Raspberry coop

[veedabowlu]

@Mouthpear I bow to your better knowledge for the shield over this relay board (5V 8 Channel Relay Module with OPTO-Isolated Support High and Low Level Trigger) which is $7.38... hence my 4X math... The one you pointed to on Ebay does not have the I2C pins...
Which sound very cool for the daisy chain ability...probably where we would hook up the temp/humidity, RTC. I think @jthornton did mention somewhere that he does have a timelord library of sorts... can't seem to remember where he mentioned it, either on this thread, his git hub or his own page... hopefully he chimes back in with/for it. If I remember correctly it was something about always updating automatically via the web...

The Aliexpress ones you point to are for Arduino's... the red relay board you pointed out from amazon is 24V I'll stick to your original suggested shield... I do understand money VS time...i deal with that everyday at my job.

I'm having a difficult time with finding parts for the tank track/wheel idea...without having to wait months for them to arrive... OR stealing the parts from some other robot kit...
I have to move the door about a total of 11 inches to be fully open.
Going back to page 2..." I was thinking of originally moving the door with screw drive much like a CNC machine " This one for example, has 11 inches of travel, should be able to adapt to the motor I already have although being 5RPM, will take a while to open... the bearing blocks would mount on the "shelf" in the front of the door and the copper nut would be attached to the door via "L" bracket.
OR a different one like this stepper motor screw, while it does not have the length I need...
(I'm curious, instead of attaching the screw mount directly to the door "L" bracket, what about mounting it offset by a ratio for example 2 inches, so for every inch of screw travel, the copper mount moves two inches) or am I wrong on the ratio thing?... other good thing, I think, it being a stepper motor... we count the steps and know doors position...less things to wire?

 

[Mouthpear]

@Mouthpear I bow to your better knowledge for the shield over this relay board (5V 8 Channel Relay Module with OPTO-Isolated Support High and Low Level Trigger) which is $7.38... hence my 4X math... The one you pointed to on Ebay does not have the I2C pins...

In post #73 you gave this 8 CH Relay Board and is $9.39
In post #91 just now You gave this 8 CH Relay Board and is 11.20
I can't find where the other one came from. Chalk it up to too many links LOL.

In any case it's only 2x the one on ebay which does have the I2C pins. The pins just stick up instead of to the side. Unless you plan on stacking more boards on top then it shouldn't be a problem.

The Aliexpress ones you point to are for Arduino's...

I added the android shields to compare prices from that site and amazon. Where as this one is $7.98 there but only $1.75 on Aliexpress. When I mentioned trying to link you to a seller you trusted, I forgot to add the amizon links.

I was thinking of originally moving the door with screw drive much like a CNC machine "

Unless you are sure it will never get wet or even damp then no. I like that if it was in a larger coop and inside of the coop. But at that point I would just use a linear actuator.

My suggestion is to use the CNC Belt and Pinion method. Like this. Normally the motor, mount and bearing move back and forth but you can make the motor, mount and bearings stationary and move the door back and forth.


You can make one pretty easy with a good angle bracket the motor and two bearings. keep the motor high and the bearings as close together and as low as possible. Do that to take up less room. I would drill holes and make it now but I don't feel like spending the time. LOL.

Another way is to mount a bike chain to the bottom of the door and use a small bike sprocket that is easiest to mount onto the motor. Mount motor at the bottom where the door can roll over.

I think, it being a stepper motor... we count the steps and know doors position...less things to wire?

Even the stepper motor needs to know where it's start point is in order to count steps. I don't know how the got it to run like that. the may have zeroed it before running.

 

[Mouthpear]

@Mouthpear I bow to your better knowledge for the shield over this relay board (5V 8 Channel Relay Module with OPTO-Isolated Support High and Low Level Trigger) which is $7.38... hence my 4X math... The one you pointed to on Ebay does not have the I2C pins...
Which sound very cool for the daisy chain ability...probably where we would hook up the temp/humidity, RTC. I think @jthornton did mention somewhere that he does have a timelord library of sorts... can't seem to remember where he mentioned it, either on this thread, his git hub or his own page... hopefully he chimes back in with/for it. If I remember correctly it was something about always updating automatically via the web...

