So I have a project in school and I need to create a bag that's expanding and contracting (inflating and deflating)
I thought to put an air pressure machine, like the ones for a car or air beds and connect to the pressure control the arduino, remove the buttons on the machine and connect wires to the mechanism - then code the arduino to turn the air pressure on for a few seconds and then reverse the air pressure to suck the air for a few seconds and reverse it again and again to repeat for about 2 hours;
(I added a picture to illustrate it)
How can I achieve this exactly? Can I simply connect them to a digital output and simply close the circuit somehow every time I want it to be on and turn open it when I want it to be off?
I think you will find your air pressure machine has two reed valves that allow it to suck in air through one valve and then push the air out through a second reed valve.
wolframore:
it's hard to say without knowing the circuitry in the air compressor. I've never seen a reverse for an air compressor...
That's what it said on the box I ordered! I'll post an image of it when I get it in the mail!
Paul_KD7HB:
I think you will find your air pressure machine has two reed valves that allow it to suck in air through one valve and then push the air out through a second reed valve.
Paul
How can I instruct it to rotate a usage of these pipes in pre determined intervals? Just connect the arduino to the on/off switches?
If you could post images or a link to the site where you ordered the thing we can almost certainly be a lot more specific in what may or may not work.
For the deflating, a solenoid may work if your air bag isn't very big, or you don't mind waiting a significant time for it to deflate. They're usually for smallish pipes.
Another option is a shutter in a pipe, quite easy to scale up for quicker deflation. Connect it to a servo, turn it 90° to let the air out. Sure it'll leak a bit but I suppose you won't be using high pressures and as long as the leak is small it's probably not affecting the working of your project.