High ceilings can make a residence feel open and airy, but they often come with difficult-to-reach light fittings. To better deal with that, [mattwach] built a motorized light bulb changer which makes the job much easier.
Light bulb changers already exist, but they typically need to be used on-axis with the light fitting, which for chandeliers and lots of other lights, can be difficult. Instead, [mattwach’s] design allows the device to be used at 90-degree angles, and motorizes it for added ease of use.
A 12V gear motor does the work of turning the contraption, and has a lot more than enough torque to get the job done. A flanged coupling is used to attach the motor to the light bulb changer itself. An ATTiny85 microcontroller is then used to control the motor by means of an L293D H-bridge driver. A PS2 thumbstick is hooked up for user input, and all the electronics is mounted on a broomstick along with the light bulb end effector mounted at a ideal angle.
Changing a bulb is then as basic as slipping the end effector over a bulb, and flicking the thumbstick in the direction to unscrew the light. It can then be removed, and then replaced with a fresh bulb, screwed in by pushing the thumbstick in the other direction.
Normally, such a task would be quite a sketchy proposition when done on the top of a tall ladder. Instead, it becomes an easy job done from the safety of an overlooking walkway, completed in less than half an hour when changing a full 15-bulb chandelier.
Incidentally, if you’re swapping out your bulbs, you might be interested in the special royal lights you’re not allowed to buy. video after the break.