High efficiency humidity control for pets

Dry days, common at certain times of the year, are not just bad for humans. Low air humidity also affects the health of dogs and cats. During these periods, respiratory and eye problems mainly increase. Just like people, pets have symptoms such as itchy eyes, dry mouth, tiredness, difficulty breathing and dehydration (especially if you live in a hot region with low air humidity).

Why is humidity important for pets?

Humidity is important for pets because it affects their breathing, skin, coat, and immune system. Animals need moisture to keep their skin healthy and prevent dryness. In addition, a very dry environment can cause breathing problems in animals that suffer from asthma or allergies, as dry air can irritate the airways and make breathing more difficult.

On the other hand, an environment that is too humid can cause bacterial and fungal overgrowth, which can lead to respiratory illnesses, skin infections, and other health problems. Humidity can also affect an animal's coat, making it dull, dull, and more susceptible to tangles and knots.

Ideal humidity levels for pets!

Ideal humidity levels will vary depending on the type of animal and their individual needs, here are some examples:

Dogs: Most dogs prefer an environment with a relative humidity between 30% and 70%. Breeds with thicker fur, like Siberian Huskies, can tolerate lower levels of humidity, while breeds with thinner fur, like poodles, need a more humid environment.

Cats: Cats prefer an environment with a relative humidity between 45% and 65%. Cats with longer coats, like Persians, need a more humid environment to avoid tangles and knots.

Poultry: Poultry needs an environment with a relative humidity between 50% and 70%. Birds that live in very dry environments can develop respiratory and skin problems.

Reptiles: Reptiles need different levels of humidity depending on the species. Some species, like turtles, need a humid environment, while others, like snakes, prefer a drier environment.

It is important to research the moisture needs of your specific reptile species.

The problem

Many people usually go out to work and leave their pets at home and the most common concern is to provide security (locking doors and gates so that they do not leave the perimeter of the land or apartment), water and food. But you also need to be aware of the climate effects of the environment.

For humidity control, it is possible to use a room humidifier, as many models have humidity control included in their functions, but disperse the mist generated using a small built-in fan, not reaching long distances.

The project

This project has the function of activating an air humidifier together with a ceiling (or wall) fan in the environment so that humidity control is more effective, helping to disperse the water mist throughout the environment, offering greater freshness to the environment. pet environment. Thus, the little friends will have a favorite place to stay, with ventilation and humidity controlled by this small device.

The hardware is very simple and uses few components. It has only one output, but enough for the function:

The user will define a desired humidity range for the device to activate the triac output. The device, being small, can be installed in an outlet, to which the humidifier and fan will be connected. When the humidity in the environment drops too low, the device will turn on humidification and ventilation together, having an efficient effect on the environment and ensuring greater well-being for the little animals. There is also electricity savings, as the fans will only be on for as long as necessary.

Below is the electrical connection diagram for the device, the humidifier and the ceiling or wall ventilation:

See that the hardware will activate the humidifier and the ventilation of the environment at the same time, this will cause the humidity to spread quickly throughout the environment, offering a better efficiency of the spreading of humidity throughout the internal environment in which the pets are (cats , birds, reptiles, etc usually stay indoors when the owners leave). In this way the environment becomes ventilated and with the appropriate range of ventilation.

One of the events that occur during indoor ventilation is air convection. See in the figure below how the phenomenon occurs: the air flows through the side walls of the room and is thrown by the fan downwards in the center, making a cyclical movement. So, the ideal place to place the humidifier is close to the walls, so that the humidity rises towards the fan and is efficiently spread throughout the environment:

So, the proposal of the hardware is to offer an effect of greater efficiency in controlling the humidity of environments combined with ventilation to offer a better living condition for pets while their owners are away from home.

The project aims to be open source and the whole community can enjoy the benefit. Electronic schematic, component BOM list, PCB drawing and gerber files are available. A 3D model designed to fit the box was also made and is available. The box does not use screws, fixing the PCB through the perfect fit between the front panel and the back cover. The cover must be glued to fit the front box.

The code necessary for the device to work is not ready, but it should be made available to the community when it is completed.