linear actuator wiring

**AJ3000** · 09-13-2007, 12:28 PM

ok not sure what department this would be put into, so slamming it in the newbie hoping someone will have some advice for me!

i am trying to build a linear actuator to power my ashtray (which is becoming an iPod dock) i have the motor and so on, which i lifted from an old DVD player tray, but i can only get hold of single pin switches (only designed to swich between lives) and i am trying to find a way to wire this into my power supply and make my actuator work. Now i'm not sure if this is possible, as i can't see how to switch the polarities, and therefore reverse the motor, but if there is a way i'm REALLY keen to find out how! otherwise its a 40 mile round trip to get a 50 pence piece of plastic!

cheers

AJ

**kazzxtrismus** · 09-13-2007, 07:12 PM

2 relays and a power windows switch.
pin switch is a stop switch.
one on negative..... one on positive
one as "tray opened" shutoff
one as "tray closed" shutoff.

basically the same as power windows "auto up" just caveman style.
when the tray is all the way (open or closed) it will hit the switch.
one cuts the posotive to kill the circuit and stop the tray motor
one cuts the negative to kill the circuit and stop the tray motor

power windows switch to 2 relays...1 for in .....1 for out
relay is the switch in the polarity....just swap the wires on one.

if you want full auto get 2 timers between the switch and the relay.
some timers will replace the relay too

**AJ3000** · 09-14-2007, 04:50 AM

ok i'm a total electronics n00b and that kinda makes sense, but not really. i'll add a drawing of the wiring diagram that i know will work, and then show you the switch that i have, and maybe someone can shed some light on this for me.
ok the diagram should work (in theory) and the second pic is the switch i have (which i assume is only for switching between lives??)

nice one!

**AJ3000** · 09-16-2007, 07:57 AM

nobody know? argh this is killing me! i'm so close yet so far away for the sake of a freaking switch!! curse living in a crappy seaside town!!!

**AJ3000** · 09-17-2007, 09:16 AM

UpDaTe!!!

ok so i have fashined a "make-shift" switch which will do for the moment. now have the motor running both ways from the switch, but all running away from the car and not yet linked into the ashtray. now i have ran the motor on both 1.5v and 9v batteries, and i think i need a speed somewhere between the two, so my questions are as follows......

1) where would be the best place to power from on the car? i guess it will be 12v at this point but i'll get to that in a minute.... can i come off the back of the cigarette lighter, or have i got to come through the firewall and onto the battery direct?

and 2) i guess i'll need some form of resistor in the circuit, but do i want it between the positive wire and the switch, or the negative wire and the switch? or does it not matter!

i'm sorry about all these lame *** questions, but i guess i was sleeping in electronics class at school!!

cheerz