Quite some time has passed since I automated my manual filter wheel, so now I write the article. I built this one mainly for fun, I could afford the (overpriced) automated version.
The specifications behind the whole idea
- automate the manual filterwheel — without modifying the wheel itself, revert the changes should I get bored or if anything goes south
- make it fail gracefully: the DC motor can be driven by anything outputting around 5V, a manual H-bridge and a couple of AAA batteries for example. Experience: the first version with the encoder failed due to the intense sunlight — hence duct tape and a paper cover of the window were added. Failing gracefully meant disconnecting the logic and connecting the manual H-bridge. No observation wasted.
- make it compatible with my existing gear (the soapbox and the noszogtató)
