The Use of Photovoltaic (PV) as a Monitoring System

Study Case The Use of Photovoltaic (PV) as a Monitoring System in Closed House Chicken Coops Based on the Internet of Things (IoT) Michael Kurniawan (2018123456) University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45221, United States kurniaml@mail.uc.edu Abstract Renewable energy, especially solar energy, has great potential in the United States, especially in areas with high sunlight intensity. One of its uses is through photovoltaic (PV) to generate electrical energy. This study aims to develop a closed chicken coop monitoring system using photovoltaics as a power source and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to monitor coop environmental conditions in real time. The closed coop system is designed to regulate temperature and humidity according to the chickens' needs, especially during the early stages of growth. The monitoring system developed uses temperature and humidity sensors connected to an ESP32 microcontroller, and the data is sent to the Telegram application via the internet. In this way, farmers can directly monitor the conditions in the coop and take quick action to maintain ideal conditions for the chickens. The results of the study show that photovoltaics are capable of supplying sufficient power to operate the monitoring system. In addition, the application of IoT has proven to be effective in facilitating farmers in managing their coops. Data collection was carried out from 10:02 to 15:04 local time, with sensor measurements and linguistic conclusions for each parameter. Based on the data, the highest current from the solar panel was recorded at 10:31 with a value of 1020 mA and a voltage of 12.8 V. Keywords: Photovoltaic, Internet of Things, closed house chicken coop, monitoring, renewable energy MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 1 Study Case INTRODUCTION The United States has regions with high solar exposure, making solar energy a highly potential renewable energy source for development. Renewable energy is sustainable, and one example is the use of solar cells to convert sunlight into electrical energy. The average solar radiation intensity in a number of regions reaches more than 4.5 kWh/m²/day, making this energy very effective for use as a solar power plant. The main component of a photovoltaic system is a solar cell that absorbs sunlight and converts it into electrical energy that is ready for use. The growth and reproduction of chickens are greatly influenced by internal and external factors, especially environmental temperature. Excessive heat in the farm area is often a serious problem, as it can increase mortality rates and reduce productivity, which ultimately causes economic losses. Therefore, closed house systems are very important because they can control excess heat release, high humidity, and harmful gases such as CO, CO₂, and NH₃. The main problem often faced by farmers is the habit of assessing temperature and humidity based only on the feeling of heat inside the coop. However, the temperature felt by humans and chickens differs significantly, which can inhibit growth and even cause death. Chicks aged 0–14 days are very vulnerable to heat stress because they are not yet able to adjust. At this stage, chickens need a temperature of 30–32.9 °C and humidity of 55–65%. Appropriate heating is expected to support chicken growth during the first week. The rapid development of electronic technology has had a major impact on the creation of more complex, automated, and accurate devices, making work more practical, economical, and efficient. The shift from manual to automated systems is inevitable, including in closed house chicken coop management, which now relies more on automated devices for convenient maintenance. The Internet of Things (IoT), introduced by Kevin Ashton in 1999, enables various devices, machines, and physical objects to connect to the internet through sensors and actuators. Its main purpose is to expand the benefits of internet connectivity so that data can be collected and monitored in real time. Based on this, an IoT system is needed to monitor the temperature and humidity of chicken coops in real time and remotely. Therefore, this study proposes the MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 2 Study Case development of a system entitled “Utilization of Photovoltaic (PV) as a Monitoring System in Closed House Chicken Coops Based on the Internet of Things (IoT).” The Telegram application, as a cloud-based instant messaging service available across platforms, is used to support the monitoring system. Through the Telegram Bot, data can be sent automatically to the administrator in real time. This bot allows command interactions both privately and in groups. In addition, Telegram provides open APIs and protocols that developers can utilize to access various features, such as sending and receiving files, photos, videos, and text messages. This makes Telegram suitable for use in IoT-based monitoring systems. METHOD Research Analysis The method used in this study is Research and Development (R&D) with a prototype model. Data was collected through manual testing using measuring instruments, as well as recording temperature values sent by Telegram Bot in real time according to actual conditions. Data collection was carried out every 30 minutes from 10:00 to 15:00 local time to ensure the accuracy of sensor readings and the suitability of temperature parameters. The data was then processed and analyzed using quantitative descriptive techniques. The research stages included: a literature study from various relevant sources, tool design, assembly according to the design and programming, device testing, and