SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Stream: CONTROL
TITLE:- Micro controller based Drip irrigation system

Student Name ID
Tsegaab Thomas……………….02023400
Muluken Ayano………………02022856
Habetemarkos Girma………….02022280
Sadat Kasim…………………….02023011

Advisor Name:-Destaw
Submitted to:- Hinsermu.A
Submission Date:- 02/02/2015
 ABSTRACT
In the field of agriculture, use of proper method of irrigation is important
and it is well known that irrigation by drips very economical and efficient. In the
conventional drip irrigation system, the farmer and investors has to keep watch on
irrigation timetable, which is different for different crops. The project makes the
irrigation automated. With the use of low cost sensors and the simple circuitry
makes these projects a low cost product. This project is best suited for places
where water is scares and has to be used in limited quantity. Also, third world
countries can afford this simple and low cost solution for irrigation and obtain
good yield on Crops.
Microcontroller controls all the system that will be used in this
project. A 20×4 LCD is connected to the microcontroller, which displays the
humidity level and temperature. One pushbutton is provided to set for switching
the individual solenoid valves and all the system controlling the water flow to the
field.
The humidity sensors are constructed using aluminum sheets and housed in
easily available materials. The aim is to use the readily available material to
construct low cost sensors three relays are controlled by the microcontroller
through the high current driver IC.Two (main valve and field valve) relays are
provided for controlling two solenoid valves, which controls the flow of water to
the part of the field. One relay is used to shut-off the main motor which is used to
pump the water to the field.
Water deficiency can be detrimental to plants before visible wilting
occurs. Slowed growth rate, lighter weight fruit follows slight water deficiency.
This problem can be perfectly rectified if we use automatic microcontroller based
drip irrigation system in which the irrigation will take place only when there will
be intense requirement of water. Irrigation system uses valves to turn irrigation
ON and OFF. These valves may be easily automated by using controllers and
solenoids. Automating farm or nursery irrigation allows farmers and agricultural
investors to apply the right amount of water at the right time, regardless of the
availability of labor to turn valves on and off.
In addition, farmers using automation equipment are able to reduce
runoff from over watering saturated soils, avoid irrigating at the wrong time of
day, which will improve crop performance by ensuring adequate water and
valuable tool for accurate soil moisture control in highly specialized greenhouse
vegetable production and it is a simple, precise method for irrigation. It also helps
in time saving, removal of human error in adjusting available soil moisture levels
and to maximize their net profits. The entire automation work can be divided in
two sections, first is to study the basic components of irrigation system thoroughly
and then to design and implement the control circuitry. So we will first see some of
the basic platform of drip irrigation system.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First we would like to thank GOD Almighty who blessed us and gave wisdom
and Capabilities to complete the project. We also like to thank our advisors Mr.
Destaw Addis for him keen involvement, support and interest in the project.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

ABSTRCT…………………………………………………………………..I
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………II
TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………...III
PART I: INTRODUCTION……………………………………………...1
1.1 Background………………………………………………….
1.2 Statement of Problem ……………………………………1
1.3 Objective of Project………………………………………....2
1.4 Scope of Project……………………………………………..2
1.5 Outline of the project………………………………………..4
PART II: LITERATURE REVIEW …………………..…………………3
2.1. Literature Survey………………………………………….3
PART III: MATERIAL REQUAIREMENT………….……………………4
3.1 System block diagram……………………………………....4
PART IV: SYSTEM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION ………………..6

PART V: CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDETION …………………..….8

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………..10
 PART I:
INTRODUCTION
Now a day, water shortage is becoming one of the biggest problems in the
world. Many different methods are developed for conservation of water. We need
water in each and every field. In our day to day life also water is essential. Water is
considered to be basic need of human. Water is needed for everyone human beings,
animals, plants, etc.

Agriculture is one of the fields where water is required in tremendous

quantity. Wastage of water is a major problem in agriculture. Every time excess of
water is given to the fields. In Ethiopia agriculture is the most important
occupation of the people. More than 85% of our total population depends for their
subsistence on agriculture.

