Woohoo! Almost a motorised roof!

[rogerg]

Well, after many years of trying to get it implemented....

I have a motor ordered for my roof! :)

I am hoping for installation within 3 weeks, by which stage my AAG cloud/rain/light sensor should have arrived :D Rigging the motor up to the PC and writing a little bit of software to control it may take a little longer but I'll be happy once that's in my hands :)

Stepping up the automation a notch at long last :D

Fingers crossed :)

[Astroman]

congrats, look forward to seeing the result. I have an old Sectional Door Motor controller here waiting to go on my Roll-off. Wont be automated, but at least I will be able to open it via remote handset.

[rogerg]

that is one thing I won't have... an IR remote, decided to save the cash on the antenna :)

These things take a while to eventuate but one day it happens..

[Paul Haese]

Who did you order the motor through Roger? I am looking at this stage next. Just making sure other automation is stable first, but I am keen on gathering information.

[rogerg]

It's one of those "friend of a friend" type situations.

My observatory was originally designed by a person who builds roll-off shade houses and greenhouses for the horticultural industry etc. My family knows him well, he's done a lot of work for them over the years. The same guy is now kindly motorising it for me.

It's not necessarily the cheapest way to go about it as he uses parts which he knows will survive industrial use. Not your cheap eBay stuff.

I'll PM you.

[rogerg]

Motor was installed today :thumbsup:

Due to the power being out most of the day, and my broken ankle, I haven't seen it run yet, but it's all there and apparently working. Once charged it'll have a backup battery so no mains won't be such a problem.

Pics and info to come once I get out there again.

It's only taken ... many years... to get one installed :)

[rogerg]

I just executed my first ever completely hands-off astronomy start to finish:

- Check weather with cloud/rain sensor
- Open roof
- Power on telescope, camera, focuser ... all individually.
- Home telescope
- Slew to target, focus, take photograph
- Park telescope
- Power off telescope, camera, focuser.
- Close roof.

All without leaving the house. Woohoo! :D

(finishing piece in the puzzle was the extra IP power switch unit I collected today and installed this evening)

There is still work to make it all integrated (roof motor to computer, weather check integrated with roof control, scripted control of power switches, etc) but it's getting there.

It all seems so simple in hind sight, but takes years to get there for one reason or another.

[Nico13]

Great work Roger,
Well worth it in the end though I bet and you've just made me and many others jealous.:P

[rogerg]

I make up for it by being jealous of many other peoples astrophotography :)