Automatic Door Closer--adjust sensitivity??

[the1much]

you could have a bad photocell,,,just like you get sometimes when ya buy a new porch light thats automatic

 

[toxo]

You could try this if you can't get it to work.

It's a light sensitive kit from Maplins. I've just built one to couple up to an electric aerial as a door closer and it's working well although I haven't installed it yet. Just testing with a torch makes adjusting easy although final adjustments will have to be done when it's installed.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=28574

If you look at my BYC page you'll see I like Maplins a lot. I have no connection to Maplins, I just think these kits are great.

Paul

 

[Schroeder]

Quote:
Is there a way to tell if the photcell is working using a voltage meter?

 

[gsim]

I would try to darken the lens, but not with a marker. First, tape a lens from an old pair of sunglasses over it and then observe to see if it closes early enough, or if it can be then adjusted to be right. If you do not have an old or broken pair of sunglasses, then tape your good pair to where one of the lenses is over the electric eye. A timer would be a constant pain.

We go out at dusk and close our two guillotine-type pop-doors, even tho our pen is 6'tall, steel fence set in cement, with four courses of hot wire running around it. You never know when you might have a power failure in the middle of the night.

 

[The Sheriff]

We bought our automatic poultry door from Larry Morris at 360Farm. http://web.mac.com/lmorris4/iWeb/Site%207/Automatic%20Chicken%20Door.html

It has never failed us in a year of use. It has a timer so you set it for what time you want it to open and close. Much better than a light sensor. We have a straggler who likes to come in last and she would be locked out constantly if we couldn't set it to close a little later. The door and timer costs about $230 but it is money well spent. We travel in our motorhome and do not have to inconvenience anyone to come over and open or close the coop. Here is a video of the door in action. Note: We outgrew the playhouse coop a few months ago. You can tell by the video the girls just got too big and we bought too many. They are much happier in their new place. Plus, I bought the playhouse on clearance at Lowes for $85, converted it to a coop with stuff laying around and sold it on Craigslist for $230 when we outgrew it!

So here's the link to the video: (also note that Aunt Bee had that limp when we got her!)

Mary