Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

While I was messing around with the idea of using a cheap/old android phone as a wifi webcam, it occured to me that it could also be used as a power monitoring device, since it would be permenantly connected to the charger..

Does anyone know of an android app that can send an sms or some other type of alert when the charger is turned off? Or has anyone messed around with andoid app development enough to be able to put one together? I've had a bit of a look around but it seems to be in the "why would you want to do that?" and/or "it's so simple, no-one has thought of it" catagory.. or maybe I just can't get search engines to do what I want them to anymore..

If the power is off to the phone/charger... isn't it likely that your wifi will be down as well...

Dont need wifi to send an sms

What he said

Also, though some messing about with relays and one of them pressure sensors from a dishwasher that dunderoz was refering to the other day, I can get it to notify me when the air or water pump fail..

I considered using one of those sensors to turn on a backup pump but that would re-pressurize the system and turn itself off anyway, better if it notifys me..

Yep true if the phone is charged.... don't skim read


But not true if the system is being hosted/driven by a computer app...

And yep... it's real handy to know your pumps have failed.... when you're 200km away...

Bit like this...

Ok.. fess up... how many of you techies thought,,, "that's a good idea"... before getting to the end....

Check out the app tasker.

You can set it to send SMS for you and respond to SMS's. Like AirPum On

Sent from my brain to my fingers to my keyboard to the internet.

I'd want to have an automatic backup air supply.... that failed over automatically....

Not one that I had to rely on a sms.. to alert me to... and then manually instruct it to "turn on"...

My automation panel calls me if theres a cut of supply on tropical aquarium power cct or my garage cct(ap supply)
Can also program logic to control outputs.
Ie if ap power loss turn on dc air pump.
Also monitors temps.
Can view and trigger events via the net,android app,or if no power down analogue ph line.
also available are flow sensors and water level sensors.

Could also program- if no flow from pump one in lasy 30mins(timed flood and drain) turn on pump 2 and notify me

Or water top up etc.
Skys the limit. Mine controls lighting,pool,alarm,dvr,home theater,blinds etc
Sent using Tapatalk

Thanks rsevs3, looks like it'll do what I want..

Thanks to everyone else for answers to questions I didn't ask..

No worries lol......
I think my post fell into the latter category.

Sent using Tapatalk

It might have, but at least you didn't tell me i'm doing it wrong or insinuate it must be a stupid idea or i'm an idiot because it's not what you'd do..

What panel are you using or going to use? Might be something for the future..

Haha yep you would be a bit silly IMHO if you relied totally on it as an emergency system AirPump On being an example only of course

As soon as the phone l[]oses mains power, the batteries charge will see a sudden drop back from 110% to 100%. There will be android apps that use an API (I think that's the right word) that deal with charge status. If all that's really the case, it should be possible to use this as an indicator that the power is off.

Check out Tasker on the play store.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2