The Aliexpress ones you point to are for Arduino's... the red relay board you pointed out from amazon is 24V I'll stick to your original suggested shield... I do understand money VS time...i deal with that everyday at my job.

I'm having a difficult time with finding parts for the tank track/wheel idea...without having to wait months for them to arrive... OR stealing the parts from some other robot kit...
I have to move the door about a total of 11 inches to be fully open.
Going back to page 2..." I was thinking of originally moving the door with screw drive much like a CNC machine " This one for example, has 11 inches of travel, should be able to adapt to the motor I already have although being 5RPM, will take a while to open... the bearing blocks would mount on the "shelf" in the front of the door and the copper nut would be attached to the door via "L" bracket.
OR a different one like this stepper motor screw, while it does not have the length I need...
(I'm curious, instead of attaching the screw mount directly to the door "L" bracket, what about mounting it offset by a ratio for example 2 inches, so for every inch of screw travel, the copper mount moves two inches) or am I wrong on the ratio thing?... other good thing, I think, it being a stepper motor... we count the steps and know doors position...less things to wire?

 

[veedabowlu]

@Mouthpear my price on the (HiLetgo) relay board, is $7.38 (I do get a business price discount) as on my side it shows "was $11.20" anyway... not here to split hairs, as I am very grateful for your help

I did not realize the shield on ebay had the I2c pins in a different location, my mistake... so the Rpi at the bottom, then the ebay shield on top of that, I can't see needing anything else stacked on top of that... do you? The daisy chain stuff on top of the shield would be about all that was left to attach board wise...correct If so, the ebay board works for me. Still also interested in the temperature stuff to turn on a fan in the cupula, cooling fan/mister idea...

Ok the bike chain idea caught my attention...so, would I mount the chain at the bottom in front of the door (on the "shelf") and the motor/sprocket attached thru the door perpendicular and when the the sprocket spins, since the chain is stationary, the motor would force the door to move... Exactly how an automated gate opener works (but inverse, as the automated gate motor is stationary and the chain attaches to the gate?) just want to make sure I'm following you correctly...

Hopefully once we get this all up and running I'm going to pretty much duplicate it in my first coop (bantams) with the exception it has a vertical guillotine style door and the motor winding up a string seems much easier

 

[jthornton]

I think @jthornton did mention somewhere that he does have a timelord library of sorts... can't seem to remember where he mentioned it, either on this thread, his git hub or his own page... hopefully he chimes back in with/for it. If I remember correctly it was something about always updating automatically via the web...

You might be thinking of the astral library that I use to get daily sun events. It's a public library you install with pip3.

You might consider adding some aluminum U channels top and bottom and make the door square so it slides easier.

You might also consider using a pull-pull system with cord attached to each side of the door. So this is just a spool mounted to the motor with two cords and a pulley on the other side. Turn the motor one direction and one cord winds up pulling the door while the other cord unwinds. Attaching the cords to the door at the bottom would prevent racking.

Dunno how you would fasten a bike chain ring to a small gear motor without a machine shop handy to make an adapter...

You can get XL series timing belt pulleys for metric shaft motors and use the timing belt as a pull-pull system.

JT

 

[Mouthpear]

You might consider adding some aluminum U channels top and bottom and make the door square so it slides easier.

I was going to mention that using strips of cheap dollar store cutting board makes a very slick surface for rails.

You might also consider using a pull-pull system with cord attached to each side of the door. So this is just a spool mounted to the motor with two cords and a pulley on the other side. Turn the motor one direction and one cord winds up pulling the door while the other cord unwinds. Attaching the cords to the door at the bottom would prevent racking.

&

You can get XL series timing belt pulleys for metric shaft motors and use the timing belt as a pull-pull system.

I that same idea ref post #14 & #92

Dunno how you would fasten a bike chain ring to a small gear motor without a machine shop handy to make an adapter...

Made this one as soon as I saw your post. Went outside and got the ole bike rim that has been sitting there forever in the way, took of the sprocket, drilled holes and done. The Hub is a 6mm bore x 57mm diameter, I got a while back for the Chicken Garage Door but decided to do it another way.

