Raspberry coop

[ChocolateMouse]

Yeah but when they invent shrink gun tech that problem will be solved LOL. Or even tech from other worlds.



What are "Pis"



What solenoid are you thinking of using and how?

Lol, Raspberry pi is like a tiny computer that is suuuper modular and easy to customize with tasks and is the OPs original subject - using one to automate as much of their coop as they could.
We were going to have a solenoid on a timer to move a small piece of metal supporting a hinge allowing a guillotine style pop door to drop. This will only close a coop but we're not allowed to open it before 9AM anyhow so resetting manually would be no problem. (Local noise ordinances and a rooster.) Very little power draw.

 

[veedabowlu]

@Mouthpear

The one I sent you is a slitter and the one I sent you is just an injector.

Even more confused...which one is the correct one...?
If I use a shield...which one would you suggest? From what I can see it would block my Rpi camera port?

@ChocolateMouse The Igloo floor is 40" round, the dome is 38" tall...plenty of room for two.

 

[Mouthpear]

Lol, Raspberry pi is like a tiny computer that is suuuper modular and easy to customize with tasks and is the OPs original subject - using one to automate as much of their coop as they could.

Yes I know what RPis are but wasn't going to assume what you meant by "Pis".

We were going to have a solenoid on a timer to move a small piece of metal supporting a hinge allowing a guillotine style pop door to drop. This will only close a coop but we're not allowed to open it before 9AM anyhow so resetting manually would be no problem. (Local noise ordinances and a rooster.) Very little power draw.

If I were to do a drop door then I would make it a bit heavy so I could add a counterweight to slow the descent and if a chicken would get caught the counterweight would make it easier for them to get out from under it.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

@Mouthpear

Even more confused...which one is the correct one...?
If I use a shield...which one would you suggest? From what I can see it would block my Rpi camera port?

@ChocolateMouse The Igloo floor is 40" round, the dome is 38" tall...plenty of room for two.

Really glad to hear it! It looks like a neat project!

 

[Mouthpear]

Even more confused...which one is the correct one...?

The Splitter

If I use a shield...which one would you suggest?

Like I have said before I have not used or worked with, in depth, with Raspberry Pi so I am linking to what I would buy and things that I think would be the best for me, if I was to do this. Of course keeping your preferences in mind. That being said, this is the Motor Shield I would go with.

From what I can see it would block my Rpi camera port?

The cable seems to be a common RIBBON Cable like the one on the video for this camera on the product page. I really like the mount LOL I think I might just buy a RPi and just to buy this camera and case. LOL. In any case ( pun intended) those ribbon cables are easily bent. I have seen those in many different electronics. Like in Laptops. They are used to connect the two halves.

This one came out of a DVD player. The first pic is as it was. The next to are after I bent it at a right angle. There should not be any problem.


I have seen these cables bent not only like this but like this. Different type ribbon cable but they can still bend this way. So I really don't see a problem with the Shield being on top.

 

[veedabowlu]

@Mouthpear in your shield diagram you had some other sensors? what are they, etc...

Your suggested motor shield is 4X more than the (high/low) relay board. I'm not knocking your plan... I do get the plug on top, less wires...but the relay board OR the L298N motor driver controller board are more cost effective..

 

[Mouthpear]

We were going to have a solenoid on a timer to move a small piece of metal supporting a hinge allowing a guillotine style pop door to drop. This will only close a coop but we're not allowed to open it before 9AM anyhow so resetting manually would be no problem. (Local noise ordinances and a rooster.) Very little power draw.

I had seen a person use water buckets to do a open and close for a chicken door, Kinda like this guy. And this one that has a water solenoid valve. But they went way to far in cost and time. All they really needed was a timer, a small pump, a couple of pvc parts and some know how/knowledge of a Bell Syphon. Another great video.

