previously not having much of a clue i bought a stepper motor to wind a chicken coop door up and down, it has been working well but i am a little worried because i have it powered off when it is holding it up the door to preserve the batteries and it's a bit of miracle that it is holding it up at all considering how tiny it is, so i was wondering if the dc motor is the best for conserving batteries i've searched the internet seems like it is but i thought i better check here first before i buy, i have a 20w solar panel, 12v 9ah lead acid battery providing the power.
Without knowing the mechanical arrangements you have - how the motor is connected to the door - it is hard to comment. A stepper motor that is turned off uses the same amount of energy as a DC motor that is turned off.
With a DC motor the usual thing would be the use of non-reversible gearing - usually a worm drive - so that the load won't slip when the motor is depowered. The same arrangement would work with a stepper motor.
Normally stepper motors are used where very precise movements are required - such as in 3D printers.
...R
Use a dc motor with a worm type gearbox - it will hold position when the power is off
hammy:
Use a dc motor with a worm type gearbox - it will hold position when the power is off
I would agree if the OP was starting over. But he already seems to have a solution that holds position with the power off.
...R
He's using a 28BYJ-48, the 64:1 gear drag is holding the door up.
https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=648391.msg4373344#msg4373344
Reply #10.
JCA34F:
He's using a 28BYJ-48, the 64:1 gear drag is holding the door up.
I am inclined to the old adage "If it works, don't fix it"
@jumpingjimmy, why have you started a new Thread when all the info about your project is already in your other Thread on the same Project. Please click Report to Moderator and ask to have the Threads merged so we don't have to jump between them to see the whole story.
...R
Robin2:
I am inclined to the old adage "If it works, don't fix it"@jumpingjimmy, why have you started a new Thread when all the info about your project is already in your other Thread on the same Project. Please click Report to Moderator and ask to have the Threads merged so we don't have to jump between them to see the whole story.
...R
hi the famous robin i saw your posts from years ago a lot when looking up info on steppers ...and i didn't think bumping an old thread was looked upon too kindly and to be honest i saw them as separate, the other topic i had a specific question about the power usage of a stepper motor i am using per a rotation which allowed me to buy the battery, as opposed to here im asking more generally which is the most efficient motor. and unless these mods are paid per each thread they merge i wouldn't dare ask such a thing even tho you are probably pissed reading both.
Robin2:
Without knowing the mechanical arrangements you have - how the motor is connected to the door - it is hard to comment. A stepper motor that is turned off uses the same amount of energy as a DC motor that is turned off.With a DC motor the usual thing would be the use of non-reversible gearing - usually a worm drive - so that the load won't slip when the motor is depowered. The same arrangement would work with a stepper motor.
Normally stepper motors are used where very precise movements are required - such as in 3D printers.
...R
i am using a pulley with fishing line and it vertically lifts and holds it but i don't mind changing it if there are safer options, i've seen a leadscrew mentioned and you mention a swinging servo door years ago. would the dc motor need to be switched off? the vibe i was getting from reading the forum and some replies to me was that stepper was the worst choice because they use a lot of energy even when stationary and that i was switching it off might just hold it but it is an unreliable way of holding up the door.
hammy:
Use a dc motor with a worm type gearbox - it will hold position when the power is off
the stepper holds too but i was given the impression this is not a safe thing to be doing with it off, does it use too much power in its resting state that i'd need to switch it off? given how people were going on about the stepper i thought that it might be unique to the stepper.
this is what i found on ebay what do you think it looks like the right price any more expensive would start to be a worry. im also not totally sure how to use the encoder with pwm there's plenty of examples to modify the speed or direction of a motor but almost none on controlling the distance or amount of rotations. i was gonna start a new thread on it actually @robin2 :-\
JCA34F:
He's using a 28BYJ-48, the 64:1 gear drag is holding the door up.
trying to work out how much power a 28byj-48 stepper motor uses - #2 by JCA34F - Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC - Arduino Forum
Reply #10.
hi old friend, yes it's tiny, you wouldn't think it has that ratio it sounds big (even though i don't have a clue if it is)
jumpingjimmy:
the stepper holds too but i was given the impression this is not a safe thing to be doing with it off,
Safe in what sense? If the motor can hold the load without power then where is the problem?
The motors in your Ebay link would probably also be suitable - but I repeat, if the present arrangement is working, why change it?
...R
Robin2:
Safe in what sense? If the motor can hold the load without power then where is the problem?The motors in your Ebay link would probably also be suitable - but I repeat, if the present arrangement is working, why change it?
...R
safe as in... im dealing with pets and it has to do it over and over again and if it fails they would be in harms way. so if there's something i can do to make it more reliable why not. and while it holds it you do get the feeling it just holds.
and because the comments i was getting and read were that the stepper was a bad idea for battery life, for that general type of application and that switching it off would remove it's ability to hold any weight at all, so i assumed there was a more obvious solution but maybe as you say there isn't.
The obvious solution is to use a worm drive gearbox, which will hold a load without power.
jumpingjimmy:
and that switching it off would remove it's ability to hold any weight at all, so i assumed there was a more obvious solution but maybe as you say there isn't.
It would be very easy to temporarily put an extra weight on the door to determine if the present arrangement has a suitable safety margin or if it is on the verge of slipping.
...R