Popup Props

[TJ Hvasta]

Aye, if'n ya be on USAir sailing wit' a flight number below 700.. truth be told tho.. uf'n ya 'ears a voice o'er th' PA tha' sounds ratha' like Bill Clinton.. tha' would be myself.. don't know why.. I jes' do... P-)

[magish01]

USAir usually what I fly to visit son in Army back in N.C. ONT-PHX-RDU or ONT-PHX-CLT-RDU if'n can't navigate the shorter path.

[Techster]

quick photo

Attached files

 

Heystew,

 

I am looking at adding some pop-ups to my Halloween display, I am thinking of using 12VDC linear actuators but need to reverse the polarity to have the actuator compress after extension.  Not sure if a LOR DC control board would work, what do you think, would you have any suggestions?  Do you let the weight of your light saber rig compress the actuator?

 

If anyone has any ideas, I am open to suggestions, but really do not want to use another air compressor.

 

Sincerely,

Mike 

[TonyD]

Heystew,

 

I am looking at adding some pop-ups to my Halloween display, I am thinking of using 12VDC linear actuators but need to reverse the polarity to have the actuator compress after extension.  Not sure if a LOR DC control board would work, what do you think, would you have any suggestions?  Do you let the weight of your light saber rig compress the actuator?

 

If anyone has any ideas, I am open to suggestions, but really do not want to use another air compressor.

 

Sincerely,

Mike 

 

Would a spring work or would the actuator not be able to overcome that resistance?

[Techster]

TonyD,

Thanks for the idea of the spring, but an electronic linear actuator will not compress when extended, they are designed to stay in place. After doing some research - seems linear actuators are common in cars to raise and lower your window, so if you push down on the window when it is partially open it does not fall down.

I broke out a LOR DC board that I am not using and connected the outputs to relays, and applied power to the relay via an external power supply. I now have it setup so that the LOR DC board energizes the relays allowing current to pass to the actuators via the N.O. circuit which energizes the acuator.

The only thing I have to watch is the current and need to ensure I do not energize the two circuits at the same time, since one relay has opposite polarity of the other.

Regards,

Mike