How to toggle a rocker switch with an actuator [closed]

Question

I have a cheap grid tie inverter which is supposed be activated and deactivated with a rocker switch. The switch is not directly disconnecting the AC power, but acting somewhere deeper inside the circuit. I would like to flip that switch based on the decision of a digital controller and thus activate or deactivate the inverter without flipping the switch by hand.

In order to not loose the device warranty, I can't open it and replace the switch with a relay (which would be my preferred option otherwise). Is there an elegant way, preferably something commercially available, to reliably flip a rocker switch by an actuator.

Answer 1

Your best bet will be a servo:

• Servos move at a controlled speed with high torque and have end-limits and absolute positioning, albeit sometimes not very accurate

Whereas

• Solenoids have very sudden motions
• Stepper motors don't have absolute position

If you seach online for servo controlled light switch you'll find lots of images which should give you a good idea of how to do it.

It is essentially a mechanical problem of how to mount the servo to press the switch effectively: many use 3D-printed mountings. To operate a servo you'll find endless tutorials for Arduino, Pi, and every other device.