UPB control for roll away hurricane shutters

[wdeertz]

I'm using OmniPro 2 with UPB lighting control. I have roll away hurricane shutters on my patio that I'd like to control via UPB. The existing switches are rocker switch with one direction for up and the other for down. I see no issue getting a UPB rocker switch but need a solution to shutoff the motor when the shutters are either fully down or up. If power is left on once fully closed or up it will burn up the motor after a period of time. I could use a timed approach for automation but this wouldn't work if the shutters got out of sync. I thought about wireless sensors at the top and bottom of the shutters to signal once they are fully extended but this isn't failsafe.

If there was a switch which shutoff when the amperage spiked (which I am assuming would happen when the shutters became fully extended) that would be ideal. Is anyone aware of hardware that will work for my situation?

 

[Desert_AIP]

Use UPB relays and limit switches in series.

 

[wdeertz]

Use UPB relays and limit switches in series.

I can find the UPB relays but am not familiar with limit switches. Can you please provide an example of this sort of switch?

Thanks

 

[Desert_AIP]

The shutters should have some sort of limit switch already.  I'd be surprised if they didn't.
Is the existing rocker switch a momentary switch?
 
A limit switch is actuated mechanically to interrupt the circuit when a moving object reaches the desired limit of it's travel.
A portion of the shutter would bump into the limit switch activating it which would open the circuit and stop electrical flow to the motor.
 
Motorized shades, curtains, etc. use this to prevent motor burnout.
Also Garage Door Openers or Gate Openers.
Some newer models may have internal electronic settable limits.
 
The switches themselves are not unique or special, they usually have some type of arm to actuate them. 
Some can be connected to a set of magnetic contacts and are actuated in that fashion.
 
Google "limit switch" or "over travel switch" and you should get a ton of hits.
 
The limit switch would be placed in series with the relay and be a NC type switch.
When the relay is actuated current flows through the relay and the switch, when the limit is reached the limit switch is activated which opens the circuit and cuts electrical current to the motor.
The individual wiring may be a bit different for each piece of equipment depending on AC or DC motor and the number of leads to it.

 

[wdeertz]

I was wrong, I checked with the shutter vendor and they confirmed there is a built in limit switch. My shutters may need a small adjustment if the motor continues to run once fully closed or opened. I found a Pulseworx 15 amp UPB Relay switch that should work in my situation. Thanks for your assistance with this.

 

[Desert_AIP]

Should be an easy install! 

 

[ano]

Maybe NOT so easy.  The switches on these aren't a simple on/off. You press the top to go in one direction and the bottom for the other. If you don't press top or bottom the switch stays in the center.  The shutters likely have some type of control system, where the switch on the wall just activates a relay built in the shutters. So you likely can use one OMNI relay for up and one for down, just make sure they both aren't on at the same time. But make sure you check this out fully before using the OMNI relays which should only be used on low voltage signals. If the switch does control 120V, you may need a different solution.

 

[Desert_AIP]

It probably uses a DC motor and the rocker switch has opposite polarities wired to it to control direction of the motor.

To prevent the possibility of both relays on at the same time you can wire them through each other on the NC set of contacts.
So if the OPEN relay is on, its output wire goes through the NC contacts of the CLOSE relay. If the CLOSE relay is turned on the NC contacts open and break the Open circuit. With the Close circuit likewise wired through the NC contacts of the OPEN relay, nothing would happen with both relays on because both circuits would be broken.

 

[pete_c]

Here are quickie drawings for a
 
DC powered hurricane shutter
 

 
AC powered hurricane shutter