# Solar Powered Automatic Doors on the Chicken Coop



## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

Does this go under Alternative Energy our Poultry? I been building a new chicken coop and fenced in yard this past week and built my automatic doors today. They are running off 2 6 volt golfcart Batteries, being Charged by a Harbor Freight 45 watt solar panel kit I got some years back. I even used one of the 12 volt lights that came with the kit, it will come on about 2 hours before day light and the doors open shortly after the light comes on. "Doors", because my coop is divided into 2 sections so it has 2 doors. These doors are about 16" wide and open out from the top to create a ramp for the chickens to walk in and out the coop. This sure will save me alot of time not having to go and open/close the doors.


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Wow!

How do you actuate the doors?

Gary


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

Gary, I use a 24hr timer that has the round dial that you put trip clips on like some of the older deer feeders use. The timer trips a lever type micro switch, the switch turns on a heavy duty relay--the relay turns on a dc electric motor I took of a discarded "kids battery car" the type that a small kid rids around in the yard. I use the motor and gear box off the car. This motor/gear box is mounted in the ceiling of the coop and has 2 cables from it running through some small "snatch block" type pullies to the 2 doors. At a preset time the doors close at night then at a preset time they open in the morning. 

So a quick run down----In the evening a trip switch turns on the relay/motor, when the door closes it trips another switch that cuts off the motor. In the AM a different switch turns on a different relay which reverses the voltage to the motor which makes the motor reverse and opens the doors, when they open all the way another trip switch cuts off the motor. I added the light so it will burn a couple hours until daylight. It is activated with another trip switch and relay.



SolarGary said:


> Wow!
> 
> How do you actuate the doors?
> Gary


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## 12vman (Feb 17, 2004)

Too Cool!! You need to put a patent on that! Now there's some creative thinkin'..

Kudos, PD..


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

Thanks 12vman. I am fine tuning this set-up to make it work better. I got the motor running off 6 volts to slow it down. Today I am going to lower the voltage on the opening cycle to about 3 to 4 volts because when it is starting to open on 6 volts----The cable gets some slack in it until the doors are about 1/2 open and might become a problem. Making it turn slower on the un-wind/opening should solve that. I love building gadgets don't you?

These little motor/gear boxes of these small kids cars have so many uses and most people throw them away. I used one of them hooked to a long threaded rod to turn(track) my rack that had 4 80 watt solar panel on it. Another one I used on a automatic chicken feeder. Several other projects I have used one of these motors either with/without gear box. 



12vman said:


> Too Cool!! You need to put a patent on that! Now there's some creative thinkin'..
> 
> Kudos, PD..


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## dsljim (Nov 11, 2011)

Are you running led lights to keep your hens laying? I was curious how much light it takes?
What's next a solar powered self propelled chicken tractor?
Another great source of DC power is used cordless drills. Just curious, does anyone know if variable speed ones use brushless motors with esc's like the newer RC cars do?
Well I gotta go shuttle the chickens door the old fashioned way!


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

I used one of the 12 volt CF lights that came with the Harbor Freight 45 watt solar kit. My hopes was that it would help in the amount of eggs layed during the winter, which for what ever reason I am getting more eggs now than I was a month ago. 

My next/now project is a solar powered "Garden Helper Machine". I got it built and tested it this week but I got a few minor things to finish on it. I am thinking I might wait till garden planting time to put the solar panels on it-----thinking about just putting the solar panels on the shed I got to build to keep it under then I could have a light on this shed to. I will Work all that out early spring.



dsljim said:


> Are you running led lights to keep your hens laying? I was curious how much light it takes?
> What's next a solar powered self propelled chicken tractor?
> Another great source of DC power is used cordless drills. Just curious, does anyone know if variable speed ones use brushless motors with esc's like the newer RC cars do?
> Well I gotta go shuttle the chickens door the old fashioned way!


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

dsljim said:


> Another great source of DC power is used cordless drills.


 Yea I use them for some things. I used one of the straight battery operated cordless screwdrivers for a drive moter on a remote controlled vacuum cleaner I built in the late 1980's for a school project for my daughter.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Neat idea on the self opening door in the morning. But I'd be afraid of using an automatic door in the evening. Manys the time I've had to toss out a snake or skunk at dust before closing the chickens up. But that might not be a problem there.


