On Mon, 09 May 2016 10:57:16 +0100, T i m wrote:

On Mon, 09 May 2016 09:17:04 +0100, MM wrote:

snips

That's clever. Funnily I just took a Hoselock timer to bits (I believe
it was split in the frost but it might not have been) and it was
interesting to see how it worked (mechanically).

How weird! No, not that you took it to bits, but that *I* had EXACTLY
the same thought myself over the past day or two, especially when I
started considering that inline pump and what would be involved in
hooking up a Raspberry pi or Basic Stamp to the circuitry. However, I
haven't dismantled mine yet, as it wasn't cheap.

Quite, and it didn't seem like it was designed to be taken apart.

What is actually
inside these timers?

Well, in mine there was a fairly traditional (and well greased) nylon
ball-valve with a little gear train driving it from a fairly small
motor and an end-stop switch. Also a neat PCB. ;-)

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...er%20timer.jpg

snip

I am interested in your experiments as Mum has a couple of large water
butts and a load of pot plants she would like watered when away for a
few days (rather than just relying on us).

Okay, well, wtatch this space, because as soon as I've worked out a
viable *long-term* solution, I'll document it.

Cool.

Probably re-inventing
the wheel, but there ya go.

Hey, you never know when you come up with a new / alternative design.
;-)

It's all rather too daft for some people,
who say you can buy tomatoes at Tesco or Asda any day of the week, why
Bother?

Well, I did have a go and growing my own for a couple of years and can
say that whilst I had some success (runners and onions mainly) the
rest was more time, effort and faff than was worth the cost saving or
taste improvement for me. [1]

But you have to try these things! (I tell 'em.)

Unfortunately I'm not a fan of veg as such (but eat quite a bit
because I 'should') and whilst I can sometimes taste the difference
between 'home grown' toms and 'forced' mass produced stuff, it's not
enough (for me) to justify the extra effort.

I think the biggest example of a 'complete waste of time' was trying
to grow 4 Brussel sprout plants. Constantly trying to stop creatures
eating them before I could and then I ended up with 4 stalks with
marble sized sprouts on them and I could buy fully formed versions for
£1 / stick in Sainsbury's. ;-(

Cheers, T i m

[1] I think I'm what they call a 'Supertaster' and believe the nasty
side taste I get from most brassicas is the same as I get with most
sweetness etc. I now have no sugar in tea of coffee (after have two
teaspoons most of my life) and went 'cold turkey' rather than put up
with sweeteners. Mrs has sweeteners and has no issues with them?

Follow-up after holiday:

I returned on Friday. The tomato watering system obviously worked, and
was still working. Unfortunately, the tomato plants don't look too
brilliant. They have brown flecks on some of the leaves. Too much
watering? Apparently, it has been very wet in South Lincs.

Anyway, the principle worked!

MM