The term Automation refers to means of control of electrical and

mechanical operations without human interference. Definition of automation can
be extended to field Automation which states that “monitoring and controlling of
various electrical equipment’s used for modern drip irrigation to their
predetermined levels without human interference”. In real time application with IC
device or one microcontroller we can process large number of microcontroller to
be tailored to implement a specific function.
 1.1 Background of the project
The increasing demand of the food supplies requires a rapid improvement in
food production technology. In many countries where agriculture plays an
important part in shaping up the economy and the climatic conditions are isotropic,
but still we are not able to make full use of agricultural resources. One of the main
reasons is the lack of rains & scarcity of land reservoir water. Extraction of water
at regular intervals from earth is reducing the water level as a result of which the
zones of un-irrigated land are gradually increasing.

Also, the unplanned use of water inadvertently results in wastage of water.

In an Automatic plant Irrigation System, the most significant advantage is that
water is supplied only when there is no moisture in the soil or when the soil is dry.
This saves us a lot of water. In recent times, the farmers have been using irrigation
technique through the manual control in which the farmers irrigate the land at
regular intervals by turning the water-pump on/off when required.

This process sometimes consumes more water and sometimes the water
supply to the land is delayed due to which the crops dry out. Water deficiency
deteriorates plants growth before visible wilting occurs. In addition to this slowed
growth rate, lighter weight fruit follows water deficiency. This problem can be
perfectly rectified if we use modern drip Irrigation System in which the irrigation
will take place only when there will be intense requirement of water, as suggested
by the temperature and moisture in the soil.

Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting
in growing crops. In crop production it is mainly used in dry areas and in periods
of rainfall shortfalls, but also to protect plants against frost.
Types of irrigation

 Surface irrigation
 Localized irrigation
 Drip Irrigation
 Sprinkler irrigation

Drip irrigation also known as trickle irrigation or micro irrigation is an

irrigation method which minimizes the use of water and fertilizer by allowing
water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either onto the soil surface or directly
onto the root zone, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing and emitters.

Concept of Modern Irrigation System

The Conventional Irrigation methods like overhead sprinklers, flood type

feeding systems usually wet the lower leaves and stem of the plants. The entire soil
surface is saturated and often stays wet long after irrigation is completed. Such
condition promotes infections by leaf mould fungi. The flood type methods
consume large amount of water and the area between crop rows remains dry and
receives moisture only from incidental rainfall.
On the contrary the drip or trickle irrigation is a type of modern irrigation
technique that slowly applies small amounts of Water to part of plant root zone.
Drip irrigation method is invented by Israelis in 1970s. Water is supplied
frequently often daily to maintain favorable soil moisture condition and prevent
moisture stress in the plant with proper use of water resources.
1.2 Statement of Problem

The unplanned use of water inadvertently results in wastage of water,

wastage of man power, and also it will be a cause for loss of money. Therefore the
problem is wastage in many resources. For the efficient growth and mass
production crops/ vegetables not only for many loss, but for the efficient use of
resources; however Drip Irrigation System is able to end this problem.

1.3 Objective of Project:

1.3.1 General objective of the project

The general objective of our project is to minimize the manual intervention

by the farmer, planter, which is why we are using sensors. The microcontroller
based automated plant drip irrigation system will serve the following purposes:

1) As there is no un-planned usage of water, a lot of water is saved from being

wasted.

2) The irrigation is the only when there is not enough moisture and high
temperature in the soil and the microcontroller decides when the electronic valve
should be turned on/off, saves a lot time for the farmers. This also gives much
needed rest to the farmers, as they don’t have to go and turn the pump on/off
manually.

3) To provide drip irrigation to the plants this helps in saving money, no manpower
required, and saving time. The use of easily available components reduces the
manufacturing and maintenance costs.

4) To increase the production of vegetables/crops by the effective use of water.

1.3.2 Specific objective of the project:

The specific objective of our project is to install microcontroller based drip Plant
Irrigation System for any farmers in low cost and to save un-renewable resources
and to use the available water resource when it is needed to the plant. This will
increase the fruitfulness of vegetables/ production of crops in our country.

