Actuator limit switch and RPi screw terminal breakout board installation.

 

I have installed a mechnical limit switch on the linear actuator. This switch will close when the actuator reaches the maximum point of retraction. A signal is sent to the Raspberry Pi computer informing the software the switch has been closed and maximum retraction has occurred.

The purpose of this is to prevent overloading that can occur when the actuator motor is still trying to retract after the retraction physical limit has been reached..

The overload occurs when the software boots and automatically performs a full retraction, and the actuator is already retracted.

A different problem is going to be addressed as well. The RPi has Dupont jumpers as connecting wires to other devices. These jumpers have a #28 AWG wire gauge. This is too fragile and difficukt to work with if soldering needs to be done. A screw terminal breakout board will allow dupont jumpers to connect the Pi to the terminal board and external devices with heavier gauge wire, to connect to the board using screw terminals. The terminal board is a 'hat' and plugs into the Pi.