Chicken coop door opener / Car electric antenna winch by 3desparky

Last crawled date: 2 years, 10 months ago

Another chicken coop automatic door opener!
This thing converts the car electric antenna into a small winch to lift a chicken coop door.
The antenna I used was an Aerpro antenna AP22, available online or from Supercheap Auto here in Australia.
Just remove the antenna mast and nylon cord that is inside the mast. Take the motor cover off (don't lose the small nut and washer). Use a 50 to 60mm hole saw to cut an opening in the motor cover for the winch drum to protrude. Use the hole where the nut was on the front of the cover for the center arbor drill of the hole saw.
Align the four slots in the back of the printed winch drum with the four webs inside the antenna motor clutch. Press the printed drum into the motor clutch (it may take a put of force). Put the washer and nut in place to retain the new winch drum (don't overtighten). Reinstall the modified cover.
The antenna motor has 3 wires. Black = negative, Red = permanent Positive 12V, Green = motor rotates 6 turns clockwise when 12V applied, turns 6 turns counter clockwise when disconnected. Leave 12 volts connected to the red wire. The green wire is the wire you switch (with a switch or a relay) to open and close the door.
I made the drum the diameter such that it will wind up a 2 to 5mm diameter paracord 6 turns and lift the door approximately 420mm.
My idea of this setup is to lift the door open, and lower it closed under it's own weight instead of driving it closed and potentially injuring a person or animal. Just make sure the door itself lowers past the bottom of the doorway opening so as a smart predator cant get it's foot below the door and lift it open.
For the door I used a nylon chopping board from the Reject Shop (Australia) and cut it down to approximately 220mm wide by 420mm high. The cutting board is approximately 9mm thick.
The door opening in the side of the coop is approx 200mm wide by 300mm high.
For door guide rails I used two 1 metre lengths of 16 x 12 x 1.6mm Aluminium extruded channel from Bunnings here in Australia:https://www.bunnings.com.au/metal-mate-16-x-12-x-1-6mm-1m-aluminium-section-channel_p1109900
Prior to this I had used a timber door and timber guide rails, but as the seasons changed it would bind up sometimes. The plastic/nylon door and aluminium rails are a lot more stable.
I've included the Sketchup file for those who want to modify it.
Photos and video to come.
Here's a dodgy video I originally only made to send to my parents, but it will do to get the point across:https://youtu.be/2HmOY7CsnAM
By the way, we call chickens Chooks in Australia.
I control the door via an ESP32, using ESPHome on Home Assistant.
I can also monitor the level of feed in the hopper using a cheap ultrasonic device, and the battery/solar voltage on the coop.