I have a cabin in a remote location without internet service. I am not there often so I want to activate my Shark robot vacuum with a timer. The robot has a button on top for instant clean but requires me to physically push it to start the cleaning cycle.
I want to implant a normally open switch (receiver) in the vacuum that is activated remotely by 433mhz (?) wireless signal from an Arduino controller with a real time clock module. The vacuum has no provision for timered operation without internet.
So I think for the Tx side I have it right. Arduino nano + rf transmitter + RTC module. I do not know if the receiver is available with a NO switch or what I can use. The button needs to be pressed for 1 second, so this is the time interval to close the switch. I want to keep the vacuum unmodified on the outside so I can still push the clean button if I want. So along with the programming sketch which I'm clueless about, is there a receiver that is small enough to fit inside and do what I want? I'm so new at this. I'm sure it is simple and has been done to robotics and all.
Program a 7-day, programmable, power outlet for your cleaning day. Plug a 5vdc power adapter into the outlet and power your Arduino with the 12vdc adapter. Program your Arduino to enable a solid state relay which will energize a 12vdc plunger for one second, then the Arduino disables the relay, removing power from the plunger, retracting the plunger. Your cabin is cleaned. Fin.
-------------- -------------
| Programmable |________________| 12vdc power |_______
| Outlet | mains | adapter | 12vdc |
-------------- ------------- |
____________________________________|
| 12vdc |
------------- ----------- |
| 12vdc Solid |________| Arduino |_________|
| State Relay | en/dis | w/ Code | 12vdc
------------- -----------
|
| 12vdc
|
------------
| Plunger |
----- -----
|n|
|u|
-------------
| Shark Robot |
| Sweeper |
------------- 2022(c)xfpd
p.s. when you have time, transfer the Arduino program to an Atmel tiny85 and keep the Arduino at home.
I considered the "mechanical finger" that you suggest in my earliest ideas about activation. It is still a viable idea as long as the vacuum parks at its base in the same place every time. I thought for sure I could get some non-Arduino digital clock timer with a 1 second interval. Nope. They all seem to be 1 minute or more. Sub 1 minute units don't keep a time clock. The wireless idea is a bit more hidden and less Rube Goldberg. But it's not off the table.
I was under the impression that the phone app would let you set a timetable so that you could configure the app when you're at the cabin.
I had to set up a Roomba for a friend some years back and at startup, it advertised its own hotspot, so it could be configured even without local WiFi.
I can't find information on this. Specifically, does the phone need to be present for the timer to operate? Will the schedule still work when I leave? As I understand it the vac needs internet access to a Shark account. Otherwise I need to "simply press the clean button" to start the cycle. Well- I'm not there to press the button. Thus the project is conceived.
I'll admit I haven't tried the RV1001ae vac without internet access but with the local only wifi set up. Shark company isn't giving any hints except the the robot works best with wifi and I am assuming that means internet access. I'm unaware of an internal clock to start the cycle.
Good to know. I was considering buying one, but if it requires cloud access, I won’t bother.
Is that really true? Surely all you need is an appropriately programmed local ESP32 sending commands at the relevant times. Your main problem is finding out what the relevant commands actually are.
I'm new to this, and before your post I was unaware of the ESP2. I'll look into it.
I called Shark this morning and she confirmed that I need internet if I don't push the clean button.
That implies vacuum is connected directly to them via the Internet. I don't know anything about this but I don't believe it either. It sounds like loose language, technobabble indeed. I see in the ads that it can be operated by smartphone, which is just what one would expect, and that may be done by WiFi but it doesn't mean you "need the Internet".
I think your first job is to look at exactly how the device gets its commands. You might then turn out to be smarter than she is. As I said, the real problem may be more about what the commands actually are.
One way around this may simply be to have Arduino control pre-recorded Alexa commands! Not nearly as absurd as a mechanical finger.
Of course when I'm not around, the phone isn't around, and the vac bot still doesn't have an internal clock to start it. Getting the commands to activate the bot via Arduino is even more elegant instead of the implant but I 'm not sure how to get those commands. For the implant idea, what I need is a tiny normally open switch that outputs nothing except continuity, wired with the button terminals. I'm not sure what to use but the smaller the better and range is only a few feet.
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