Automatic door not closing reliably in the winter

[EmmaRainboe]

So, I use a brinsea chick safe eco automatic door. And in the winter, it tends to not be reliable on closing. The rest of the year it works flawlessly, but whenever winter rolls around it always tends to not close until I reset the door. This happens almost every night. I have to go out and reset the door in order for it to close.

I was wondering if there was anything I could do to aid this?

Last winter, and the year before, COVID pretty much kept us home for winter, so it wasn't a huge deal, the door just became more manual. But this year we are going away a few times, so I really need this door to be able to close on its own. I wouldn't be so stressed about it if the run was predator proof, but it's not. So does anyone have any ideas on how to get it to sense it is dark without having to reset it?

Here is the door.
It is battery powered.

Just to clarify, it's not a matter of the door getting stuck.
The sensor just is not sliding it down.

 

[6BeachChicks]

I dont know. Honestly automatic chicken coop doors scare me.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

I've thought about trying to find a door controlled by an app, and putting it on the inside of the coop, that way it doesn't matter if the other one fails, then I have full control over the door.

Problem is, I don't know if the app would work halfway across the globe. And also, they are so expensive.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Bit of an update, I cut out a door out of plexiglass using a CNC, then took an extending arm and hooked it up to a motor which runs on a timer, and can also be controlled by Alexa. So I downloaded the Alexa app on my phone, and just say "Alexa, turn off chicken door" to open it, and "Alexa, turn on chicken door." To close it. Work amazingly.

Also now I have two coop doors, which is great because I was worried about the security of the other one anyways.

The only problem with this door is it closes slowly, but it does not stop if it hits something so it could possibly crush someone in an unlikely scenario.

So to combat this I plan on doing some photo eyes like you see in a garage door.