Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Solar awning was motorized, and the idea came to make an automatic sun and wind control for it.
In strong sunlight: release, if strong sunlight is over or strong wind: rewind
Commercial radio weather station (brand: Auriol) is used to transmit wind data, wind messages are received with a 434MHz RF module.
The weather station also measures the temperature and the relative humidity.
You can see the weather station on the pole of the satelite dish.
The weather station messages are received by the awning controller.
There is a 434MHz Telecontrolli RF board assembled to the printed circuit board of the controller.
The weather station transmits the messages every ~30sec.
The RF signals are processed with a PIC microcontroller.
Running text shows the data and the system state.
Average wind, wind gust, temperature, relative humidity.
The real time clock is realized by the PIC.
Sun intensity is measured with a photoresistor.
You can configure the system with menu.
Week number, Day number.
Hour and minutes.
Awning release light level.
Awning rewind light level.
Maximum wind speed allowing the awning to release.
Wind level to rewind the awning.
Motor duration for release.
Motor duration to rewind the awning.
Number of minutes to wait the condition to be stable before light level triggered release or rewind.
Light automatic is enabled.
Wind automatic is enabled.
Display backlight is switched on when light level is under this configured limit.
Config byte (bit switches) for various functions.
Error code, now fault free.
End of menu structure, return to the running text idle display.
Manual release with the configured duration.
You can stop at any time.
Manual rewind with programmed duration.
The release and rewind duration must be configured to let the motor fully retract and rewind the awning.
Manual release and rewind button if the automatic is off.
That's all.