly low resistance reading which is about 0.5 ohms at the first 10 feet of depth. If the lightning flash of the same magnitude struck a building in Worchester, severe damage and perhaps fire would be the likely result. The resistance to electrical current offered by Worchester`s soil is extreamly high – more than 3000 ohms at 8 feet depth, andthis drops to 30 ohms at 40 feet. So, by analysing the above statement, we would be able to realize that grounding is an important issue in electrical system saftey.[/FONT]
• 

  KINETIC_JOULES

  DreamTheater

  Not exactly like that.... its powered by a 12v supply... its based on the assumption that when the light intensity increase, the ground resistance increases too.... so the intelligent system sprinkles a certain amount of moisture to reduce the ground resistance to a safe value...
  
  from a little bit of research that i hv done the reason why the ground resistance should be in a safe value
  
  [FONT="]If lightning eventually struck a structure in Boston, its powerful current would be accepted rapidly and dissipated quickly around the electrodes involved. Boston`s soil has an extreamly low resistance reading which is about 0.5 ohms at the first 10 feet of depth. If the lightning flash of the same magnitude struck a building in Worchester, severe damage and perhaps fire would be the likely result. The resistance to electrical current offered by Worchester`s soil is extreamly high – more than 3000 ohms at 8 feet depth, andthis drops to 30 ohms at 40 feet. So, by analysing the above statement, we would be able to realize that grounding is an important issue in electrical system saftey.[/FONT]

  Ah! See. . . I am still learning. I'm but a upcoming Junior in high school. I'm no expert.
  So, what you are trying to do is, based on the intensity of sunlight, you want the sprinkler to produce the right amount of water? Am I correct? That's much simpler. So, the sunlight controls the resistance of the current, flowing through the sprinkler?
• 

  Ashraf HZ

  This is pretty interesting, DreamTheater.
  
  So the aim of this project is to maintain the ground resistance at a safe level, using the relationship between light intensity and ground resistance. Can you tell us more about that relationship? Has it got to do with the "light" or the "heat" from the sun?
  
  How much of an area of the ground are you going to sprinkle? Will the value of the ground resistance be consistent throughout?
• 

  KINETIC_JOULES

  Question. . . Will the lack of light make the sprinkler turn off?
• 

  Ashraf HZ

  KENETIC_JOULES

  Question. . . Will the lack of light make the sprinkler turn off?

  Yep, I believe in DreamTheater's case, there will be a certain light level where it will shut off. It could be before complete darkness, though. It depends on the initial measurements of the ground resistance of the soil. Different soils have different resistance, so the "activation" point of the sprinkler will vary.
• 

  KINETIC_JOULES

  ash

  Yep, I believe in DreamTheater's case, there will be a certain light level where it will shut off. It could be before complete darkness, though. It depends on the initial measurements of the ground resistance of the soil. Different soils have different resistance, so the "activation" point of the sprinkler will vary.

  Lawns aren't in need of water all the time. . . so. how would you make it to where it like. . . oh, what's the word. I'm having a slow day. You need to make it to where it only waters a certian number of hours and then shuts off for a certain number of hours. Right?
  
  [EDIT]
  I just realized what I said after I looked back at what you said. The soil also takes part in controlling the ammount of resistance. . . DURH! I feel dumb now. As for the thought of the project as a whole. . . nice. I think it's a extremely nice idea. As for me, I mostly work with audio. So, yeah. I got bored today and put speakers in the hood of my hoodie. Now I can listen to my iPod without the hassle of headphones! And the headphones are removable, so you can put the hoodie in the wash! The wire runs down the inside of the pullover and into the pocket of the hoodie. A very simple Idea even a novice could do. All it is is basically saudering (sp?) wire to some speakers and attaching a headphone jack to the end; or using an old pair of headphones. Very handy.
• 

  DreamTheater

  I kinda changed the concept now... after some research... the concept is that i basically have a grounding rod and a light intensity circuit... so both this sensor device will be sending its data to a microcontroller, and at the same time tis data will be interfaced to a pc for daily viewing... the microcontroller basically get the max intensity n resistance for that day.
  
  Next I would be doing an observation on the ground site for a few weeks and find a pattern on the light n ground resistance level.. and build a look up table... tis look up table will basically be like tis... it consist of the max light intensity for that day... and the max resistance reading and another column that will show how much of moisture that will be needed to lower the resistance of the ground for the particular resistance n light intensity...
  
  Since making this system work on real time is kinda complicated.. i was thinking that it should just work after 7pm when the sun if out. the sprinkler will start working and dampend the ground to a condition that would last the whole of next day,wif out the ground resistance getting over the optimal ground reisistance.
  
  This can be done by using the pattern that i accuire from my observation for a few weeks... im just hoping that i can prove that back to back days hv about the same light intensity and ground resistance.
  
  so basically the system is like preparing the ground site to get tru the whole of next day safely.
  
  i might need a microcontroller which will have a num of resistance levels...
  which give a certain input voltage from the sensor will convert the signal into a time output... which makes the sprinkler open its valve for that amount of time... i hv to get this relationship too... the more the increase in resistance the more the increase in valve operating time
  
  wat do u guys think? will this work.. or i need to alter someting... looking for comments from u guys... thanks for the support...
• 

  KINETIC_JOULES

  VERY time consuming!