Automating your canopy/light rack using actuators....

[Guest]

Hello BAR DIYers....

I've been playing with linear actuators for a while and trying to incorperate them into my refecltor/light racks. Until now my current use wouldn't be able to be applied to my next larger tank. Today I finally got the solution I've been looking for....track actuators

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11951647#post11951647

Here is what Untamed12 from Canada posted on Reef Central:

Here's the link to the Firgelli track actuators Untamed12 used:

http://www.firgelliauto.com/default.php?cPath=104

Here's a link to the linear actuators I have, tubular linear actuators:

http://www.firgelliauto.com/default.php?cPath=89

Once I design mine out I will post detailed pics and drawings

 

[tuberider]

Error on the second link, interesting though...

 

[sfsuphysics]

Is that automate as in move up and down? I know a few of the RC people actually have "light movers" which move the light across the tank throughout the day, I'm guessing so that there are no hot spots on corals.

Although this is some great stuff too, I can't recall how many times I've burnt the back of my hand working under a SE MH bulb!

 

[GreshamH]

Light movers are useful, a place I worked at used them over our coral vats back when fragging wasn't the norm They tend to come back and whack you in the head when your working in the tank though. Not fun

This is to lift your reflector rack/canopy up/down

Both links work for me, dunno why they don't for you Jeremy

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Mike, one is for whacking you in the back of the head. The other is for whacking you on top of the head

 

[GreshamH]

No need for pain in reefing unless you are into that sort of thing then by all means make your tank hurt you

Just be sure to set a safety word with it

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Hehe... now that's a whole nother forum you talking

 

[GreshamH]

Yah and my friends wife used to run one of those While not my cup o tea you would be amazed at how many it is

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Ok, now I know what the rack in your pic really is for

 

[FinalPhaze987]

haha...our safety word for today is "acropora".. now unplug that ground probe and throw in the faulty heater!

 

[GreshamH]

[quote author=Mr. Ugly link=topic=3190.msg35341#msg35341 date=1204093763]
Ok, now I know what the rack in your pic really is for
[/quote]

I don't claim credit for those pics, I just linked them from Untamed12's post on RC (see link in first post)

 

[sfsuphysics]

I guess if you're that into staring at your corals you can very easily get bonked in the head either from the side or above, word of safety advice, look from the sides not the top

 

[tuberider]

Don't you guys wear helmets? SOP for us service guys, that and a very short bus drops us off at our accounts.

 

[GreshamH]

Wait, you hose sucking algae scrubbers need helmets

 

[jhale]

Gresham that's pretty impressive stuff.
I'll be really impressed when I see your tank and you whip out the remote http://www.firgelliauto.com/default.php?cPath=100

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Gresh's canopy smacks him in the head when the neighbor uses the garage opener

 

[jhale]

ouch, I would not want a nice hot halide to touch my head.

I like the idea. It changes how you can hang the lights, and it would
allow you to get some nice top down shots with the lights out of the way.

I'd like to use them over a free standing rimless tank with a light grid. add in the remote
and your pimping (insert pimp smiley here)

 

[GreshamH]

It comes with a wired controller, but you can get the remote cheaply for it. I got the remote for the linear actuator so I have one that will work.

Originally I got it to serve multiple purposes. It was/still is going to be wired to my PLC so that if it gets too hot, the light rack will raise and or the doors will open. I also wanted to play with raising/lowerring during the light cycle to get a different light spread thru out the day.

 

[jhale]

the doors will open? now your getting much too fancy

if it can be done you could simulate sunrise and sunset by raising and lowering the lights, you would probably need a lot of height above the tank.

 

[GreshamH]

10" (actuator travel) + 4" (actuator body) + 9" (reflector)

The canopy would raise/lower as well as the light rack. The doors wouldn't open. That was for a system that was connected to the roof. I have an animated gif some place of how it all worked.