Thanks everyone for the help...I feel more confident with my idea...I really appreciate everyone's time....

 

Here are some pictures of what I'm working with....

 

more photos

 

These photos are of the area I plan on adding the electric hatch door. The motor will be mounted to bottom of the coop. It will slide the door horizontally, to expose a hole in the floor. You can see in the one photo where I have temporarily added a piece of wood to cover the hole. The sliding door will be lower than the plywood now. It will be mounted flush with the bottom of the framing. So there will be a 4" DROP WHERE THE DOOR WILL BE. I hope that the motor will have enough strength to scrape off any poop as the door moves past the framing to expose the ground. I'm planning on changing the trap door ramp to an open design to keep down on poop build up in the cracks.

 

Ionic
I tried the wife and child thing but it didn't work out. Wife got eaten by the fox, and child got taken off by an Owl....JK
My wife says the chickens are my babies, and I don't think my two year old boy is big enough, but boy am I looking forward to the day when he is big enough...I've got a whole list of things for him to do....

 

I've been reading along and staying quiet, not wanting to interrupt, but I get dragged into the chicken coup anyway...

AND i'm used as an example of what NOT to do. Thanks fellas.

aww sorry big guy; if it helps, I made myself an example of what not to do after you did so that make me the bigger dummy.

Here are some pictures of what I'm working with....

I like your design. thanks for posting pics; not everyone does that

Thanks everyone for the help...I feel more confident with my idea...I really appreciate everyone's time....

No problem. Come back and let us know how it works out and we'll see about the next phase.

 

I will post more pictures as the project progresses...

 

So is it OK to run the DPDT off the same power I'm running my motor off of. Or should I have two separate power sources. I want keep this all DC...I bought the second timer I listed...Still trying to decide on DPDT and limit switches. I'm looking at the ones suggested...Still trying to figure out the differences and decide on which one fit my needs the most.
Also would it be a good idea to set up a limit switch on the same timer, that would set off an alarm if the door didn't close. Lets say I have the door closing when the timer is on, and the DPDT stops working or fuse blows. Then when the timer went off if the alarm limit switch isn't released, then it would go off. Or am I just being paranoid and over thinking again. I guess this would be an audio notice every time the door closed, because it would be activated until the door closed enough to release it. I think it would be a very simple circuit. Just use the same timer, one limit switch normally open (mounted at the fully open position.) and then something like a dc horn or siren.
I know one thing at a time...Just wanting some insight. Thanks.
Any ideas on sound makers.

 

So is it OK to run the DPDT off the same power I'm running my motor off of.

I don't see a problem with this.

Also would it be a good idea to set up a limit switch on the same timer, that would set off an alarm if the door didn't close. Lets say I have the door closing when the timer is on, and the DPDT stops working or fuse blows. Then when the timer went off if the alarm limit switch isn't released, then it would go off. Or am I just being paranoid and over thinking again. I guess this would be an audio notice every time the door closed, because it would be activated until the door closed enough to release it..... Just use the same timer, one limit switch normally open (mounted at the fully open position.) and then something like a dc horn or siren.

Yes, you are being paranoid.
The way you described it, the alarm will go off the next time the timer changes it's state, i.e. after a whole day or a whole night. If you want it to go off immediately if something goes wrong you'd need another timer relay that starts the alarm if the door didn't close/open in the time period it's supposed to. (like a few seconds)

You see, for every additional idea you have to include more and more devices... That's why I thought it'd be easier with a PLC or other MCU based system. They are expandable...

 

praondevou

I'm still considering the PLC's, I just figures I'll start small and work my way up...overall I would like to expand....Over all I feel better in the direction I headed. I can at least see light at the end of the tunnel. I don't won't to head to far in a different direction....I hope like someonesdad said, to make small things happen the inter-grade them into one system. I was thinking that when the timer powered on the alarm would sound until the door released the limit switch. If the door didn't move then the alarm would stay on. I was only talking about one switch. It isn't such a big deal if the birds get locked in, but if it doesn't close on time and I think its closed....well I'm sure the foxes would be gracious. I do understand that if I wanted to make it a whole new system that notified me if the door didn't open or close then I would have to set up a completely new system with new timer. Thanks for the advice! Please let me know if I've got this all wrong. Well I'm sure you guys will straighten me right out.