1.4 Scope of the project

Proper irrigation management is essential for high yields and to avoid
stress from excess or scarcity of water. Determining when to irrigate is not an easy
task. To develop a cost effective and automated model to monitor and regulate the
moisture and temperature level of a soil sample mainly aimed to cater to the needs
of technologically ignorant rural farmers. The heart of the system is a
microcontroller. This project is useful in watering plants automatically without any
human interference. We know that people do not pour the water on to the plants in
their gardens when they go to vacation or often forget to water plants. As a result,
there is a chance to get the plants damaged. This project is an excellent solution for
such kind of problems. Soil has high resistance when it is dry and has very low
resistance when it is wet.

By using this concept we will make the system work. We insert two
probes in the soil in such a way that that they will conduct when the soil is wet and
they will not conduct when the soil is dry. So, when the probes do not conduct,
system will automatically detect this condition with the help of sensors. So it
switches on the Electric valve and as result, it will allow the water to flow to the
soil. When the water wet the soil, probes will again conduct. So, automatically it
will switch off the valve.
1.5 Significance of the project
Microcontroller based drip irrigation systems are convenient, especially for
those who travel. If installed and programmed properly, automated drip irrigation
systems can even save our money and help in water conservation. But the savings
from automatic irrigation systems can go beyond that. Watering with a hose or
with oscillator wastes water. Neither method targets plant roots with any
significant degree of precision. Automated drip irrigation systems can be
programmed to discharge more precise amounts of water in a targeted area, which
promotes water conservation.

1.6 Outline of the project

o Chapter one contains the following topics. Background of the study,
statement of the problem, objectives of the project, scope of the project,
and significance of the project.
o Chapter two consists theoretical and literature review, Theoretical
background.
o Chapter three contains methodology which presents and describes
methods used to solve the problems.
o Chapter four contains the topic Result and discussion- this chapter is
concerned with the simulation result.
o Chapter five contains implementation, cost estimation, conclusions,

recommendations, and references

 PART II:

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Theoretical background of the project

We are all well aware that the plants will die due to lack of water in the soil and
may not give fruits excess of water. Due to various development projects
introduced in the field agriculture, production of food grains has been continuously
increasing. The entire Ethiopian economy is depends on agriculture. Any
fluctuation in agriculture income will directly affect the Ethiopia’s national
income. In this regard, a thought is given to develop microcontroller based drip
Irrigation System.

Irrigation engineering comprises of a full knowledge of sources of irrigation

water, their proper preservation and application of this water to the land after
conveying it from the source through an irrigation system, consisting of canal and
connected works. It also includes a working knowledge of different types of soils
and the water requirements of various crops sown in them.

In this project work lot of importance is given for the drip irrigation, such that by
sensing the soil humidity and temperature water supply can be controlled
automatically. For sensing the soil condition copper electrodes are used.

2.2 Literature review:

The new age of technology has redefined controlling system. Now a days
most people in the develop countries are used this controller system using
microcontroller .As we tried to explain in our introduction part the system of our
project contains controlling circuit board and sensors. Therefore, there are many
components implemented inside for this project at controlling circuit board and
sensors.A technology has developed in recent years goes to show the very fact that
improvements are in fact possible and this improvements have eased our life and
the way we live. The application of our suggested system is immense in the ever
changing technological world.

The key objective of this project is to report on a developed indigenous

low cost microcontroller based irrigation scheduler who performs user defined
functions and outputs commands to derive appropriate actuators (relay, solenoid
valves, motor). A soil moisture and temperature sensor was modeled, simulated
and tested for achieving, with low-cost, accurate and reliable measurements. A
low-cost high-performance and small temperature sensor is used, with the same
PCB circuit it can measure humidity also.
 PART III:
MATERIAL REQUAIREMENT

The main Components in automatic plant irrigation system are

 Power Supply
 Moisture sensor
 Temperature sensor
 Relay Switch
 Transistor Driver circuit
 AC input
 Voltage Regulator Circuit (12V and 5v)
 LCD Display (20x4)
 Microcontroller 877A\
 DC Motor
3.1 Power supply:

The operation of power supply circuit built using filter, rectifier, and then
voltage regulators. Starting with an AC voltage, a steady dc voltage is obtained by
rectifying the ac voltage, then filtering to a dc level, and finally, regulating to
obtain a desired fixed dc voltage. The regulator is usually obtained from an IC
voltage regulator unit, which takes a dc voltage, which remain the if the input dc
voltage varies, or the output load connected to the dc voltage changes. The ac
voltage, typically 220V RMS is connected to a transformer, which step that ac
voltage down to the level for the desired dc output. Diode rectifier then provides a
full wave rectified voltage that is initially filtered by simple capacitor filter to
produce a dc voltage. This resulting dc voltage usually has some ripple or ac
voltage variation. The regulated circuit can use this dc input to provide a dc voltage
that not only has much less ripple voltage but also remain the same dc value even
if the input voltage vary somewhat, or the load connected to the output dc voltage
changes. This voltage regulation is usually obtained using regulator IC.

