kevin95695
Member of the Registry
Anyone out there with experience with linear actuator applications?
I want to pimp my reef.
I want to pimp my reef.
Linear actuator experience?
- Thread starter kevin95695
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bored4long
New member
Kevin, what's the application?
bladeruner143
Premium Member
What's linear actuator?
jtarmitage
Active member
Sounds like someone wants an auto lift canopy! I have never used one, but I've thought of it quite a bit.
Bladerunner- a linear actuator is essential a hydrolic rod that extends and retracts. It can be used to lift or lower a variety of things, open and close doors, etc.
Bladerunner- a linear actuator is essential a hydrolic rod that extends and retracts. It can be used to lift or lower a variety of things, open and close doors, etc.
jtarmitage
Active member
LOL! Sweet, custom wave maker!!!!
bladeruner143
Premium Member
Ooohhh! Thanks Jeremy. Sounds very interesting . . .
jtarmitage
Active member
Yeah. I've seen a variety of threads on here where people rig up different ways to raise their canopies out of the way for maintainance, or even just to open and hold up the front of a canopy. The hard part is in the design stage and figuring out how to make it work for your setup, or designing your setup with the actuator in mind in the first place.
kevin95695
Member of the Registry
Yep. Canopy lift. On the current rig I'm using gas struts and I love it. Just thought it would be fun to try an actuator on the 150g, and wanted to talk to somebody who has experience. I know a lot of the car dudes use them to mod custom cars.
Questions include: How do you control speed, how do you adjust length of travel, can you get them in stainless, etc.
Minh's wavemaker sounds fun too...
Questions include: How do you control speed, how do you adjust length of travel, can you get them in stainless, etc.
Minh's wavemaker sounds fun too...
jtarmitage
Active member
I don't know that you can control speed. I think that's preset. From what I read adjusting length of travel is pretty easy, but I've never done it.
Somehow I don't think the mfr will honor the waranty on a tank with this particular wavemaking device!!!
Somehow I don't think the mfr will honor the waranty on a tank with this particular wavemaking device!!!
jtarmitage
Active member
BTW, are you lifting the entire canopy or just the front?
kevin95695
Member of the Registry
I'm planning on doing something very similar to what I have now, but using actuators. I like it for access etc.
This was the build:
RIP Mookie. You will not be forgotten.
This was the build:
RIP Mookie. You will not be forgotten.
bored4long
New member
Kevin, can you provide the specifics for implementing the same thing you did with the gas struts? I'd like to incorporate the exact same design into my new canopy. Most importantly, did you need custom steel brackets? And what struts are those?
kevin95695
Member of the Registry
I had the stock ball mounts welded onto "L" brackets to clear the lights. PM me so we can set up a time for you to come check it out. You can poke at it all you want and I'll answer any questions. The struts are Suspa c16-22150. If you come try the action yourself you can get a feel if it would work the same in your application.
Steve: Good point, hope that works. If so I'll put it on a variable output transformer!
Steve: Good point, hope that works. If so I'll put it on a variable output transformer!
dots
Premium Member
The main problem your going to run into is corrosion to the actuator and possible contamination from this corrosion getting into your tank.
I have been partial to a 4 bar linkage system made out of Stainless or aluminum that could be fitted with a spring. Simmilar to one of those lamps with the spring on it and stay where you want them, but in this type of application where the top can be pushed into any position for access.
For some totally cool mechanical ideas, and a fun distraction from fishnerding......take a look at the Cornell University collection, they even have Solidworks models to playwith. (A little difficult to find, but there are four collections there, a little patience will reveal a gold mine)
http://kmoddl.library.cornell.edu/
I discovered this during a project in my kinematics class, where we were designing a motorcycle lift to fit on the hitch of a car/truck to carry the motorcycle. I said......"buy a truck".
Driving my little Ranger ain't the most comfortable or spacious, but when you need a truck......its worth its weight in gold.......
I have been partial to a 4 bar linkage system made out of Stainless or aluminum that could be fitted with a spring. Simmilar to one of those lamps with the spring on it and stay where you want them, but in this type of application where the top can be pushed into any position for access.
For some totally cool mechanical ideas, and a fun distraction from fishnerding......take a look at the Cornell University collection, they even have Solidworks models to playwith. (A little difficult to find, but there are four collections there, a little patience will reveal a gold mine)
http://kmoddl.library.cornell.edu/
I discovered this during a project in my kinematics class, where we were designing a motorcycle lift to fit on the hitch of a car/truck to carry the motorcycle. I said......"buy a truck".
Driving my little Ranger ain't the most comfortable or spacious, but when you need a truck......its worth its weight in gold.......
kevin95695
Member of the Registry
Doug: Where do you get those 4 bar linkages?
That does sound cool. I think I had a similar idea for the existing tank using the hardware from those coffee tables that glide up into your lap, like some kind of mechanical buffet TV tray... But I never found any that were trim enough to fit the tolerances I had...
Anyway, the whole thing about actuators is some psychological thing that goes back to seeing the Vader-Dome open with a hiss and vapor whisp.
That does sound cool. I think I had a similar idea for the existing tank using the hardware from those coffee tables that glide up into your lap, like some kind of mechanical buffet TV tray... But I never found any that were trim enough to fit the tolerances I had...
Anyway, the whole thing about actuators is some psychological thing that goes back to seeing the Vader-Dome open with a hiss and vapor whisp.
dots
Premium Member
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_bar_linkage
Four bar linkages are all over the place in day to day life. In fact, why I mentioned it, is one could make one with a couple of links and pins.
As cool as some of the motors and electrical is, our application is a both a sensitive one, and a damaging one to hardware. I have had two ordinary fan rust up and sieze in a few months.
Though definatly possible, the cost/benifit ratio isn't there most likely. But please, don't let me talk you out of doing something inovative. I try to work from less to more complex as needed.
I was thinking a four bar linkage would be something you could design and build yourself easily.
Check out that Cornell website if you hadn't already. I have a Kinematic text book if your interested in learning more.
Four bar linkages are all over the place in day to day life. In fact, why I mentioned it, is one could make one with a couple of links and pins.
As cool as some of the motors and electrical is, our application is a both a sensitive one, and a damaging one to hardware. I have had two ordinary fan rust up and sieze in a few months.
Though definatly possible, the cost/benifit ratio isn't there most likely. But please, don't let me talk you out of doing something inovative. I try to work from less to more complex as needed.
I was thinking a four bar linkage would be something you could design and build yourself easily.
Check out that Cornell website if you hadn't already. I have a Kinematic text book if your interested in learning more.
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