Arduino controlled automatically actuated grill block

[AndrzejM]

Why not the opposite? ;-)

[MiniAero]

Hello, newbie here.
I am planning a similar mod, but I was planning (4 hours of thought on this, no parts bought or metal cut) on using the Arduino and a thermocouple to monitor the temperature. That way you stay out of the cooling system completely. Log the temperature cycle of the engine based on some external location of the radiator to learn what the car thinks is "hot" and "cool". Then set your high and low voltages on the the arduino, and let the auduino sent the open close signals to a relay...that is where the plan breaks down...

[gone-ot]

Don't even need a thermocouple, just use a cheap temperature-sensitive resistor with a suitably-sized current limiting resistor in series, and apply a known 'reference' voltage (5Vdc regulator?) across them to make a temp-sensitive voltage divider.

HOT temp will pull the voltage UP to some "threshhold" and COLD temp will pull the voltage DOWN to a lower "threshhold", and a digital comparator IC could "trigger" at those upper & lower voltages, providing control to drive bigger transistors to power the louver motor to open and close.

[toc]

The issue for this for me is to make something that will modulate.

Sheet metal seems like the best bet as it'll allow for the airflow pressure against it to be deflected. Fibreglass would do as well.
Corflute would likely flex against the air pressure on the outside of it. And be difficult to mount and control with the AC Condenser in the way.

My grill is an open type with 'blades' in the centre, so inserting 'blades' behind it that modulate would be a fantastic idea and could be black and so maintain the stock look.

A lower grill block (solid) would sort the remainder of the grill out.

But I don't yet have the sheet metal / fibreglass to make the 'blades' with, and then I have to find a small enough actuator to fit in front of the AC condenser (which would need to first be removed for access to install them).

[night9]

Have you had a chance to work on this project?

I ran across this product and thought of your project. I just thought it could be used as a different solution for controlling a grill block, for those of us with no programming experience.

AutoSpeed - $25 Temperature Controller and Display!

[Daox]

Sadly, no I haven't taken the time to finish it up.

I do like that controller option though. That would definitely make the electronics side of it easier. However, you would still need a way to only power the actuator for a second, or you'd burn it up.

As a side note, one of the guys on ecorenovator used a similar one to convert a freezer into a super efficient fridge aka freezerator.

AC_Hacker's Hasty Freezer Conversion - EcoRenovator

[night9]

I know how projects go. You start one and then they multiply out of control!

That's a pretty neat idea for an eco freezerator.

[Daox]

Time for round 3! I'm designing a new nearly 100% 3d printed grill block that will be automatically actuated and is assembled without tools. However, I've started a new thread for it. Check it out here:

Automatically actuated grill block - Mk3