pondering ideas while bored at work...

stifler51 · Post by **stifler51** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:32 pm

so, at work i make a ton of special machines for wide range of various applications. Today i was installing some step motors and bearing rails on a machine got me thinking as i was zoning out lol. I was thinking since we have a program to dim the moonlight based on the moon phase, why not have it move from one side of the tank to the other as well, from "moon rise" to "moon set"?

Im just playing around with the idea in my head trying to picture how small or big the step motor would have to be, the ball screw, guide rail, etc etc. I know it has to be small enough so it would be hidden from view and not add too much weight. Which hidden means small and a small step motor may not turn the weight needed.

Any limitations that could hinder this?

rimai · Post by **rimai** » Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:45 pm

I want to see a video of this if it ever gets done

Does your step motor take PWM signals?

binder · Post by **binder** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 12:15 pm

There is someone on here that has a platform that is motorized to move the lights over the tank and off of the tank during feeding modes and water changes. It's just a standard outlet connected to some form of motor to do it though. Then the port is on for a specified amount of time for it to move the platform.

Paul Viscovich · Post by **Paul Viscovich** » Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:29 pm

use cogs and belts the load on the steper would be less I use that in my cnc foam cutter and use a 70 oz steper to move the rails that are connected to then cog or sproket

i would need a 150 to 200 oz stepper to do the same thing with a worm drive

the nice thing with the sprockets is that you can get a larger movment per rotation by just useing a larger sproket i use a 1 inch sproket and toothed belts so no slipage.. i have a bump switch so that if there is every andy slipage in the setup i can send a bump command and just step out till it is triggered then i know my home position

i think that would be simple enough for an arduino to do

you could also use the bump switch idea one on each end and a servo motor modified for 360 deg rotation then use the pwm to control the servo (still using the belts)

Rsmolik · Post by **Rsmolik** » Fri Mar 23, 2012 9:42 pm

The hardest part to overcome depending on the hood or tank setup is having the ball screw etc. in that humid saltwater environment. I agree though the code shouldn't be too bad.

tkeracer619 · Post by **tkeracer619** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 7:18 pm

Coral only sees intensity not direction at the depths the coral is kept. Dimming LEDs is about as close to natural in that aspect as you can get. Moving a halide won't have that effect but it does help expose more of the coral to light. In other words. I would add a moving lights for better coral exposure if you deem it necessary but I would not add it to try and simulate sunrise and set. It will not do that.

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