Has anyone ever fixed their electric curtains? They seem to be magnetically driven, but they have many sticking points. Has anyone cleaned out the tracks? Is it best to use a dry lubricant like graphite, or a light weight oil?
Any thoughts and experience would be welcomed.
Thanks
Richard
- (#15210) Richard, 1 Feb 05 00:02
Magnetically driven yes. I didn't use anything on mine. Just cleaned the tracks and rollers and straightened out any kinks in the track. These get easily bent by kids, dogs, cargo etc.
- (#15210) Ian Dunse (Derbs), 1 Feb 05 01:23
I have rebuilt the lower track for the tailgate curtain which was bent as if the door had been closed hard on to something.
The slider has coils and brushes which collect current from the delicate bit which is a long narrow flexible printed circuit. Magnetic poles are provided along the track, N-S-N-S-N etc every couple of cm producing a field so that the current in the coil makes the slider move. As it slides the current reverses when the brushes cross the joins in the printed circuit just as the slider passes the next pole. It's a linear version of a cummutator motor.
My repairs included sticking copper track back down on to the printed circuit whcih you can slide out from the end but I really only did it for interest, I never have any occasion to close the curtains remotely and the switch is broken too.
But I would say don't use a lubricant with graphite, it must be something suitable for switchgear, or nothing at all.
- (#15210) Dave Mason (Sussex), 2 Feb 05 10:28
The proper name for them is a linear motor, they do indeed need the current to pass from the rail to the coils in the 'shuttle' this in turn repels from the magnets in the rails, thus moving one way or 'tother.
The best thing I found was to spray electrical contact cleaner up into the rails, then run the 'shuttle' back & forth to clean up the contacts, what ever you do, don't push or poke anything metal into the runners, as this will break the contact strip.
I have found some of the coils in the 'shuttles' break as well, if this happens you will need a replacement 'shuttle'
HTH Rob.
- (#15210) Rob Drinkwater, 2 Feb 05 13:55