Looking for Timer recommendations for automatic door

[Mouthpear]

I've used many electrical timers over the years for various things. The better ones I used were all mechanical timers -- the ones with either the removable pins, or the little tabs you slide over (that one had 15min increments I believe). The digital ones have been ok, as long as they were not the cheap ones.

I would never use mechanical timers for this stuff. If you have a power loss you have to reset timers. Digital timers will remember the time.

Plus you even said it yourself "that one had 15min increments I believe". That limits what time you choose.

"The digital ones have been ok, as long as they were not the cheap ones." I have had MANY digital timers cheap and more expensive and I have never had only one of them fail.

 

[Mouthpear]

We use something similar, but it is not super-easy to use, especially when it comes to changing the timer settings. My boyfriend changes them once per month on a schedule that was set by making tweeks over the last several years.

Here is our timer setup. Note: This is a 12V system with two sets of timers because we have two doors to open and close each morning and evening. With one door, we'd have two timers and one control board (blue item in photos). The black box is a battery monitor that tells us the 12V battery voltage at all times. The orange item at the bottom of the photo is the 110V battery maintainer that's plugged into a 110V outlet up near the battery in the top of the coop to charge the 12V battery.

That is a very nice and clean setup. I like that. However what I don't like is the actual wiring. I take it you got the diagram from that site that many people go to. Not trying to talk bad about the guy and his work but he is showing many people very bad habits when doing wiring. Plus he is using way too many components when all you really need is two timers.

The photo below is just an expanded wiring demo I made just to show the easiest way to wire a coop door. Wire is spread out more so see the routing better. When doing and actual install you can make the wires shorter. No bells or whistles just open and close. The grey thing in the center is a fuse holder. The timers are DIN rail timers and are mounted on the DIN rail. Makes it so much easier to mount. You can literally mount two setups (like you have) for two doors in the same space as just just three of those times you have.

Again I am not trying to talk bad about your work (it looks WAY BETTER than my I have seen setup up this way) but if you do this or have to replace or even if you want to just upgrade, this is the way to go. Plus if anyone else needs this too, I am posting.

And if you really want to save space use a two channel timer. and if you have a good WIFI signal you can use a SONOFF 4CH PRO R3 and have it smart home and RF controlled. Images and diagrams are available if needed.

 

[Swbertrand1]

That is a very nice and clean setup. I like that. However what I don't like is the actual wiring. I take it you got the diagram from that site that many people go to. Not trying to talk bad about the guy and his work but he is showing many people very bad habits when doing wiring. Plus he is using way too many components when all you really need is two timers.

The photo below is just an expanded wiring demo I made just to show the easiest way to wire a coop door. Wire is spread out more so see the routing better. When doing and actual install you can make the wires shorter. No bells or whistles just open and close. The grey thing in the center is a fuse holder. The timers are DIN rail timers and are mounted on the DIN rail. Makes it so much easier to mount. You can literally mount two setups (like you have) for two doors in the same space as just just three of those times you have.

Again I am not trying to talk bad about your work (it looks WAY BETTER than my I have seen setup up this way) but if you do this or have to replace or even if you want to just upgrade, this is the way to go. Plus if anyone else needs this too, I am posting.

And if you really want to save space use a two channel timer. and if you have a good WIFI signal you can use a SONOFF 4CH PRO R3 and have it smart home and RF controlled. Images and diagrams are available if needed.

I don't see how that is any less complicated, and what "bad habits" are you talking about? This is a 12V system that operates efficiently and has for years.

We are opening and closing two (2) doors each day on the same coop, AND we're operating lights in the morning and evening on timers too. It takes as much wiring as it takes to connect the components.

If all we wanted to do is open and close one (1) door each day, I'm told by my bf that we could do it with less than what you've shown above.

 

[Mouthpear]

I don't see how that is any less complicated, and what "bad habits" are you talking about? This is a 12V system that operates efficiently and has for years.

We are opening and closing two (2) doors each day on the same coop, AND we're operating lights in the morning and evening on timers too. It takes as much wiring as it takes to connect the components.

If all we wanted to do is open and close one (1) door each day, I'm told by my bf that we could do it with less than what you've shown above.

"I don't see how that is any less complicated"

Do you not see that having timers and then having to wire a relay board that requires a power supply to be wired also and the wiring for the actuator is way more complicated than JUST TWO TIMERS. I mean just look at the picture I provided vs what you have shown.

yours:
4 timers with 4 connections each (16 connections)
2 relay boards with 10 Connections each (20 connections)

Mine:
4 Timers with 5 connections each (20 connections)

20 vs 36

So less complicated, yes, way less. I don't understand how you are not seeing that.

"what "bad habits" are you talking about?"

First and for most, Daisy Chaining. Running the wire from terminal to terminal and using the same connector is a bad habit.
For two reasons.

If mistakes are made and it has to be rewired then you will either have to trash some wire if not most of it.

More important, the power wire to the Actuator motor should be run as direct to the power source as possible. When motors turn on they pull more amps. That surge of power can harm your other components. As in the timers and relay boards. This harm can be immediate or happen over time.
And then there is the magnetic field that collapses (EMF) when the motor turns off. That too can cause early degradation of components and even more so when they are all daisy chained like that.

Adding that the wire gauge is too big for this. In the site it looks like they are saying to use 16 AWG and here in your pictures it looks like you are using 16 AWG. Out of very single actuator I have ever seen (like these) only one has ever had 16 AWG wire. All the others only use 18 AWG or even a 20 AWG wire. NOT using such a heavy gauge wire helps out in everything from running the wires to putting on connectors. Cost less too. Again you may say well it works, but what I am saying is that it is a bad habit.

"This is a 12V system that operates efficiently and has for years."

That does not mean that it can't be better.

"We are opening and closing two (2) doors each day on the same coop, AND we're operating lights in the morning and evening on timers too."

There is is no reason you can't do the same with these timers.

"It takes as much wiring as it takes to connect the components."

NO. It most certainly does not. I have already counted the wires you would need to do that wiring diagram the site provides and it takes 20 per door.
The wiring diagram I provided only takes, 12 per door.
That is defiantly NOT the same.

If you are talking about total length of wire then that all depends on who does it. I am talking about wire segments and their connections.

"If all we wanted to do is open and close one (1) door each day, I'm told by my bf that we could do it with less than what you've shown above."

I seriously doubt that. If that was the case then why was that not done in your coop? Did you not trust him and went with the online solution? In any case I would love to see his way of doing it. Well unless it is the timer and DPDT relay setup. That is not the same and uses power all day to keep the door up. The wiring is about the same but is only a few more connections, so on both counts it would not be "with less than what you've shown above." But again if your bf has a better easier way with less components than just two timers and a few connectors I would love to see that. I am sure others would too. POST?

Again I am not trying to down your work, I hope you are not taking this personal.

In any case I am including the wire diagram to how I would wire this up using that relay board. Simple WAGO connectors and fuses are use to when separating the motor power from the timer power. Separating it this way also takes care of the back EMF the motor creates when it turns off.

Two SPST Timers With Relay Board

I rearranged the previous diagram and "simplified" it further. That is I just took out the fuse, terminal block and four wires (2 white, 1 red, 1 black). Still even the way it was before, is much less complicated than wiring in the relay module.

Revised Diagram

 

[Mouthpear]

Thank you guys, I did find a bluetooth outlet that would have worked fine, but for her I decided to just get the Pullet Shut door with light sensors. It's going to be much less hands on for her to keep her birds safe.
We've had our drapery motor set up for over ten years. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N8T8OLQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use a wifi outlet to control it, works great.

How is it going, update?