Hey everyone, I’m working on a DIY adjustable standing desk I’m building from scratch (mostly for fun, but also because I hate the wobble on cheap ones). I picked up a couple of linear actuators, but now I’m realizing I need more precise feedback to sync both sides properly. I read a bit about potentiometers built into actuators, but I’m still unsure how exactly that works in a real setup. Anyone here used one for something like this?
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I’m not building anything high-tech at the moment, but I’ve been messing around with microcontrollers and motorized arms lately. It’s wild how much smoother things go when your hardware actually matches your control logic. I used to think it was all just plug and play until I got into wiring feedback and syncing motion — definitely a patience game.
Yeah, I’ve actually used an actuator with a built-in potentiometer for a retractable projector lift. The feedback it gives is analog, so I hooked it up to an Arduino to monitor the position and avoid crushing the ceiling tiles (learned that the hard way once lol). If you’re looking for something that gives real-time position data and works with a microcontroller, I’d check out this kind of linear actuator with potentiometer https://www.progressiveautomations.com/products/linear-actuator-with-potentiometer — it’s saved me from a lot of guesswork and wear.