Automatic Door Closer--adjust sensitivity??

[Mini Coop]

I got one from:

http://web.mac.com/lmorris4/iWeb/Site%207/360%20Farm.html

It runs on a timer, not light. The guy is very nice. You just set it to open and close when you want it to.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I know this is made in Germany. It's always more of a challenge to deal with instructions that were translated into English by a person for whom it is a second language. It's not a lot of fun to get tech help in the same situation, either.

It was very good of you to take the time to type out exactly what the instructions said. I haven't seen the instructions since we bought one last year. Knowing my husband they could be anywhere, including a landfill!

I think we did have a little confusion over the more light sensitive vs less light sensitive terminology. I agree with you that they are telling you to turn it clockwise to have it open and close when it is darker. It would logically follow that you would need to turn it counter-clockwise, to have it open and close when it is lighter. I can understand your frustration at the screw not being able to be turned counter-clockwise.

What I remember from last year, is my husband complaining about the instructions and then experimenting with the setting. I can't give you any other information until later tonight, after I talk to him.

We haven't had any losses from using ours, but I'm sure we have a lot of contributing factors to each of our situations. Is ours opening and closing at a different time from yours? I don't know. Was our adjustment screw in a different position from yours when we got it? I don't know. Since we bought them at least a year apart, was there some difference in the way they were manufactured? I don't know. I know this is not helping you, at this exact moment in time. I will certainly get some feedback from my husband when I can and also think about this some more. I'm hoping others that are using this door will chime in on this. I know what you mean about not wanting to have to constantly adjust a timer. That was why we didn't go with a timer.

If you want to obscure the sensitivity of the light sensor, I would be inclined to try something like a gauzy material or a tinted light filter, that could just be placed over it, rather than painting on it.

I just thought of something else. We have the model with a probe, so it could be installed indoors. Is that what you have? I don't know if that makes a difference.

I'm very glad you came to BYC, even though it's under such terrible circumstances.

 

[karanleaf]

Jimbob Sorry for the lose of your birds.

DH was still sleeping when I left for work...

Must be nice...
Looks like you have gotten some good advise from some of those whom have or had one of these so they are proubly your best support here.

Good luck getting it worked out.

Again

Karan

 

[jimbob]

Mine is the one that is meant to be mounted outdoors, just above the door. You are correct, the adjustment screw was set all the way counterclockwise when it arrived.
What I'm trying is to use all-weather black electrical tape. I have taped all the way around the clear sides of the cover, and about half of the cover. It "seems" to me that this will help it close a little earlier, as it is going to be darker inside at baseline.
This company irritates me a little. If they are going to go to the trouble of putting a sensitivity adjustment in it, I wish they would have set things to close right after sunset, rather than when things really are dark and the first shift of the predators has long since clocked it.

Our dogs won't help, they are small and in fact we lost one to a coyote right after sunset (you could still have read by the available light) a couple years ago.

If this doesn't work guess I'll go with a timer, but they are kind of misleading, as they imply this will close pretty early. (In fact, I read the instructions on line prior to ordering and felt confident that if I had any problems it might be with it closing too early!)

Enough griping, thanks for listening, maybe this will at least warn other who are thinking about spending a couple hundred bucks on this unit.

 

[Poison Ivy]

I have mine on a timer and only have to change the time twice a year. I have mine set to open at 7am and I have it set to close at 9pm that is when it starts to get dark this time of year. I love the timer because I know if I'm not home it closes the coop up for me. So far I only had to replace the batteries once a year.

 

[jimbob]

I may go with the timer eventually, I am just basically cheap and am kind of miffed at the company for not being more forthcoming on the details of their unit.
Almost dusk now, the chickens are in, we will see if the electrical tape darkening will make a difference.
One thing I've learned, I should have left the original door in place and mounted this next to it, and watched it over a few days first.
Oh, well.
Thanks for your replies!
Jim

 

[Ilikechickens]

It sounds like you need to make the circuit think it's darker out than it really is. I've never seen one of these contraptions, but my first thought was to place camera film over the light sensor to filter out some light.

 

[jimbob]

I think you're on the right track! The entire front of the unit is clear plastic, so yesterday I used all-weather vinyl electrical tape to slowly occlude more and more of the clear stuff. Finally I had about a one inch strip of clear plastic, and it closed 15 minutes after sunset.
I'm sure there will be more adjusting of this highly scientific method!
Jim

 

[karanleaf]

Ilikechickens you will like this forum lots of good folks here.


Good Luck Jimbob sounds like you are getting some good feed back to think it out.
Just been checking to see how it's going. DH had talked about getting one of theses. But Now I am wondering..
Besides it's nice to go outside with my 1st cup of coffee and let the ducks out and open the door for the chickens,, I get to tell them good morning and do a head count. This way we know everything is still secure.




Hey have a good day guys.

 

[Anny]

What if you put a piece of like tinted glass or sunglasses over the sensor...so it thinks it's darker then it is?

Which auto door opener did you buy by the way?