Power supply to
all section

Step down Bridge Filter Voltage

T/F Rectifier Regulator

Figure 3.1 Block diagram of power supply

3.1.1 Step down transformer

A transformer is a device consisting of two closely coupled coils called
primary and secondary coils. An AC voltages applied to the primary
 appears across the secondary with a voltage multiplication proportional to
the primary appears across the secondary with a voltage multiplication
proportion to the turn ratio of the transformer and a current multiplication
inversely proportional to the turn ratio power is conserved turn ration.

Vp/Vs = Np/Ns and power out = power in or Vs x Is = Up X Ip

Where

Vp = Primary voltage
Np = Number of turns in primary coil
Ip = Primary input current
Vs = Secondary output voltage
Ns = Number of turns on secondary coil
A 230 volt input AC supply is given to the step down transformer. The step
down transformer steps down into 12V AC supply.

3.1.2The bridge rectifier – it converts AC voltage into the DC voltage.

3.1.3 The filter – this will eliminates/ filters the noises.

3.1.4 The voltage regulator

The voltage regulator plays an important role in a power supply unit. The
primary purpose of the regulator is to aid the rectifier and filter circuit in providing
a constant dc voltage to the device. Power supplies without regulators have an
inherent problem of changing of dc voltage values due to variations in the load or
due to fluctuations in the ac linear voltage. With regulator connected to the dc
output, the voltage can be maintained with a close tolerant region of the desired
output
3.2 The sensor:

A sensor is a device which measures a physical quantity and converts it

into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument.Because sensors
are a type of transducer, they change one form of energy into another. For this
reason, sensors can be classified according to the type of energy transfer that they
detect. Soil moisture measurements provide useful information for agriculture,such
as grape growers, soil stability monitoring, dam monitoring and construction
activitie There are many types of soil moisture sensor such as tension-meter,
resistance block capacitive and etc. Every type has their own characteristics and
system operation.

The parameter which is of importance is moisture content in the soil. A reliable

indication of soil moisture levels is provided by electrical resistance blocks.
These are a cost-effective tool for effective management of irrigation. They
evaluate soil moisture tension by measuring the electrical resistance between the
two electrodes emerging out of the block. The blocks absorb and release moisture
as the soil wets and dries respectively. This electrical resistance is recorded with
the help of a portable meter that is attached to the wire leads coming out from the
moisture sensors. Instead of using commercially available sensors, effort has been
made to build indigenous sensors with the objective to make the project cost
effective. For this model, we have used gypsum for making the sensors.

3.3 Soil moisture sensor

It is extreme low cost with volume pricing ,not conductivity based,small size,
prob does not corrode over time consumes less than7 mA for very low power
operation, precise measurement output voltage is proportional to moisture level
measures volumetric water content (CWC).

3.4 Temperature sensor (LM35):

Calibrated directly in degree centigrade, linear +10mv/oC scale factor, ensured

accuracy (at +22oC), review for full -55 to 150 range ,suitable for remote
applications ,low cost due to water –level trimmings operates from 4 to 30v , low
cost than 60 mA current drain

3.5 The transistor

A transistor is a semiconductor device, commonly used as an amplifier or

an electrically control switch. The transistor is the fundamental building block
of the circuitry in computers, cellular phones, and all other modern electronics
because of its fast response and accuracy, the transistor is used in a wide
variety of digital and analog functions, including amplification, switching,
voltage regulation, signal modulation and oscillators. Transistors may be
packaged individually or as part of an integrated circuit, some with over a
billion transistors in a very small area. They are contain to electronics and there
are two main types, NPN and PNP.
 Figure3.2 Transistor circuit symbols

The letter refers to the layer of semiconductor material used to make

the transistor, must transistors used today are NPN because this is the
easiest type to make from silicon. This page is mostly about NPN transistors
the lead are labeled based (B) collector (C) and emitter (E)these terms refer
to the internal operation of a transistor but they are not much in
understanding how a transistor is used.

