LawrenceDriveLights
Senior elf
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2018
- Messages
- 582
Hi all, we have had a request on how we modified these static Bunnings penguins to move or "dance" to xLights sequences.
Here is a sneak peek of them in action
View: https://youtu.be/twy_OrXRCnU
and another sneak peek of them in action
View: https://youtu.be/xkaoHeDHdQE
Background
We was looking to try and add some daytime elements to out display as we are located in Tasmania it doesn't get fully dark to after until 9:00 pm and wanted something for the younger family's to enjoy as part of our display before it was to late for them.
We noticed these Bunnings Glitter penguins for sale at Bunnings (similar to Home Depot for our USA members).
They are a static prop fitted with solar powered fairy lights.
View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/yz252yv2lupza2x/Photo%2023-9-20%2C%203%2008%2000%20pm.jpg?dl=0
And meant to look something like this according to the Bunnings catalogue.
View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8sl9kelxwch94ak/Photo%2031-10-20%2C%2012%2055%2002%20pm.jpg?dl=0
Well initially was thinking about making them move / dance if that didn't happen was just going to add some pixels to them and sequence as per normal.
After some usual banter / chat with some ACL members a plan was hatched on how to control and move them with use of a DC controller and 12V motors (more on this later).
Next step was to come up with a mechanism to make their wings flap, as they didn't have any mechanism as originally just meant as a static prop.
This involved a combination of some rough DIY and a rotary to linear motion mechanism and 3D printed hinges etc. I did take some trial and error to sort this out and still not perfect but it sort of works as I wanted.
Here is a quick video showing the flapping mechanism / wiper motor and controlled via xLights (note a couple of things changed for final design but essentially same concept).
View: https://youtu.be/R1m4QDfrLmw
Then the idea to have them swaying back and forth or pivoting was needed.
This was actually simple with the use of a lazy susan bearing underneath the marine ply base plate and a very simple linkage to another wiper motor.
Regarding the use of wiper motors, some suggested alternative methods for example linear actuators or servos.
I decided to use the 12V wiper motors as they had a inbuilt park mechanism so the movement would reset that don't require external limit switches etc, they are semi waterproof (but I have since fitted some coro over them to add a little bit of extra protection), they happened to available as a bulk purchase appeared on Ebay and I wanted to keep them all the same and didn't want to wait for shipping from the usual Chinese sellers due to limited time frame to build etc.
Also the wiper motors have a high amount of torque and hopefully suited to constant operation (well fingers crossed)
However there is probably better and more efficient ways of achieving the same outcome use other type of rotary motors / actuators etc.
How I am controller the wiper motors
Using a DC control board similar to a pixel2things board or in this case a Hanson electronics DC board (as I already had it left over from another project).
This DC control board receives the pixel data from the xLights sequence and with the use of simple say red on effect it can switch say 12V power.
In the above video I was just using a Raspberry pi and pihat controller but in final build I am using a Falcon differential receiver board connected to our main Falcon controller which I am also using to control and power the pixels we fitted to the penguins.
We used the output from the DC controller to switch 12v automotive relays due to the high start up current draw of the wiper motors as this would exceed to limits on the DC board.
Now just to make things more complicated we wanted to control each penguin individually so we could sequence each one separately, but mostly have sequenced as a group (but hopefully with some more time we will sequence them individually to add to the dancing effects.
Here is how they look during the day as part of our 2020 Xmas display layout.
View: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bwcelxx37sqog8g/Photo%207-12-20%2C%205%2006%2020%20pm%20%281%29.jpg?dl=0
and another pic of the inside of them showing the mechanisms etc before the extra coro "waterproofing was fitted".
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dgu3x87j8frw32q/Photo 3-11-20, 10 53 03 pm.jpg?dl=0
And another video we did of one as part of testing them
https://youtu.be/PT5OnGDVmCk
Have to say thanks to ACL members in particular @burnt for some helping me fix up my wiper motor wiring and to the ACL members who have put up with me on making heaps of noise drilling etc whilst hanging out on zoom etc.
Anyway that is a quick summary of how they work and hope it inspires you to try something similar for your display
Here is a sneak peek of them in action
View: https://youtu.be/twy_OrXRCnU
and another sneak peek of them in action
View: https://youtu.be/xkaoHeDHdQE
Background
We was looking to try and add some daytime elements to out display as we are located in Tasmania it doesn't get fully dark to after until 9:00 pm and wanted something for the younger family's to enjoy as part of our display before it was to late for them.
We noticed these Bunnings Glitter penguins for sale at Bunnings (similar to Home Depot for our USA members).
They are a static prop fitted with solar powered fairy lights.
And meant to look something like this according to the Bunnings catalogue.
Well initially was thinking about making them move / dance if that didn't happen was just going to add some pixels to them and sequence as per normal.
After some usual banter / chat with some ACL members a plan was hatched on how to control and move them with use of a DC controller and 12V motors (more on this later).
Next step was to come up with a mechanism to make their wings flap, as they didn't have any mechanism as originally just meant as a static prop.
This involved a combination of some rough DIY and a rotary to linear motion mechanism and 3D printed hinges etc. I did take some trial and error to sort this out and still not perfect but it sort of works as I wanted.
Here is a quick video showing the flapping mechanism / wiper motor and controlled via xLights (note a couple of things changed for final design but essentially same concept).
View: https://youtu.be/R1m4QDfrLmw
Then the idea to have them swaying back and forth or pivoting was needed.
This was actually simple with the use of a lazy susan bearing underneath the marine ply base plate and a very simple linkage to another wiper motor.
Regarding the use of wiper motors, some suggested alternative methods for example linear actuators or servos.
I decided to use the 12V wiper motors as they had a inbuilt park mechanism so the movement would reset that don't require external limit switches etc, they are semi waterproof (but I have since fitted some coro over them to add a little bit of extra protection), they happened to available as a bulk purchase appeared on Ebay and I wanted to keep them all the same and didn't want to wait for shipping from the usual Chinese sellers due to limited time frame to build etc.
Also the wiper motors have a high amount of torque and hopefully suited to constant operation (well fingers crossed)
However there is probably better and more efficient ways of achieving the same outcome use other type of rotary motors / actuators etc.
How I am controller the wiper motors
Using a DC control board similar to a pixel2things board or in this case a Hanson electronics DC board (as I already had it left over from another project).
This DC control board receives the pixel data from the xLights sequence and with the use of simple say red on effect it can switch say 12V power.
In the above video I was just using a Raspberry pi and pihat controller but in final build I am using a Falcon differential receiver board connected to our main Falcon controller which I am also using to control and power the pixels we fitted to the penguins.
We used the output from the DC controller to switch 12v automotive relays due to the high start up current draw of the wiper motors as this would exceed to limits on the DC board.
Now just to make things more complicated we wanted to control each penguin individually so we could sequence each one separately, but mostly have sequenced as a group (but hopefully with some more time we will sequence them individually to add to the dancing effects.
Here is how they look during the day as part of our 2020 Xmas display layout.
and another pic of the inside of them showing the mechanisms etc before the extra coro "waterproofing was fitted".
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dgu3x87j8frw32q/Photo 3-11-20, 10 53 03 pm.jpg?dl=0
And another video we did of one as part of testing them
https://youtu.be/PT5OnGDVmCk
Have to say thanks to ACL members in particular @burnt for some helping me fix up my wiper motor wiring and to the ACL members who have put up with me on making heaps of noise drilling etc whilst hanging out on zoom etc.
Anyway that is a quick summary of how they work and hope it inspires you to try something similar for your display
Last edited:
i bet it’s a fav with all the fans
