PICAXE controlled window blinds

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MORA99

Senior Member
Anyone know of projects controlling window blinds ?

I dont know much about advantages in different motor solutions, my understanding is in () below.
Servo(Will turn to a position, and offer readback of position)
stepper(must be pulsed to move, very acurate)
regular (apply power and it runs, reverse to go the other way)

I guess the motor would be connected to the thread/wire and have to pull this to raise the blinds, and release to lower them.
This could be done by just rolling it onto a roll of some sort.

Also I have no idea what kind of motor size I need, it takes a fair amount of "power" to pull the blinds up, but if it can be slow maybe a big gear ratio could help there ?
 
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hax

New Member
Hi Mora,

I built one large roller blind for my home theater room. I originally used an electric screwdriver motor, which I thought would have plenty of torque, but I found it to be quite noisy and lacking in power.

I ended up using a windscreen wiper motor off a Ford Falcon (standard large Aussie car). They are much quieter (only one gear) and have plenty of torque. And when turned off, they do not have any inclination to move, no matter where the blind is.

I used IR control through a picaxe. I did not need any limit switches because when the blind gets to the end, it just winds on itself and does not cause any harm.
With this setup, you do have to keep your finger on the button, but it has been very reliable. There are also two speeds to choose from.

For the tube, I used 90mm stormwater pipe, with end caps. I can snap a picture if you like. Hope this helps but I don't know what sort of blinds you are talking about.
 
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MORA99

Senior Member
Its indoor blinds, and fairly small.
I estimate it takes 2-3kg weight to pull them up.

Its not the same system you show, here the string is not round robin :)
I have attached a picture found on google.
[EDIT]Ok I didnt, but here it is http://h.nirc.dk/windowblinds.jpg [/EDIT]


So the solution have to keep the string, and if its not going to use the locking effect, the motor has to resist the force while its held up :)

Pulling too long wont really do any harm, so that can be used as a limit, if the motor stall current is different enough to be detected.
In the end it will be controlled by a timer and maybe a ldr, not sure a ldr will do (I want the blinds to go up in the morning, down when the sun sets, up again 1-2hours later and down at night)
 
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MORA99

Senior Member
Hi Hazeleb,

It would be cool to see, but seems them dont have the issue avaliable for back order, only as reprint of a specific article, and I cant find it.

August 2004 Back Issue (Reference #08/04)
Projects & Circuits - EPE Scorer, Keyring LED Torch, EPE PIC Magnetometry Logger Part 2, Simple FM Radio, Ingenuity Unlimited. Series & Features - Circuit Surgery, Techno Talk, Net Work, Teach In 2004, PIC n MIX, PIC TO PS/2 Mouse and Keyboard Interfacing, Interface.
Click to expand...
 
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andrew_qld

Senior Member
Silicon Chip (Australian electronics magazine) http://siliconchip.com.au/ had a big article on repairing an electronic blinds in the "serviceman" column in the last issue (or issue befors that). I don''t have it in front of me but Might give you insight into what the commercial ones use
 
R

Rookie

Member
Window Blind Domotic

A working DIY domotic...
Ugly but effective.

If not show the pic or give you a FORBIDDEN page, simply hit the "GO" button of the browser again and work.
Pic1
pic2
YouTubeVideo

:D
 
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MORA99

Senior Member
Cool, same system of blinds I have.
I havent seen any "ready to buy" versions, but its not that widely used in private homes here yet, so that could be why.

Is that a servo he is using ?
A bit noisy but also fast, so I guess that can be traded :)
 
R

Rookie

Member
WB controller

No servo used, is one car's rear windshield riser motor 12v, and yes... is bit noisy... but cheap...

one stepper from old printer carriage can do the same magic to you...

:D
 
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