3.6 Relay:
A relay is an electrically operated switch. The current flowing through the coil
of the relay creates a magnetic field which attracts a lever and changes the switch
contacts. The coil current can be ON or OFF so relays have two switch positions
and they are double throw (changeover) switches. The relay’s switch connections
are usually labeled COM (POLE), NC and NO. COM/POLE= Common, NC and
NO always connect to this; it is the moving part of the switch. NC = Normally
Closed, COM/POLE is connected to this when the relay coil is not magnetized.
NO = Normally Open, COM/POLE is connected to this when the relay coil is
magnetized and vice versa. A relay shown in the picture is an electromagnetic or
mechanical relay.
 Figure 3.3 The relay and its symbol

There are 5 pins in a relay. Two pins A and B are two ends of a coil that are kept
inside the relay. The coil is wound on a small rod that gets magnetized whenever
current passes through it. COM/POLE is always connected to NC (Normally
connected) pin. As current is passed through the coil A, B, the pole gets connected
to NO (Normally Open) pin of the relay.

General specification of a relay

 12-VDC- means that the voltage across the relay coil has to be 12V-DC.
 50/60Hz- The relay can work less than 50/60 Hz AC.
 7A, 240VAC- The maximum AC current and AC voltage specification that
can be passed through NC, NO and pole pins/terminals of relay.

3.7 Solenoid/Electric valve:

This valve controls the flow of water into different sections of the farm
which is controlled by the sensor signal. The output signal from the sensor is
used to switch on a power transistor that energizes a relay and the
solenoid/electric valve and thus controls the flow of water in the pipe.
 (a) (b)

Figure 3.4 (a) Solenoid valve when closed (b) Solenoid valve when opened

A-Input side B-Diaphragm-Pressure chamber D-Pressure relief conduit-Solenoid

F-Output side

The working principle is explained below. A solenoid valve has two main
parts: the solenoid and the valve. The solenoid converts electrical energy into
mechanical energy which, in turn, opens or closes the valve mechanically. A Direct
Acting valve has only a small flow circuit, shown within section E of this diagram
(this section is mentioned below as a pilot valve). This Diaphragm Piloted Valve
multiplies this small flow by using it to control the flow through a much larger
orifice. Solenoid may use metal seals or rubber seals, and may also have electrical
interfaces to allow for easy control. A spring may be used to hold the valve opened
or closed while the valve is not activated.

The diagram to the above shows the design of a basic valve. If we look at the
top figure we can see the valve in its closed state. The water under pressure enters
at A. B is an elastic diaphragm and above it is a weak spring pushing it down. The
function of this spring is irrelevant for now as the valve would stay closed even
without it. The diaphragm has a pinhole through its center which allows a very
small amount of water to flow through it.
 This water fills the cavity C on the other side of the diaphragm so that
pressure is equal on both sides of the diaphragm. While the pressure is the same on
both sides of the diaphragm, the force is greater on the upper side which forces the
valve shut against the incoming pressure. By looking at the figure we can see the
surface being acted upon is greater on the upper side which results in greater force.
On the upper side the pressure is acting on the entire surface of the diaphragm
while on the lower side it is only acting on the incoming pipe. These results in the
valve being securely shut to any flow and, the greater the input pressure, the
greater the shutting force will be.

3.8 LCD display (20x4)

It is a slight variation of the 16x2 module such that a simple 40 character (of which
16 are displayable) line is split up in to 2 haves of 20 displayable character each to
make 4 lines. It has the dis advantage of not being able to scroll but looks better
with 4 displayable lines.

3.9 Microcontroller 877A:

A microcontroller is a highly integrated chip which performs controlling

functions. A microcontroller, or embedded controller, is similar to a
microprocessor as used in a personal computer, but with a great deal of additional
functionality combined onto the same monolithic semiconductor substrate.
Microcontrollers, sometimes referred to as one-chip microcomputers, are used to
control a wide range of electrical and mechanical appliances. Since they were first
introduced, microcontrollers have evolved to the point where they can be used for
increasingly complex applications. Some microcontrollers in use today are also
programmable, expanding the number of applications in which they can be used. A
modern microcontroller is basically a low-cost computer adapted to provide rapid
solutions to external events after intensive computation. “In short the
microcontrollers are the heart and soul of many everyday appliances”.
Microcontroller that we used is from pic family and it is PIC16f877A

3.9 DC Motor:

A DC motor works by converting electric power into mechanical work.

