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Luc3as / ZaluzioGeret

Automated smart blinds retrofit device with WiFi , MQTT and light measurement capability.
17 stars 2 forks source link

Some questions #1

Open ghost opened 5 years ago

ghost commented 5 years ago

Hello Lukas,

Thank you for sharing this project. It looks very similar to what I want to build in the upcoming weeks. I have a couple of questions. When do you plan to share 3D models for the case? How did you solve the problem with opening the window due to the power cable? Did you consider mounting servo inside the sunblinds mechanism directly?

Thank you. Have a nice day.

Luc3as commented 5 years ago

Hi, good to read this, as always I was doing another projects and didn't get back to all TODOs I planned. However today I slightly modified the base plate for this device and so right after that I uploaded it to thingiverse. You can find it here https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3679293 I ran cables in thin cable organizer so there is no problem with opening the windows, I attached the cables in corner where the hinges are , and there is little reserve in bottom of window board. Yes actually this is second or third design and I was playing with more options, at first I tried to pull ball chain with stepper motor, but it was too weak in my case, even after modifying the driver board. Second attemp was with continuos rotation servo, it is very similiar to this design, and it was doing great job, but I dropped this option because I would need to sense position of blinds somehow, I am sure there are ways to do this, I was thinking about some magnet attached to ball chain, and then sensing this magnet passing by reed switch somewhere on side of device. Or there could be some end stop switches attached but this means more cabling aand it would cause lower WAF (wife acceptance factor) :D anyway this version is compatible with continuos rotation servos. Sure I was thinking about putting all magic into the blinds cover, but in my case I have very slim profiled sunblinds, so there is not enough room for this big servo. I saw some projects where bigger (older I guess) sunblinds was used and all electronics and motor was attached right there. You can find inspiration here if that is your case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8kW8CoRJy0

ghost commented 5 years ago

Hello, Thank you for sharing your STL files. I will try it this weekend. Yes I know, that WAF is a top priority in all households :D. I was thinking about using the SG90 servo motor, which is very tiny and it can be integrated into sunblinds, but there can be a problem with torque. Now I'm looking, that you are from Slovakia too, so we can talk in our mother language ;).