Linear actuated floating canopy lift!

Fishinbob · Mar 25, 2018

I've learned a ton on this forum so I figured I'd share my latest project for a linear actuated canopy lift. Main structure is made of 1.5" 80/20 aluminum.

Here are some of the linear bearing guides

The 20" stroke 225lb linear actuator

All the misc parts and fasteners connected

Installing the 2x4 and 1x10 backing

Finally installed and testing!

And finally with the stand in place

And some videos of the test

Kershaw · Mar 25, 2018

Awesome!

Kershaw · Mar 25, 2018

Any concern about the weight causing it to bind?

Kershaw · Mar 25, 2018

Also dose that actuator have positions or is all the way up or down only. Would be cool to use that for light acclimation

Fishinbob · Mar 25, 2018

Kershaw said:
Any concern about the weight causing it to bind?

Canopy load should only be about 75lbs, the 8020 calculator showed .1" delfection at 150lbs. It slides quite smooth but made add some dry lube to the slides.

Pife · Mar 25, 2018

I have one of these too.

http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5ab724f547f79/20170808_182538.mp4

Fishinbob · Mar 25, 2018

Kershaw said:
Also dose that actuator have positions or is all the way up or down only. Would be cool to use that for light acclimation

The actuator runs on a reverse polarized switch as of now... goes up and down but I can stop at any point. Going to look into apex integration and control then options are endless!

Fishinbob · Mar 25, 2018

Pife said:
I have one of these too.

http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5ab724f547f79/20170808_182538.mp4

Video won't play, I've been searching YouTube and the forums and gathered as much as I could from other builds!

Pife · Mar 25, 2018

Fishinbob said:
Video won't play, I've been searching YouTube and the forums and gathered as much as I could from other builds!

It works for me.

Fishinbob · Mar 25, 2018

Pife said:
It works for me.

There it goeS! Awesome how long has it been up? I'm still planning my canopy need to find some support for the 63x30" canopy. Did you use any aluminum for bracing inside?

Pife · Mar 25, 2018

Fishinbob said:
Canopy load should only be about 75lbs, the 8020 calculator showed .1" delfection at 150lbs. It slides quite smooth but made add some dry lube to the slides.

I think your calculation is flawed as that is with weight directly over the 8020. Your weight will be away from it causing more deflection. I hope it works out great. Make sure you install limit switches for the down stroke of the canopy can get to your tank.

Pife · Mar 25, 2018

Fishinbob said:
There it goeS! Awesome how long has it been up? I'm still planning my canopy need to find some support for the 63x30" canopy. Did you use any aluminum for bracing inside?

I can get you some more pictures tomorrow. Aluminum flexed to much to work for me. My support is not to my wall but it's two 3x3 steel post 1/4 inch thick. Then I used industrial drawer slides rated to 400 pounds each. And then they attach to a 1 inch steel frame. Now I am lifting a stock (slightly beefed up) Marineland canopy which is heavy, I'd guess near 80 pounds plus with light fixtures ext. I get an inch of deflection.

Fishinbob · Mar 25, 2018

Pife said:
I can get you some more pictures tomorrow. Aluminum flexed to much to work for me. My support is not to my wall but it's two 3x3 steel post 1/4 inch thick. Then I used industrial drawer slides rated to 400 pounds each. And then they attach to a 1 inch steel frame. Now I am lifting a stock (slightly beefed up) Marineland canopy which is heavy, I'd guess near 80 pounds plus with light fixtures ext. I get an inch of deflection.

Please do, it's been hard finding details on a similar system.. I have plenty on brackets if I need to increase support. I'm going to add a bunch of weight to it today and test it further. May even make a mockup canopy to test. Yes and pictures with details would be greatly appreciated. What size 8020 did you use previously?

Fishinbob · Mar 25, 2018

Pife said:
I can get you some more pictures tomorrow. Aluminum flexed to much to work for me. My support is not to my wall but it's two 3x3 steel post 1/4 inch thick. Then I used industrial drawer slides rated to 400 pounds each. And then they attach to a 1 inch steel frame. Now I am lifting a stock (slightly beefed up) Marineland canopy which is heavy, I'd guess near 80 pounds plus with light fixtures ext. I get an inch of deflection.

Well I removed the lift and added some additional support gussets in the corners and applied lock tight to the nuts and re assemblied the unit and tightened it a ton!
Added some load to the unit to test deflection. At full extension 24" from the upper support I have about 1/16 deflection at about 35-40 lbs. Estimating the complete canopy to be about 70-80(under 100 for sure). So hopefully I have less than 3/16, luckily the canopy will only be up for maintenance and placing corals/cleaning so

Fishinbob · Mar 25, 2018

Pife said:
I think your calculation is flawed as that is with weight directly over the 8020. Your weight will be away from it causing more deflection. I hope it works out great. Make sure you install limit switches for the down stroke of the canopy can get to your tank.

Well you got me thinking, so I reviewed and corrected some design and beefed it up. Thanks for the heads up. Load tested it with about 100lbs. 60lb chop saw and 40lb compressor. Looks scary but worked flawlessly.

About 1/8" deflection at extended point.

Ranjib · Mar 25, 2018

Very nice

blitz49 · Mar 25, 2018

Very nice. In the second youtube vid, the actuator is loud. Thought actuators are quiet.

Pife · Mar 25, 2018

blitz49 said:
Very nice. In the second youtube vid, the actuator is loud. Thought actuators are quiet.

If you're talking about my video it is louder than my tank but I believe the sound is just picked up more than in person. It definitely is not quite though