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Model Elevator Control Circuit - PLEASE HELP!


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Hi There -
I wonder if any of you out there can help me out? I'm a modelmaker who's been asked to feature a working elevator (or lift if you're in the UK like me) in a 1/12 scale model house.

As I know next to nothing about electronics I wondered if there was a simple way (using a circuit) to control one? What I want to acheive is to enable the elevator to be moved via an up button and a down button on the model base. It would also need to have a switch or sensor to stop it at the bottom (when going downwards) and at the top (when going up).

The model has three floors - a basement, a ground floor, and a first floor. If moving from the basement upwards for instance, it isn't necessary that the elevator automatically stops at the middle floor (I thought it would be fun for the user to have to time their use of the two buttons).

If anyone thinks they can help - please remember that I am a novice - so the simpler the solution the better........

Many thanks, Dan.

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Hi Nickolas -

I'm sure you're suggestion is a good one - although I really wouldn't know how to incorporate these into a control system.....

My (mechanical) ideas involved something similar - I thought about making my own leaf switches, but I didn't know how once the elevator triggered a switch (stopping the elevator), it would allow the power to the winching motor to be  reversed so that the elevator could then be manually switched to travel in the opposite direction.

Any further thoughts?

Dan.

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Hi Dan

sounds like a fun project.

To be honest, if I were designing this, I'd use a combination of a stepper motor/gearbox and microcontroller.  The stepper would give you precise control over speed (presumably moving at 1/12 speed?) and the microcontroller would allow the use of some sophistication in switches and lift positioning.

What's the timescale?

Best of Luck

Ed

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The stepper would also have holding torque but it is a bit more complicated to drive. Gear reduction would also help (it would multiply the effects of friction so that the motor wouldn't rotate with the power off).

dandesign I'll draw a schematic later, I have to see the Champions League final now...

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Here's a simple elctromechanical solution. It would be better if Stop1 and Stop2 where two N.C. contacts on the same physical switch. The two microswitches can be connected in series with the two Stop swiches. Since (AFAIK) there aren't any three contact relays, you can use the extra contact to connect two LEDs for the Up and Down lights (arrows).

As I said above, unless there's a quite big reduction ratio, the elevator's weight will make the motor rotate and return to the basement. You could use a brake device of some kind.

Now for a more comlicated solution with a stepper etc I think someone else should contribute since I'm a newb in electronics too.

P.S. What a game!!!

post-3475-14279142256039_thumb.jpg

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  • 8 months later...

hi there i read ur project last year n it sounds interesting but right now i want to built it for my university project in my miond i want to control the cabin with a motor conected through gears n input to motor is given my power amplifier which is governed by microcontroller but how to impolement i'm confused can u plz help

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