Squirrelinator Daylight Door Newer version available

This would be good if scaled up for a automated pet door.  Wifi and bluetooth are available on the board.  You could easily set up a message to your phone are Nodered to notify of movement.  

I've had a Squirrelinator trap for about 6 months and have had great luck catching

squirrels. It also has worked very well at catching skunks which I don't always

like having in my trap.

This is an automated door that opens on sunrise and lowers on sunset to prevent

the night time creatures like skunks and possums from getting caught.

I took a RC servo and modified it to just a geared motor drive and put on a

22 tooth gear that raises and lowers the door. The servo listed was easy to

convert to full 360 rotation and use the metal gear to press fit to the printed gear.

I used a ESP32 feather from EzSBC to monitor a photo resistor to open and close the door relative to the light level. The Aideepen motor driver draws very little current when both input pins are low so I powered the hole unit from a 18650 cell. It should run for month's without charging the battery. Power to a hall effect sensor and the photoresistor are provided by a IO pin pulled high. The unit draws less that 25 microamps when asleep. Not all ESP32 boards are created equal so if you use a different board you might

check the current. More info in the source code provided.

A fun electromechanical project for the advanced maker. Assembly is shown

in the photo, fit everything first to make sure your ok. I printed the rails laying

down and had to drill out the rail holes with a long 1/4 inch drill bit. I put a rod

down these to secure to the trap but you probably don't need too. The doors slide

on and off very easily but the weight seems to keep them in place.

I hope this is of some use even if you don't have a Squirrelinator trap.

Parts used

Aideepen Dual Motor Driver

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075S368Y2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

EzSBC Feather

https://www.ezsbc.com/product/esp32-feather/

DRV5013AGQLPGM

TI hall effect sensor latching https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/595-DRV5013AGQLPGM

https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-a13060300ux0519-Unipolar-Magnetic-Detector/dp/B00IFD0F7M/ref=sr_1_5?crid=36PCCTWMWQE1H&keywords=hall+effect+sensor&qid=1642287541&sprefix=hall+effect+sensor%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-5

PhotoResistor

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N7V536K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Servo

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M8TXSBO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sorry I don't go into more detail but it took me longer to type this and make the

video that to make the thing.

Cheers

Kisssys

Print Settings

Printer Brand:

Prusa

Printer: 

I3 MK3S

How I Designed This

Category: Outdoor & Garden