Looking to make a motorized...

[willisl]

What do I need (relays? gears?) to have a small electric motor turn on via a timer, run for the few seconds needed to raise a small (10 x 14 inch) piece of wood via string and pulley (door to a chicken coop), turn itself off, then turn on again via timer hours later and run in the opposite direction to lower (close) the door and turn itself off until it's time to tbe turned on again? This seems to be on the principle of a garage door opener, only smaller and opening/closing on a timer switch instead of a push-button or transmitted signal, right? Are there systems like this already in existence?

Thanks.

Lynn Willis Indianapolis

[RBM]

I would say, you need a time clock, a reversible gear motor, with limit switches and whatever mechanical attachments needed to connect to your door. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be simple enough to adapt a garage door opener to the task

[No]

Take a look at

they may have the stuff you need. let us know what your solution end up being. A couple of pictures or video would be neat.

[Walter R.]

Use an electric solenoid and a cheap plug-in timer to activate it. Opens the door via a suitable lever when the solenoid is activated; closes the door by gravity, or by a spring, when the timer shuts off power to the solenoid.

Keep it simple.

[Trekking Tom]

Find a rotiserie motor for and old BBQ grill. Attach a plywood disk to this attach a lever on one end of this level is the motor and disk the other would be attached to the top of your vertical sliding door. If the coop is visiable from your remote location you could apply power until the door was closed & vise a versa. Nice slow operation, quiet. you should be able to build it closed to the wall the door is in.

Good luck Tom