Electric Lift for canopy

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jessezm

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Any of you locals done this before? I'll be constructing mine soon for my 200g pentagon. Just ordered a 400lb-rated linear actuator with a 30" stroke, plus a controller (didn't spring for the remote control...). Anyhow, I'm planning to mount it on the ledge in back of my stand behind the tank, and have it push the canopy up from the top. I want to put three posts on heavy-duty guide rails that will also disappear behind the tank when the canopy is down, and slide up and down along posts coming up from the stand. Any thoughts? Stay tuned!

Locals Maconites, I'll be needing your help next weekend!
 
Well im not sure i can helpout ,but i will be keeping an eye on this.Ill be looking to do something similar on my In wall tank.
 
8ball_99 had a nice thread on this at RC, too. I'll keep you posted.
 
You might want to talk to Sammy33. He's constructing an automatic lifting canopy on one of his tanks. I don't know about for a Hex, but he may have some valuable insight otherwise. He also happens to be the owner of Aquabuys if you can't find him elsewhere. Best of luck.
 
I know sammy well, but I guess not well enough to know he was doing that...I'll have to ask him about it, thanks!
 
Very cool. Uses an actuator and a screw drive system I believe.
 
You need to put hydraulics on it, and then you can have the canopy bounce with music. and do side to side.
 
Drawer slides, would help keep it in line as it raises and lowers, but make sure you do not get cheap metal ones that would rust up. Actually hardwood ones from a cabinet shop of a dovetail design would be good and make sure they are out of maple, since it is a very hard wood!! They used to make mitre boxes for trim cutting out of maple, and butcher blocks. I have made a few things that required motorization and slides, but mine were where i keep keep high temp. bearing grease on them. Bearing grease is not good for a tank.
 
Great info, thanks guys. I hadn't even thought about wooden rails.... Looks like Sam is going with metal. I think we both must have followed the same thread on RC, too! I'm going a little overboard maybe with 400lb actuator, but since I'm just using one, I may as well play it safe... I'll check with a local cabinet shop we've got down here.
 
You could make gravity work for you and set it up with pulleys and counterweights such that the canopy had little to no weight and could be held up by the friction of the rails. That way you wouldn't have to have the expense and complexity of an electrical solution.

On the safety side, as long as you had solid connections to your pulley system, you wouldn't have to worry about failure or potential falling.
 
Didn't even thing of weights and pullies! Now I'm thinking I didn't have to go spend all that cash! Oh well, it will be cool... Parts should be here Thursday--expect pictures this weekend.
 
OK all you guys, I can get .020 sheet aluminum in hammertone finish, 60 in. wide, whatever length you need. I order tons of this stuff from my supplier, and get a shipment every week. The cost would be very cheap, it is easy to work with, and it lets heat escape right through it since it is aluminum. Just let me know.
 
Where did you get the actuator from?

You could use pnematic piston cylinders (like the ones that hold up a hatchback) to off load some of the weight. McMaster has a decent page on how to size them and set them up.
 
I got the actuator from Frigelli automation (sp?) online. It came in today, but I just got home from Atlanta doing a huge water change on a tank there and I'm too tired to open the box.... I thought about the pneumatic pistons but in the end decided to try just the actuator and slides and see if that will suffice. I'll be working on it all weekend so hopefully I'll know soon whether it's going to work or not...
 
Jesse,
I am working on the same thing for my tank. I ended up having to take mine apart twice and rework it due to some miscalculations. oops :doh:

I have the 150 lb lift (from firgelli) and am starting to think I will need to upgrade. I should have some more pictures on my website this weekend as well as a short video showing how it works.

Did you get the gas shocks?
 
Got some work done this weekend. Don't have time to post pics here at the moment but check out the last page of my thread over on RC:

showthread.php
 
Jesse,
Looks like you have made some great progress. I would consider using a gas spring on the other side of your canopy opposite the acutator. Your canopy looks like it may be a bit heavy.

I made the mistake of installing my slides incorrectly and had to redo the mounts and turn the slides so they were at a 90 degree to the canopy. They support forward load much better that way. I ended up using a 90 degree angle aluminum bracket and making a somewhat custom shelf stlyle mount to support the canopy. I think my canopy weighs in at around 58 lbs and it still trys to lean forward when I lift it. I think your idea about the tension cables may solve that problem. :unsure:
 
I'm actually not sure a gas spring will even be enough, but I could be wrong. It is heavy--probably about 75-90lbs BEFORE I added 12 more feet of 2X4's... I may call Firgelli and try to talk to someone there. I did buy the tension cables, but in order to work, I think they would have to be very taught, and I'm not sure how to do that (note to self: Ace hardware is a great place to get supplies, but advice should be sought elsewhere...). Also, I'm wondering at what verticle angle the tension cables would have to be mounted in order to provide enough leverage to keep the far end of the canopy from leaning. I may opt for the spring or another actuator over a bunch of metal cables if they end up being visible. Anyhow, still a lot of stuff to figure out, obviously....
 
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