Help building automatic door opener

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mitch98
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Last seen: 14 years 10 months ago
Joined: Sunday, May 17, 2009 - 03:24
Points: 2
Help building automatic door opener

Hi,

I am very new to building electrical components but I am trying to get a simple design and then build a light sensitive door opener for my chicken coop.

It would need to run off a small battery. It would only need to lift or push a door weighing no more than 100g. It would either need to be operated by light sensitive switch or a timer. It would all need to be housed in a waterproof housing.

Can anyone out there help me with this.

Many thanks
Mitch

garygid
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Last seen: 13 years 6 months ago
Joined: Friday, December 19, 2008 - 23:25
Points: 441
Re: Help building automatic door opener

If a door is hinged at the top, and not "latched" shut, will the chickens be able to push it up enough to go in and out?

If so, a little "unlatch" solenoid could be held activated by a small solar panel?

Or, a solar panel could charge a battery (or not) and a small light detector could trigger a double-acting (+pulse on, -pulse off) unlatching and latching solenoid.

Or, the light detector could be cinnected to "run" a small motor to wind up a string to raise the door enough to trip a "door-fully-open" switch. With the switch closed, the lack of "light" could run the motor the other way, until a "door-closed" switch is activated.

But, you would need to arrange the "closed" condition to be held closed, so the fox cannot get in (unless he has a light).

Activation on dark, stormy days ... maybe use a timer instead?

What if a chicken is left trapped outside? Fox food?

Cheers, Gary
XM-5000Li, wired for cell voltage measuring and logging.

Rans
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Last seen: 14 years 8 months ago
Joined: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 - 07:14
Points: 2
Re: Help building automatic door opener

What a coincidence, I came here to find out how to create a motor/servo setup to slide a door open and closed in my chicken coop. We have a small trap door in the back of the coop to let the chickens into the fenced yard behind the coop. The door is inside and slides up to open and down to close. I'd like to be able to open/close it with a switch on the outside. I'm picturing a small servo connected to a rod which is connected to the sliding door. Switch on to pull the door up, switch off to lower the door. The servo itself would act as a lock for the closed door. I have 110 voltage inside the coop. I just have no idea where to get the right sized servo, and what other parts I'd need. Thanks in advance! Rans

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