Motorized winch/pulley system

[Chabbuddy]

Ok....not sure if this is the correct spot for this but technically it is "control" i guess.

Anyone built a motorized winch or pulley type system yet for raising and lowering these massive 4x4 led frames?

Currently looking into it thru various aquarium setups ive found. Any insight to save days of research is appreciated

[fdashty]

Hey, curious if you were able to find anything. I've only seen folks use the manual pulleys (the rope ratchet) and those actually work really well. Ideally you wouldn't be moving them up and down everyday. If you need a motorized system you're likely going to pay ~$350 for the entire assembly. A 4x4 setup is going to be pretty easy to ratchet up and down and the more creative you get with the ratchet assembly, the easier you can make the overall hang and pull. Most of the ratchet pulleys are rated at either 75 or 100lbs.

[Jolly Green Giant]

I was going to say someone asked about properly hanging multi fixtures and what to use to raise n lower etc... but it was you

still not much luck? I really haven't seen much else used besides the mechanical ones and aircraft cable.... what about something like this??

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... 798_734798

[Jolly Green Giant]

Hey, curious if you were able to find anything. I've only seen folks use the manual pulleys (the rope ratchet) and those actually work really well. Ideally you wouldn't be moving them up and down everyday. If you need a motorized system you're likely going to pay ~$350 for the entire assembly. A 4x4 setup is going to be pretty easy to ratchet up and down and the more creative you get with the ratchet assembly, the easier you can make the overall hang and pull. Most of the ratchet pulleys are rated at either 75 or 100lbs.

I believe they are trying to raise and lower multiple 4x4 fixtures at the same time... commercial size operations which most of us little guys on here aren't to sure about what's good and what's not

[Chabbuddy]

I was going to say someone asked about properly hanging multi fixtures and what to use to raise n lower etc... but it was you

still not much luck? I really haven't seen much else used besides the mechanical ones and aircraft cable.... what about something like this??

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... 798_734798

Ouch...yea a little more than i was hoping for @ 449.

I havent had too much luck yet. I got a little bit till i rebuild the big light (strip stock) to led so im still looking. Those sun winches that got discontinued would be perfect if they werent chincy. If needed i could have used two of them, one left/right side of the frame to make it even.

Still unsure of how this will play out since im pretty sure the fixture wont be balanced in weight evenly and one side will be slightly heavier. I can only access the light from one side so essentially im either going to build a junction box on that side (IE PGT) with controls or remote mount everything (which brings different issues). My one accessible wall is kinda my control center per say and has a bunch of crap mounted on it already and space is limited. It gets used for everything from fans to drying rack to electrical equip to pump/hose to pulley cleats to ....you get the point.

I will probably just have to use a pulley and see if i can get it to work from 2 points instead of 4 so i only need two cleats. Its the unbalanced thing that im unsure of yet that i guess it will be a wait and see game. Maybe im over worrying about a non-existent problem. Sure would me nice for a mechanical up and down though

[Chabbuddy]

Hey, curious if you were able to find anything. I've only seen folks use the manual pulleys (the rope ratchet) and those actually work really well. Ideally you wouldn't be moving them up and down everyday. If you need a motorized system you're likely going to pay ~$350 for the entire assembly. A 4x4 setup is going to be pretty easy to ratchet up and down and the more creative you get with the ratchet assembly, the easier you can make the overall hang and pull. Most of the ratchet pulleys are rated at either 75 or 100lbs.

I believe they are trying to raise and lower multiple 4x4 fixtures at the same time... commercial size operations which most of us little guys on here aren't to sure about what's good and what's not

I wish commercial......just need to move 1 at a time. Its just that its hard to get to the center of the light to pull on the regular ratchet style grow pulley's in mid flower. Reaching over 5' plants and leaning in 2-3' trying to pull the rope and praying you dont fall or break anything is getting old. And with these led strip builds reaching 4x4 in frames, if i had to use a ratchet in each corner it would be impossible to do since i only have the one accessible side (like a "C"). Trying to make life easier wherever possible these days.

[ShowMe]

It sounds like you want one of these mounted centered on the light, with pulleys at each corner of the fixture, and eye-bolts mounted to structure above: https://www.harborfreight.com/440-lb-el ... 60346.html

If you want to move more than one light with a centrally located hoist, you would just split the hoist line into two or more cables, with pulleys mounted to structure, centered on the light. This would take some serious experimentation or math to get all the cables cut to the perfect length and spliced in the right place, but it is doable.

[Chabbuddy]

Im trying to work that out in my head buts its kinda hard without some sort of pic.

So the hoist pulls on a hook center in the light frame? And then there are 4 pulleys in corners?


Or is the hoist of to the side?

[ShowMe]

Im trying to work that out in my head buts its kinda hard without some sort of pic.

So the hoist pulls on a hook center in the light frame? And then there are 4 pulleys in corners?


Or is the hoist of to the side?

Sketch attached. This is a 1 hoist per light configuration that will keep them level and square to the walls.

Replace the winch in the sketch with a pulley if you want more lights per hoist.

[Chabbuddy]

Thanks ShowMe, this helps tremendously.