Re: Swish Autoglide stuff

["PatrickLidstone" <patrick@xxxxxxx>]

> With corded curtain rail, an Appliance module, a 6V power supply, 
AND
> a ?9.99 alkaline battery powered cordless screwdriver from Argos...
it might
> just work....
> 
> All it needs is a small electronic box of tricks to swap the 
connections to
> screwdriver each time it's powered up from the 6V PSU via the 
appliance
> module. That way A1-ON the curtains open, A1-OFF 10 seconds later.
Then
> A1-ON (connections are reversed) curtains close, A1-OFF. Etc.

The flaw in your grand plan is not the electronics, it's the 
mechanics.

Where do I start?

1) A screwdriver would need either a right angle gear box, or would 
protrude from the wall by 6-8 inches (*)

2) You have to fix it - with or without gearbox - to the wall.

3) I don't have first hand experience of the argos screwdriver in 
question, but doubt it would generate sufficient torque to drive a 
curtain cord without slipping. Curtains are surprisingly heavy.

4) An electric screwdriver's rotational speed is typically of the 
order of a few turns a second. I'm sure you can do the maths 
yourself, but I reckon the that an unmodified screwdriver would take 
around 20 mins to open my curtains. Then again, perhaps that doesn't 
matter.

5) Your home brew electrics + mechanical fixing have to work day in, 
day out 100% reliably to gain SWBO acceptance.

(*) Cue Ant: stories of salvaged wiper motors, victorian window seat 
ergonomics etc.

Of course, YMMV, but sadly this is one of those exceptional areas 
where forking out hard cash for a properly engineered solution is 
right thing to do IMHO.

Patrick



http://www.automatedhome.co.uk
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