DIY Moon Phase Dial

[Gina]

Motor driver module plugged in and power applied.  Nano Led still flashing correctly. Vpsu = 12.23v, Vin = 5.05v, LM317T input = 6.66v.  Calculated Nano supply current = 82mA. 5v Nano pin = 4.05v.  There is current limiting.  There should not be 82mA drawn from Vin - this extra 50mA is logic supply current to the motor driver.  I don't have any more brand new motor driver modules and this is not new so would appear to be faulty.  I'll go back a step (no motor driver) then try another.  I'm hoping the current limiting has saved the Nano.

[Gina]

Yes, Nano is still working   Supply current back to normal.  Plugged in another motor driver module and powered up.  Working   Motor running with half second bursts.  Vpsu = 12.23v, LM317T input = 9.8v.  Calculated Nano supply current = 36mA. Driver module taking about 4mA.  Spec says average 5mA max 8mA so that's OK.

So that's all three plug in devices working   Next step will be to connect the Hall sensors, put the hands back on and check the full clock setting up sequence.

[Gina]

Hall sensors connected, power applied and clock running fast forward correctly   Hour hand detected and motor slowed until minute hand detected then speeded for setting the time, finally stopping fast mode and running at half seconds bursts at the right time

[Gina]

Seems to be working alright now.  I'll run it continuously and see if a warming up motor causes the TPE on the motor shaft to expand and lose drive.  Also waiting for the MOSFETS to drive the RGB LED lighting strip.  I'm hoping it won't be too long now before I can put this project to bed (clock on wall and working properly) and get on with the next one - it's already taken far too long!

[Gina]

Clock still running well

[Gina]

N channel power MOSFETs arrived this morning so now to stoke up the soldering iron and put them in (yes, I shall switch off first ).

[Gina]

MOSFETs installed and light wires connected and powered up - lights working   MOSFETs not even getting warm   Clock set up to the nearest second and running almost silently - just a slight knocking sound every half second and the odd knock from one or two of the ABS gears - nothing untoward.  Now to mount it on the wall and leave it for soak test

[Gina]

Now on the wall, time set to the second and all looking well.  Moon phase set.  Just a couple of cosmetic touches to apply but otherwise seems finished

A couple of photos - the MOSFETs added and the completed clock on the wall.

[Stub Mandrel]

Excellent! It looks great, congratulations.

Now PLEASE sit back and enjoy, don't fiddle with it!

[Gina]

Thank you

Oh, I'm not going to fiddle with it   I'm now getting back to astro projects - clocks can take a rest!   Well one astro project in particular - my all sky camera.

[Gina]

Another photo of the clock - light beginning to fade indoors.

[Pan Euro]

That looks really nice Gina.

Ed

[Gina]

Thanks Ed

[saac]

Fantastic Gina, an equal a work of art as it is technical; your whole project here has been a lesson in determination. As Neil said, take time to enjoy it now.  The only future mod you need is to point a web cam on it though on 31 Dec so we can all watch the seconds count down to the new year.

 

Jim

[Gina]

Thank you Jim

 

[Gina]

Another clock photo - this time with the room light on.  It's getting dark outside and raining...

[saac]

Gina, what has been your most favourite project?  Perhaps you may have a most enjoyable one and a most useful one?

Jim

[Gina]

That's a difficult question to answer.  I'll have to think about that.  But the biggest has to be the observatory.  A lot of hard work but very satisfying.  This moon clock was very interesting at first but has caused me many headaches (not literally but you know what I mean I should think).

[saac]

Gina, I kind of sensed a frustration in between the lines of your posts on the moon clock but it has been a cracking project to follow . Like I said earlier, a lesson in determination.  I must admit, I have a tendency to start projects and often not finish them, quite a bad habit actually, I need to get better. Like you, I did enjoy my obsy build - I guess because I knew it would have such benefit.

 

Jim

[swag72]

That's looking really good Gina. I have followed your project with interest, although I skip over all of the technical stuff - All credit to you for your perseverance

[Gina]

Thank you Sara and Jim   It's taken a long and frustrating time but it seems I'm there at last   I was determined not to let this beat me!  Still running fine and accurate to the second   Looks like about 5 days to full moon so I guess that's when we can expect the weather to improve

I am now having a short rest from clocks while I get a new version of my all sky camera designed, built and running but I have two more clocks partly built - long case pendulum clock and a skeleton epicyclic clock.

[Gina]

Just checked the clock against the "talking clock" and it's 30s slow   I currently have no way of knowing if this loss is from the RTC of if there has been some slippage in the drive without taking the clock off the wall.  The DS3231 Real-Time Clock is specified as 2ppm accuracy.  I set up the time to the nearest second around midday on monday so that's 4 days and 8 hours = 60x60x24x4+8x60x60 = 3600x104 = 374400s.  That makes it 30 in 374400 = 1 in 12,480.  2ppm = 1 in 500,000.  My result is far worse so I conclude slippage

I'm not doing anything ATM but I think the clock was keeping well nigh perfect time for the first 2 or 3 days and that this time loss is quite recent.  I'll see what happens over the next few days but I suspect the TPE motor gear may be slipping on the motor shaft.  If so the cure will be to use a metal hub for the motor gear.

[Gina]

Now about 42s slow so it's lost another 12s in 17 hours - must be slipping.  I'll sort it out later.

[Stub Mandrel]

The RTC on my embryonic GOTO unit appears to have gained a couple of minutes over a month, although it MAY have been out when I last used it.

[Gina]

I shall be using the same model of RTC for my Epicyclic Clock so I will be able to see how that goes.  I expect that to be the next clock to be finished as it's a relatively easy build and based on the same design of motor drive and sketch.  It also has the fewest parts of all the clocks on my books.  The Long Case Pendulum Clock is going to be an extended project which I don't expect to finish very soon.  Not only does it have the full set of gears right from hours to escapement but also a built-in perpetual calendar.