Project direction help

Projects General Guidance
1

All,

I have a few questions. Some are project related. Some of device selection. Some are about wiring.

The project I’m working on is a box/device the has numerous doors that dispense treats for my grandson once a day. I really want up to 31 doors so that each door could be a chance to learn a new color, shape, animal, etc,

I’m thinking using electromagnetic latches to hold the door close until snack time.

I’d like to use an Arduino UNO. Based on what I want to do above, can it be done with an Arduino?

I’ll need 28 to 31 doors, which means a way to send a single to each to latch that is time to open. IS THIS POSSIBLE FOR A NEWBY?

I started buying few parts to play around with so I could get more familiar with them. I purchased 4 of these.

Next I bought some of these to isolate the Uno from the noise of the solenoids.

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24V Optocoupler Isolation Module High Power Solenoid Valve Relay Drives _ eBay.pdf (1.05 MB)

2

What have You managed to do soo faar?
Start working out how to handle one door. Scaling it up later is no problem.

3

Hi,
Have you googled

arduino advent calendar

Thanks.. Tom.. :slight_smile:

4

Railroader:
What have You managed to do soo faar?
Start working out how to handle one door. Scaling it up later is no problem.

Code for multiple will have a bit different shape/flow than code for one.
It might be better to code for 2 since that uses an array.

Buuuut ---- just getting a door to work is best done just as you say, with one.
That sketch should be tiny, the lines that work the door copied into the latest version of the full sketch.

@OP
31 servos? Try muscle wire to open the doors. It's silent. You run current through it to get it hot.

5

tperry724:
I’m thinking using electromagnetic latches to hold the door close until snack time.

I think small servos would be simpler.

Unless you are planning a door for each day of the month I reckon 31 doors is far too many. 5 or 6 would probably be plenty. Make them so you can slot in a different image if you really do want a large range, but small children like repetition.

...R

6

Thanks all. All good info any i will ready through a few times.

I'm working on one door, and one bottom release chute/tube.

I was going to try one hinged door released by an electromagnetic solenoid. Bought an optcoupler but I cannot get it to work. Can someone sketch out a quick schematic for me?

I really an use the help so if someone has the patience for me out there, i'll take it.

Tony

7

The muscle wire pulls the latch back just as the solenoid should do. Neither should need to hold the door directly, just move the lock bar.

Look into gum machines if you want 1 item at a time to drop, including DIY gum machines on the web. Lots of goodies out there.