Anyone using a solar panel, battery and timer kit from DHA for their automatic door?? IT WORKS!!!!!!

[Wyogirl]

I recently purchased an automatic coop door from poultry butler, currently don't have electricity to my coop so purchased the solar panel battery timer kit from DHA, and am trying to set it up. Has anyone used any of these 2 products?? and how do they work?? Well actually it doesn't!!
Ayda

 

[SunnyDawn]

I haven't but I am very interested in hearing what other's experiences have been with them.

 

[MuddyHillFarm]

I wish I could add some light on the topic of solar conversion- the guy that makes them does NOT have an answering service nor has he answered a couple of my emails.

I am having a heck of a time with Poultry Butler product - it seems to hang up in the open position. I have had the darn thing apart a zillion times trying to figure out why it will not drop back down. I did speak to the guy once and he told me to look for a brad or nail in the track but I can not see or feel one - very frustrating - has anyone else encountered this problem and corrected it??

 

[cladano]

I would be very interested in knowing how much power those automatic coop door openers consume. I imagine it wouldn't be all that much and only twice a day. But you would want to know so you take that into account for the solar.

 

[fishnet1971]

Yup! I sure did. I have a video of it on my you tube page. let me see if i can get the link. My DH hooked it up forme. It had a small solar panel that runs to a small motorcycle or 4wheeler battery. that goes to a box that has a timer, then to the opener and closer mechanism. It works GREAT! I am in Ohio, so we are in the cold time right now. Solar panel is only about 12 inches by 24 inches and I have had no issues at all with the battery not working. It is basically acting like a trickle charger to the battery keeping it charged up. I mounted it to the top north east end of my coop. I have had it working about 6 months now. I am not sure where you are getting it from, but i found the same set up as the other totally expensive ones advertised for about half the price. (sorry didnt see. mine was from DHA as well.) it took a little time to figure out how to hook it up. My DH says call ifyou need help with set up. PM me.

 

[MuddyHillFarm]

Fishnet - I think they were asking for help with the Poultry Butler Door - but you guys seem to have done a fine job with drapery hardware.

Jim at Poultry Butler is not answering his phone today :-( but I hope I finally figured out the problem with the door remaining in the up position. Seems there is a bit of debris in the track. Not a lot of material in the channel but where he has made a slit in the side rail there was a bent over sliver of plastic/wood in the track. I found it when I shoved the door down to the floor and then used a flashlight to look for shadows in the side rails. Man I hope this ends the trials of fixing a product that should work right out of the box.

 

[MuddyHillFarm]

I checked on the coop and the red light is on and the door is stuck open! Door goes back in the morning to see if Jim can figure out what his problem is with his Poultry Butler door - bummer I so wanted it to work

 

[MuddyHillFarm]

Wyogirl - I just pulled the instruction sheet out for the Poultry Butler. Page 3 has instructions on connecting it to a 12VDC battery. You will not need the timer in that DHA kit as the PB uses a Light Sensor. Follow the instructions to connect the PB to the battery, connect the battery to the solar panel - looks pretty straight forward -

 

[Wyogirl]

Sorry haven't been on in a few LOL out with my chickens enjoying the weather.
OK today i did hook up the poultry butler door to the DHA battery/solar charger etc and it works the only problem I have is how do I hook up the solar panel to the battery without using the timer wiring it came with??? If I hook the solar panel directly to the battery then how do I hook up the battery to the door???
Ayda
Thank you for all your help

 

[MuddyHillFarm]

Wyogirl

I don't know the product well enough from DHA. Is the panel and timer prewired?

Here is Poultry Butler owner/inventor direct email address - perhaps he might answer your email inquiry

[email protected]