Journal of Applied Informatics and Computing (Nov 2024)
Automatic Vegetable Watering System Using Fuzzy Logic with Integration of Soil Moisture, Rain Sensors, and RTC
Abstract
Conventional vegetable watering often presents challenges, particularly in ensuring that plants receive adequate water without excessive manual intervention. This research proposes a solution in the form of an automatic watering system using fuzzy logic, which integrates soil moisture sensors, rain sensors, and an RTC (Real-Time Clock) for scheduling. The system is designed to replace manual watering methods with an automated process, thus improving the efficiency and effectiveness of vegetable cultivation. The developed device uses a soil moisture sensor to monitor soil conditions, a rain sensor to detect rainfall, and an RTC to determine the optimal watering times. The Arduino Uno acts as the main controller that activates the water pump via a relay driver based on data received from the sensors. Test results show that the system operates according to the established criteria, with a satisfactory accuracy level. The system successfully waters the plants at 07:00 WIB and 15:00 WIB, based on dry soil conditions and no rain. The trials showed that the device has an average soil moisture measurement error of 5%, and a time discrepancy of about 22 seconds on the RTC module. Each 1% increase in soil moisture requires approximately 1 second of watering duration. Watering times are adjusted to prevent the plants from drying out or dying, with a soil moisture threshold of below 40% set as the condition for requiring watering.
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