Shuttle Circuit, Programmable in DC?

[Ray Von]

Hi all, I'm thinking of adding a simple automatic shuttle circuit board to my shelf layout.

The issue I'm unsure of is - can such boards be programmed to follow a stop/go pattern of different intervals, IE not every 3mins etc.?

[Sol]

This is one such unit

http://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/SA1_1.html

[DavidB-AU]

I was going to suggest Heathcote, but when you take into account all the bits you need a "simple" shuttle circuit isn't exactly cheap. With fairly rudimentary knowledge of electronics you could build a much more flexible system based on a Raspberry Pi Pico for about a third of the price. Here's one of several possible ways to do it with the cost of the hardware in the vicinity of £10. Look for IR obstacle avoidance sensors designed for robotics hobbyists. You could also do it with an Arduino Uno for around £30.

 

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-pico-controlled-model-railroad/

 

Cheers

David

[Ray Von]

Cheers guys, it's a complicated business isn't it!? I'm not the biggest fan of wiring and electrics, but I get by.

I've dealt with Heathcote in the past, I was a bit put off by a surly response to an email query I sent (maybe he was having a bad day...)