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[on:]

Sup ALL

I want to install a electric motor to make my parents garage doors automated . Now I dont have any mech background regarding torque/rpm requirements to move a certain object at a certain speed. From what ive seen at other peoples houses is a battery that look likes a conventional car battery 12V to power the motor for the doors. So before I can start, reverse engineering is required, meaning I must first pick the motor I will be using and then designing a controller for that motor.

Any tips/hints is appreciated on what type of motor I must go with and power,torque,rpm ratings.

have a good day .

PS. really keen to use the arduino in the controller and the remote to open the doors.

[Reply #1 on:]

Have you decided how you are going to turn the rotary motion into linear lift?  The pull geometry, weight of the door, and strength of counterweights/assist springs will determine how much torque you will need.  How fast you want the door to open will determine how fast you need the motor to spin.

[Reply #2 on:]

 Amazon sells a remote controlled Chamberlain CG40D 1/2-HP Chain Drive Garage Access System for $119.00.  Why do you want to re-invent the wheel?

[Reply #3 on:]

Amazon sells a remote controlled Chamberlain CG40D 1/2-HP Chain Drive Garage Access System for $119.00.  Why do you want to re-invent the wheel?

Its not about re-inventing anything, as an aspiring electrical engineer I want to "create" stuff myself to broaden my knowledge in my field of study

[Reply #4 on:]

Here in the US I've never seen or heard of a garage door opener motor powered from 12vdc, only 120vac. Using a arduino to control a automatic garage door is a pretty trivial software task, however properly interfacing to reversible direction higher power motors, especially AC motors is normally something only someone knowledgeable and experienced with high power circuits and components should take on. Also designing, building, and properly sizing the balancing load springs and gear or belt drive for the motor drive on your own will require significant mechanical engineering skills. I suspect that such a homebrew project would teach you more about frustration then anything else you would learn.

My advice is to select a different project.

Lefty

[Reply #5 on:]

OP - if you really honestly want to take something like this on, I would recommend you consult old back issues of Popular Science Magazine from about 1950-1970; there was more than one article published in that magazine that gave full plans on how to build your own garage door opener; they will give you an idea as to how to implement such a machine (as well as an idea to whether you can actually do it - it isn't easy!). Search on Google Books for the back issues.