Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Solar Charged Remote Control Electric Lawn Mower — Parallax Forums

Solar Charged Remote Control Electric Lawn Mower

Im New To MicroIm New To Micro Posts: 42
edited 2012-01-23 22:59 in Robotics

General Information:

For my senior college project, I built a Solar Charged Remote Control Electric Lawn Mower (SCRCELM), and also produced several How-To youtube videos that show/explain my process for building the device.

I used the Parallax Board of Education to assist with turning on the lawn mower wirelessly. Without the Parallax board, the lawn mower will never turn on. So the Parallax board did play an important role in my project. Other features that may be implemented later are, enclosure internal temperature displayed on a LCD, run time left displayed on the LCD, controlling cooling fans based on temperature, and pan/tilt of the on-board wireless camera using servos.

The full project details such as, parts list, diagrams, etc. can be found at my website: RC-LawnMower.com

Schematic:
SolarChargedRemoteControlElectricLawnMowerCircuit.jpg


Parallax Code: 
' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}

'Robert Smith's Senior Project Solar Charged RC Electric Lawn Mower Program
'Date: Dec. 2011
'Version: 1.0

' -----[ Variables ]-------------------------------------------------------

rcSwitch VAR Word  'monitors RC tramitter toggle switch

' -----[ Program Code ]----------------------------------------------------
DO

'///START: Check RC tramitter On-Off toggle switch

  rcSwitch = IN5

  'To debug the switch uncomment the line below
  'DEBUG CR, ? rcSwitch

  IF (rcSwitch = 1) THEN 'turn on lawn mower
    HIGH 15
  ELSE 'turn off lawn mower
    LOW 15
  ENDIF

'///END: Check RC tramitter On-Off toggle switch

PAUSE 10

LOOP

Full List of Completed Videos:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Part 6:

Part 7:

Part 8:

Part 9:

Part 10:

Part 11:

Part 12:

Part 13:
IMG_3358.JPG
1024 x 577 - 351K
SolarChargedRemoteControlElectricLawnMowerCircuit.jpg
1024 x 501 - 65K

Comments

  • Jorge PJorge P Posts: 385
    edited 2011-12-27 22:32
    This is an outstandingly well documented and great Advanced project. IMHO, It should be Project of the week! Now if you can add a Redundant GPS or Military based GPS system to it for position accuracy, you could have an autonomous Lawn Mowing service for your community and get some extra income from it. Your project looks very professional and clean, you must have devoted a lot of time and effort into this.

    If you have funding for it, I would have to say for a next project, an RC or Autonomous snow blower for everyone who don't like to push one out in the cold cold snow season! Maybe with a few Stationary Outdoor PIR sensors to watch out for Humans/Animals in the vicinity of the device and shut down temporarily.
  • Im New To MicroIm New To Micro Posts: 42
    edited 2011-12-27 23:21
    Jorge P wrote: »
    This is an outstandingly well documented and great Advanced project. IMHO, It should be Project of the week! Now if you can add a Redundant GPS or Military based GPS system to it for position accuracy, you could have an autonomous Lawn Mowing service for your community and get some extra income from it. Your project looks very professional and clean, you must have devoted a lot of time and effort into this.

    If you have funding for it, I would have to say for a next project, an RC or Autonomous snow blower for everyone who don't like to push one out in the cold cold snow season! Maybe with a few Stationary Outdoor PIR sensors to watch out for Humans/Animals in the vicinity of the device and shut down temporarily.

    If this did make project of the week that would be awesome, and yes, a massive amount of time and effort was used for building this project and documenting it. I have given some thought to the Autonomous idea, and it may be something I look into in the future. Devices that haven't been created yet are what usually sparks an interest for me. I'm sure it would not be too hard to add a modificaiton to the currrent lawn mower so that I could attach a snow plow to the front end of it, and detach it when I do not need it. :D
  • jdoleckijdolecki Posts: 726
    edited 2011-12-28 06:44
    Great job.

    Now everybody is going to want to borrow it.
  • Im New To MicroIm New To Micro Posts: 42
    edited 2011-12-28 09:47
    jdolecki wrote: »
    Great job.

    Now everybody is going to want to borrow it.

    :D haha, yeah I cannot wait until the summer rolls around next year and I can officially start using it on the normal bases and watch the reactions of my neighbors seeing this device cutting the lawn.

    Hmmm, I could possibly train a teenager to use it and have him/her cut other people's lawns and I'll take a small percentage of the profits made. :)
  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2011-12-28 12:22
    Im New To Micro---
    '
    Excellent work...Very well done.
  • Im New To MicroIm New To Micro Posts: 42
    edited 2011-12-28 12:30
    $WMc% wrote: »
    Im New To Micro---
    '
    Excellent work...Very well done.

    Thanks :D
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2011-12-28 19:24
    Amazing project! I'm surprised that it wasn't "Project of the Week".


    (Can I borrow your lawn mower this summer? :) )

    OBC
  • Im New To MicroIm New To Micro Posts: 42
    edited 2011-12-29 03:16
    Oldbitcollector (Jeff) wrote: »
    Amazing project! I'm surprised that it wasn't "Project of the Week".


    (Can I borrow your lawn mower this summer? :) )

    OBC

    haha Thanks. I did send Parallax an email regarding the project, so I'm not sure what they will think about it yet.
  • bsnutbsnut Posts: 521
    edited 2011-12-29 06:40
    Im New To Micro,
    I can say you did amazing and good job.
    Im New To Micro wrote: »
    haha Thanks. I did send Parallax an email regarding the project, so I'm not sure what they will think about it yet.
    I think they like it.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2011-12-29 19:06
    wrote:
    Not only is your project great - the documentation and the sharing of your work is outstanding. Super videos!
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2012-01-02 15:25
    wrote:
    Congratulation Robert! Very useful and practical project!I love the use of Google SketchUP in your project. I think this is the perfect way to explain other people your idea and help them to build thein own Solar Charged Remote Control Electric Lawn Mower!
  • Im New To MicroIm New To Micro Posts: 42
    edited 2012-01-02 18:05
    wrote:
    @Whit, Thanks, and great to hear that the documentation provided is useful!@Nikos, Thanks, and yes, I love Google Sketchup as well. I think I will use it for all my future large/medium builds.
  • LawsonLawson Posts: 870
    edited 2012-01-23 22:59
    Cool! your project got linked on a tech news sight I follow. http://www.tomsguide.com/us/DIY-Remote-Control-RC-Electric,news-13707.html Hope your website survives the traffic :)

    Lawson
Sign In or Register to comment.