 

praondevou

If you have the time and patience. Do you mind laying out your suggested system using a PLC or MCU set up...I'm just intimidated by my ignorance of them.....thanks

 

I was thinking that when the timer powered on the alarm would sound until the door released the limit switch. If the door didn't move then the alarm would stay on.

If you need to be sure that the door has really closed you take a DC-buzzer, take a diode with the proper current rating, connect the cathode of the diode to "+" of the buzzer. Mount the buzzer/diode in parallel with the motor in the direction that it will sound when the motor turns to close the door. As soon as the motor starts closing the door the buzzer will sound and when the door hits the end switch, the buzzer turns off.

If the door stops midway because of a motor failure or because the the door is stuck, the buzzer stays on.

Doesn't help if your battery is depleted though...

 

praondevou

If you have the time and patience. Do you mind laying out your suggested system using a PLC or MCU set up...I'm just intimidated by my ignorance of them.....thanks

Actually the way you are doing it now, is the best way for now, since you don't have the experience yet to do bigger things.

If you want to work with a PLC you will need to make complete list of what you want to incorporate in your system, i.e. it needs to be planned, only then you start looking for a suitable PLC.

 

Actually the way you are doing it now, is the best way for now, since you don't have the experience yet to do bigger things.

I defiantly see a start and end to this step of the project. All components are on order. I'll post pictures of completed project.

If you need to be sure that the door has really closed you take a DC-buzzer, take a diode with the proper current rating, connect the cathode of the diode to "+" of the buzzer. Mount the buzzer/diode in parallel with the motor in the direction that it will sound when the motor turns to close the door. As soon as the motor starts closing the door the buzzer will sound and when the door hits the end switch, the buzzer turns off.

This looks like something I can play with later after I'm done with the door project. Thanks for the info.

 

Here's my next step if you guys feel like giving me some info..

I want to mount a servo to open a flap, that will cover the food. I want the servo to open every three hours, for 30 minute intervals. I have two feeder bins that I made. I want to keep the black birds out.

Ideally I would love to have RIFID tags on the chickens and some kind of scanner to let the servos know when the chickens where close by so they would open. But that sounds like big money to me.

 

Here some photos of the feeder I made. First picture shows the back. If you look down the top that is open, you will see where I divided the chamber into two cells. One small cell for feeding in pen and, one larger cell for feeding under pen. This hold about 75 lbs of food, I can't use it because the black birds clean it out in a few days. The second pictures is the top feeder. If you look at the third feeder you can see the structure of it, because it isn't hidden by the interior wall. I will most likely put an interior wall down there to make both systems consistent. I'm not sure where or how I will mount the servos, I might be able to open and close both flaps with one motor, some pulleys and cable. I just figure servos are the most reliable. I'm not sure how much weight a servo can handle.

 

More photos....

 

Trying to decide on a DPDT any suggestions?

http://cgi.ebay.com/JQX-13F-DC-12V-Coil-8-Pin-DPDT-General-Relay-w-Socket-/250864547664?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a68b13750

http://cgi.ebay.com/DC-12V-Coil-Voltage-8-Pin-DPDT-General-Relay-w-Socket-/220818836324?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3369d40b64
http://cgi.ebay.com/2pcs-12V-DC-Coil-Power-Relay-DPDT-MY2NJ-HH52P-L-/390323039923?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae110eeb3
http://cgi.ebay.com/2x-12V-DC-Coil-Power-Relay-DPDT-LY2NJ-HH62P-L-JQX-13F-/370519227790?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5644aabd8e


Here is the plan...Solar power to 12v deep cell battery to timer, to DPDT, to 12v car window motor...all wired as describe by Strantor....

I also need suggestions on limit switches are all the same or is there a difference...

 

Take one of the first two with a socket.

Good luck with the timer, it's in chinese..

 

If you haven't ordered you relay yet, consider this. Its a 4PDT relay, which will leave you room for expansion later (for example a light and/or buzzer, whatever) and it's cheaper and comes with a socket.

as for the limit switches there are many types. I haven't seen your window motor assembly or how you intend to mount it I so can't very well recommend one. The main thing you have to consider is that you don't want it to become damaged. for example: some limit switches aren't much more than a pushbutton with about .25" of travel; your door/motor is likely to have some inertia and keep moving a bit after power is removed, so if you mounted this type under the door, the door might crush it.

this type might work

this type is my favorite. just mount it where something, anything, will contact that little wobble arm and the switch switches; no worries about crushing it; very versatile