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

[Nifty-Chicken]

Anybody know how the "expensive" European door opener / closer latches shut? I know it uses a string to open and close... seems like a critter could just lift the door, no?

A linear actuator would be pretty impossible to force open.

 

[CedarLake]

AdamKristin:
I'm happy you found something that works for you. I agree that in some cases it's best to just go with an off the shelf solution.

There is one thing I should bring up here: reliability. I have a fair amount of experience working with X-10 in "hands-off" computer controlled systems -- in my first job out of college one of our products was an X10 interface card for home automation. X-10 is infamous for its unreliability. If you're controlling a light manually it's not usually a problem: you see the light doesn't go on, so you hit the button again. But in a computerized system there is no such feedback, so the "work around" is to send each command multiple times in the hope that at least one will get through OK.
Now, if you're just turning the lights on & off in your house so it looks lived-in while you're away, or you want them to come on when your car gets in the driveway, X10 will be OK. But it's not intended for anything critical.

Commands are often garbled as they go across the powerline. This is often the case in households with many computers as some power supplies can put a lot of electrical noise on the powerline. If your X-10 controller is on one side of the split-phase AC coming into your house, and the controlled device is on the other side, there is often no communication. X-10 sells a phase connector box to solve this very problem. In my house this happens occasionally with one light behind my entertainment center. I just turn on the oven or other 220V appliance momentarily to connect the phases, hit the button and the light turns on/off.

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but if you're concerned about the safety of a flock, I would not rely on X10 to control the door.

[edit]
Oh, I forgot to add: a pilot-duty relay is just a relay that's rated for low current. It should be fine to control your actuator. They got the name "pilot duty" because they were initially used to control even larger relays (contactors) that switched huge loads.

--Lyndon

 

[AdamKristin]

Thanks for the info Lyndon and I completely agree with you on x10 technology. I installed it in our last house and it was quite unreliable I would send the signal twice to make sure the lights would all turn off at bedtime. I've also installed the dimmers in the house we're in but didn't bother setting them up - sometimes it's just easier not to make things difficult. Thanks for the look inside x10, I’ve really only tinkered with it and figured for the price that it wasn't a very robust system compared with like a crestron system. I'm hoping with the barn's service being 250' away from the house service that with the module down at the barn and with the one switch not to far away that it will operate reliably. Otherwise I’ll just replace the switch with either a timer or a photocell. My only concern with the photocell is that I need the door to remain open for a time after dusk - I think you can buy a photocell that can be adjusted? Also, thanks for the info on the pilot relay - wasn't sure what they were used for other than wet applications - boating etc......

I'll upload some pics after I get done with it.

Adam

 

[wisconsindan]

Hi, I am new to this site but really want to construct a varmint proof automatic door before spring. We lost entire flocks of chickens 3 separate times to varmints as we aren't always home to close the door and live near a large tract of woods. I am most interested in the threaded bolt which would raise and lower the door via a motor and either a timer and or a photo eye. Could anyone forward me pictures if you have succesfully put something like this together? I have electricity at the building, so wouldn't need to or want to expend extra cash on the solar. Any help you can provide would be awesome.

Thanks

Dan

[email protected]

 

[sgray136]

I have been playing with two ideas for automatic door openers and Closers. One idea is adapting a cheap cordless screwdriver from Harbor Freight, the other is using a power antenna designed for vehicles. I am leaning toward the power antenna as it is designed for a power on - power off mode. The power screwdriver concept would use threaded bar stock that would raise and lower the door as a screw drive. The problem is timing the on/off switch between RT/off/LT. If I was electronically inclined I would build an electronic switch. If anyone has any good ideas about a switch let me know. [email protected]

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Bob let me post his auto coop door with antenna design here:
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/auto-coop-door-ii-antenna.php

Pretty ingenious!

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

 

[sgray136]

That is exactly what I was thinking of. Now he did all the work for me. I'm still going to work on the screwdriver idea too. This is great! Thanks.

 

[HappyHatch'en]

Check Home Depot....smoke alarm area, they have a timer that is better than the own shown....$17.00...turns on off 15x's in 24 hr., perhaps it has a quicker OFF time....

 

[Zahboo]

That's cool, but I'd be afraid one of my slower girls would get left out...