Hello all.
I'm new commer here.
Cause I'm intrested in arduino, though that my following question could be relevant here.
i bough a kholer touchless flush kit, in order so solve ann issue i am having with toilet flushing, plus the conviniance of a touchless feature.
Because this kit use a step motor in order to control the flush, i though i could solve my toilet problem using this kit, thinking i could easily change the timing of the step motor movement.
but, no such a luck.
The kit doesn't have a way to change the timing. I want to make the flopper in the toilet tank to keep it open for 6 or 8 seconds and then let it close.
so, i though cause i am going to start learning arduino, i though this could be my first project.
i already order an arduino pro mini with the usb addition to program it. Im waiting to come.
the size is small enough (arduino pro mini) to fit and replace the control board of tge kholer touchless flush kit.
My request will be to see if someone could guide me, suggest, help me in how to accomplish this idea/project to solve my toilet issue.
thank you beforehand to any comments, suggestions, direction to any material i could read in order to make it happen
I'll bet that uses a very sensitive capacitive touch sensor. You could probably do that with Arduino. The current board probably has a STM8.
I read somewhere (can't remember) that it use a magnetic field!!!
Magnetic field? Makes some sense. Now the biggest question is how to replicate that. Maybe intercept the signal to the actual flush unit. I mean the lever that does the flushing. It might be 6V, the battery makes it look like that. Probably all you will need to connect the flush unit and the Arduino is a diode. But test first.
I was thinking in replacing the touchless sensor and the motor driver controller that are in one small board with an arduino pro mini and anoder small touchless sensod in order to control the timing of the motor.
Does anyone has use or done a project on step motors using and arduino pro mini..?
The touchles sensor (magnetic in this case), im sure some Chinese company makes/sell them, just need to find it.
My particular problem is finding a similar project that can be modefied in order to control the flush timin.
if you know any, please let me know.
just need to be done with the arduino pro mini, that's the one i bought for this particular problem.
Thanks for your comments
Stepper motors with Pro Mini? Look at the SparkFun EasyDriver.
Hello Isaac96...
a question if i may! ! !
Looking the EasyDriver, i see that it is used in addition to the pro mini.
i though that the arduino pro mini will drive a small step motor directly. Is it possible?
That was my impression about this mcu, if there is such a thing, do.you know where can i find that kind of projects.
Thank you
Well, if the motor draws less than 20mA, then that is possible. But that will have to be a very small motor.
If you want to drive a motor directly from the Arduino, look at the Romeo.
http://dfrobot.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=656
Thanks for the feedback isaac96.
i took a look the romeo board, but that's an entirely big board.
What i was thinking when i said to drive the motor directly, i new that the power the pro mini can provide is low, but you always can use ss relays to drive a bigger motor, in this case i suppose could be 5 or 6 volts with at around 200 or 300 miliamps. Rather than using a whole new circuitry. ...
Am I wrong in this kind of idea to drive the motor?
appreciate your feedback and comments.
Well, relays can be large as well. If the motor draws less than 600 mA, you can use a L293.
Will look into it.
Thanks
Man, in Ebay, there is plenty of step motor drives for $0.99 to $100s
I saw a few ones for just a couple bucks.