SmartBot Humidifier for the Win

[ArmoredGoat]

What’s up all!

Been testing some new tent grow tools. I wasn’t really happy with my humidifier and follow as much of IoT as possible working within IT is helpful. Much like many of you, I spend quite a bit of my week traveling for work so I need remote tools and rely on automation to keep my plants alive. I am nearly 100% automated in my tent now aside from manually watering plants and filling the humidifier in which I’m working on automating the watering aspect, but I digress.

I went ahead and purchased a few different model humidifiers over the past 6 months. I purchased a half dozen units and most were sent back, one recycled and one kept. Here is what I found and hopefully helps anyone in the market

Bought this TaoTronics TT-AH014 Top Fill Humidifiers

This device not only leaked from the sides if wasn’t completely level, but failed within 6 months. The leak starts slow and then eventually empties the whole unit onto the tent floor. I would not recommend this brand although it was recommended to me by another user. The device itself is pretty straight forward with an always on feature and three mist options, low medium and high. On low I was able to run this for 3 days without needing to refill and kept the 3x3 at 50/60 rH

Purchase this next HuPro PRO-775

Not a bad unit, didn’t leak and was/is highly reviewed. The remote itself was essentially useless as the tent walls block the RF signal to be used for adjusting settings. Definitely not a smart device, but got the job done and was able to keep optimal RH at the lowest setting again needing refill about every 2-3 days (top fill). This unit was returned for the next humidifier.

** SwitchBot Wi-Fi Smart Ultrasonic Humidifier**

This unit is great! I can control it through an app, adjust settings in increments of 1-100 for strength and can turn off LED’s (important to those of us that want complete darkness in lights off) as well as set scheduled. Also note, this unit can be added to google home, Ifft and an assortment of others. As long as it’s connected to WiFi at home I can control the unit anywhere. This is by far the best humidifier I’ve ever owned. The only con is that my home is around 35-40 rH so fairly dry. I run the unit at 30% on a schedule (schedules set for on and off with lights) and this requires the device to be refilled every 32-36 hours based on this schedule, but this keeps my tent at optimal rH for the temp and holds steady.

Here are some screenshots of the app itself

I highly recommend this unit for tent growers, but just wish the units water capacity was doubled. The remote access and adjustments away from home base is the best possible feature for me.

I guess that’s it, basically just wanted to share my latest results on humidifiers for a smallish tent. Hopefully it helps some folks save some money or time if in the market for a humidifier.

Happy Growing

[Skydiver]

Thanks for the write up and the recommendations.
I have 3 humidifiers that look to be the previous model to the Tao you first had. Looks to be made by the same manufacturer. I too had one that kept leaking and found the float in the bottom of the base had cracked and filled with water keeping it from shutting off water flowing from the fill tank into the bottom causing the overflow issue.
I removed the section in the base and removed the float emptied the water by making a small hole where the crack was and sealed the float and is good as new. They are OK but their RH sensor hasn’t been very accurate.

The switchbot has top fill which is a must for me and with the phone app would make it much easier adjusting things before lights out as my units inside tent don’t react to lights out temp drops very well and I have to manually lower settings so it doesn’t get too humid and then at lights on have to adjust back up to maintain RH with increased temps.

Thanks again

[ArmoredGoat]

Anytime @skydiver just trying to pay it forward.

this was a short write up while waiting at work. I have purchased several others, but they were not worth mentioning. I have a few small ones that fit perfectly into my hydro farm seedlings dome (as seen below). My Tao unit was highly recommended and reviews were positive. No matter what I did including leveling it would leak. It’s since been recycled as it was well past the 30 day amazon return policy.

I am really impressed with the SmartBot humidifier and contacted them about their smart fans. They’re planning a release in the spring or early summer for oscillating floor fans, but I did request pole fans. Doubt that will go anywhere, but you never know unless you ask.
The SmartBot humidifier is great and does everything I need, but it’s only been in my tent for less than 2 months so I can’t verify or validate the longevity. So far so good. I intend to update this thread if that changes

[Sativafan]

@ArmoredGoat
Thanx for the writeup on this, looking for a humidifer now and can’t tell if you need smartbots Humidistat along with the humidifier for it to run in auto mode.

