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236 points montycompostco | 2 comments | | HN request time: 0.385s | source

I'm from a compost tech startup (Monty Compost Co.) focused on making composting more efficient for households and industrial facilities. But our tech isn’t just for composting— it’s a versatile system that can be repurposed for a wide range of applications. So, we’ve made it open source for anyone to experiment with!

One of the exciting things about our open-source compost monitoring tech is its flexibility. You can connect it to platforms like Raspberry Pi, Arduino, or other single-board computers to expand its capabilities or integrate it into your own projects.

Our system includes sensors for: * Gas composition * Temperature * Moisture levels * Air pressure

All data can be exported as CSV files for analysis. While it’s originally built for monitoring compost, the hardware and data capabilities are versatile and could be repurposed for other applications (IoT, environmental monitoring, etc.)

Hacker’s Guide to Monty Tech: https://github.com/gtls64/MontyHome-Hackers-Guide

If you’re into data, sensors, or creative tech hacks, we’d love for you to check it out and let us know what you build!

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magicbuzz ◴[] No.42200930[source]
I love it, but surely just a temp gauge for running a hot compost is nice & simple? If mine is over 45C, I'm fairly sure that means the thermophiles are present and doing their thing
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1. PittleyDunkin ◴[] No.42201215[source]
How do you verify the expected metabolic processes are occurring that produce said temperatures?
replies(1): >>42201352 #
2. montycompostco ◴[] No.42201352[source]
Great question— thanks for asking!

Verifying the metabolic processes in composting is a bit of a mix between understanding composting fundamentals and interpreting the data we collect. The processes are highly dependent on factors like feedstock type and volume. For example, a sudden spike in temperature might be due to an addition of nitrogen-rich materials or a recent turning of the pile—both of which can accelerate microbial activity.

While our sensors provide 24/7 data on temperature, gas composition, and more, there are always factors we can’t directly see or control for, like the exact distribution of materials within the pile. That’s where a bit of interpretation comes in: matching what the data is telling us with the fundamentals of composting.

By combining real-time monitoring with an understanding of what’s happening in the pile, users can make informed decisions to keep their composting process on track. It’s not an exact science, but the extra data helps a lot!