Linear Actuators for hidden Kitchen Appliances
Linear Actuators can be used for so many different applications. A very popular use for them is to create a hidden appliance mechanism in your kitchen counter top, as can be seen in this example above, a spice rack that's hidden in the counter top. Using 12vdc linear actuators in cabinets or table tops you can now hide or move your kitchen appliance to a desired point. Firgelli carries many types of linear actuators that can be used to create these types of lifts depending on the size and weight of the appliance your lifting.
Using our actuators in conjunction with our remote controls and switches allows our customers to control your application wired or wireless and not have to worry about battery drain as some of these control boxes use AC power which will plug into your regular home outlet and output 12vdc to the actuator or control box. Many of our customers have used our actuators to create very inexpensive kitchen appliance lifts in homes, offices, warehouses, cars, boats virtually anywhere that is required to have linear motion.
A very simple way to create a kitchen appliance lift can be seen in this video above, here we use a linear actuator to lift a spice rack. The actuator used in this project was 12" stroke with a remote control, a couple of mounting brackets and a power supply. You can make it as complex or as simple as your application requires. Here is a basic instructions guide to make one using a linear actuator
1. To use a linear actuator to make an appliance go up and down you have to create a vertical drawer typically made from wood. The vertical drawer like regular drawers are self guiding, this is important because linear actuators don’t have guides they just provide the pushing and pulling motion.
2. In your vertical drawer this is where you will insert your kitchen appliance, so you would make the drawer size the same size as your appliance height but with depth to hold the actuator and extra depth again so the drawer doesn’t tilt when its fully open, so we suggest making sure that when the appliance is fully raised there is still at least 6-10” of drawer depth inside the cabinet to keep it steady and straight
3. The Actuator would be ordered in the stroke size that’s the same height as your appliance typically, plus a few extra inches. So if your appliance is 10” tall order the 12” stroke actuator. We suggest FA-400-L-12-12” in this case. These FA-400 actuators are quiet, high force, have built in limit switches and easy to operate.
4. Also buy 2 of the MB3 brackets (or the appropriate brackets for the actuator you choose) and install them at the top of the back of the drawer to lift it, and at the base of the cabinet.
5. Connect the 2CH-RC remote control which you should also buy to remotely operate the actuator and a FA-12V-12A power supply to run it all.
6. Operate the actuator all attached first without the appliance installed, making sure the drawer opens and closes smoothly. You will need to adjust the position of the actuator base such that when the drawer is closed the actuators internal limit shuts itself off when retracted just in time for the vertical drawer to fully close. Otherwise you will need to install external micro switches as found in our EL-KIT to limit the travel externally to the actuator which is also very easy to do and only an $18 kit.
7. After some modifications you should be good to just sit back and watch your appliance go up and down all day long, what a great way to impress your friends.
Please feel free to contact us about information and/or question on how to create an appliance lift or ordering a linear actuator for you application.
