ADOR1 Automatic Coop Door?

[petrel]

I got home from driving my school bus this morning around 9am, and I didn't see the chickens in the run. The door only opened an inch this morning!

Did you replace the battery before this happened?

 

[MoonShadows]

No, I have to get a new one to see if that may be the problem, but I won't have time to get to the store until tomorrow. Today, it opened half way...enough for the chickens to do the limbo and get outside.

 

[RedneckGurl]

Mine is doing the SAME thing MoonShadows, and I replaced the battery just two weeks ago before we went on vacation. Most of the time while we were on vacation last week, the pet sitter told me she had to manually open it and close it because the door behaved so erratic. Yesterday it only opened halfway and my chickens did the limbo too. Yet, last night when I finally got home at 6:30pm, the door had closed itself completely. My DH and I will be taking it apart this weekend, washing the door, putting the recommended silicone lubricant on the sides to help with any friction and then double checking all the screws to make sure they aren't ratcheted down too tight. Other than that, I have NO clue what else we can do.

 

[FarkerFarms]

Mine is doing the SAME thing MoonShadows, and I replaced the battery just two weeks ago before we went on vacation. Most of the time while we were on vacation last week, the pet sitter told me she had to manually open it and close it because the door behaved so erratic. Yesterday it only opened halfway and my chickens did the limbo too. Yet, last night when I finally got home at 6:30pm, the door had closed itself completely. My DH and I will be taking it apart this weekend, washing the door, putting the recommended silicone lubricant on the sides to help with any friction and then double checking all the screws to make sure they aren't ratcheted down too tight. Other than that, I have NO clue what else we can do.

Call Rod and talk to him. Your symptoms sound the exact same as mine and he shipped me a new door and wants me to return my door so he can look into the issues. I am sure he would be interested in the fact that others are having the same problem.

 

[RedneckGurl]

Quote:
If the troubleshooting ad cleaning we do over the weekend does not work, that is exactly what I will do.

 

[sab]

We THINK we have our issues (door opening and closing erratically) finally fixed. We installed a 40w bulb fixture RIGHT BESIDE the ador1 door. Had it on a timer to come on in the AM when we wanted the door to open. My girls have sometimes been lined up pecking at the door to get out in broad daylight. But that had no effect whatsoever on when the door opening. Seems the sensor is too recessed inside there to sense all the light coming from that 40w bulb. So we attached the remote sensor and have it practically taped to the light fixture. The remote sensor is an extra component that, fortunately, we did buy when we bought the door. So far, over the last 2 days, the door has opened when we wanted. We had it opening really early like 6 (still very dark) and it worked. So the opening time is under control - somewhat more in our control than just the door's programming. To get the door to close later (cause we had chickens and ducks being left outside), we reprogrammed the door to the #2 setting which is to close later. And it does. It seems the girls are getting in now. At least I sure do hope so cause we are going out of town.

We had the girls doing the limbo too. So we changed the battery and so far that has not happened. But I do have great concern that with freezing weather and snow coming soon, that the gears will get wet and not pull up. Or if they do open the door, the strain with the added weather on them will run the battery down sooner. My plan is to somehow get that door completely under cover so no rain can run into it and freeze. I'll be working on that next week. For a $200 product, we've had issues for months. Our door grinds on the way up too. Much more labor pulling up than letting down. I suspect that battery will not have the life expectancy that is promoted on the ador1 website. I suspect, we will have to change the battery often. We can live with that.

My husband, who is an engineer, loves the concept and the working mechanism of this door. It's just the way it's programmed that seems a bit screwy.

 

[RedneckGurl]

We THINK we have our issues (door opening and closing erratically) finally fixed. We installed a 40w bulb fixture RIGHT BESIDE the ador1 door. Had it on a timer to come on in the AM when we wanted the door to open. My girls have sometimes been lined up pecking at the door to get out in broad daylight. But that had no effect whatsoever on when the door opening. Seems the sensor is too recessed inside there to sense all the light coming from that 40w bulb. So we attached the remote sensor and have it practically taped to the light fixture. The remote sensor is an extra component that, fortunately, we did buy when we bought the door. So far, over the last 2 days, the door has opened when we wanted. We had it opening really early like 6 (still very dark) and it worked. So the opening time is under control - somewhat more in our control than just the door's programming. To get the door to close later (cause we had chickens and ducks being left outside), we reprogrammed the door to the #2 setting which is to close later. And it does. It seems the girls are getting in now. At least I sure do hope so cause we are going out of town.

We had the girls doing the limbo too. So we changed the battery and so far that has not happened. But I do have great concern that with freezing weather and snow coming soon, that the gears will get wet and not pull up. Or if they do open the door, the strain with the added weather on them will run the battery down sooner. My plan is to somehow get that door completely under cover so no rain can run into it and freeze. I'll be working on that next week. For a $200 product, we've had issues for months. Our door grinds on the way up too. Much more labor pulling up than letting down. I suspect that battery will not have the life expectancy that is promoted on the ador1 website. I suspect, we will have to change the battery often. We can live with that.

My husband, who is an engineer, loves the concept and the working mechanism of this door. It's just the way it's programmed that seems a bit screwy.

Ours is fully under cover and cannot get wet but it still struggles whether it's cold or warm. We don't have an issue with the door not opening or closing due to light conditions - it's just having such trouble opening period. My husband is also an engineer and also likes the door...and he's even puzzled by how and why it operates so erratically. Maybe we can get it fixed this weekend. Good luck to you sab!

 

[seminolewind]

I wonder where I can get a new motor? Mine doesn't even move anymore.

 

[aart]

I wonder where I can get a new motor? Mine doesn't even move anymore.

Fresh battery? If so, call the door manufacturer.

 

[McKinneyMike]

I wonder where I can get a new motor? Mine doesn't even move anymore.

I would contact Rod at ADOR about any parts or repairs.