Registering and configuring a kit

Go to https://app.astroplant.io and create an account. Log in with that account. We'll proceed by (1) creating a new kit, (2) creating a new configuration for that kit, and finally (3) activate the configuration.

Step 1. Create a new kit

Click on your user name and create a new kit on that page. On your profile page press on the kit you just created. Take special note of the kit serial and the kit password. The kit password can be regenerated if needed (the password will be shown only once, and if lost, a new password needs to be generated).

Step 2. Create a new configuration

Once you browsed to your kit, click the "Configuration" tab and select "Create a new configuration".

You might have to refresh the screen to see the newly named configuration. Click "add peripherals".

The following peripherals you can add without changing any default parameters. Just make sure to name them:

  • AstroPlant air CO² sensor

  • AstroPlant air temperature sensor

  • AstroPlant water temperature sensor

  • AstroPlant light sensor

An example of the air temperature (+humidity) sensor configuration.

For the actuator setup, you'll need to add the actuator peripherals and set rules for them. In this guide we will configure the following actuators:

  • AstroPlant LED panel

  • AstroPlant fans

  • AstroPlant camera

A rule has a time frame (hh:mm:ss:AM/PM) and an intensity/power setting (percentage).

Currently the raspberry timezone might not be insync with your location. You can update the timezone with "raspi-config". For this you'll need to "SSH" into your kit. We are working on enabling timezone setting through the configuration interfaces available.

We will start with the camera:

  1. Add the peripheral "AstroPlant Camera".

  2. As configuration you can select Raspberry - Camera v2. Most current users have the normal Pi camera and not the piNoir (detectable by the color of the camera-PCB, green = normal, black = piNoir).

  3. You could opt for "regular" capture schedule. This means you can make a few pictures on a fixed daily schedule.

  4. You can make multiple pictures during the day by adding items and setting a schedule (see picture below.

An example of a camera configuration. At 10 in the morning and at 6 in the evening a picture is taken.

In the next example we will schedule the fans:

  1. Add the peripheral "AstroPlant fans".

  2. Once the peripheral is added, scroll up and click "add output".

  3. Select the fans from the options visible.

  4. In this example we will activate the fans to run continiously. For this you only need to set a single schedule and set your desired intensity. The exact time doesn't matter in this continious case (see picture below).

Fans set to run continuously at 100%

Lastly we will schedule the grow LEDs:

  1. Add the peripheral "AstroPlant LED panel".

  2. Once the peripheral is added, scroll up and click "add output".

  3. Select the particular LED you wish to configure (in this example we will configure blue).

  4. Click the dropdown and select "scheduled".

  5. Optionally you may want to check "interpolated" for gradual progression towards a certain intensity.

  6. Let's start with a baseline of intensity (value) of 0 at 07:00 AM.

  7. From 07:00 AM to 08:00 AM we will gradually increase intensity to 80. Click the top-left "add item" button to add another schedule. To achieve this, set the 2nd schedule to 08:00 AM and value to 80.

  8. From 08:00 AM to 08:00 PM we will keep the intensity at 80.

    Again click the top-left "add item" button to add another schedule. To achieve this, set the 3rd schedule to 08:00 PM and value to 80.

  9. Lastly click the top-left "add item" button to add the last schedule. From 08:00 PM to 10:00 PM we want to gradually decrease the intensity to 0. To achieve this, set the 4th schedule to 10:00 PM and the value to 0. See screenshot below for the full configuration.

  10. Now you can add Red and Farred configuration to the existing blue configuration by clicking on "add output"

An example of blue LED scheduled configuration.

Step 3. Activate the configuration

Click on the activate button at the bottom of the page. Restart the kit for the change to take effect.

Beware that once the configuration is activated you are no longer able to edit the configuration. To wish to change configuration, you can create a new one and activate it. This ensures that configurations cannot be accidentally changed and that all data is traceable to their exact configurations. In general, switching configurations during an experiment may cause data to be non-comparable.

Any issues? Please look at the FAQ or contact us

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