Priva Maximizer

Priva Maximizer is the control system we use in 248x52 greenhouse.  Priva Maximizer automates important controls in the greenhouse to save our time.  We can access the system through two user interfaces: buttons and display on the Priva Maximizer and a PC display.

The buttons and display on Priva Maximizer.

There are six sets of wires that transmits the control signals across the greenhouse.  Each set partakes different set of inputs/outputs to specific zones in the greenhouse.

The bottom part of Priva Maximizer.
You can see the six pink wires sticking out.

The six wires coming out from the office.

The wires splitting.  Two go right, four go left.

The two wires to the right go to irrigation control and boiler room.  At the irrigation, the system opens/closes pipes that convey water (with fertilizer mix) to the plants.  The amount of fertilizer mix that is pumped to the pipe is also controlled by Priva Maximizer.  The system keeps track of flow direction to prevent backwash system.  For further information, refer to the Priva Maximizer operation manual.

The thick pink wire (right) coming in to the irrigation
control.  The thinner wires (left) go to irrigation valve
and other control (e.g. fertilizer pulse).

Control signal sent to irrigation valve.  When the valve
is opened, water flows to the plants.

A complex control box for I-dunno-what.

Pulses of fertilizer from the tube are mixed to the
irrigation pipe.

In the boiler room, the control signal controls the heating of the greenhouse.  Unfortunately we are not heating the greenhouse at all because, according to Carl, the greenhouse is not making enough money and thus not worth heating.  I don't know the electricity expense to crop output ratio, but I think it is a waste of investment.

The wire incoming to the boiler room control box.

A closer look to the control box.

Another closer look.

Thin pink wires coming from the control box to control
the amount of boiled water sent to heat the greenhouse.

Bottom part of the boiler.

A closer look.

Going back to the remaining four wires, one of them goes to the antenna located on top of the greenhouse.

Pink wire receiving data from the antenna.

The antenna has five visible sensors attached.  I will explain the detail of each sensor, but I am not entirely confident about the correctness.  The farthest right is the wind direction sensor, where the sensor is supposed to be calibrated (pointed) to the north.  In the picture, however, the sensor is pointing southeast and I need to verify why.  The farthest left, a Mickey-mouse-like spinney blade, is a wind speed sensor.  The second from the left is an aspirated temperature/humidity sensor.  The two remaining similar ones are rain and sunlight sensors.  I hope I'm right.

The remaining three wires split, one to the small
and two to the big greenhouse.

A control wire to the control box in the small greenhouse.

A motor that controls the ventilation. 

A burner that supplies CO₂.

A control box of I-dunno-what.

An aspirated temperature/humidity sensor.  This is
located in multiple locations.

We are not utilizing all the functions provided by the Priva Maximizer.  For example, we can't use burner to supply CO2 to the plants.  We don't heat up the greenhouse to stimulate the plant growth.  Maybe it is costly, maybe it is just cumbersome, but that's the current policy of Carl.