- Apr 4, 2011
- 6
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We purchased a chicken coop already wired for electricity and with an automatic chicken door installed. The door plugs into a timer, which in turn plugs into an outlet inside the coop, on the wall directly above it. There is a plug on the outside of the coop to plug the whole coop into an outside outlet.
The problem is that every time there is an interruption in the power, even momentarily, when the power comes back on the door operates: closing if it is open or opening if it is closed. We have a generator that comes on if the power is off for more than 10 seconds, but living out in the sticks, we occasionally get interruptions of just a couple of seconds. I can't have the door opening or closing unpredictably at random times every time the power flickers.
We are home most of the time and can operate the door "manually" by plugging it in or unplugging it, but that defeats the purpose of having an automatic door. Plus if we operate it by unplugging the outside plug, to save going in the coop and disturbing the girls, that means the light in the coop won't work if we do need to go in when it's dark.
Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas for a solution? My husband is handy and can rewire the coop but the door seems to be a self-contained, prewired unit.
Thanks!
New owner of an even dozen: 2 Buff Orps, 2 GLWs, 2 Golden Comets, 2 Black Stars, 2 Barred Rocks, 1 Ameraucana and 1 Welsummer.
The problem is that every time there is an interruption in the power, even momentarily, when the power comes back on the door operates: closing if it is open or opening if it is closed. We have a generator that comes on if the power is off for more than 10 seconds, but living out in the sticks, we occasionally get interruptions of just a couple of seconds. I can't have the door opening or closing unpredictably at random times every time the power flickers.
We are home most of the time and can operate the door "manually" by plugging it in or unplugging it, but that defeats the purpose of having an automatic door. Plus if we operate it by unplugging the outside plug, to save going in the coop and disturbing the girls, that means the light in the coop won't work if we do need to go in when it's dark.
Has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas for a solution? My husband is handy and can rewire the coop but the door seems to be a self-contained, prewired unit.
Thanks!
New owner of an even dozen: 2 Buff Orps, 2 GLWs, 2 Golden Comets, 2 Black Stars, 2 Barred Rocks, 1 Ameraucana and 1 Welsummer.