Over the past 9 months have you changed out to another humidifier that you think is better than switchbot’s?

[ArmoredGoat]

I didn’t need need anything extra. Connects to a 2.4ghz WiFi connection and a single power adapter. Still using the smartbot humidifier and everything is built into the unit. No issues with it after a few grows now. Still in use

The only complaint I had was addressed with the latest firmware update. The unit had an led light on the power button. I, among others submitted change requests on their forum and they added a button (“Light”) within the app/programming to turn it off as well as sound. This button previous didn’t do anything when engaged on/off. It’s fixed now

[Sativafan]

Thanx for the update, in the cart it goes!

[Nicky]

Get into smart pot autopots, I can leave my grows for a week at a time.

I use this one depending on plant size in tent it can last a couple days or like 30hr
https://www.amazon.ca/Levoit-Ultrasonic-Humidifiers-Humidifier-Adjustable/dp/B078GPR4XV/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=humidifier&qid=1605494556&sprefix=Humi&sr=8-9

[Sativafan]

That auto watering system is epic!

I’m using a 3x3 tent so the Levoit would probably eat up more floor space than I have but thanx for the suggestion.

[ArmoredGoat]

I’m curious about the auto pots and researched them prior cause I’d rather not water by hand, but wonder how long the nutrients stay viable after mixing.

Do you use a pump or air stone in the nute tank to keep the heavier nutrients and microbial inoculants from settling. ph swings as a result? The reason I ask is mixing nutes a few hours before use you can see after a short while that the heavier elements sink and require a thorough skating before application.

Thanks in advance

[Nicky]

Click on my profile it will bring you to my grow journal.
Ask away in there

[Sativafan]

Posted this in another thread but thought I’d put it here if a search brought someone here.

I picked up the switchbot, works well but never turns off, just drops to minimum so you burn through more distilled water than needed and it can fight with your humidifier on a high humidity night. Works well enough on dry days in a 200 sqft bedroom though.

A week later I got the hub mini and temp/hydro meter to tie everything together and now it turns on when my room drops below 40 and actually shuts off above 45%RH. I have a dehumidifier that kicks in if room is above 50% and drops it back a little lower than 50% then shuts down.
Wasn’t planning on the hub & meter but now I can see the temp & humidity graph over an hour, day, week or year with max, low and average numbers or any point on the graph with time stamps. Kinda nice, I can see the graph bounce from low to high throughout 24 hrs but not go outside set parameters and it doesn’t over or under shoot. That’s also connected so I don’t have to be home to monitor or control it.

[TommyD]

@ArmoredGoat I purchased one of the SmartBot humidifiers. Just got it today. Trying to figure out how it works. But I like it a lot.

Thanks for the review.

[ArmoredGoat]

@TommyD It’s pretty easy to setup and use.

My only complaint is the size of the reservoir. I’m veg, during the winter months (low humidity) I have to fill every 48 hours.

[TommyD]

@ArmoredGoat Took me some time, but it’s up and working. Seems to be working fine on Auto. Thanks for the tip

Are you using the filter? The rocks that come with it? Gives off a smell I think?

[ArmoredGoat]

I used the filter for the first year, but I pulled it out rather than replace it

[yourviolentpast]

Heads up that these are on sale for $35 during Prime Day. Just bought 2!

SwitchBot Wi-Fi Smart Ultrasonic Humidifier, Large 3.5L Cool Mist for Bedroom, Top-fill Design, Essential Oil Diffuser (Compatible with Alexa, Google Home, HomePod & IFTTT) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07Y6H32B6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_CNMFXXM2167N7335G755?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[BigCat420]

This one has been my first and only smart humidifier and I absolutely love it. Its running about $50 on Amazon

[Ontrack]

Thanks @yourviolentpast , just ordered one.