Agribot II

Agribot II

Flashback to linear actuators! We've harvested this two relay system with actuator from the Chickenator(since the chickens have figured out how to open their own coop in the morning). We're planning to use this to drive the front loader shovel on the agribot.  We have no idea how well it will work, but we hope to get this 4 cubic foot bucket in on Wednesday to start experiments.  We've decided against the pruning attachment after a few simple experiments resulted in the destruction of some otherwise healthy vines.  We'll focus on shoveling compost/mulch/etc. and fumigating for now ;)

Power relays have a normally open(NO) and normally closed(NC) contact. Int the above wiring, We've connected the NC to NO contact of one relay and connected this to ground.  We've connected the remaining NC to NO contact of the power relays together and to 6V.  The center taps of the power relays are connected to the positive and negative terminals of the linear actuator.  The linear actuator is driven by a DC motor which turns a screw that pushes or pulls a smaller rod through a larger diameter piece of metal. We've connected pin 2 and pin 15 to the inputs of each power relay.

put 2 0

put 15 100

causes the linear actuator to move in one direction until it's limiter switch turns it off.

put 2 100

put 15 0

causes the linear actuator to move in the opposite direction until it's limiter switch turns it off.

(if both pin2 and pin15 have the same PWM(pulse width modulated) voltage - nothing happens)