Just Finished Installing the EarthBox Company's AWS in My EarthTainers (pics)

[rnewste]

I was able to adapt the EarthBox Company's Automated Watering System (AWS) to my much larger 31 gallon EarthTainer design via a simple modification of the filler tube. I replaced the stock 12" filler tube with a 1.5" I.D. ABS tube cut at 15.25"




I located the filler tube in the center of the short length of the 'Tainer, as I wanted maximum bench strength at the corners where the tomato cage legs are attached. With my 6" aeration bench height this tube length tops the water right at 5.25" and holds it there with high accuracy.



I just fired up the watering system now, and the trickle of water flowing into the 26 EarthTainers is music to my ears. No more manual watering, EVER.




Well worth the per plant cost of $6.25.

Ray

[dice]

So does this system have a dedicated faucet all of
it's own? If not, you may need to put up a small
sign beside it, cautioning against leaving the water
off.

(Although with that big reservoir, they would
not suffer any damage from the water being off
for a day before you wondered why you were not
hearing any trickle from the AWS. Maybe a low-water
alarm in one container, separate from the AWS, would
protect all of them against unenlightened users of that
faucet.)

[rnewste]

dice,

I actually have a dedicated line off my timed irrigation system to provide the water to the EarthTainer distribution system. As the "physics" of the AWS pneumatic diaphragm has the valve "open" in its quiescent state, and along Bernoulli's Principle with the water rising around the submerged bell flexing the diaphragm closed, I wanted a "belt and suspenders" fail-safe design that if one of the valves stuck open, or a feed line broke, the water wouldn't gush for 24 hours a day when I am traveling.

So I have set the timer to "allow" water access to the AWS for 1 hour per day, which should be more than enough access to top off the 'Tainer reservoir each day. If a valve gets stuck, or a line breaks, I have limited the wasted water to 1/24'th of what an "always-on" connection would have been. Make sense?

Ray

[dice]

Yes, that is a good plan.

If the water supply is cut off, how long does it take for
the reservoir in an Earthtainer to run dry? (Probaby have
not done this test, but it seems like it would be useful
to know.)

[rnewste]

dice,

I calculate there is approx 7 gallons in the water reservoir. Just prior to installing the AWS, I was able to go about 2 weeks before the EarthTainer went down to 2" of water depth.

Now I am certain that as the weather heats up plus the plants begin taking off, I would see a kind of a bell-curve in water consumption peaking in September, then tapering off through December. Next year I may rig some kind of flow meter in one of the 'Tainers just to track month-to-month demand uptake. Oh well, something to plan for next season.

Ray

[dice]

Oh well, something to plan for next season.

2 weeks is pretty good. Even at twice that evaportion rate,
you could take off on vacation and feel pretty comfortable
with the worst that could happen with the water supply
while you are gone. Leaving for the weekend would be
completely anxiety-free.