I want to build a simple heat/vent controller to replace the one in my old car. I am using 4 solenoid valves to acuate, left vent, right vent, defrost, and modulate the heat valve from low to high. The system is 12 volts. I want to incorporate a pot on my old rotary control so I can use position information to signal my Arduino nano to control the valves. I have purchased the valves, they draw .3 amps @ 12V and I will use my existing vacuum actuators.
Can someone design this circuit so I can build it? I tried ChatGPT and Gemini and they have been helpful but I think I need a print. I did get code from Gemini that may work also. I have no experience other than shorting out electronics from time to time!
The forum is not a free design house or free code shop unless you post in the Paid category. You might want to google what the average pay is for IT professionals now, you may be shocked.
Um . . . ..
Short Answer: No
Long Answer:It takes time to design circuits, effort, and a lot of patience. Making cricut designs isn't just a pop it into ChatGPT.
The pay is shocking, and lots of computer repair shops can´t afford to keep the doors open (Especially with the "disposable trend").
Shocking is putting it mildly. I retired 21 years ago and made close to 1/2 a mil the last year but now even fairly inexperienced guys are making 1/2 to 3/4 mil.
Your best bet is to find someone who has already done something similar. Study their work and if you can ask questions even better. Read the Arduino Cookbook and the Electronics Cookbook first and maybe you will have what you want in a few years.
How old is your old car?
What is your old car?
What do you mean by "replace controller etc"?
Most "old" cars simply had rods, cables, leviers and knobs.
They didn't have anything like microcontrollers to do the work.
Of course, a microcontroller could do it, and probably better, but you might still have to find ways to bridge the old and the new.
When I say better, you can incorporate better temperature sensing and control. You could look at cabin temperature, outside temperature, coolant temperature and adjust accordingly.
The Nano can control valves, servos, motors etc., but not directly as has been mentioned.
In an old car, there could be a lot of electrical noise, voltage dropouts.
You will have to "harden" the Nano.
Be aware that things like voltage regulators come in automotive grades.
Only you can design the circuit unless you can find a schematic online or a Haynes Manual.
If your knowledge of electronics and coding is limited, you have a long hill to climb.
But, it is doable, with a lot of effort.
Take time to see what you can find online.
Quite often it's a case of cobbling together a number of things.
I'm thinking of doing the same, but with a washing machine.
Not with the broken one, though, as all the useful bits have been pulled out.
The old stainless steel drum is now a fine outdoors gas cooker, plus a bucketful of valves , pumps, very fine 3-phase motor, pressure switches, solenoid valves.......
Thank you Jim. I think I am close with the help of AI but I need a double check. Can you send me your email and I will send you some documents that I have so far.
I have a 1960 Lincoln Continental with a rotary vacuum controller for the heat and vent system. The car has vacuum actuators at the various doors and a vacuum actuated water valve to modulate the hot water to the heater cores.
The vacuum controller was made for 1 year only with tiny brass and bonded rubber valves that don't work anymore.
I plan to install 4 solenoid valves, 3 for door controls (on/off) and one PWM modulated for hot water valve to give me warm-hot. The controller is rotary so I plan to put a pot on the back of it and send position information to the nano which will control the 4 valves.
I have ordered a lot of parts already including the, Power supply, valves, Arduino, MOSFETs, resistors, capacitors and diodes. I think I have it nearly nailed down on the hardware. Just need someone to put it into a schematic I can follow. Specifically I need details on the MOSFET circuits with resistors and noise suppression. I can't get a good diagram from AI yet. I have code written by AI which I think is pretty good.
I have a 1960 Lincoln Continental with a rotary vacuum controller for the heat and vent system. The car has vacuum actuators at the various doors and a vacuum actuated water valve to modulate the hot water to the heater cores.
The vacuum controller was made for 1 year only with tiny brass and bonded rubber valves that don't work anymore.
I plan to install 4 solenoid valves, 3 for door controls (on/off) and one PWM modulated for hot water valve to give me warm-hot. The controller is rotary so I plan to put a pot on the back of it and send position information to the nano which will control the 4 valves.
I have ordered a lot of parts already including the, Power supply, valves, Arduino, MOSFETs, resistors, capacitors and diodes. I think I have it nearly nailed down on the hardware. Just need someone to put it into a schematic I can follow. Specifically I need details on the MOSFET circuits with resistors and noise suppression. I can't get a good diagram from AI yet. I have code written by AI which I think is pretty good.
To get help, post your code using either IDE/Edit/Copy for Forum (Markdown) or use the <code/ > button above.
Post a complete list of the parts you have and a photo of the hand-drawn wiring diagram you have, even if you think it is incorrect. It will be much easier to change/edit/make corrections than to start from scratch.
BTW, the secret with AI is to give it long, detailed prompts. By long, I mean half a screen. Just do a brain dump and let it do the heavy lifting. At least we will have a start . I am referring to the hardware side since you have the code.
Lincoln Continental 1960.
My experience is Ford Prefect through to VW Caddy.
It sounds doable but don't rush to get loads of parts.
MOSFETs are easy, but get the right ones to suit the Nano, i.e. logic level. Or use a MOSFET driver chip.
As said before, you'll need to protect the MCU from old car electrics.
MOSFETs will need protection from valves etc.
PWM isn't a problem.
You might need an encoder rather than a pot. You could use a pot for temperature control.
The heat controls in the Caddy are one for temperature, continuous, not stepped and stepped for selecting direction of flow. Also stepped for blower speed.
If I were you, I'd tackle this bit by bit, it's too complicated to do in one hit.
Use some of the examples in the IDE and as mentioned, Arduino Cookbook is very useful.
Good luck.
