Solar powered coop doors?!?!

[norcalchickengirl]

I've heard that there is such a thing as solar powered chicken coop doors (for the girls, of course) that run on timers. I can't seem to find them, though. Has anybody heard of this?

:cd:cd

 

[tvtaber]

Do you mean solar powered as in no electricity or as in they will open when it gets light/dark?
Vicki

 

[norcalchickengirl]

Well... solar powered as in no electricity. A little chickie door that can be put on a timer and run off of a little solar panel. Have you heard of this?

 

[patandchickens]

Foy's is the US agent of the automatic coop doors sold in the UK:

http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/2100-2107.html

I can't see any obvious reason why you couldn't hook it up to a solar battery power source, but it would get expensive, as you would need the solar panel, a deep-cycle marine battery, and a whatchacallit that regulates how the panel charges the battery so it doesn't overcharge. Plus the cost of the auto door opener above. Just off the top of my head I would guess you would be in the $400 range, if you had to buy all that at retail.

Pat

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Dunno about solar powered but I plan on getting one of those battery operated doors as soon as I get my longevity check from work(yes I've last long enough in the school system to get one. I must be nuts!

I'm planning to put a solar powered motion detector light out there too. It's small but only costs $80

 

[frogdog]

Quote:
I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you're not an English teacher?

 

[Xtradust]

You could fix a solar element to that door opener pretty easily. It runs on batteries, so you'd just have to change them out with rechargables and then hook a solar cell to them.

Harbor Freight sells solar pathway lights for $4.99 (on sale) and they come with a solar cell that charges the battery and then the battery runs an LED light. But, you could just use the solar cell to charge the batteries in the auto door.

I think from what I've read that the batteries in the auto door last a really long time, so you may not need to make it solar.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
Honors English, why?!

I started out as an assistant teacher, moved into running the after school program at a school, decided I didn't want to be in charge anymore and moved back into the classroom, developed every kids dream---an allergy to my school

was put in charge of In-School-Suspension at an "alternative" middle & high school, now.....

I RULE THE WORLD!!!

Ok, just the school. I am the registrar and data manager. Don't make me mad. I can make you, your child, your paycheck or maybe all 3 disappear without a trace!!!!

 

[Reinbeau]

How does security work with those automatic sliding doors? Are they predator proof? I'm thinking of getting one and am not sure about this, it's important, many critters around here to worry about!

 

[Reinbeau]

Please, does anyone know the answer to my question, how predator proof are these automatic sliding doors?