Automatic Chicken Coop door for only $5 bucks with a radio antenna from a junkyard

[Davidhalpern2]

Are the limit switches built in to antenna motors? In other words how does it now to go up and close the door and retract to open the door?

 

[jimmywalt]

Hi,
Thanks for sharing your wonderful invention!
I'm pretty lame when it comes to electronics so I have a question;
What tells the antenna to "retract" to open in the Am? In other words how does it know to go up and close the door in the pm and retract to open the door in the am?

I'm not good with electronics either............

There's 2 power sources if you look at the plans. When the timer gives power to the antenna (at night) it opens. In the morning the timer turns off, and cuts the power therefore retracting the antenna.

It won't work with only 1 power source because it takes "power" to retract the antenna.

The antenna has limit switches (so to speak). It's actually a hard plastic (like fishing line) inside the antenna that pushes the antenna up, and then pulls it back to retract. Google "inside of a car antenna" to find pictures (or check youtube for a video).

Good luck!

 

[jimmywalt]

Bump

 

[djpal15]

I'm hoping someone with some electronic experience can help me out here. I am attempting to wire an automated coop door similar to what Jimmywalt has done. I have an old car antenna and two adapters (120v 4.3amp). My antenna has two wires (hot and neutral?) I can connect one adapter to it and it will go up (as long as there is power it will keep attempting to go up). If I reverse the wiring the antenna will go down. when I wire both adapters at the same time (one to go up and one to go down) and just plug in one adapter nothing happens. I've attached a diagram and a picture to hopefully give a little more detail.

 

[jimmywalt]

What you call the neutral on the antenna I tend to think it's not. It's probably the one that you need to make it go down.

Touch it with a hot wire, and touch something else that is metal (that you aren't leaning against or standing on) and with the neutral from the power supply. I bet it will go down.

If that is true than you need to have a ground somewhere. I've never seen an antenna without 3 wires.

My only other thought (and I can't see your full antenna set up) is that you didn't get the "box" (can't remember what it's called) that the 3 wires would come out of.

Look at my antenna and you will see what I mean.

 

[djpal15]

I thought it odd that it only had two wires. Unfortunately i am out of town until Sunday. I will tinker more then and try to post a better picture of the actual antenna. Thanks for the feedback

 

[jimmywalt]

Here check out these pictures. This is an extra antenna I pulled out of a car just in case mine didn't work or if it ever stops working.

See the black box on the mast? It has 3 wires going in and 3 coming out. For the life of me I can think of what that box is called, but without it the antenna set up I posted won't work.

 

[Freebird1st]

If it only has two wires it may be possible that it's grounded within.
Try grounding a metal part of the motor and see if that is your situation.
I suspect this is how it was designed.

 

[DJay]

thanks for the info! Any thoughts on how to wire in a battery backup in case of a power loss. I would assume a 12v timer would be needed?

 

[jimmywalt]

IT'S A VERY SAD DAY TODAY..............

Yesterday when we got home we found a notice on the door from the township letting us know that we couldn't have our chickens any longer. We weren't in compliance with the zoning for farm animals since we live in a subdivision and don't have enough land to be within the ordinance. We hade a very nice coop that I built with an enclosed run were they couldn't get out and they were very quiet too.

Last year in March we got our first 3 chicks for my son who was 3 years old at the time. Within a few weeks we got 2 more. Our 5 chickens gave us eggs almost every day once they started. This spring we got 3 more and they are growing up great. Probably would lay eggs near the end of July, but we won't get to see that now.

Our 4 year old son is very sad to see his pets (who each have a name) go. He fed them scratch each day as dad collected the eggs. It's hard explaining to a 4 year old that he won't see his "chicken nuggets" anymore.

What a shame........ and it's all because of a neighbor 3 houses down decided to call the township on us because I didn't appreciate a cat being allowed to run around my yard and use the bathroom, come in my garage, and kill the baby birds living in our trees.

Terrible that people can be such jerks and do things that make a small innocent child loose his pets.

It was great finding this website and all the things I learned on it and the things I got to share. Made friends with some of you and had a great time telling our chicken stories..... But I guess that's all done now. We have to have them cleared out in the next few days.

Wish for my little boy there was some way to keep them, but I'm sure we can't.

Thanks again everyone! Happy chicken keeping to you!