automatic door

[Huskeriowa]

Hi all,

I am ordering an automatic coop door and had decided on this one http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/auto_door_controller.html. However I have been talking to them about the controller and if it will fit my needs and am confused about a point or two. Perhaps someone here is knowledgeable about electric issues and can shed some light. I was interested in this door because of the automatic sensor and I can also see some value at least in the light the LED light supplies. If there is another product that is as good and simple I am glad to hear of it.

The door manual says that 'The controller and light operates on a safe and efficient 12-‐volt transformer which is plugged into a standard 110-‐volt outlet.' To me this means that I need to have electric in the coop for the door to plug into. The coop does not have electric and I don't want to run a cord all year to the coop. I want to be able to power the door via a 12 volt battery which is charged with a solar panel.

I have written McMurry twice and this is the last response which I still don't understand... 'You will not need an inverter. The door is 12 volt DC 1 amp and will run fine on a battery. We have others using solar chargers and batteries to run the unit. We have units in stock at the present time so they should ship within a few days.'

Then additionally they said, 'The unit runs on a 12volt/110 volt plugin power adapter (a small transformer that plugs into a wall outlet.). If you wish to run on a battery you we need to make the following modification. You can cut the cord from the power supply and wire it to your battery, then plug the cord into the unit.'

Maybe this is simple and I am dense. I am sure I could figure it out when it gets here but I really dislike the idea of ordering something that will not work with a battery and a solar charger. They say it will work obviously but I sure cant picture it. I think they are saying that I can cut the plug end off of the transformer, split the wires and attach them directly to separate posts of the battery. I really am not certain.

I know the topic of automatic doors has been beat to death in this forum. I just want to understand what I am ordering before I order and this forum seems to have the people that have knowledge about every coop issue. I am being picky and willing to spend the extra money because I will not have easy access to fix a problem with a door opener because the way my coop is configured. So... does this sound like I can truly run it with a battery or should I look at another product that is hopefully shown to be very reliable? Thanks much!

 

[farmer_lew]

Quote:
I just installed an automatic door in a friend's coop I built. Hers was powered by 4 "AA" batteries. Not sure where she ordered it from, though. I will have to ask her.

 

[AlienChick]

I, too, would like to know about the battery operated automatic coop door.

 

[THINGUM]

Go to "DISCOUNT HOME AUTOMATION" on the web "add-a-motor" automatic chicken door opener AT JUST$89.95 plus 6 or 7 dollars freight

 

[gryeyes]

The automatic door I use - one in each of two coops - is from Foy's and can be found here: http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/2100-2107.html

Yes, it's pricey. But I don't need anything but 4 AA batteries. No 12 volt battery, no solar collector unit. The solar SENSOR only activates the door, and hangs outside in the light (and dark at night, of course). It opens shortly after dawn and closes at dusk, actually a while after the chickens have already gone to roost. I've had the batteries in my first unit for close to a year now without having to replace 'em.

Here's a picture of the set-up Farmer Lew just installed:

 

[AlienChick]

What if all the shavings get tossed underneath where the automatic door should close.
I'm thinking with chickens going in/out all day, there will inevitably be a pile of shavings around the door area.

Will the door close?

And if it does not close, does that mean I'd have to go outside every evening to sweep away the shavings in order for the door to close?
(Kinda defeats the purpose.)

~Clueless....

.

 

[Huskeriowa]

Thanks for the replies! I was looking at the Foys but I had eliminated them because they have been out of stock. I will give them a call in the morning and check to see when they will have some available.

 

[ljkaine]

Can you tell me how the automatic door held up?

 

[gryeyes]

Well, the auto door SHOULD be installed at a height where the bottom of the door opening is above the level of the deep litter pine shavings (or whatever you use). I may have to adjust mine.

In my first coop, I installed it a little too low, too, and put a sort of barrier at an angle inside the doorway to keep most of the litter back. Every couple of weeks there is enough stuff to brush away for the best closure, which is to slide BEHIND or below the bottom edge of the opening.

The door panel is held up by the cord which raises and lowers it. The cord winds up onto a reel inside the mechanism box. The light sensor activates the reel and raises it or lowers it.

 

[CopperCT]

Quote:
I have the Foys door too. It works with a light sensor and 4 AA batteries. It has been pretty much perfect so far. I installed it so that it slides behind a raised lip so that even if the pine shavings build up on the inside it still fully closes and critters outside can't get their paws under the door to try to slide it up and get in. Every once in a while I have to clean out the lower parts of the track that the door slides down on as the shavings build up in the tracks and the door won't close all the way to the floor but I've only had to do that 3 or 4 times since I installed it almost a year ago. The installation of the door opener was very easy. It was just a matter of mounting it on the wall, installing the batteries. hanging the door on it and putting out the light sensor...very easy. I love this door opener.