Without a limit switch or position sensor I don't see how you intend to design the system to work, you need either or both unless you fit actuators with them embedded which might be a better solution and likely nicer to look at but with less adjustability not to mention it sounds like you need more than one position sensing device for each actuator which your unlikely to find off the shelf. Mag switches may be useful as well for the final close phase of the movement. Some pictures would be useful, impossible to tell what you have to work with without them.

BTW not an engine question, moved to the electrical forum where this belongs.

 

Looking at the data sheets from Gam's site for the device you have, I believe you are confused on its operation.

The outputs are straight forward N/O switches, these are not reversing switches as you believe, but rather the unit is reverse polarity protected (simply means if hooked up backwards it will not harm the unit).

Your unit has 9 outputs that are simple off/on (N/O) switches (programable to be latched or momentary). While this type of switching is great for lights, it is not so friendly to mechanical devices as you have discovered. To configure it to open and close a hood (exc..) it will require two outputs , one output to open, another to close a devise. One pair of outputs could be configured to operate multiple openings (hood/doors/top) using D.P.D.T relays for each device and electronic timing circuits could be built to control the amount of opening/closing for each.

However, your system as you describe is using actuators without limit switches and this is a bad design because there is nothing to stop the actuator once it reaches its limit (unless they are internally limited) and will quickly burn out or blow their fuse.

An alternate to mechanical limit switches would be a current sensing switch, basically the switch senses when the circuit draws more than the allotted current and shuts itself off.

All of the above are doable, but the circuits required to do so would have to be built, which may not be cheap to have done.

 

After re-reading your post and thinking more about what you want to control I think you would be better served by a PLC, this way you could use sensors to detect position accurately and also control the actuators variably in case of wear and load and temp changes.

Its certainly easier to program a module than choreograph movement through limit switches which you don't want anyway, position sensing could be done using linear sensors embedded inside actuators which is an option for many of them.

Won't be cheap thats for sure although used PLC controllers and input/output stages are available on Ebay for pennies on the dollar, the really expensive part will be programming them and buying the software to do it which you only need to do the setup and tuning.

Not to mention mounting the rack, power supply etc.

 

I maybe wrong, but I may have a simpler way of doing what you want using the Gama controller you have and it may be fairly reasonable. Give a time to think this through.

 

1934ford454,
I need to know the time required to open fully (seconds), then the time to close fully each devise (hood/top/exc.).

 

29 seconds for the opening of the top actuators (2 actuators), and 60 seconds for the opening of the hood (4 actuators))...closing is internally limited by each of the 6 actuators.

 

Just to get clear;
Top = 29 seconds to fully open
Hood = 60 seconds to fully open

You would like to be able to push one button and it would open the top and hood to a predetermined position, then when done push same button again to close both.
Another button would open/close hood fully. Another button open/close top fully. Another button to turn on/off interior lighting.

 

why can't I put an electronic timer ( they are cheap) in line for each of the two circuits, top and hood. If I had a latching controller this might work??

 

It looks like you are close, but it's a little more complicated than that, but not much. Give me a little time to work it out.

 

OK, I may be misunderstanding you, so just to be clear lets re-cap;
You can open and close your top and hood now by holding the button down on the remote (Gama controller)?

Tell me what each button on your remote does and how you make it work.

 

Button number 1 ---UP

 

Will the ram pull to the closed position?

If they will pull to the closed position where they have a auto shutoff.
Then you could flip 1/2 of them so that say 2 on the hood were pulling up opening it then 2 would pull down closing it.
Some will pull and push. Some just pull. Some just push. It could be as simple as a polarity swap. Look into your model number to see if it can pull and how to wire it before just switching polarity so you don't hurt anything.

 

1934ford454,
OK, this may be extremely easy, if you purchase the time delayed relays I had suggested earlier, you already have the parts needed.
Let me know if you have them and I'll show you how to wire em so they work.

 

Please send me any wiring that you have to help.

 

I'll be glad to, but first I need a little more info and it is important.
Is the COMMON terminal on your Gama connected to positive (+) or negative(-).

 

Got to run an errand now and will verify later today. Great question as I think I have screwed up connections in the Gama switch.

 

I don't think you screwed anything up, it's just learning how the controller works. Once we learn what it does, then we can make it do what we want (or reasonably close to it).
I also need the current draw of your actuators.