So I followed the advice on this forum and got and 18" Eco-Worthy brand linear actuator. The install was actually quite easy and straight forward. I was attempting to mentally visualize the linear actuator working geometrically with the existing struts in place.....then my brain crashed and I just installed it and figured I'd stop it if I saw things tearing apart.
The 1-1/4" dowel you see that spans the width of the bed frame base was installed by me when I upgraded the struts to a heavier duty type to support the heavier mattress we put in. The base was bowing out due to the additional force needed to push the bed back down. I had to notch it, then back it up with and additional dowel behind it as the actuator shaft and bracket contacted it on the way down.
This is the Lower Mount. Bolted the bracket to a piece of oak and screwed to the floor. I butted it up the base of the frame for additional stability. Sorry 'bout the shadow.
This is the upper mount. Again, bolted the bracket to a piece of oak, then fitted it very tightly between the "joists" and used 2-1/2" screws thru the joists into the oak. Very solid.
I snagged the power from the pump. It has a 14ga wire and a 10a fuse. I put a fuse 5a fuse downstream of the control box with the idea that if the remote didn't shut the actuator off it would blow the fuse and not cook the control box.
OMG! The remote has an antenna! How 20th century.
Overall the install was easy. The travel time from open to close and vis-a-versa is about a minute and half. Yes kind of pokey for sure but does do the job. The remote is kind of iffy in regards to being being punctual. Takes a very deliberate punch of the correct correct button for sure and then it still seems to be a little inconsistent with stop/start-up/down commands. It may have worked better if I placed the control box in the living area of the trailer, but I didn't really want to have a new set holes in the trailer and another light shining in the dark! Might just be me needing to get a custom to it too. And, not that I planned it this way but if it refused to respond and was attempting to self destruct, I can turn the water pump off and it goes off. If it up and croaks some day I will be able to crawl in thru the pass-thru and pull a pin from the mount and release it.
The 1-1/4" dowel you see that spans the width of the bed frame base was installed by me when I upgraded the struts to a heavier duty type to support the heavier mattress we put in. The base was bowing out due to the additional force needed to push the bed back down. I had to notch it, then back it up with and additional dowel behind it as the actuator shaft and bracket contacted it on the way down.
This is the Lower Mount. Bolted the bracket to a piece of oak and screwed to the floor. I butted it up the base of the frame for additional stability. Sorry 'bout the shadow.
This is the upper mount. Again, bolted the bracket to a piece of oak, then fitted it very tightly between the "joists" and used 2-1/2" screws thru the joists into the oak. Very solid.
I snagged the power from the pump. It has a 14ga wire and a 10a fuse. I put a fuse 5a fuse downstream of the control box with the idea that if the remote didn't shut the actuator off it would blow the fuse and not cook the control box.
OMG! The remote has an antenna! How 20th century.
Overall the install was easy. The travel time from open to close and vis-a-versa is about a minute and half. Yes kind of pokey for sure but does do the job. The remote is kind of iffy in regards to being being punctual. Takes a very deliberate punch of the correct correct button for sure and then it still seems to be a little inconsistent with stop/start-up/down commands. It may have worked better if I placed the control box in the living area of the trailer, but I didn't really want to have a new set holes in the trailer and another light shining in the dark! Might just be me needing to get a custom to it too. And, not that I planned it this way but if it refused to respond and was attempting to self destruct, I can turn the water pump off and it goes off. If it up and croaks some day I will be able to crawl in thru the pass-thru and pull a pin from the mount and release it.
