THC-S Soil Sensor Calibration & Grow Cube + Base

Recommended settings:

0.2 Layer height

Wall loops: 3

Infill: gyroid or adaptive cubic

Infill density: 15%

Enable Support: Tree (auto)

Support Style: Tree Slim

Threshold angle: 30

Supports on build plate only: true

Support critical regions only: true

I made this originally for the calibration of my THC-S Soil Sensor. When calibrating with the first version i noticed that after taking the sensor out and putting it back in, it was difficult to get reliable and good readings, because there was not way to compact the soil again. v2 has a slot that fits the sensor nicely and if needed there is a tool to gently pack the soil/coco before putting the sensor back in. i also made the walls 1.4mm thick, instead of 3mm to reduce print time. I find that with eSUN PLA+ it's pretty solid, but noticed with regular PLA the walls can crack if pushed too much.

I wanted to avoid designing in a way that supports are needed, but i think this is the better way to do it. I printed with tree support for only critical regions (tree on the socket only) and it printed nicely. Seems like my printer would also print fine without supports.

I also made some holes at the top for LST, so now this container could be used for growing. The PLA+ saucers i printed survived a whole grow with salts running over them several times a day, so i think the containers will be fine in PLA+ as well. PETG would be the better choice though.

Base

The base is an adaptation of my self draining saucer and can be downloaded / printed here: Base for One Gallon Calibration & Grow Cube

Hose adapter OD: 13.1mm (~1/2in)

Container

This container was primarily made for the calibration of the THC-S moisture sensor, particularly for people working with coco coir or similar substrates. My goal was to design a container that ensures an effective and repeatable calibration process, while also catering to basic plant growth needs.

Design Features:

Volume: The container holds exactly one gallon, a choice that standardizes the amount of substrate used during calibration, making it easier to calculate the Volumetric Water Content (VWC).

Air Pruning Holes: There are 5mm holes on the sides of the container, added to allow air to circulate through the coco coir, facilitating even drying when used for calibration and providing air pruning benefits to roots if used for growing plants.

Drainage Holes: The bottom has 3mm holes for drainage.

Sensor Slot: A slot is provided to insert moisture sensors consistently in the same location and orientation, aiming to reduce variables in sensor readings during the calibration process.

The primary goal of this container is to offer a reliable method for calibrating moisture sensors, with a clear standard in terms of substrate volume and sensor placement. The placement height is 1.25", which is recommended for 1 Gallon.

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