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

Never had that problem at dust. My chicken coop is inside a 30'x70' chicken yard made out of 10ft long 6ft tall dog kennel panels with netting over the top so its pretty tight. What has happened in the past where My yard was at is late at night a bobcat or animals would dig in. The old yard had a lot of tree's inside the yard but I still had wire over the top cut around the tree's. The opossums and raccoons would find a weak spot in the wire around the tree trunks and enter. I moved the yard to a location where there are no tree's inside the yard, so my main concern is late night animals digging in. If one digs into the yard---the coop is closed. Makes me feel better.




Belfrybat said:


> Neat idea on the self opening door in the morning. But I'd be afraid of using an automatic door in the evening. Manys the time I've had to toss out a snake or skunk at dust before closing the chickens up. But that might not be a problem there.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Very inspirational and yeah a great topic for Homesteading Today's alt energy board!


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## dsljim (Nov 11, 2011)

So this "Garden Helper Machine" are we gonna learn more here?
Or on another thread,I've seen some older gents riding around engine shows on solar powered riding lawnmowers, your machine got me thinking about my walk behind garden tractor and my horse drawn cultivators. I've got a diesel cub cadet and john Deere 140 with a 2 cylinder ducati diesel,both do lots of work while sipping fuel, BUt it still bothers me you can't even fill a 5gallon can for $20 anymore. After listening to tractors for the last 50 years,it might be enjoyable to hear the stones rattle against the cultivator/weeder teeth.


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

dsljim said:


> So this "Garden Helper Machine" are we gonna learn more here?
> Or on another thread,I've seen some older gents riding around engine shows on solar powered riding lawnmowers, your machine got me thinking about my walk behind garden tractor and my horse drawn cultivators. I've got a diesel cub cadet and john Deere 140 with a 2 cylinder ducati diesel,both do lots of work while sipping fuel, BUt it still bothers me you can't even fill a 5gallon can for $20 anymore. After listening to tractors for the last 50 years,it might be enjoyable to hear the stones rattle against the cultivator/weeder teeth.



I'll 2nd the motion for a full report on the solar garden machine when you get to a good point.

Gary


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## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

A couple of pics would be great too!


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## dsljim (Nov 11, 2011)

What if we load pictures and videos to YouTube and name them homesteading today ,alternative energy',etc. Then put in the name of the thread. Then if we put Homesteadingtoday.com in the tags lots of NEW people would find us, Or related searches for us would turn up some of the 2 wheeled garden tractors with road gear and head lights, like the diesel BCS and diesel Yanmars. Who knows, maybe out of necessity there are places where they have solar charged electric garden tractors? Necessity IS the mother of invention,Especially on the farm! I'm gonna rename my 140 video and give it a whirl.


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## dsljim (Nov 11, 2011)

It's up.


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

OK, What I have built I have never seen anything like it. My Family and friends are saying I need to check into getting a patent on it. I am thinking naw, its just some steel I welded together from a Idea that I had and it sure is something that will help me alot in the garden. Have already tested it out and I can see where it can be more helpful than I thought it would be in the beginning with a couple extra attachments. I got a few more minor things to do to get it totally finished then I will get some pic's, not sure about posting them yet because of what my friends/family said.
I am the type that has always like building things. I have always wanted a decent welder and a torch outfit and TIME so I can build bigger things. I have got some time now so I bought a used Lincoln 225 welder and this is my first item I have build. I do not have the torch yet but I had so much fun building this and trying to learn how to Burn a Rod, now I got to get me a good torch.

Any of you ever pantented anything? I do not feel its so special that I need to check into a patent. There might be something similiar already being built. I have always been the type that if I build something and someone wants one-----"Look at mine and build you one" is what I would say.


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

PD-Riverman said:


> OK, What I have built I have never seen anything like it. My Family and friends are saying I need to check into getting a patent on it. I am thinking naw, its just some steel I welded together from a Idea that I had and it sure is something that will help me alot in the garden. Have already tested it out and I can see where it can be more helpful than I thought it would be in the beginning with a couple extra attachments. I got a few more minor things to do to get it totally finished then I will get some pic's, not sure about posting them yet because of what my friends/family said.
> I am the type that has always like building things. I have always wanted a decent welder and a torch outfit and TIME so I can build bigger things. I have got some time now so I bought a used Lincoln 225 welder and this is my first item I have build. I do not have the torch yet but I had so much fun building this and trying to learn how to Burn a Rod, now I got to get me a good torch.
> 
> Any of you ever pantented anything? I do not feel its so special that I need to check into a patent. There might be something similiar already being built. I have always been the type that if I build something and someone wants one-----"Look at mine and build you one" is what I would say.


