Servo Water Valve
by millerman4487 in Circuits > Microcontrollers
4517 Views, 8 Favorites, 0 Comments
Servo Water Valve
![IMG_20180713_153025576-01.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F8P/BP8P/JJJ7H5OO/F8PBP8PJJJ7H5OO.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153025576-01.jpeg)
![IMG_20180713_153638300.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FOF/77TM/JJJ7H5MJ/FOF77TMJJJ7H5MJ.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153638300.jpg)
![Sketch009.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FHK/3DVM/JJJ7EKWH/FHK3DVMJJJ7EKWH.jpg&filename=Sketch009.jpg)
I have another project, the plant moisture sensor, that can detect the water level in soil. This is a follow-up to that, so you can use what data the sensor provides to do something useful (like water a plant). This is made completely out of household supplies, with the exception of a servo motor, so anyone can easily make it.
Tools and Materials
![IMG_20180713_151644121.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F5B/WW76/JJJ7H5KC/F5BWW76JJJ7H5KC.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_151644121.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_151705432.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FER/SPYW/JJJ7H5KH/FERSPYWJJJ7H5KH.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_151705432.jpg)
Tools
- Glue gun
- Scissors
- Drill or something to make a hole
Materials
- Craft sticks
- Drinking straw
- Clothespins
- Small servo motor
- Plastic cup
Insert Straw
![IMG_20180713_151929071.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FQE/B79F/JJJ7H5KK/FQEB79FJJJ7H5KK.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_151929071.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_152038591.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FSZ/L0U2/JJJ7H5KP/FSZL0U2JJJ7H5KP.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152038591.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_152104301.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FSE/2Z8I/JJJ7H5KS/FSE2Z8IJJJ7H5KS.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152104301.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_152130498.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FXT/PTC2/JJJ7H5KX/FXTPTC2JJJ7H5KX.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152130498.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_152207212.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FDI/781T/JJJ7H5L0/FDI781TJJJ7H5L0.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152207212.jpg)
- Punch a hole slightly larger than the straw close to the edge of the cup (you can use anything, but I chose a drill because it made a clean hole).
- Slide the straw through the hole about half an inch.
- Glue around the straw and cut it to about 3 inches.
- Put a clothespin around the straw and glue it to the cup.
Attach Servo
![IMG_20180713_152315334.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FRG/YLQ4/JJJ7H5L3/FRGYLQ4JJJ7H5L3.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152315334.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_152405977.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FTU/A5L6/JJJ7H5L7/FTUA5L6JJJ7H5L7.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152405977.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_152449700.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FQ7/TH12/JJJ7H5LA/FQ7TH12JJJ7H5LA.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152449700.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_152458773.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FDF/M8KJ/JJJ7H5M6/FDFM8KJJJJ7H5M6.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152458773.jpg)
- Glue a craft stick to the clothespin along the side of the cup.
- Add another craft stick at an angle to the first.
- Glue the servo motor so it is facing the straw.
Add the "Valve"
![IMG_20180713_152642214.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FJK/G373/JJJ7H5M9/FJKG373JJJ7H5M9.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152642214.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_152801885.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F1U/ZQDB/JJJ7H5MA/F1UZQDBJJJ7H5MA.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_152801885.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_153025576.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FDA/CTRX/JJJ7H5MF/FDACTRXJJJ7H5MF.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153025576.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_153017319.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FTW/AMDG/JJJ7H5MD/FTWAMDGJJJ7H5MD.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153017319.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_153020997.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FIM/6U5W/JJJ7H5ME/FIM6U5WJJJ7H5ME.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153020997.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_153815287.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FG3/YBYU/JJJ7H5NB/FG3YBYUJJJ7H5NB.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153815287.jpg)
- Glue a piece of a craft stick to the end of a clothespin (you can just cut it with scissors).
- Glue around the clothespin so it can't wiggle around.
- Slide it over the straw so it is even with the top part of the servo motor.
- Glue it to the servo (you will need to be careful to make sure the end piece won't get caught on anything when the servo turns).
Add Legs
![IMG_20180713_153621071.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F1O/HLVW/JJJ7H5MG/F1OHLVWJJJ7H5MG.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153621071.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_153638300.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FOF/77TM/JJJ7H5MJ/FOF77TMJJJ7H5MJ.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153638300.jpg)
![IMG_20180713_153734844.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FDQ/T3XV/JJJ7H5N9/FDQT3XVJJJ7H5N9.jpg&filename=IMG_20180713_153734844.jpg)
- Glue a craft stick every few inches around the edge of the cup to provide a base so the cup can rest above whatever it has to water.
Now you can use this with an Arduino (or other board):
- When the servo is down (180 degrees), water will flow from the cup through the straw.
- When the servo is at a 90 degree angle, the water will be trapped inside.