Hello, I have very primitive knowledge of Arduino coding and I am looking to write a program to control the automation of a telescopic mast for amateur radio with an Uno board and six relays. The set up includes a winch, two electric actuators and four limit switches. I am looking for help to at the least provide the rough framework, then I can go in and tweak the pins and time delays as needed. The basic premise is that I need a sequence of events to occur after pressing a button (mast up), then a another sequence of events to occur after pressing a second button (mast down). I just have no idea if this can be done with just if statements or maybe something like a switch-case might be needed. Below are the inputs/outputs along with the sequence of events that I need to happen. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! Pin for Switch One---- Mast UP switch Pin for Switch Two---- Mast Down switch Pin for Limit Switch One ----Tilt Up limit switch Pin for Limit Switch Two----Vertical Up limit switch Pin for Limit Switch Three---- Vertical Down limit switch Pin for Limit Switch Four----Tilt Down limit switch Pin for Relay One----Motor Up Pin for Relay Two----Motor Down Pin for Relay Three----Cable clamp on actuator Pin for Relay Four----Cable clamp Off actuator Pin for Relay Five----Base Lock actuator Pin for Relay Six----Base Unlock actuator Sequence #1 Nothing happens and nothing on until: Switch One triggered (HIGH) o Relay one turns on (HIGH) until: limit switch one is triggered (HIGH) o Then: Relay Five turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) o Then: Relay Four Turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) o Then: relay one turns on (HIGH) until: Limit Switch Two is triggered (HIGH) o Then: Relay Three turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) Nothing else should happen (Switch one is still triggered (HIGH)) Sequence #2 Switch One turned off (LOW) (nothing should happen) Switch Two is triggered (HIGH) o Relay Four turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) o Then: Relay Two turns on (HIGH) until: Limit Switch Three is triggered (HIGH) o Then: Relay Three turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) o Then: Relay Six turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) o Then: Relay Two turns on (HIGH) until: Limit Switch Four is triggered (HIGH) Nothing else should happen (Switch one can go to (LOW) with no action

Always show us a good schematic of your proposed circuit. Show us good images of your ‘actual’ wiring as you progress. Give links to components. Do you know what code blocking, delay() is ? Do you know what a State Machine is ? Google the above. Some things for you to review. [image] Share tips you have come across General Electronics Arduino links of interest. How to use this forum: Example sketches: https://docs.arduino.cc/built-in-examples/ Getting started: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide https://docs.arduino.cc/learn/ Basics of C++ on an Arduino Arduino Programming Course Programming course Listing of downloadable 'Arduino PDFs' : Either Google >>>- - - - > arduino filetype: pdf Or click the link immediately below: 100s of PDFs for Arduino [Arduino MASTERCLASS | What can Arduino do? PART …

[image] mcderomedi: Any help would be greatly appreciated! Hello mcderomedi I have read the system description. My recommendation is to programme a monitoring function for the limit switches in case they are defective due to an accident.

[image] mcderomedi: Switch One triggered (HIGH) o Relay one turns on (HIGH) until: limit switch one is triggered (HIGH) o Then: Relay Five turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) o Then: Relay Four Turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) o Then: relay one turns on (HIGH) until: Limit Switch Two is triggered (HIGH) o Then: Relay Three turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) Nothing else should happen (Switch one is still triggered (HIGH)) Here's a simple, brain-dead implementation of that. The problems will arise once you start using it and see that stuff needs to change :wink: Assuming everything is setup properly: // Switch One triggered (HIGH) while (digitalRead(SW_1) != HIGH); // Relay one turns on (HIGH) until: limit switch one is triggered (HIGH) digitalWrite(RLY_1, HIGH); while (digitalRead(LIMIT1) != HIGH); // Then: Relay Five turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) digitalWrite(RLY_5, HIGH); delay(8000); digitalWrite(RLY_5, LOW); // Then: Relay Four Turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) digitalWrite(RLY_4, HIGH); delay(8000); digitalWrite(RLY_4, LOW); // Then: relay one turns on (HIGH) until: Limit Switch Two is triggered (HIGH) digitalWrite(RLY_1, HIGH); while(digitalRead(LIMIT2) != HIGH); // Then: Relay Three Turns on (HIGH) for 8 seconds, then turns off (LOW) digitalWrite(RLY_3, HIGH); delay(8000); digitalWrite(RLY_3, LOW); // Nothing else should happen (Switch one is still triggered (HIGH)) while (digitalRead(SW_1) == HIGH); Have fun...

[image] paulpaulson: My recommendation is to programme a monitoring function Yes. Maybe also have extra switches that remove power as a hardware fallback situation.

Um, maybe I am missing something, but what are all the delays for. The limit switches need to be checked 'frequently' as in every pass thru the main loop with NO delays.

The delays are exactly what the TO asked for in the first post..

Thank you to everyone who posted suggestions and help! I'm working on a schematic of my wiring and hope to post that shortly. In the meantime I've included my rough drawing of the setup. From the comments, it sounds like I need a state machine, but with my limited knowledge I'm struggling to understand how I get that to work. I'll be doing more reading to hopefully figure it out on my own, but any more tips would be greatly appreciated! Mast Drawing.pdf (332.4 KB)

To those that emailed me that i put this in the wrong section of "jobs and paid consultancy". If I cant fugure this out on my own, yes, im willing to pay someone to help me or do it for me, because i ultimately have a deadline. Problem is im already over budget by $2k.. and this is a personal project. Hence I'll take any advice and/or i am looking for someone who knows what they're doing and willing to make $50 to help someone whos trying to learn but cant dedicate the time to do so right now. Thanks again to everyone who has added valuable input!

"Help" is not the same as "Do this for me" "Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime" The first part equals "pay somebody to make your thing happen", the second part translates to "learn (arduino) programming". Pick your poison.

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LarryD January 29, 2025, 5:01pm 2

Always show us a good schematic of your proposed circuit.
Show us good images of your ‘actual’ wiring as you progress.
Give links to components.

Do you know what code blocking, delay() is ?
Do you know what a State Machine is ?

Google the above.

Some things for you to review.

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