WarmDirt keeps plants' roots frost-free
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The WarmDirt PCB gets soldered and connected
The WarmDirt control board with Atmel ATMEGA328P microcontroller is mounted in a waterproof NEMA-4 outdoor electrical enclosure
The heart of the WarmDirt system, with added DC motor and 3D-printed spool
The 3D-printed spool that was originally to lift and lower the coffin lid
The stepper motor chosen couldn't quite manage to keep the lid open so a linear actuator was chosen instead
Dr Craig Hollabaugh tending to an early version of the WarmDirt system
Dr Craig Hollabaugh has created a system that keeps the roots of his plants warm and cozy during the coldest months using electric heat cables running under sand on which the pots are placed
Work still needs to done on better securing the linear actuator but the system works well enough that the Hollabaugh are looking forward to their first crop of veggies this coming winter
The switch that indicates whether the lid is open or closed
The WarmDirt circuit schematic - all source code, board design, layout, and so on are available under Creative Commons BY-SA 3.0
Article Summary
After a somewhat unsuccessful and rather expensive attempt at warming a greenhouse, electrical engineer Dr Craig Hollabaugh rigged up a system that keeps the winter chill away by warming the roots of his plants. The WarmDirt system has already helped his plants survive the coldest of Colorado's cold months, and is now getting ready to provide warmth to seedlings during the expected April freeze. This past season's survivors were all flowers but next winter, the setup will be used for growing veggies.
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