What you do is get two buckets. Install a bell syphon (Buy one or Make one or Make One) in Homer bucket and suspend it with pulleys and rope. Run the rope to the door. Make sure you have a stop at the most open position. Place pump in the second purple bucket, wire to timer accordingly. Get a Pump like this that has low water volume output. Run hose from output of pump and to the Homer bucket. Secure it. Get stopwatch (on phone) and turn on the pump and start tining. When the siphon kicks in, stop time and take note of. Place counter weights at door or at homer bucket so that the weight of water opens the door before the siphon kicks in. Set mourning time from 9am to however many minutes is needed. What will happen is the door opens before the siphon kicks in and is held open. To close the door just program timer to turn on again, at closing time and half amount of time or just enough to start the syphon.

Put lids on both and add chicken nipples on the purple bucket for dual purposed water feeder and door opener.

I purchased these timers because they can be programed to only go for one second if needed. Better control. I also purchased these and these. Gonna use these for Dog Feeder and Chicken Garage Door setup I'm working on.

 

[Mouthpear]

@Mouthpear in your shield diagram you had some other sensors? what are they, etc...

I just added them to show it had I2C pins that make it easy to hook up these I2C Mods and these can be daisy chained. There are many Out there You just have to look. LCDs, joysticks, ect ect

Real time clock to store and get sunrise and sunset times using timelord library for Android. I am sure they have that for RPi too. You can get it from the internet using RPi but it is much easier to use this I2C Mod.

There are I2C Mods that can be used to hook up keypads.

Your suggested motor shield is 4X more than the (high/low) relay board. I'm not knocking your plan... I do get the plug on top, less wires...but the relay board OR the L298N motor driver controller board are more cost effective..

That is just the one I would suggest. Keyword suggest. I am sure you can find it cheaper but you will have to do the legwork (fingerwork) to find the best for your best price and from a seller You trust. That's why I gave you an amizon link.

I got my shields from Aliexpress These were only 5.72 each x 4 and only paid $30.19 after tax and shipping for all 4.

These I got before those at only $1.70 each x4 and only paid $11.50 after tax and shipping for all 4.

Last thing. "cost effective" is very subjective. Time is money. I am sure you probably heard that before. By the time you get all the wires cut and figured out, even with my diagrams, you still run the risk of crossing wires and shorting out your entire system.

Cost effectiveness to a manager/boss/owner (you) will see the cost of paying labor (you again in this case) for up to three hours (Pease if you get the relays not the time it takes and get back to me I would be very interested) and thing it takes too much time to wire it all up and they might make a mistake where they will have to buy replacement parts vs taking 5 min to hook up the motor shield ( that's how long it took me to rewire the board to take a picture for you). The motors you can't really mess up since all you have to do is switch wires or just program it backwards. LOL. The power in for the motors is all you have to make sure it right and even then it has polarity reverse protection. So to you cost effective is to go with the cheapest but that's not always what I look at. Funny thing is that I did what you are wanting to do know. I went with the cheaper option and more money later I have the more costly option and in the long run it actually costed me more LOL.

 

[Mouthpear]

@Mouthpear
Your suggested motor shield is 4X more than the (high/low) relay board.

The motor Shield or HAT is only $28.89. /4 that's only $7.22. The relay board is $19.45 plus shipping. That would mean the HAT would be $77.80 if it was 4x. That's without shipping.

Actually the HAT is only 1.5x the cost of the Relay board. That's only $9.44 more.




Butt don't lose heart. EBay has one for only $21.99 and free shipping. That's only $0.55 more than the Relay board. Do a search and you will find it.

 

[CHlCKEN]

This sounds like a really cool project! Very interesting way of going about making a coop I have NO idea what y’all are saying when you ramble on about computer code and “raspberry pi’s” but I’m sure whatever it is it will make your coop very unique

I didn’t scroll through the entire thread, so I don’t know if this was mentioned, but Chicken Wire will only keep your chickens in but it’s got no chance at keeping any predators out, you can however, fix this easily, with hardwire clothe.