ADOR1 Automatic Coop Door?

[Suzierd]

Did you put the oil in the holes up and down the sides? What did youse to oil it with? I love mine too! It's been over a year and I haven't needed to change the battery.

 

[Jewelwing]

I have two of these doors - one from the coop into the completely enclosed run, and one from the run into the vegetable garden. The battery thing is weird for me, though. I had the coop door for a couple of years before I got the run door, and the first battery lasted over a year in it. But now I can't find a battery that lasts in either door for more than two or three months (it never lasted longer than that in the second door). It feels like I'm changing them out constantly.

I've tried batteries from Walmart (the most expensive, and the middle-expensive), from our local farm store, and from Amazon (three different sellers).

I've tried Energizer, Eveready (regular and super heavy duty), and Ray-o-Vac.

Any ideas? Should I oil the track somehow so the door doesn't have to work as hard?

What oil did you use, lynnehd, and where exactly did you put it?

I STILL love this automatic door.

For maintenance, I've oiled the tracks a few times.
And I just changed out the battery today, because I'll be gone for a coupe of weeks.
The previous battery has been working well for 1 year.

This door operates like clockwork.

 

[lynnehd]

Did you put the oil in the holes up and down the sides? What did youse to oil it with? I love mine too! It's been over a year and I haven't needed to change the battery.

I have two of these doors - one from the coop into the completely enclosed run, and one from the run into the vegetable garden. The battery thing is weird for me, though. I had the coop door for a couple of years before I got the run door, and the first battery lasted over a year in it. But now I can't find a battery that lasts in either door for more than two or three months (it never lasted longer than that in the second door). It feels like I'm changing them out constantly.

I've tried batteries from Walmart (the most expensive, and the middle-expensive), from our local farm store, and from Amazon (three different sellers).

I've tried Energizer, Eveready (regular and super heavy duty), and Ray-o-Vac.

Any ideas? Should I oil the track somehow so the door doesn't have to work as hard?

What oil did you use, lynnehd, and where exactly did you put it?

I use the '3 in one' Household Oil.


With the door open, I use a slight wed paper towel to briefly clean the two tracks along the sides, then dry.
Then I put a few drops of oil at the top of each track (some drips down), and then close and open the door to spread the oil over the gears.
You tap the green button very quickly (a 'microsecond') to open/close, otherwise you reset it (if you hold the button down).

@Jewelwing , it's strange about your batteries not lasting in both doors? I guess you've made sure the track at the bottom is clear of debris, so the door isn't opening/shutting accidentally.
I'd try oiling them, and if that doesn't work, contact Rod at Ador1 to see if he has any other suggestions. Also the Ador1 web site has a blog, and answered questions; there may be some info about this in there. (Maybe you'd have to reset the door to factory settings and reprogram it? I'm not sure).

 

[Jewelwing]

I use the '3 in one' Household Oil.

With the door open, I use a slight wed paper towel to briefly clean the two tracks along the sides, then dry.
Then I put a few drops of oil at the top of each track (some drips down), and then close and open the door to spread the oil over the gears.
You tap the green button very quickly (a 'microsecond') to open/close, otherwise you reset it (if you hold the button down).

@Jewelwing , it's strange about your batteries not lasting in both doors? I guess you've made sure the track at the bottom is clear of debris, so the door isn't opening/shutting accidentally.
I'd try oiling them, and if that doesn't work, contact Rod at Ador1 to see if he has any other suggestions. Also the Ador1 web site has a blog, and answered questions; there may be some info about this in there. (Maybe you'd have to reset the door to factory settings and reprogram it? I'm not sure).

Thanks! Great information.

I won't be able to open and close the door from the coop to the run, though, because it's never responded to the manual button. I guess I do need to contact Rod.

 

[lynnehd]

Thanks! Great information.

I won't be able to open and close the door from the coop to the run, though, because it's never responded to the manual button. I guess I do need to contact Rod.

That isn't normal, for sure. Yes, I'd contact him.

I'd email him from the Ador1 website, or call.

He's been on BYC in the past as @AdorStore

 

[AdorStore]

I have two of these doors - one from the coop into the completely enclosed run, and one from the run into the vegetable garden. The battery thing is weird for me, though. I had the coop door for a couple of years before I got the run door, and the first battery lasted over a year in it. But now I can't find a battery that lasts in either door for more than two or three months (it never lasted longer than that in the second door). It feels like I'm changing them out constantly.

I've tried batteries from Walmart (the most expensive, and the middle-expensive), from our local farm store, and from Amazon (three different sellers).

I've tried Energizer, Eveready (regular and super heavy duty), and Ray-o-Vac.

Any ideas? Should I oil the track somehow so the door doesn't have to work as hard?

What oil did you use, lynnehd, and where exactly did you put it?

Hi Jewelwing, I don't know if you ever contacted me but I've not checked BYC.com much and am going to try to catch up on unanswered question. As far as batteries.... the cheapest lantern battery (like I suggest the $2.88 battery from Walmart) should last at least one year. Many people report back getting more than 2 years. So if yours is not doing that, please contact me. We have a software upgrade that I can program into your board -- buzzers have been known to sometimes start drawing more current over time and we have a software upgrade to fix it.

I fret when I see people have problems and we haven't received a phone or email contact where I can respond to the problem and get you going again.

 

[Jewelwing]

Hi Jewelwing, I don't know if you ever contacted me but I've not checked BYC.com much and am going to try to catch up on unanswered question. As far as batteries.... the cheapest lantern battery (like I suggest the $2.88 battery from Walmart) should last at least one year. Many people report back getting more than 2 years. So if yours is not doing that, please contact me. We have a software upgrade that I can program into your board -- buzzers have been known to sometimes start drawing more current over time and we have a software upgrade to fix it.

I fret when I see people have problems and we haven't received a phone or email contact where I can respond to the problem and get you going again.

So please text me or call or email me. Thanks, ROD

Thanks Rod, Yes I did contact you shortly after I posted this, and I have since changed both circuit boards, as you suggested. Hopefully that will fix the problem! I'll mark on the calendar next time I replace the batteries in these doors, and then I'll be able to see how long batteries last with these new boards.

Thank you!

 

[bayoubound]

I bought one of these for my wife's coop and installed this weekend. She is nervous about the door coming down on one of her birds and hurting it. Should this be a concern of her's? Has anyone ever had this happen?

 

[pfields]

I've had mine for several years and this has never happen.

 

[lynnehd]

I bought one of these for my wife's coop and installed this weekend. She is nervous about the door coming down on one of her birds and hurting it. Should this be a concern of her's? Has anyone ever had this happen?

I've had mine for nearly 2 years and it has never happened. The door goes down slowly and makes some noise, that helps.
I really like the feature where the door reopens after 5 minutes for chickens who don't make it the first time.