The Actuator

A Meshtastic node with a relay or driver attached. Receives commands from the Ark Core over the mesh and performs a physical action. Does not think. Just obeys.

Footprint Palm-sizedAt the device being controlled Yield Physical actuationValve, pump, gate, alarm, light Cycle Always listeningActs only when commanded

Cost tier entryDifficulty weekendLand noneFirst benefit ~1 day

② The Manifest

The parts list. Cores are what you actually need; “if you prefer” opens cheaper, local, or heritage swaps — never budget fallbacks, just other good ways.

Board

Heltec V3 (915MHz)~$25

Remote Hardware module enabled.

if you prefer… (1)

XIAO + Wio-SX1262~$10Budget, wall-powered.

Relay

Single-channel 3.3V relay board~$3

Switches controlled device's power.

if you prefer… (2)

4-channel relay board~$6Multiple outputs.

Solid-state relay~$8High-cycle applications.

Power

USB from nearby outlet~$0

Actuators usually near infrastructure.

if you prefer… (1)

Solar + battery~$25Remote locations.

Enclosure

IP65 weatherproof box~$8

Cable glands for relay wiring.

③ The Sequence

01Build base node15 min Same board/power/enclosure as a Sentry.
02Wire relay10 min GPIO pin → relay input. Relay output switches device power. Never run high current through the board.
03Enable Remote Hardware5 min Define exposed GPIO pins. Set allow_undefined_pin_access to false.
04Create GPIO channel5 min Dedicated encrypted channel for hardware control. Must match on Core and Actuator.
05Test from Core10 min Send GPIO write command. Confirm relay clicks. Confirm device activates.

⑤ The Echo

Eyes and Hands15 min

Why sensing and actuation are separate Rigs. Fail-safe design. What happens when the mesh goes down.

⑥ Feeds

How this rig connects to the rest of the Ark.

→ information The Walipini Drives motorized vent openers (electric override of wax-cylinder backups), zoned irrigation valves, and optional shade cloth motors. Most active in summer (heat management) and during deep-cold transitions when wax-cylinder thresholds need overriding by software.
← information The Watch Confirmed breach events go OUT to The Actuator so a verified alert can trigger a physical response — lights, gate, siren — automatically when no one's watching the phone.

Signal · The Actuator · signal/the-actuator Offline? Same path on any Ark Mirror.