Author: mr.snow

Arduino + motor controller.

A better way to do this is using an h-bridge IC. But can I buy one in Sydney? Only Altronics and Farnell stock them.

http://itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/Labs/DCMotorControl

http://lab.guilhermemartins.net/?p=66

http://www.toddholoubek.com/classes/pcomp/?page_id=394

There is an official Arduino motor controller shield. 

And the all done solution from Lady Ada – an Arduino shield kitset (with eagle files if you want to DIY) that controls dc motors, steppers and servos for good measure.

Lady Ada – 19.50USD + 9.65/33.50PP
http://www.ladyada.net/

Fun Gizmos (v3) – shield & components 25USD + 13.85/28.85/72.52PP
http://store.fungizmos.com/

Little Bird (v3) – shield only 18AUD +7.80PP (+GST I don’t like it when they neglect to mention that until checkout)
http://www.littlebirdelectronics.com/

NKC (v1) – shield only/shield & components 4.99/10.99USD (incl. shipping comes to 17-25USD)
http://www.nkcelectronics.com/

Schematics for Motor Shield v3
http://forums.fungizmos.com/

Local store w/ Arduino & motor controllers
http://www.oceancontrols.com.au/

Parts from Farnell ~36AUD

Parts list from Fun Gizmo (v3)

  • 1 Official Arduino bare motor shield PCB V3.0
  • 2 100uF electrolytic capacitor 25Vdc
  • 4 100nF capacitor polyester
  • 1 74HC32N DIL14 Quad 2-input OR gate
  • 1 SN754410 (L293D) DIL16 (motor controller)
  • 1 74HC00N DIL14 Quad 2-input NAND gate
  • 2 3mm RED LED
  • 1 3mm GREEN LED
  • 6 100K 1/4W resistor
  • 2 2.2K Resistor 1/4W
  • 2 470 Ohm Resistor 1/4W
  • 1 1×40 .1″ mail header
  • 2 Pushbutton 6×6 

    • Car door lock actuator.

    The actuator from Jaycar is 33mm at its widest point so I suspect I will need to sand off about 6mm total. Plugging in to a 12v < 10A source throws the rod hard out or in depending on polarity.

    Just sitting down to draw a circuit diagram for the relay to control it via Arduino and I notice this article.

    Switching and reversing arduino relay shield which is exactly what is needed. Thanks!

    This looks better. Most relay circuits for Arduino seem to have transitors and diodes. This one is designed for reversing a motor. More to look at obviously.

    Arduino motor controller

    Collins dictionary asks public to rescue outdated words – Telegraph

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

    Fusby - short, stout or squat

    Skirr - a whirring or grating sound as made by the wings of birds in flight

    Vilipend - treat or regard with contempt

    Oppugnant - combative, antagonistic or contrary

    Embrangle - confuse or entangle

    Astergent – cleansing or scouring

    Agrestic – rural, rustic, unpolished, uncouth

    Apodeictic – unquestionably true by virtue of demonstration

    Caducity – perishableness, senility

    Calignosity – dimness, darkness

    Compossible – possible in coexistence with something else

    Exuviate – to shed (a skin or similar outer covering)

    Fatidical – prophetic

    Griseous -streaked or mixed with grey

    Malison – a curse

    Manseutude -gentleness or kindness

    Muliebrity – the condition of being a woman

    Niddering – cowardly

    Nitid -bright, glistening

    Olid – foul-smelling

    Periapt – combative, antagonistic or contrary

    Recrement – waste matter, refuse dross

    Roborant – tending to fortify or increase strength

    Vaticinate – to foretell, prophesy

    Window update.

    If the window were a pivot style window, and balanced in an open state, a pump and a pair of ballast tanks might be enough to open and close the window. A pair of slender chambers (Melinda suggests containing oil) could be inserted in to each of the vertical pillars of the window. Even better the pair could be the top rail and the bottom rail with tubes running between in the verticals. Figure 1 shows a piston tank which uses a rotor motor rather than a pump.

    Fig. 1

    Alternatively some sort of mechanical counterweight might be good. Perhaps a threaded lead counterweight on a threaded rod.

    Howstuffworks “How Power Door Locks Work”

    Howstuffworks “How Power Door Locks Work”

    The stepper motor / gears option is very noisy. I am considering ditching the variable lock and going for something like this car door lock. The part (from Jaycar) is 10AUD and very nearly thin enough to fit within the door cavity.

    The mechanism should have heaps of torque – that would mean I could replace the spring on the deadbolt returning the authentic noise. I think its a simple motor with gearing – when i supply 12V it shoots out and stops – the motor still tries to run but the sound isn’t bad.