This is accomplished by forcing current through a coil and producing a magnetic
field that spins the motor The voltage source forces voltage through the coil via
sliding contacts or brushes that are connected to the DC source. These brushes are
found on the end of the coil wires and make a temporary electrical connection with
the voltage source. In this motor, the brushes will make a connection every 180
degrees and current will then flow through the coil wires. The current that flows in
the individual segments of the wires in the coil interacts with the magnetic field
present. This interaction results in a force to be exerted on each segment, resulting
in a torque to be generated, causing the coil to rotate
This motor terminal board in junction box for easy connections drip proof ,
fully guarded , US frame sizes ,power rating continuous load in
 System block diagram

240v/50Hz LCD 20 x4

+5v

Field
Valve

Temperature
sensor Microcontroller

Pic 877A

Moisture Sensor Main

Valve

Power supply Motor Water

input
Resource
 Figure 3.5 The block diagram of microcontroller based drip irrigation system

PART IV:

SYSTEM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION

4.1.1 Proteus design suit version 8.0

In this project we have used the 8.0 version. Because of that proteus 8.0 is a
Virtual System Modeling (VSM) that combines circuit simulation, animated
components and microprocessor models to co-simulate the complete
microcontroller based designs. This is the perfect tool for engineers to test their
circuit designs before constructing a physical prototype in real time.

start

NO Yes

Doneed
water?

Close valve
Open valve

Main valve

Figure 3.6 Flowchart

Pump
5.1 Implementation

The implementation of automatic plant irrigation system is implemented as follows

in the circuit diagrams below.
Figure 3.6 The circuit diagram of the microcontroller based drip irrigation system
Figure 3.7 Power supply circuit diagram of the microcontroller based drip
irrigation system
5.1.1 The circuit diagram of microcontroller based drip irrigation system

The automatic plant irrigation system circuit consists of the following sub systems

Moisture sensor (the two copper probes)

Temperature Sensor (LM35)
Two LEDs
The three transistor
The relay and
The electric/ solenoid valve
LCD(20x4)
Motor
Four Resistor
Two switch
 CONCLUSION

The Microcontroller based drip irrigation system proves to be a real time

feedback control system which monitors and controls all the activities of drip
irrigation system efficiently.
These project is a model to modernize the agriculture industries at a mass
scale with optimum expenditure. Using this system, one can save manpower, water
to improve production and ultimately profit.
 RECOMENDETION:

We strongly recommend that the Electrical and Computer Engineering

department has to purchase components and to make materials available for
students. And also the store keepers must be willingness to give and enforce to be
purchased every required component other than saying it is not available in the
store.

Lastly we recommend that Ethiopian government should set up industries

for production of basic electronic component and establish research centers in
each university to enable student have good sound practical knowledge on
electronics component and their operation.
 REFERENCES:
[1].Skinner. A., Hignett. C., and Dearden. J., “Resurrecting the Gypsum Block
for

Soil Moisture Measurement”, Australian Viticulture, October/November 1997.

(http://www.sowacs.com/sensors/gypsum.txt)

[2]. Morris. M., “Soil Moisture Monitoring: Low Cost Tools and Methods” NCAT
Energy Specialist, ATTRA Publication #IP277, 2006.

(http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/soil_moisture.pdf)

[3]. Daniel K. Fisher, HirutKebede, "A low-cost microcontroller-based system to

monitor crop temperature and water status", Computers and Electronics in

Agriculture 74 (2010)

[4]. Richard Allen, “Soil Water Monitoring with Inexpensive Equipment”,

University of Idaho, 2000

(www.kimberly.uidaho.edu/water/swm)

[5]. IC Datasheets from www.datasheetcatalog.com

[6]. http://www.buildcircuit.com/how-to-use-a-relay/#sthash.Lo6ZAcMR.dpuf