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16-10-2015, 12:20 PM
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IIS Member #671
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 11,159
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Absco pool pump shed
Hi all,
So, in the limited space we have in our current backyard, the minister for war, finance and treasury has given me the go-ahead to get an Absco pool pump shed.
I've measured my gear and it will fit nicely inside it; the scope will be parked horizontally.
These sheds come with a skillion roof that opens via a hinge mechanism.
Does anyone know what the best way to go about automating the roof will be? I want it to be controlled via ASCOM so that I can integrate it with AAG CloudWatcher.
Can anyone point me in the right direction with regards to what motor/controller and miscellaneous hardware I would need to put it together?
Thanks!
H
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16-10-2015, 12:48 PM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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Me thinks thou shalt talk to Mr. Muhlack. Not sure if Richard's is fully automated, but I believe he is using the Absco shed.
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16-10-2015, 01:24 PM
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IIS Member #671
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 11,159
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Yep, I know he's using the shed, but, I don't think his is automated.
H
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16-10-2015, 01:26 PM
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Novichok test rabbit
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in the cosmos...
Posts: 10,388
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Isn't this what wives are for? Opening shed roofs?
(where is that bomb shelter to hide in...)
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16-10-2015, 01:46 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Posts: 3,950
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Very interested to hear how you go about this H.
cheers
russ
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16-10-2015, 03:36 PM
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Bust Duster
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 4,846
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OOh. Very nice. What are they worth?
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16-10-2015, 06:30 PM
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Narrowfield rules!
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Torquay
Posts: 5,064
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OK, thats interesting H. The controller looks to be right, saves doing all that from scratch, and its ASCOM compliant, bonus.
Linac linear actuators are popular in OZ http://www.linak.com.au/techline/applications.aspx
I had a poke at a clamb shell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs8boe4xruM and used rotary control as I couldnt work out how to use linear actuators. If an actuator opens to vertical, how do you move passed that?. Im a bit thick with mechanicals, im sure the answer is obvious and others will chime in.
One warning. What killed my design stone dead in actual site use, was it was a wind sail. A bit of wind, and things got wobbly and out of control quickly, just when it needed to close with a storm coming. If wind is possible near the shed, open/close it manually on a windy day and check how it behaves/how much energy it takes.
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16-10-2015, 09:48 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1,635
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19-10-2015, 04:13 PM
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IIS Member #671
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 11,159
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Troy, $285 US.
Fred, yep, the Forster people also mentioned that it would be mechanically-impossible after the vertical max position. But, that is OK; in my backyard, to the north is the house and I can't see anything past the meridian, anyway.
Logan, yep, I saw that a while back.
If we move, or if I relocate the scope elsewhere in the backyard, then, I wonder if the roof could be automated with a garage motor and chain/sprocket-type setup?
H
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19-10-2015, 05:56 PM
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Roger
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Woodford,NSW,Australia
Posts: 388
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Counter balance
I can't find where I have seen it done but the starting point is to counterbalance the weight of roof about the hinge then you don't need much force to get it over.
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19-10-2015, 06:21 PM
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Aidan
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,669
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Octane
Troy, $285 US.
Fred, yep, the Forster people also mentioned that it would be mechanically-impossible after the vertical max position. But, that is OK; in my backyard, to the north is the house and I can't see anything past the meridian, anyway.
Logan, yep, I saw that a while back.
If we move, or if I relocate the scope elsewhere in the backyard, then, I wonder if the roof could be automated with a garage motor and chain/sprocket-type setup?
H
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I use an electric gate opener with an arduino to control the opening and closing. I wrote an ascom driver for it too. Cost for the system was around $300 for the gate opener and $10 for the arduino and other minor electronics. The system works flawlessly. while it is not as straight forward as plug and play, i managed to write the code for both the arduino and the ascom driver and i am not a computer engineer. Let me know if you want any more info, happy to share my code and talk about what is possible. the system i developed could easily be packaged up and reused, or minor adjustments to make it work with a different type of roof.
Aidan
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19-10-2015, 11:48 PM
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Professional Nerd
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Strathalbyn, SA
Posts: 916
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Somnium
I use an electric gate opener with an arduino to control the opening and closing. I wrote an ascom driver for it too. Cost for the system was around $300 for the gate opener and $10 for the arduino and other minor electronics. The system works flawlessly. while it is not as straight forward as plug and play, i managed to write the code for both the arduino and the ascom driver and i am not a computer engineer. Let me know if you want any more info, happy to share my code and talk about what is possible. the system i developed could easily be packaged up and reused, or minor adjustments to make it work with a different type of roof.
Aidan
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Now that is the business
H is correct, my absco pool cover sheds are not automated. I don't think that the hinge setup as supplied by absco is particularly well suited to automation - the roof does act like a sail when opening and closing in windy conditions. I have been thinking that a roll-off mod with something like the setup proposed by Aidan might be the way to go (for me) in the future
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19-10-2015, 11:54 PM
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IIS Member #671
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 11,159
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I'm open to all suggestions!
How would we go about converting the roof?
The area where I'm located doesn't get much wind, as it's blocked by the house. But, it is still a consideration.
H
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20-10-2015, 12:02 AM
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Professional Nerd
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Strathalbyn, SA
Posts: 916
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Octane
I'm open to all suggestions!
How would we go about converting the roof?
The area where I'm located doesn't get much wind, as it's blocked by the house. But, it is still a consideration.
H
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I think adding rails for the existing roof to slide on and some wheels, and from there its just like any other ROR design.
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20-10-2015, 10:04 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Geelong
Posts: 788
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I used to use one of these pool pump sheds to house a vixen gpd2 plus vc200l.
I simply hinged the roof as it came in the kit and put a support behind the shed. I simply flipped the roof open and allowed it to rest on the support behind. This stopped the roof going past the hinges travel. Worked fine and was easy to flip.
I would say that it was VERY cramped inside and I would not use it for visual - simply too small.
cheers
Gary
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22-10-2015, 03:40 PM
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IIS Member #671
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 11,159
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Shed ordered. Arrives in two weeks.
H
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22-10-2015, 03:47 PM
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Aidan
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Sydney
Posts: 1,669
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Octane
Shed ordered. Arrives in two weeks.
H
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great stuff, have you figured out how you are going to automate the roof ?
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22-10-2015, 09:11 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Mitcham, Vic
Posts: 313
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This little shed looks very tempting. I was looking forward to building a little timber observatory, but this would be much quicker and cheaper.
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30-10-2015, 12:17 PM
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IIS Member #671
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 11,159
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We've just had an offer on a house accepted.
The shed can be used for something else.
I will build my own roll-off roof observatory, instead.
H
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