The "Wave Maker" Ball

My ideal holiday is never complete without experiencing the sensation of gentle pool waves lapping against my skin. But when I started formulating ideas to build my pool generator, I found the pre-existing wave machines to consume more space and maintenance for a small pool.

Pneumatic systems use pressurized air to move water. The drawback of this type of system is that it frequently generates smaller waves because of the blower's limits. A drop tank system does not have this problem since they do not rely on the force of air pressure, but on gravity for a free fall to create waves. While the waves created by this type of system have the potential to be enormous and strong, they can only produce one wave at a time, and refilling the chamber can take up to 10 minutes.

Therefore, I have built a small home pool generator to compensate for the shortcomings of the other two methods. It is cost-effective compared to previous technologies because of low energy consumption. It can generate waves with no heavy infrastructure, making installation easy. Maintenance costs are also extremely low.

This works on a principal similar to locomotive coupling (you can see the mechanism of train wheels). There is a weight inside the ball that moves up and down which creates inertia and hence, the ball also tends to move the same way, creating waves, when on water.

Hope you like it!

• Arduino Uno
• Servo motor (High torque and RPM)
• Jumper Wires
• Rotary encoder module (optional)
• Skewers
• Straw
• Clear openable ball (I have used a hamster ball; Atleast 6-8 inch)
• Mechanix/Ice cream sticks
• Fishing line
• Clay
• Small nut-bolts

Other basic items needed:

• Glue gun
• Dremel
• Scissors and cutter
• Tape and insulation tape
• Fevikwik (or any instant adhesive)
• Screwdriver

Using a Dremel or a drill, create holes on either sides of the ball to allow askewer to pass through. Make one hole more prominent to make space for passing the wires. Then, trim the skewer where the ball ends, to ensure that it securely stays in place after sticking.

I have used clear tape/ glue gun to cover any holes on the ball. (Do not use excess glue gun, it will lead to uneven weight distribution)

Examining the images and reading the instructions carefully will help in understanding this step.

(TIP)- Here's a tip to fasten the pieces securely. Use fishing line (as its extremely durable) and wrap it around both the objects you want to secure. Then add few drops of Fevikwik on it.

I have used three pieces of Mechanix in this step. To avoid confusion, I have named them in the image

I have attached Mechanix-1 to the skewer to match the height of the servo horn of the motor (You will understand this better with the next step). Now secure Mechanix-2 using a nut-bolt to Mechanix-1. Glue the nut-bolt together so that it doesn’t come apart. Be sure to seal the nut and bolt only and not the Mechanix. It’s important to understand that the nut-bolt acts as a pivot point that allows Mechanix-2 to move freely.

Next, I have secured the servo horn to the Mechanix-3. Mechanix-3 could be in any shape that rotates freely inside the ball. To ensure its stability, I have wrapped this connection using fishing line.

It's time to attach the motor to the skewer. You can secure a piece a straw to the motor with fishing line. Use Fevikwik to seal the fishing line to the motor. Then slowly slide the skewer into the straw and connect the servo horn to the motor.

We are ready with our basic setup.

As shown in the picture, connect the wires to the Arduino. If you have a rotary module, then refer to the second picture. Each setup will have its own code. I have provided the codes for both cases. It’s a basic code for the servo to rotate continuously.

The motor, when rotating, creates an up and down motion, which is what we need.

It is essential to attach clay pieces to the bottom of the hemisphere that will interact with water. It requires a bit of trial and error to calculate the right amount of clay. Then, tape it all down securely.

Ensure that no part is loose before you place it inside the ball. It may be tricky because the skewer has the same diameter as the ball. Use a glue gun to secure the skewer. Look at the images to get a better understanding. Make sure you fill in the gaps using the glue gun now and then. It's crucial we don't allow water to seep into our ball. You can cover wires outside the ball with insulation tape. Voila!

Thank you so much for reading till the end. If you liked this please vote for me in the Water Speed Challenge. It would mean so much to me. Thank you all once again