I’m looking at building an automatic sprayer for my cows. I want them to walk through a gate and trigger a motion sensor that sprays them with fly spray.

I know I’ll need some batteries connected to a solar panel. The two 6v batteries would connect in a series. Then connect to a motion sensor, which activates a programmable controller, which connects to a solenoid that activates a 12v dc pump to spray fluid.

As far as programming goes, I want to be able to control how long it sprays per cow. Also if it could count how many times it sprays that would be a bonus.

Seems simple enough to the trained eye but I’m unfamiliar with it. Can anyone recommend parts for this build and guide me through the install?

 

Search for Idec smart relay and
Solar charge controller
They may be 12 or 24 Vdc

Also Siemens LOGO.

Not sure if an astronomic timer function would be useful? It computes sunrise and sunset.

 

Search for Idec smart relay and
Solar charge controller
They may be 12 or 24 Vdc

Also Siemens LOGO.

Not sure if an astronomic timer function would be useful? It computes sunrise and sunset.

Shouldn’t need any sunrise or sunset timer. It just needs to work whenever they walk through no matter what time of day.

 

Start with a timer activated fly spray like this - https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/...d-auto-indoor-insect-control-system-odourless

Find where the signal from the timer is and use a microcontroller to toggle the line. (You may or may not have to disconnect the timer, but you can usually just turn that off via a switch)

Connect a motion detector of some sort to an input to the micro, and you are up and away.

The reason that you'd want to use a microcontroller is so that you can handle multiple sprayers and multiple motion sensors.

If you don't have a lot of experience with programming, an Ardiuno is a great place to start!

You'll also want to make sure your sensors and micro are water tight

 

hi jones,
A PIR module would detect the presence of a moving Cow, most PIR modules have a built in Timer, so the external alarm [Spray] ON period can be set.

They run on 5V thru 25 volts and draw very little current when not activated.
When activated the output signal switches from approx 0V to +3V.

The 3V could easily be amplified in order to drive a Spray relay.

E
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263030279451?hash=item3d3dd38d1b:g:4JcAAOSwAs9g5uBn

 

Thanks for the advice. Could someone map out the circuit for me?

 

Start with a timer activated fly spray like this - https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/...d-auto-indoor-insect-control-system-odourless

Find where the signal from the timer is and use a microcontroller to toggle the line. (You may or may not have to disconnect the timer, but you can usually just turn that off via a switch)

Connect a motion detector of some sort to an input to the micro, and you are up and away.

The reason that you'd want to use a microcontroller is so that you can handle multiple sprayers and multiple motion sensors.

If you don't have a lot of experience with programming, an Ardiuno is a great place to start!

You'll also want to make sure your sensors and micro are water tight

To be more clear i only want to run one sprayer. I will mount a 25 gallon tank full of liquid spray to an electric pump with hoses and spray nozzles. When they pass through the gate it will sense them and spray the cow with fly spray.

 

hi jones.
What is your expected ON time for the Spray unit for each Cow and typically how many Cows and often would you de-fly the Herd.?
Power consumption of the Spray unit.?

You will need to know these figures in order to determine the Battery capacity, Solar panel Wattage rating etc ...

Then we can come up with some design idea's.

E

 

hi jones.
What is your expected ON time for the Spray unit for each Cow and typically how many Cows and often would you de-fly the Herd.?
Power consumption of the Spray unit.?

You will need to know these figures in order to determine the Battery capacity, Solar panel Wattage rating etc ...

Then we can come up with some design idea's.

E

I would like it to turn on once they enter and have it kick off once they’re through. Probably 2-3 seconds per animal. Maybe should put a maximum of 5 seconds per run in case they stand in front of it too long. The pump would be 12v 3.3 amps.

 

I would like it to turn on once they enter and have it kick off once they’re through. Probably 2-3 seconds per animal. Maybe should put a maximum of 5 seconds per run in case they stand in front of it too long. The pump would be 12v 3.3 amps.

30-40 cows. They typically would all enter and exit at the same time. Twice a day on average.

 

30-40 cows. They typically would all enter and exit at the same time. Twice a day on average.

In a single file line one at a time. I would build it so one could go through at a time.

 

Comment (off the wall):

Instead of pumping, could you use an air sprayer?

e.g. or something like a paint gun? or something like a garden hose fruit sprayer?

 

Comment (off the wall):

Instead of pumping, could you use an air sprayer?

e.g. or something like a paint gun? or something like a garden hose fruit sprayer?

I don’t see the advantage of that. A fimco sprayer is compact and effective. Draws little electricity. I just want some guidance on if this will work and what parts I need to do it

 

Use a dual IR-gate, double beam that when both are interrupted at the same time the sprayer is started for a period of time you want. PIR sensors are unreliable and will be triggered by everything moving like birds, even flies. Dual beam when separated by a meter(shorter than a cow) works only when cow steps in, not even a person can trigger it as being not wide enough. If you build a mechanical door, each cow could enter individually and sprayed and when the cow exits, a gate opens and the next one can enter. Or just a narrow path, without gates, where cows are forced to a row.
You can use a simple counter module which shows visually the number that sprayer has been on and spraying. Counter modules like... https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000229096942.html

IR beam gate:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000809256540.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.17f126e7MjnrpU&algo_pvid=1d562084-d38f-4de5-bd40-8958225ebece&algo_exp_id=1d562084-d38f-4de5-bd40-8958225ebece-3&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"10000008105218330"}

 

I don’t see the advantage of that. A fimco sprayer is compact and effective. Draws little electricity. I just want some guidance on if this will work and what parts I need to do it

There could be a substantial advantage if you could utilize a system that lends itself to electrostatic application.

 

What are you spraying them with?
From your description it sounds like a milking herd, just make sure a double dose won't do any harm?
Or put a one way gate, little saloon door type thing like are after a milking robot, just to make sure a clever one doesn't reverse back through it and get sprayed again!