Bronek
In the Brooder
As promised, here is the description of my auto chicken coup door opener.
I'm not going into detail about mechanical aspect of it because there are plenty suggestions and ideas how to accomplish it. Instead I'm going to explain the electrical components part. Components used, Car power antenna, Light sensor relay switch and Delay time ON relay. All of it is powered by 12V DC. In my case the 12V 1.5 Amp wall power supply is used because I do have 110v power there. 12v battery will work just as well. The power antenna used is not modified in any way because I fell there is no benefit to shorten the rod in my case.. I know some modified the antenna rod (by shorten in it). Because it wasn't designed for this (opening and closing the door) I would suggest to use it in vertical position and use counterweight system in order to balance the door/gate weight. Hopefully attached pictures clear things for some. Now the electrical components..
In the nutshell, how it all work, at dusk the Light Sensor turn on the internal relay witch activate the Time Delay Relay, the time delay period can be set thru jumpers and pot/potentiometer to up to an hour. After the delay period it sends power to the power antenna green wire to initiate door closing. It stay on till Dawn and the Light Sensor opens the relay. The reason I have chosen this is simple, By surfing the net I see many who use programmable timer alone, or along with light sensor, or light sensor alone. The timer require occasional attention, longer/shorter days, ect. The light sensor have tendency if used alone to activate even there plenty light specially in summer month. Combining light sensor with time delay solves all for me, I'm pretty sure chickens should be inside within an hour. Because the coup is about 2 acres from my home and can see it clearly I have installed small green LED light on wall facing home and is activated by limit switch. This way I know the door is closed when light is burning.
Here is the part list.
Time On Delay timer $3.17
Light Sensor $6.81
Power Antenna $23.99
All of it was purchase on Ebay.
Will try to attach schematic and couple of pictures if I figure how to do this here..
I'm not going into detail about mechanical aspect of it because there are plenty suggestions and ideas how to accomplish it. Instead I'm going to explain the electrical components part. Components used, Car power antenna, Light sensor relay switch and Delay time ON relay. All of it is powered by 12V DC. In my case the 12V 1.5 Amp wall power supply is used because I do have 110v power there. 12v battery will work just as well. The power antenna used is not modified in any way because I fell there is no benefit to shorten the rod in my case.. I know some modified the antenna rod (by shorten in it). Because it wasn't designed for this (opening and closing the door) I would suggest to use it in vertical position and use counterweight system in order to balance the door/gate weight. Hopefully attached pictures clear things for some. Now the electrical components..
In the nutshell, how it all work, at dusk the Light Sensor turn on the internal relay witch activate the Time Delay Relay, the time delay period can be set thru jumpers and pot/potentiometer to up to an hour. After the delay period it sends power to the power antenna green wire to initiate door closing. It stay on till Dawn and the Light Sensor opens the relay. The reason I have chosen this is simple, By surfing the net I see many who use programmable timer alone, or along with light sensor, or light sensor alone. The timer require occasional attention, longer/shorter days, ect. The light sensor have tendency if used alone to activate even there plenty light specially in summer month. Combining light sensor with time delay solves all for me, I'm pretty sure chickens should be inside within an hour. Because the coup is about 2 acres from my home and can see it clearly I have installed small green LED light on wall facing home and is activated by limit switch. This way I know the door is closed when light is burning.
Here is the part list.
Time On Delay timer $3.17
Light Sensor $6.81
Power Antenna $23.99
All of it was purchase on Ebay.
Will try to attach schematic and couple of pictures if I figure how to do this here..
