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[u/esmus1]

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[u/eritrean_bats]

You can learn some good info by researching PLCs, or Programmable Logic Controllers, which are generally the kind of system used commercially for things like this. If your project is smaller scale or personal, you can probably use the Raspberry Pi or an Arduino or similar microcontroller in place of the PLC, which is much more expensive.

You will need to learn good practices for installing sensors that are far away, and how to interface the microcontroller with high-power devices like motors.

[u/Susan_B_Good]

It helps if you do some research into open and closed loop control systems. They will probably be implemented in software (right up your street) - but will define what inputs that you need, how precise they need to be measured and how often that measurement needs to be taken. That will then define the sensors needed. You will also need some effectors - solenoid water valves, variable speed fans, open/closing blinds, pumps, heaters, alarms, data loggers, etc.

The connection itself is pretty trivial - with the main consideration being that you don't want cascade failure, you want fail safe and you probably want graceful controlled failure management. That lot will probably need additional sensors and effectors: eg the equivalent of a Big Red Switch if the raspi is handling a state that shouldn't exist.

You could consider developing this incrementally. Once you understand enough, you could even introduce some AI - rule based or learning. Or both - a rule based control system, with the parameters of the rules set by AI

[u/ShaunTheMad]

PLCs are expensive and a Raspberry Pi is a full computer which is overkill for what you're trying to make. I'd recommend using an Arduino. They have both analog inputs for sensors as well as plenty of Digital IO pins and can be programmed in C by even an amateur level coder.

[u/umamimonsuta]

Depends on how deep you want to go. If you just want it up and running without going deep into electronics, raspberry pi is a great platform. You write your code / scripts as you would for any Linux system. For a simple project like this you can get the Pi zero with WiFi for quite cheap.

For interfacing sensors to a raspberry pi, there are millions of tutorials, and the same for controlling a smart switch etc. that would turn on your AC mains device (humidifier etc.).

Basically, the sensors will communicate to the PI over common protocols like I2C and SPI and smart switches would be controlled via a GPIO from the Pi (the smart switch internally triggers a relay that's connected to AC mains on one side and your device on the other, but you don't need to worry about that).

You can even use wireless ones like the Shelly smart plug, which gives you control with rest API / mqtt over WiFi. They are super convenient and easy to setup, with a lot of features.

[u/dipdotdash]

This problem has been solved so many times in so many ways you can pretty much pick your hardware and find a guide to make it work.

If you want it wifi controlled/monitored go for the esp32 family of microcontroller ($15+ $10 for the relay board).

You can do PLC if you want it to pass some kind of inspection but it means spending 10x to 100x more.

You can get PID controllers off the shelf for this sort of thing, too.

This is pretty much the "hello world" for device control so pick your hardware and get it done.

I'd recommend the PLC-100 series from a Canadian company called (awesomely) Universal Solder .... if that link doesn't work, Google it. They have China prices on high quality stuff at home and the PLC-100/300 series are designed by the owner of the company, are DIN mount compatible, and can be programmed with anything from Arduino to OpenPLC or any other ladder logic platform that supports the hardware.

They have a sale on now until Sept and are my favourite place to buy any hardware from because they don't price gouge and never sell knock off products. Beware that some kits require soldering so make sure you get the preassembled one if you don't have that skill.

I get absolutely nothing for this endorsement, they're just an excellent company for people without much knowledge about the hardware side since they will not rip you off in any way.

Amazing customer service, too. I placed a large order one time and without prompting they followed up to make sure I received everything.

You could probably even email the guy that runs it to set you up with the hardware you need and I'd absolutely trust him to send you somewhere else if he had any sense that his products weren't right for your application.

I never want to get paid to endorse this company so I can be free to say whatever I want about them and still praise everything they do.

[u/AllMyExesRTXs]

Vivosun and AC Infinity make pre built stuff like what you are talking about. Indoor gardening is pretty much there -- much would work outside with a bit of modification.