Recommendations for coop solar and automatic door

[danlan]

Hello everyone! I would love some help with solar systems for chicken coops.

After a fox incident, I'm looking to add an automatic coop door for my coop and in the winter, I have this deicer for the water. I recently moved and my coop is no longer close enough to run an extension cord for power, so I'd like to go solar.

Any recommendations on
1, solar system to use for the automatic door and deicer
2, which automatic door to use? I see so many on Amazon and it's overwhelming to choose. Afraid I'll drop $100 on a door and it will turn out to be a cheaply made piece of garbage that quickly breaks or doesn't work well.

Thanks!

 

[Mouthpear]

Hello everyone! I would love some help with solar systems for chicken coops.

After a fox incident, I'm looking to add an automatic coop door for my coop and in the winter, I have this deicer for the water. I recently moved and my coop is no longer close enough to run an extension cord for power, so I'd like to go solar.

Any recommendations on
1, solar system to use for the automatic door and deicer
2, which automatic door to use? I see so many on Amazon and it's overwhelming to choose. Afraid I'll drop $100 on a door and it will turn out to be a cheaply made piece of garbage that quickly breaks or doesn't work well.

Thanks!

Need more info.

• Are you looking to just buy one or would you DIY?
• Onside mounted or inside?
• Is the coop already built?
• How much space/room is there?
• Vertical or Horizontal?
• What type of door would you prefer? String, Linear Actuator, Roll-up, Gear driven, Water Pump?
• Options on door? Photocell, Smart switched(WiFi), Timer operated?

As to the Solar Charging system, will you be using it to power anything else beside the deicer?

As to deicing the water, you could use Food Grade Propylene Glycol Antifreeze.

I will drop links to post where I have addressed Automatic doors in a future comment. I have somewhere to be right now. But this should help you get the best recommendations.

 

[danlan]

Thank you @Mouthpear ! Here are answers to your questions:

• Are you looking to just buy one or would you DIY? --Buy. I cannot assemble wires and circuit boards and stuff together.
• Onside mounted or inside? Either is fine. If inside, then it would need to be a roll-up door since there is not not much space vertically or to the side. If the door is on the outside, then any kind of door configuration is fine.
• Is the coop already built? It is built.

The coop is an A-frame coop just like this (below). These dimensions are very close if not the same as mine. This coop is situated inside this run. I'd like to install an automatic door where the red square is.

• How much space/room is there? Not a whole lot of vertical space on the inside of the coop (see image above).
• Vertical or Horizontal? The coop? I don't follow
• What type of door would you prefer? String, Linear Actuator, Roll-up, Gear driven, Water Pump? I don't even know what some of these are. I do not have a preference -- just an electric door that I can plug into an inexpensive solar array instead of burning through batteries.
• Options on door? Photocell, Smart switched(WiFi), Timer operated? Ideally photocell.

I forgot to mention, I live in the Northeast, where the temps can hit 10 degrees or lower in the winter (average is probably 20s-40s) and 100 degrees in the summer. We have plenty of sun for solar.

 

[RojoMarz]

We have an Ador pop door. It's not solar. Instead, it's powered by a lantern battery and runs for a long time before the battery needs to be replaced. The door is very well made and I've never had any issues with it.

 

[Captain13]

We have an Ador pop door. It's not solar. Instead, it's powered by a lantern battery and runs for a long time before the battery needs to be replaced. The door is very well made and I've never had any issues with it.

I have the Ador as well. Made in use and is well built….built to last.

 

[Mouthpear]

Vertical or Horizontal? The coop? I don't follow

Vertical This is the ADOR1
Their member page here.
Their website.


ADOR1 Chicken Door with Canopy

I know you said you don't want to wire but these are not made with external charging capabilities, I suspect it is because the batteries they use are 6v. Most solar charging systems are 12v. But if you get an Outdoor Hunting Power Deer Feeder Battery Charger Edrenaline Solar Panel and a 6V Rechargeable Lantern Battery. You can change out their battery they send. With minimal of fuss. However these batteries last a long time.

The cost is $259.00 USD a bit high but you get very good service(they have a member page here) and they have replacement part readily available. It is also an all metal door. "Material: Heavy Duty 20 Ga. Galvanized Steel. The unit is an Industrial/Farm-grade rugged product."



Horizontal



Roll-up




Run Chicken has a very popular door. Just don't get the imitation imposters.

 

[danlan]

Thanks so much @Mouthpear --your post is very comprehensive and very helpful

@RojoMarz and @Captain13 thanks for the endorsements on the Ador door!

 

[Mouthpear]

Thanks so much @Mouthpear --your post is very comprehensive and very helpful

@RojoMarz and @Captain13 thanks for the endorsements on the Ador door!

You're Welcome and Thank You Very Much.

 

[Captain13]

They are great doors. Expensive but the support from Rod Neumann at Ador is some of the best customer service I’ve seen in a long time. He designed them and builds them.

 

[Mouthpear]

They are great doors. Expensive but the support from Rod Neumann at Ador is some of the best customer service I’ve seen in a long time. He designed them and builds them.

Yeah he and I talked for about an hour. Very nice guy and eager to help.