analysis of test results. Figure 1. Research Design Stages MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 3 Study Case Tool Design The design of this IoT-based monitoring tool uses ESP32 and Telegram, with the main sensor being DHT11 as a temperature and humidity meter. The microcontroller and sensor are packaged in an acrylic box measuring 25 × 15 × 12 cm with a thickness of 3 mm. The solar panel used has a capacity of 20 Wp, equipped with a 10A Solar Charge Controller (SCC) and a 12V 7.5Ah battery. Figure 2. Device Design Hardware Design The hardware circuit includes an acrylic box for the microcontroller and sensors, as well as an installation panel for the solar power device (PLTS). The main components include a solar panel, SCC, and battery. The process begins with the solar panel capturing sunlight and generating fluctuating DC voltage and current. In order for the battery to receive stable power, the electricity is channeled through the SCC to be stabilized before being stored. The load and microcontroller are then supplied through a connection from the SCC to the battery. Figure 3. Hardware Design MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 4 Study Case Software Design The software was designed using the Arduino IDE application. The program contains libraries for reading sensor data, temperature parameters, and the Telegram Bot command menu. Data collected from sensors is processed and then sent to the Telegram application for display. Interface Design Telegram Bot is used as an interface between the user and the device. This bot is named KndngIoT_Bot and displays a menu in the form of active load information and temperature check commands. When the user sends the “CHECK TEMP” command, the system displays the current temperature conditions. Figure 4. Telegram Bot Only users with Chat IDs that have been registered in the Arduino IDE program can access this bot. Development This research is a development of previous research that used a website-based NodeMCU ESP8266. In the previous study, the system was able to monitor the condition of the solar panel in real time via the web. The latest development uses NodeMCU ESP32, the latest version with more GPIO pins and better reading capabilities. The communication medium has also shifted from the web to Telegram Bot, as Telegram is more widely used, easily accessible, and supports API integration. Through this API, the system can display sensor readings and control devices with simple commands via an Android-based smartphone. MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 5 Study Case Implementation The implementation process is illustrated through a flowchart in Figure 5. The microcontroller must be connected to a Wi-Fi network to communicate with Telegram. The sensor reading data is sent to the ESP32. If the temperature is ≤ 29 °C, the relay module will turn on the incandescent lamp, while at a temperature of ≥ 32 °C, the relay will activate the fan. In both conditions, an automatic monitoring message is sent to the smartphone. If the data has not been received, the program will loop until the data is successfully received. Figure 5. Flowchart Evaluation The evaluation stage was conducted after analysis and implementation. Testing aimed to assess the accuracy of the sensors and the overall performance of the device. The sensor output values were compared with the measurements from manual measuring instruments. This device functions optimally when the power supply is stable and the device is connected to Wi-Fi. Without an internet connection, sensor data cannot be sent to the Telegram Bot. MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 6 Study Case RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The Telegram Bot was successfully used as an interface, displaying data according to room conditions. Testing ensured that all commands functioned as intended. Figure 6. Telegram Bot Testing Table 1 shows the sensor measurement results from 10:02 to 15:04. The highest solar panel current value was recorded at 10:31 with a current of 1020 mA and a voltage of 12.8 V. These results show that the device can work according to the specified parameters. The battery charging time is calculated using the following formula: • Current charging time (Ta): Ta = Battery capacity (Ah) / Average panel current (A) Ta = 7.5 Ah / 0.8 A = 9.3 hours • Power charging time (Td): Td = Battery energy (Wh) / (Voltage × Panel current) Td = 90 Wh / (12 V × 0.8 A) = 9.3 hours This calculation applies if the battery is completely empty (0 V). MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 7 Study Case Table 1. Sensor Data Collection and Analysis Results CONCLUSION Summary This study proves that the use of photovoltaics for IoT-based closed house chicken coop monitoring systems can be implemented effectively. The ESP32 microcontroller with DHT11 sensor functions as designed, while the software is able to connect and transmit data optimally. The use of Telegram Bot has proven to facilitate the monitoring of temperature conditions and display linguistic conclusions from the specified parameters. The average temperature recorded was 34.10 °C, with the highest current of 1020 mA at 10:31, and the highest voltage of 14 V at 14:36. Recommendations For further development, the author provides several recommendations: 1. Use a larger capacity solar panel and extend the data collection period so that performance can be compared across different seasons. 2. Add a battery monitoring feature to determine the percentage of capacity in real time. MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 8 Study Case REFERENCE MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 9 Study Case MICHAEL KURNIAWAN 10