I would like to mechanically hack a Switchbot Curtain to make it faster. I am hoping to use it to carry a very lightweight object across a theatrical stage along some bent electrical conduit. But, it is much too slow.
My hope is that I might change something inside, such as adding a circuit to half the frequency of an encoder, so it thinks it is going slower than it really is. Or even remove all the electronics, and put something else on it, to control the motors.
But, I can’t get into the thing! After removing the rollers that snap onto the sides, I can see 4 tabs inside. But they are situated so you can’t reach them with a small screwdriver, to lift a tab. I tried putting a small 1/16", bend on the end of a paperclip. But a paperclip is much too thick to fit under a tab.
I imagine I could grind down the tip of the paperclip wire. Though, I wonder if it would actually be strong enough. I may have to get a torch, and use it to bend the tip of a small screwdriver, and then grind it to a point. But, even then, I have two tabs on each side. So, if I go to the trouble of making a tool, I am not at all certain that I can get it open unless I rig up a special device, that can pull on both tabs at once.
Internet searches are not really working for this. After all, the whole purpose of the Switchbot Curtain is to OPEN curtains. So, the word Open is useless in a search.
Thank you very much for that link. I should have said that I have the Switchbot Curtain 2. But, the v3 used the same technique. And your link gave me the search term to use. “Teardown” was the term I was missing in my prior search efforts. With that term, I did find what seems to be more of an industrial look inside an earlier version, but it is not clear if this is the v1 or v2. https://fccid.io/2AKXB-W0701600/Internal-Photos/Internal-photos-4765193 .
The bottom line is that what I thought were snap-tabs, were places for screws. I just needed to lift the label.
Also, attached are some of my own photos. The motor is inside the roller, with 4 neodymium magnets attached to the roller, and a sensor to detect them. So, my simply removing two of the magnets, I would likely be able to double the speed. However, that will certainly draw more power… perhaps more power than it can handle. Still, the system has the ability to sense when the device is blocked from moving. I am guessing that is a current sensor. My hack may introduce more heat to the system. I have no idea if there is a temperature sensor in the motor. But it will hopefully handle my double-speed hack as long as I keep the load very light.
An update. After seeing the magnets and sensor, I decided to just try it with the sensor away from the magnets. I had assumed that it would go as fast as it could. But running with it open, doesn’t change the speed at all. So, I am guessing that the magnets are used only as a counter to know where it is, but not for speed control. I don’t know if the motor is brushed, or brushless. The motor seems to be connected to the circuit board below. And to get that out requires getting the battery out first. But, it didn’t want to come out with moderate force. So, rather than risk damaging it, I decided to go another direction. I may look into modding the v3, or just start from scratch. I was hoping modding the Switchbot Curtain would be a quick and easy thing to do. But, it looks like the easy part is not there. So, starting from scratch may be the best approach.
For future people who want to hack this, to remove the battery, I started by pulling out the “T” shaped piece of plastic between the battery and roller. The “T” came out pretty easily. I also unscrewed the two tiny screws on each side of the battery. Actually, just backed them out about 1/4", and they stayed nicely in place. But, clearly something was underneath holding the motor, and I was concerned that it was soldered directly to a circuit board I think is under the battery and motor.
I have a mechnical problem with my SwitchBot Curtain. I opened it and a lose spring. I replaced it but I do not know there the sprint must be placed. Someone any idea?
It has been quite a while since I posted my pictures. And I didn’t take mine as far apart as you did. The only spring-like thing I recall seeing inside my v2, was there to lift the battery out. It is not a coiled spring.
There are the spring-loaded top rollers on each side, that snap onto the main body. But, I didn’t open my snap-on top rollers. But those springs are not inside the main body on my Switchbot Curtain v2. Perhaps they are on yours?
A very wild guess, is that it may have been there to hold some wires in their place.
