Automatic Chicken Coop Door - Auto Closes Coop - Beta Version 1.0

[Peepthis541]

Photos of the installed door.

I'll post a couple videos now.

 

[Peepthis541]

Door Opens

Door Closes

Sorry for the loud siren noise! Sounds like I live in The Ghetto.

Dave

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

That's pretty cool!

I love the way the magnets grab the door as it closes!

 

[birdsofparadise]

Love the snarling racoon! Nice touch, but doesnʻt it freak out the birds?

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Quote:
You know, I wondered that the first day I opened the door and let them out of the coop and they didn't come out.

Since I was using plexiglass I bet the image shown through perfectly and was staring them in the face.

I should have fixed / changed it, but they got over it really quick.

 

[mo]

forgive me if this Idea has been brought up already- I was following the thread for the first few pages, but have not gotten thru them all yet.

I am really wanting an automatic chicken door, and I really will never spend $200 on one, and I like recycling. I already have a decent size solar panel, and a few batteries, as well as shore power at the coop.

I was toying with the idea of using pneumatics for the door- as I have an air compressor 35 ft away, but that would require air and electricity.

so out of a simpler goldberg, why not make a "normal" pop door(slides up) and use an automotive electric window regulator from the junkyard? I can get these for about $15, I even have a few around as spares for my car. it would seem that they will be strong enough to keep out a coon, and reliable. also the throw is enough that you would not need levers, etc...

If I had the room, maybe I would just turn a car into a coop........ or use a car door. but seriously, I reckon it would be fairly easy to do, next chance I get to go to the junkyard I am gonna pick up a regulator and the channel which the arm rides in.

 

[mksenoj]

If I hit the lottery, I will have a door person at my coop. Great job from you all.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Mo, I think that's the only thing not brought up yet!

We've discussed windshield wiper motors, but I've not heard / seen a window motor and assume it would be pretty strong and is made perfectly for up / down motion that has a limit on either end.

Good thinking! Now, get to work and take LOTS of pictures!!!

 

[MrGreenJeans]

Power window motors are pretty darn torquey, but use a gear mechanism to turn a rotary motion into the up-down for your car door. Not a huge deal, just something to keep in mind - as you said - you may want to pick up the geared arm that goes with the motor (heck the limit switches too !)

On second thought, you might just want to bring the whole door home

If you have any brain storms using those motors tho, post them here ! I happen to have a couple old window motors laying around as well...

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Power window motors don't have limit switches. Some high end cars might but all the ones I've ever fixed just stop at the top an bottom because it has to. You can stop them with your hand but just barely. They burn up if you hold down the button long term.