Hamish Posted December 16, 2017 Report Share Posted December 16, 2017 Oh wow Roger that looks great. The modern car blinding is nothing how I imagined it so thanks for the pictures. Looks like a very professional job. - as usual from you. Good luck with progressing it. You will be getting commissions next. Especially from our Canadian cousins now its chilly over there. Keep up the good work and the reports. ???? H Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel C Posted December 17, 2017 Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 excellent work (by the Germans) Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 Hi Folks, the rad and blind are now back in the car ready for action. Prior to re-installing the blinds returned very easily on the little spring I fitted. Now it is in place the spring is not quite strong enough to over come the initial sticktion. I'll have to loosen all the screws tomorrow and fiddle with it. Hopefully the solenoid will arrive tomorrow and then I can wire it up. The annoying things about this silly extravaganza is that the stainless steel rad cowl will no longer fit as the blind encroaches on it's space by about 2". Ho dear, never mind, how sad - I'll have to make another one. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted December 17, 2017 Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 Ho dear, never mind, how sad - I'll have to make another one. Roger I think you will find its: Ho dear, how sad, never mind. (IAHHM) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 Ah yes !! it would be if I was quoting IAHHM but I wasn't. Well, not consciously. Mine were the ramblings of a frozen person emerging from the garage. I've only just thawed out. It was not only very cold oout there but also raining. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spyder dryver Posted December 17, 2017 Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 Hi Roger! I've been lurking around for many a short while but felt I had to put pen to paper to congratulate you on your admirable dedication. Ignore the naysayers with their "sense of proportion" and "logic". Maybe they think they have better things to do with their time. Maybe they're not wrong either. Anyway, my point is it's not unnecessarily complicated enough for my liking. Seriously. Someone has already suggested using a stepper motor. Good idea. And I'm a big fan of the Arduino mini computer. One of these together with a couple of temperature sensors, one for ambient and one for engine, could form the basis of a irrationally complicated blind control system. I looked into this a while ago but found myself lead astray with something equally hair-brained and by that time the tablets had finally "kicked in" anyway. I've two Arduinos on my car already. One driving a seven segment AFR display and as for the other one, well, if I revealed what that one was doing I fear it may cause widespread apoplexy amongst the non-believers. Keep up the good work. Geoff. I'm not keeping you out of the garage am I? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 Hi Geoff, I had considered various logic devices to make the thing flip open and close. As for the stepper motor I found a linear beauty on ebay. However one of the fundamentals of the design is it must fail safe. If everything goes wrong the blinds must fall open. You are not keeping me out of the garage; the hypothermia is doing that a treat. I did a good hour this morning and got thoroughly cold and damp. The basic electrics will only involve a couple of relays, switches, 5Min timer and some LED's. My prototypes are always functional but not pretty. If it works then I will finesse it as the MK2. I've never really caught onto the mini-computers, even eeproms and the like left me behind. But logic I love. I should have made this rad blind when the weather was warm as it is difficult being outside working on it. Come the spring it will be completely sorted just in time for next year. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spyder dryver Posted December 17, 2017 Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 Some of my prototypes aren't pretty either Roger. Nor some of my finished articles, come to that! I do take pride in my CNC stuff though. Another Arduino project that may be of interest to some is the "Speeduino". It's a fully programmable ECU for Injection/Ignition. It's fully "open-source" and has a worldwide following. My chum, Mick Richards, ( you may have heard of him ) might well be having one foisted upon his forthcoming TR4 rebuild, although he may not realise it yet! Geoff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Charlie D Posted December 17, 2017 Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 Hello Roger,You say:“I've never really caught onto the mini-computers, even eeproms and the like left me behind. But logic I love.”If you love logic then it really is worth looking at the Arduino, being a micro-computer it sounds complicated, but it is dead easy to program using simple logical ideas.Things have moved on since eeproms. Everything today is designed for the 10 year old kid to understand. (That means 70-year-old kids can understand them 7x faster…)Arduinos can be used as a logical input/output device. They can take resistive inputs, or +/- inputs and power relay outputs.Even if you never use one in ernest, they are a bit addictive once you start to look at what they can do.On a more basic level…You need to make a new stainless steel rad cowl.Ah…Well….If I were you…….I’d get an old stainless steel kitchen sink, trim it around the draining board area, cut off the bit where the plug ‘ole is, and there you are.I’m sure you can find one for free if you go to the local place where people fly-tip.Failing that, there is a scrap yard just past the TR Shop in Chiswick.Carry on to the Goldhawk Road, and then turn left into Oil Drum Lane.Ask for Albert, and tell him I sent you.Charlie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 Hi Charlie, I have come across the arduino - RSComps do loads of bits for them but I have stood well back. I'll have a look on google to what is going on. As for the draining board - I think Sue will have something to say about it. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Hi Folks, today my RS Comp Solenoid turned up. On first glance I thought it was well over the top but on fitting it is marginal (12V 10W). The problem with simple solenoids is that their max pull is when the plunger is fully in. So at present the solenoid is fitted and looks OK and have elected to have the blades apprx 50% max open. This should allow more than enough air in during the winter. It is easy enough to remove for the summer and refit the SS cowl. (no it is not a steam ship) This afternoon we do battle with the lectrickery Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel C Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Roger, Couldn't you use an overdrive solenoid? TR compatible after all...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Roger, I think you need to consider lateral thinking. Rather than trying to shield your radiator to ensure appropriate running temparature, why not consider upgrading the engine so that it heats up quickly,. without said radiator shield, and gives you more performance to boot. 89mm pistons/liners, fast road cam, 4-branch, webers, stage II head and spirited driving should do the trick. It does for me! AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 My TR3A isn't affected by cooling problems ~ because it's going nowhere in the foreseeable future!! Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 My TR3A isn't affected by cooling problems ~ because it's going nowhere in the foreseeable future!! Tom. It could freeze up! AlanR Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Rogers wont it will boil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Roger, Couldn't you use an overdrive solenoid? TR compatible after all...... Hi Nige, I had considered that as it has a two stage coil/current. However it does not have much travel so would still limit the blind movement. Alan, I am simply trying to replace a cheap piece of cardboard I would have thought a BMW component along with a handful of sazzy bits is enough for one day. Neil, Have faith, it will not boil. I dont know if it will improve the warming process but it will not boil. Putting the wiring in place appears to be more problematic than fitting the blind etc. May have a result tomorrow. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Roger So will a winter stat? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Hi AlanR ~ No chance of it freezing up as it's empty of water. Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Roger- rather than a solenoid you really need a linear actuator - something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/292120157996 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Hi Rob, I had looked at something similar and also a linear steeper thingy but they do not fail safe. If you remove power from the motor driven linear actuators they stay where they are. I need to the blinds to fail in the open position. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hamish Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Roger Cant you use a long loop of string back to the drivers position. Like a traditional window venitian blind ?????????????? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted December 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Ha ha ha , Thank you Hamish, I like the old tried and trusted methods. Sadly the 19th century is long gone. My simple solenoid is my concession to the 21st merry go round. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harlequin Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Roger Cant you use a long loop of string back to the drivers position. Like a traditional window venitian blind ?? Hamish Lots of pre war cars had blinds in the rear window operated just as you describe, the strings normally were in the headlining George Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mike3md Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 (edited) Hi Roger, Back to the o/d solenoid suggestion - if the travel is insufficient, have you considered using a lever to multiply it (the travel)? Worked for the ancients.................. Mike PS or even a system of pulley wheels................ Edited December 18, 2017 by mike3md Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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