Hi,
Some thoughts on the patent:

- If you want to patent it, don't publish the idea in any form, including here. Once an idea is published, it can't be patented. Publishing it is actually a way to make sure that no one else can patent it.

- If you want to look into getting a patent, get a copy of the book "Patent it Yourself" from Nolo Press: http://www.amazon.com/Patent-Yourse...3825/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321801878&sr=8-1
This is a very good book, and is quite readable. You will find a copy of this book on most patent attorneys desks.

- There is a form you can file yourself that basically describes your invention in simple terms and establishes your date of invention. Once you file this form, you have 18 months to turn in a real patent application. The book above tells you how to do this -- its pretty inexpensive.

- You can do a certain amount of searching yourself on the US Patent Office site. This is a good thing to do, as is sort of amazing how much stuff has already been thought of, patented, bu not followed up on.

- Unless you want to start a company and make these things in quantity yourself, I'd think about contacting a few places that might be interested in building it. See how they react. If they are interested and willing to use THEIR money to do further work on it, then I'd say you have something. Be sure you have filed the form mentioned above before you do this. Some places may want to buy the idea outright, others may offer some kind of royalty deal.

- There are dozens of scam companies out there that will be glad to take your money and do the patent work and "present your idea to industry" -- I'd not touch these places with a 10 ft pole.

- I don't mean to discourage you on this, but just so you see some of the negative side of patents, have a look at Don Lancaster's site: http://www.tinaja.com/patnt01.asp
I think that Don is definitely at one extreme, and there certainly are people who make money off inventions -- my neighbor has done fairly well off an invention of his for rifles. He is a guy, much like you, who likes to build stuff, and has good ideas.

- A lot of things that are patented and end up making some money are not all that "special" -- I guess its more a matter of has anyone patented it before, are there easy ways someone can work around your patent, and does the device have utility.

- If you do go ahead with a patent, make sure that it starts with a good professional patent search -- its surprising how many ideas that you would think are new and unique have already been patented.

I've got a couple patents, but all the work was done by the company I worked for. One of them actually made some money (but, for the company, not for me 

Gary


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## dsljim (Nov 11, 2011)

Newsflash: Man in USA reinvented the wheel, while waiting for patent approval Chinese company steals idea, produces millions of them,ships them to walmarts and harbor freights all over and they sell out.
Tomorrow's News: Man in USA credited with reinventing wheel files chapter 13.

Yeah,My friend came up with a great idea once,hired the proper lawyer,wasted a buncha money,and now you can pick one up at Walmart or harbor freight. Good luck with that!


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

SolarGary said:


> I don't mean to discourage you on this, but just so you see some of the negative side of patents, Gary


You are not discouraging me because I do not feel it would be worth patenting it even if there was not something similiar already. I feel it would cost more than a average gardener would want to spend to buy one that was professionally built. I feel it would not be something a regular farmer would want or need. Probably just for a gardner. My family does not think about that---LOL. They just see a "good idea" and think the world would want one.


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

Decided to post a Picture of the Solar Powered Chicken Coop.









Harbor Freight All The Way---LOL.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Looks like you don't have the only one

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago132.html


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

I knew others had the automatic doors on their coops, some company out there sells them. I just built my own. Automatic doors are nice to have.



wy_white_wolf said:


> Looks like you don't have the only one
> 
> http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago132.html


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## cmcon=7 (Mar 7, 2010)

I used a windshield wiper motor for a rotating 1/4 circle door and added micro switches with long actuators on them so that it would not squish a chicken.
It was a solar panel ,battery, and an op amp to tell whether the solar panel was putting out more than 3 volts then it would switch a xsistor bridge to run the motor until the limit switch was activated.
I have since decided that simple is better, here is my **** proof roost.










http://cheap-easy-living.weebly.com/chicken-penthouse.html


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## PD-Riverman (May 24, 2007)

Hey, I like that roost. If you will post it under my post-----Share Your Idea's on Home Made/Modified idea's for Homesteading-----Under Homesteading Questions. It will be perfect, just the type Items I am looking for to be posted there. Thanks




cmcon=7 said:


> I used a windshield wiper motor for a rotating 1/4 circle door and added micro switches with long actuators on them so that it would not squish a chicken.
> It was a solar panel ,battery, and an op amp to tell whether the solar panel was putting out more than 3 volts then it would switch a xsistor bridge to run the motor until the limit switch was activated.
> I have since decided that simple is better, here is my **** proof roost.
> 
> http://cheap-easy-living.weebly.com/chicken-penthouse.html


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