homemade automatic pet door question

[wirenut1980]

Hello, I have been thinking about making my own homemade electronic pet door like one found here. The dog wears a transmitter on his collar and when he gets close to the door, the receiver on the door recognizes the transmitter and the door opens the door and closes. Anyone know of what kind of kit I should buy for the transmitter/receiver? It has been a few years since school, but I was thinking of hooking up the receiver output to a 555 timer chip to regulate the door opening and closing sequence, and then hook up the output of that to a relay that would operate a 120 V power source to open the door. And I'm not sure if I would need some kind of programmable logic device to control all of this or maybe I could use a transistor or some sort like a Bipolar Junction Transistor. If I do need a PLC, I can't think of a place that I could program it. It was nice having those labs in school. I hope I don't get blasted for a DIY question, but I thought it might be fun to give it a shot. Just spitballing at this point.

 

[mkoloj]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

All I have to say is that it must be nice to be a pet in your home.
I wish the door would open automatically for me as I am walking up with 2 armful's of things and having to put it all down to get my keys out and open the door for myself. The way we humans treat our pets leads me to believe that one day they will rule over us. Wait a second they already do they lay around all day, dont have to work, it is ok for them to walk up behind an attractive female and smell her behind.
As I am typing this I am just getting more and more jealous of our furry friends.

 

[hbiss]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

Spend the $185.

-Hal

 

[wirenut1980]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

Hahaha, I'm loving the replies so far. You guys crack me up! If this wasn't for pure enjoyment, I would gladly shell out the dough. Actually on second thought, I wouldn't, I would just get my big butt up off the chair like I usually do and open the door myself. It just sounds like it would be fun to try that's all. And don't worry mkoloj, the future is now! Someday we will have doors that open up for us automattically.

 

[hbiss]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

Mkoloj, go down to your local ADI and get an electric door release and a proximity card reader. Keep a card on you. Walk up to the door and give it a push with your foot and it will open.

-Hal

 

[hurk27]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

By Wirenut: Someday we will have doors that open up for us automattically.

You must not get out much. You need to go shopping at a mall you will be amazed. they even have moving stairs now, you just stand and soon your on the next floor.

 

[jimwalker]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

I would never spoil our dog that way.After he eats his bacon and eggs (wife makes both of our breakfasts and he gets his own plate )he goes to his doggy (push type)door and goes outside.But i will admit a neighbors dog scared us half to death at about 3 am as it desided to come in.Why not just modify a regular doggy door with an electronic locking pin .A simple transmitter on dog and receiver at door.Could be ran off just a battery.

 

[mkoloj]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

Originally posted by hbiss:
Mkoloj, go down to your local ADI and get an electric door release and a proximity card reader. Keep a card on you. Walk up to the door and give it a push with your foot and it will open.

-Hal

Although that is a great idea Hal, IMHO that is going a little too far at my residence, I like to try and keep it as simple as possible and have been and will be placing my goods down and opening the door with an old-fashioned key.
Although this idea could work for Wirenut if you trained the pet to know that the door just needed a little push and they could get in.
Just goes to show what length's people will go to for their pet's, or is it for their own convenience so they don't have to get up and open the door for them??
Just another great example of how great us humans are, we will go to great expense and trouble to not have to get up and perform some trivial task like opening the door or changing the channel on the TV and then we will go and pay for a membership to a gym because we want to stay in shape. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

[iwire]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

Originally posted by hurk27:
they even have moving stairs now, you just stand and soon your on the next floor.

Yeah sure they do Wayne

 

[jimwalker]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

Doggy door is the best thing i ever spent money on.They cost about $50 take maybe an hour to install and 15 minutes to train the dog.The least the dam dog can do is push on it to get out or in.The idea that it opens when the dog gets near it sounds great.Only one problem,what happens if dog takes nap at the door ?

 

[jim sutton]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

Doggy Doors are great. I have a customer that told us not to worry if she's not home, just come through the doggy door. She does keep it locked though. Any burglars would have to be smart enough to reach through and un lock the door!

Jim if her dog was napping at the door I guess we would be screwed. We would have to charge extra for waiting on the dog to wake up!

 

[jimwalker]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

I was thinking on the lines of it staying open.So much for air conditioning.
Depending on her dog im not sure i want to reach inside.Why not just put the key where a burgler would never think to look like under the door mat or inside the ac disconnect.or top of meter can.

 

[jim sutton]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

Good point, Jim. I was wondering also about power to this thing. Is it AC or battery? My dogs would run the batteries down all the time, going in and out all day.
Im a pessimist when it comes to stuff like this, just something else I will have to fix around the house.

 

[wirenut1980]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

I was thinking of running the door off of AC power, and using a relay with a 5 V input from the logic circuit, and the output of 120 V, so that when the relay input gets the "Start" signal from the low voltage circuit output, 120 V is applied at the output from a cord with a plug. The whole reason for the idea of this auto door, is:

1) to help keep a good seal around the edges of the door when not in use to keep the heat inside in the winter, and to keep the hot outside in the summer.

2) A regular mechanical door already is in place and a rabbit managed to make its way inside the house and was playing havoc with the dog. Think of that scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with the dog and the squirrel in the house.

And by the way, I am thinking about this for my sister and brother and law, who are expecting and will have more important things to worry about than letting the dog out all the time. Back in school, I designed and built a quiz show buzz in type device that worked on similar principles.

 

[jimwalker]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

My dog would love for anything to even try go thru his door.He almost got a cat while back.Cat did 0 to 60 in 1 second .Time to get a new dog if he cant run a rabit off.

 

[bensonelectric]

Re: homemade automatic pet door question

If you do desire to use a PLC, try an Omron ZEN. They run about $125, and are really simple to program, and if you get one that has the screen, you can program it directly on the unit.