 

[Mouthpear]

@Mouthpear my price on the (HiLetgo) relay board, is $7.38 (I do get a business price discount) as on my side it shows "was $11.20" anyway... not here to split hairs, as I am very grateful for your help

I did not realize the shield on ebay had the I2c pins in a different location, my mistake... so the Rpi at the bottom, then the ebay shield on top of that, I can't see needing anything else stacked on top of that... do you? The daisy chain stuff on top of the shield would be about all that was left to attach board wise...correct If so, the ebay board works for me. Still also interested in the temperature stuff to turn on a fan in the cupula, cooling fan/mister idea...

Ok the bike chain idea caught my attention...so, would I mount the chain at the bottom in front of the door (on the "shelf") and the motor/sprocket attached thru the door perpendicular and when the the sprocket spins, since the chain is stationary, the motor would force the door to move... Exactly how an automated gate opener works (but inverse, as the automated gate motor is stationary and the chain attaches to the gate?) just want to make sure I'm following you correctly...

Hopefully once we get this all up and running I'm going to pretty much duplicate it in my first coop (bantams) with the exception it has a vertical guillotine style door and the motor winding up a string seems much easier

I have a video coming to show you.

 

[Mouthpear]

@Mouthpear my price on the (HiLetgo) relay board, is $7.38 (I do get a business price discount) as on my side it shows "was $11.20" anyway... not here to split hairs, as I am very grateful for your help

I did not realize the shield on ebay had the I2c pins in a different location, my mistake... so the Rpi at the bottom, then the ebay shield on top of that, I can't see needing anything else stacked on top of that... do you? The daisy chain stuff on top of the shield would be about all that was left to attach board wise...correct If so, the ebay board works for me. Still also interested in the temperature stuff to turn on a fan in the cupula, cooling fan/mister idea...

Ok the bike chain idea caught my attention...so, would I mount the chain at the bottom in front of the door (on the "shelf") and the motor/sprocket attached thru the door perpendicular and when the the sprocket spins, since the chain is stationary, the motor would force the door to move... Exactly how an automated gate opener works (but inverse, as the automated gate motor is stationary and the chain attaches to the gate?) just want to make sure I'm following you correctly...

Hopefully once we get this all up and running I'm going to pretty much duplicate it in my first coop (bantams) with the exception it has a vertical guillotine style door and the motor winding up a string seems much easier

Taking too long rendering so I just did a screen capture video.

 

[veedabowlu]

Awesome... I don't have the fancy software... only MS Paint. (bold black line represents the chain... red star represents sprocket) Believe me, I appreciate the time you have taken with all of this!
I figured attach the chain in front of the door... mount the motor to the back of the door, shaft sticking thru hole in door to attach sprocket... the sprocket would walk the door along the stationary chain
I would install the Rpi inside a box (just as an example... although I already have that one, bought it on a whim) drill some holes in it for ventilation & wires...

@jthornton the hub mounts are available... some have threaded holes to bolt a sprocket...some do not have threaded holes... now to find a sprocket.... I don't have any bike parts I can harvest from.

 

[Mouthpear]

Awesome... I don't have the fancy software... only MS Paint. (bold black line represents the chain... red star represents sprocket) Believe me, I appreciate the time you have taken with all of this!
I figured attach the chain in front of the door... mount the motor to the back of the door, shaft sticking thru hole in door to attach sprocket... the sprocket would walk the door along the stationary chain
I would install the Rpi inside a box (just as an example... although I already have that one, bought it on a whim) drill some holes in it for ventilation & wires...

@jthornton the hub mounts are available... some have threaded holes to bolt a sprocket...some do not have threaded holes... now to find a sprocket.... I don't have any bike parts I can harvest from.
View attachment 2378873

You are welcome.

That should work too. Provided the shaft of the motor is long enough. It would be better on the inside to help protect from the weather but that should work.

Go to the local bicycle shop. They might just have some they will give you. lots of people bring in bikes for repair with bent wheels, that the bike shops just throw away or scrap. They might also have wheels that they will sell because people upgraded theirs. If that fails post an ad on craigslist for wanted free children's bikes.

Worst comes to worst, if you have a PO Box, I will send you the sprocket I just made. The one in the video.