How have you Automated your home for your pets?

[Kaje]

Ken,

could you send some photos i want to do this for our cats.

Raptor,
Not to exciting but here are some pictures and more info.

The dog food bin, that I got off of ebay from the seller http://stores.ebay.com/Pet-Pro-Feede...id=p4340.l2563 , and they have various sizes:


The sensor I installed on the inside of the bin, which I'm using a Sharp GP2Y0A21YK0F (10-80cm). Which I got them from Pololu Robotics (http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/136):


And of course a picture of my dog using the bin:


The sensor hookup is a 5v adapter (120v ac to 5v dc) as the power source and the outputs are connected to a SECU 16 (Applied Digtial Adicon 2500) attached to an Ocelot. I programmed the Ocelot to change a variable based on crossing an analog threshold that equates to the sensed level in the bin.

Ken J.

[Raptor]

Thanks Ken,

out cat feeder is about 30cm(12inch) tall so i will have to find one with a better range.

do you know if it works with water too?

[skybolt]

i havent done it but i have heard of others... setting up a relay/ lock to a pet door.. to not let them in our out at certain times.. and somehow they used a collar to determine if pet is in our out...

I use a hi tech pet electronic door (http://www.hitecpet.com) , my dog has a collar and I use a motion sensor fixed to the top of the inside door way to detect if he's used the door. I control the power to the door with an appliance module. Works real well and have been using it for ~4 yrs now. The door is also hooked into the alarm system (some mods to the door)

Makes for a happy dog and happy land scappers ...

[Kaje]

Thanks Ken,

out cat feeder is about 30cm(12inch) tall so i will have to find one with a better range.

do you know if it works with water too?

Not sure what you mean by 'better range' I have two different versions in use based on the needed sensor range of the bin: Sharp GP2Y0A02YK0F (20-150cm) for Soft water conditioner and GP2Y0A21YK0F (10-80cm) for the dog food bin. My experience is the GP2Y0A21YK0F (10-80cm) will work great for you. It's only when the food is right at the sensor (<1cm) that it gives an inaccurate reading. A quick scan at pololu shows a 4-30cm (http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/1136) is also available.

I have not used it specifically on water but believe it will work.

Ken J.

[Raptor]

cool the 8-30cm sounds like what i need.

[Killzone1023]

High tech pet door

I use a hi tech pet electronic door (http://www.hitecpet.com) , my dog has a collar and I use a motion sensor fixed to the top of the inside door way to detect if he's used the door. I control the power to the door with an appliance module. Works real well and have been using it for ~4 yrs now. The door is also hooked into the alarm system (some mods to the door)

Makes for a happy dog and happy land scappers ...

My question is mainly.
You said you used an appliance module to turn the power to the door on and off restricting access for the dog only
When turned on. The thing is does the chip in the collar the dog wears have to be programmed all the time or so u just plug the door into the module and WahLah!

[skybolt]

My question is mainly.
You said you used an appliance module to turn the power to the door on and off restricting access for the dog only
When turned on. The thing is does the chip in the collar the dog wears have to be programmed all the time or so u just plug the door into the module and WahLah!

So there is no "Chip" it is ultra sonic that triggers the door. But All i did was plug the door into an appliance module, so the door can be remotely turned on/off. I did add motion sensors, one inside and one outside to know if dog is in or out.

With those inputs you can make some pretty elaborate scripts to handle this, have fun! but don't forget to let dog back in ...

[AgileHumor]

Some cat stuff here from a recent thread:
http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=180822

The alerting when water is low is great idea...