I'm looking to create an automated system that will put my Ikea Blinds up/down at certain times each day.
I've already seen this project done in varying forms, however most are vaguely documented.
Hardware I think I'll need:
Arduino Uno
Wifi Board
Motor Board
Stepper Motor
Connected to some kind of gear that connects to the beaded chain pulley of blind.
(Wires resistors etc)
My main concerns so far:
Will there be any issues stacking the Motor Board on top of the WiFi board, I've heard the pins can conflict?
What type of power cable will I need so I can plug the motor board into a standard household UK socket.
Timings: I'm hoping to create a schedule so that the blinds open at 7am and close at 11pm. Would I be best trying to get a time-keeping chip to manage this, or use another server/system to manage timekeeping and ping the Arduino board via the IP of wifi shield? In a future phase I would like to add manual override for up/down via website interface.
I've only made some very basic Arduino projects in the past, so I'm jumping a little bit ahead I feel with this one, hence asking for some quick guidance/consult.
Will there be any issues stacking the Motor Board on top of the WiFi board, I've heard the pins can conflict?
Using a motor shield to drive a stepper motor is usually the wrong solution. Get a stepper driver, and do it properly. Then, there won't be pin conflicts.
What type of power cable will I need so I can plug the motor board into a standard household UK socket.
If you have to ask, you are not ready to do this project. Stepper motors need DC voltage and current. You need a power supply that can deliver DC voltage and current. That power supply will have the right power cable. If you get one for your country, anyway.
Timings: I'm hoping to create a schedule so that the blinds open at 7am and close at 11pm.
What is the WiFi shield for, then?
Would I be best trying to get a time-keeping chip to manage this
I used my 3d printer to print a stepper motor bracket that held the stepper motor the same distance from the wall as the original blind mounting bracket did.
I discarded the beaded chain and it's mechanism, and 3d printed an adapter to provide direct drive from the stepper motor to the blind's roller.
PaulS:
Using a motor shield to drive a stepper motor is usually the wrong solution. Get a stepper driver, and do it properly. Then, there won't be pin conflicts.
If you have to ask, you are not ready to do this project. Stepper motors need DC voltage and current. You need a power supply that can deliver DC voltage and current. That power supply will have the right power cable. If you get one for your country, anyway.
What is the WiFi shield for, then?
Yes. RTCs are cheap.
Thanks for the quick reply! - I'll have a look into the Stepper driver now.
I think I confused things by saying I needed a Wifi shield, but then stated the wifi interface would be a future addition. That's all the wifi shield would be for.
JohnLincoln:
I've just started making a similar project.
I used my 3d printer to print a stepper motor bracket that held the stepper motor the same distance from the wall as the original blind mounting bracket did.
I discarded the beaded chain and it's mechanism, and 3d printed an adapter to provide direct drive from the stepper motor to the blind's roller.
I chose to only operate the blind manually.
Got any photos/links to your project - would be nice to compare etc! - I ideally wanted to go flush mounted without the chain, however the blind/holder is butted right up against a wall, so no clearance to add in a motor at the blind roller level.
I'm working on something similar. Does anyone know where I can have my arduino fetch the current date's sunrise and sunset times for a given location? I wanted to parse these parameters in and use them, rather than a set schedule.
cdwilliams1:
I'm working on something similar. Does anyone know where I can have my arduino fetch the current date's sunrise and sunset times for a given location? I wanted to parse these parameters in and use them, rather than a set schedule.
I suggest you use a real time clock such as this and calculate sunrise and sunset times using the sunrise equation.
However you may prefer to have the roller blind open during twilight
I'm having a bit of a hard time finding the right stepper motor driver as per PaulS's reply - a lot of reviews seem to state that boards even branded as Stepper Drivers, are not actually so.
Here are my 2 intended purchases, should these be compatible with the Arduino Uno? :
So far I've got it to work with a 9v batter, however the motor I'm using doesn't seem to have much torque, the window blind is fairly tight and it's struggling to pull the cable to open the blind.
Would upping the power input to 12v help considerably with this matter, or is it likely I've made a mistake somewhere in the setup (code or wiring)?
