Blog ≫ 2013 ≫ I never did mention my DIY automated blinds here

I have this1 retrofit powered blinds controller for my automated blinds, a very nice forty quid solution that will fit to existing blinds that have a chain / string. We have it in the playroom / garage conversion, and it's using my code2 to automatically open and close at certain times... I have dropped in google calendar events saying "open the blinds" and "close the blinds" but I could just as easily have set them to open and close at sunrise / sunset using ifttt.com recipes say, or just used the light sensor that came with them to turn the power on when it gets dark. I wanted more control than that though.

This is a fairly basic motor, all it will do it start turning one way when power is applied, then stop when it hits the end of its run. Then turn the other way when power is applied next time, and stop again. So you have to be sure to turn it off when it has finished doing what you need. I solved this by controlling it with a "sequence" - power on, pause 3 seconds, power off. That little quirk, and the physical size of it are the only downsides. Apart from that the fact you can fit it to your existing blinds and it is only forty quid1 make it a winner.

Hmm google plus is really trying to steer me away from picasaweb now. How do I embed my images now? How do I search and tag? Google plus you are annoying me...

Here are the blinds I have automated:

and here is the gadget I have automated them with

I fitted this about six months ago but didn't talk about it as Clare told me not to touch the blinds or curtains... I fitted this secretly and waited for her to notice. She did not, so I owned up after three months. As it hadn't caused chaos in that time, I'm all good, and allowed to keep it.

What should I automate next?

UPDATE: @maidbloke asked me on the twitter3:

Your blinds at http://bit.ly/1bt6kGi they have a limit switch so why the timing required? And can you manually pull cord?

So, no I can't manually pull the cord. I don't think. A compromise for such a cheap solution. And I turn the power off again so I know what state the blinds are in. I know default state of the power to the blinds is off, so when I sent "on" I know it is going to make the blinds move. I suppose I could send "off - on - off" in my sequence just in case someone has changed the switch by some other means, otherwise if the blinds are "on" when I think they're off, and my timer says "open the blinds (send power to the blind motor)" then the blinds will not actually move...

⬅️ :: ➡️

Paul Clarke's blog - I live in Hythe near Folkestone. Married + dad to two, I'm a full-stack web engineer, + I do js / nodejs, some ruby, other languages etc. I like pubs, parkrun, eating, home automation and other diy jiggery-pokery, history, genealogy, Television, squirrels, pirates, lego, and TIME TRAVEL.