DIY Watering - Required components I am looking as a first project after some simple project kits, to make a watering system for my indoor plants. I have seen  a few projects on instructables, so I went to look for components. I am not sure how to power the pump from the Arduino.

My idea is the following:

A bucket of water with a water pump inside. An irrigation system linked to the pump, which then goes to all the plants. The pump linked to arduino which turns it on and off based on a timer.

The components that I will be using are an Arduino uno and:


DV12 subversive pump
Irrigation watering kit


Also I guess I will need some tube to connect the pump to the watering kit.

I am not sure how to connect and power the pump (12V) with the arduino. The arduino it self will be powered by a USB on a wall socket.
I have some details about running motors etc. from Arduino pins at Driving motors, lights, etc. from an Arduino output pin.

Quite possibly what would work for you is a MOSFET - as Majenko suggested - connected up like this:



In this case you connect the positive side of your 12V supply for your pump to the pump, and the MOSFET sinks current to ground, when you require the pump on.

Don't forget the diode D1 which prevents damage from the inductive load of the pump generating high-voltage spikes.