My DIY automatic chicken POP door opener/closer

[NYcue]

I thought about that as well... but my run is enclosed and locked so it wasn't necessary. Though I did come up with 2 ideas for doing exactly that.... I hope that if you build it that you will share some pictures of it. I would be very interested. Good Luck!

 

[DriverMan]

I love your idea!

I have seen a youtube video similar to your idea. I would post the link if I could find it. However, your method of using two pumps is unique and makes more sense. However, I have an idea; if you wanted to make a smaller enclosure you need smaller containers. In the Youtube video (If i find the link I will post it) the person who created theirs used 2 or 3 inch PVC pipes (several inches long) with caps on both ends. I think that will make it smaller for you.

 

[jimmywalt]

Hey OP your invention is TOOOOO cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How in the world did you come up with that???

Does the liquid freeze in the winter? If so does that make it work differently?

I made my auto door with a $5 junk yard automatic radio antenna.......... My door isn't as clever as yours though........ but it does work!

 

[NYcue]

DriverMan... thank you!


JimmyWalt... Who's OP?

If you mean my DIY automatic chicken door from this post I started... windshield washer fluid doesn't freeze!

"I made my auto door with a $5 junk yard automatic radio antenna.......... My door isn't as clever as yours though........ but it does work!"

Reminds me something my Grand Father used to say... "nothing just takes 5 minutes or costs just $5"...

Congrats on your Auto radio antenna... I saw your thread on it and it looks sweet. I hope it serves you well for many years!

 

[jimmywalt]

DriverMan... thank you!


JimmyWalt... Who's OP?

If you mean my DIY automatic chicken door from this post I started... windshield washer fluid doesn't freeze!

"I made my auto door with a $5 junk yard automatic radio antenna.......... My door isn't as clever as yours though........ but it does work!"

Reminds me something my Grand Father used to say... "nothing just takes 5 minutes or costs just $5"...

Congrats on your Auto radio antenna... I saw your thread on it and it looks sweet. I hope it serves you well for many years!

OP means "Original poster"................ i.e. The guy/girl that started the thread.

 

[Chapurrah]

That is an AWESOME invention!
I have seen some innovative solutions to chicken keeping but this is amazing.
Pumps, timers, pulleys, fluid, and electricity - what could go wrong. You even thought of the antifreeze washer fluid.
I can imagine the iterations this went through and how many hours and days you spent thinking about it.
We all learn through trial and error. Bravo, man!

 

[aart]

Sweet!

Do you have make and model, and maybe links, for the timers and the pumps?

Not sure you could make it smaller due to the amount of liquid needed for weight.

 

[NYcue]

aart.... The door is very light so I don't think the weight would be an issue. I purchased the pumps from Amazon. Here is the link.... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018WVNXC/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ... When they arrived I was shocked by their size. They were bigger than I thought they would be because of the their cost and so I used the only containers I had available and that dictated the size for me. I like these pumps in that they are actually powerful but... if I had to do it again... I might look for something smaller so that I could have built a smaller overall unit.

The timers I already had but just about any timer will do. The timer I have been using... I think that was an over kill. However, they are digital and because of that I can schedule them to turn on and off in a minute. Non-digital units normally make you run electric for either 15 or 30 minutes. Though you can still use them... 1 minutes is all you need. Sorry I don't have a link for that. But Amazon probably has them also.

 

[aart]

I've got some pumps for tabletop fountains that are about 2" cubed.
The timer tolerance would be important as you don't want to pumps to run dry for long...so digital would be important.
Thanks.

 

[NYcue]

Do you think that the pump running once a day for 15 or 30 minutes even though water would be cleared in about 40 seconds would damage the pump? I'm not so sure in my case. Here is the reason... the liquid would never be completely empty from either container and so the pump would never really run dry. For example, in my setup... within 35 to 40 seconds there isn't enough liquid to move from one container to the other. It's not that the liquid has completely in its entirely moved from one container to the other... at some point the pump will not have enough liquid to create the pressure needed to move the liquid across containers.... once that occurs, the pump will continue to try and pump the liquid but wont be able too... Because of that... the pump will never run dry as the container will never completely empty itself. That is my understanding anyway...

In any case... if you are like me and really want to reduce the amount of electric used... digital timers is the best way to go (especially if you have some extras hanging around)... thanks for the thought provoking post!