Hi all I’m looking for help as this is something new to me.
I’m looking at building a large feeding unit that would be activated by a timer every day for 8 days, rotating 45 degrees everyday. From what I understand (and according to the design I built) I would need a stepper motor, a controler, a timer and power would be from a 6V battery (Energizer) or 6V rechargeable battery. From there I have no clue what to do next (if this is good???). The prototype feeder itself is built, it is just the electronic/robot part I’m trying to figure.
My knowledge of electronic is limited, I’ve always been more the type of person that will figure the mechanic of things.
Any help would be welcome, parts to use, connections, programing…
Outdoor installations require a bit of research and thought before implementing a system. Sub-zero temperatures can, for example, have adverse effects on batteries and some electronics so proper insulation and selection of appropriate technology is suggested.
There are many ways to approach this, but one suggested method would be to use a microcontroller to control the system, actuators to control rotation and dispensing and sensors to provide feedback on the state of the system. Simple limit switches or position encoders can be used for feedback. Although stepper motors can seem simple, if they are manually moved they can get “lost” unless they have a reset point.
Perhaps starting out by splitting this up into subsystems and working on them individually would be a good idea if you are starting out. The microcontroler would take inputs and provide output signals to control the actuators, creating a feedback loop. This will provide the flexibility to do whatever you want. This can be learnt quite rapidly and easily with a microcontroller such as Arduino USB or other:
(if this is good???). The prototype feeder itself is built, it is just the electronic/robot part I’m trying to figure.
