I have been thinking about this a while. The bottle says: "120 LOADS", but we never get that much out of it. So I was thinking of using a 555 timer to open a valve, and let out just the right amount of soap into every load.
Off hand things I need.
- All the makings of a 555 timer to make 3 settings. (small, medium, and large loads)
- A small valve to control the soap amount.
- A servo (or something) to operate the valve.
- A battery pack.
I was wishing to make the circuit "DUMB" in you just hit the button for the load size, it dispenses the correct amount of soap, and it will not allow you to press anything again for a number of minutes.
So, if I hit the large load button, it will open for "an" amount of time than cut off the valve.
Medium loads will allow "b" amount of time for it to be open, and the same for small.
Until a button is pressed, the circuit will be open (not using any battery power)
Once the button is pressed, it will allow "a" soap to be dispensed, then it will not allow any inputs to be accepted for 10 minutes or so than the circuit will return to "Open" again.
Do you think it would be easier to do this with an MCU or just run 2 "555 timers"? (one for how long the valve will be open for, and one for a timer to block any added button presses after it has been dispensed.)
Also, anyone know of any small valves that can be used with servos, or any other ideas as to how the soap can be dispensed, then turned off?