Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
after a full week in use, I am checking the system to make sure all is working. This is the new and improved higher capacity chicken coop solar system for the automatic door to solve a problem I was having over winter. Its using the original automatic door and solar panel but replacing the lower capacity batteries with built in battery control module (BCM) with a larger capacity lead acid rechargeable batteries and a renogy charge controller.
The reason this upgrade was needed is that once winter comes and the sun is lower in the sky, the original battery would be depleted about every day. The upgraded batteries I suggested people to use would last about 7 - 10 days before being depleted. I always kept 2 fully charged batteries as spare plus a 3rd battery in use. It is just a PITA to swap out the batteries in winter time when one day you might have 75% battery levels, its a cloudy day or the temperature drops to sub-0 and the next morning your automatic door doesn't open because the battery is dead. I love consistency and one thing about batteries, lithium doesn't do very well in cold or even below 40 degrees F (4.4444 celcius according to google lol). However, as much as most people hate lead acid batteries, they do great in cold weather down below sub-0 degrees. So this solar system upgrade includes a battery pack stored in an ammo can that is more than 3x the capacity of even the higher capacity batteries I used to recommend. Not only that, using the renogy charge controller allows you to upgrade to even a larger battery if you so wish, like a 100AH deep cell trolling motor battery (I have one and considered it but its overkill I believe, time will tell).
I love to invent things and find solutions to problems and I believe this is a great idea and it saves me time and hassle, worth the cost in my book and allows me to focus my time wasted fixing a problem that shouldn't exist but does due to seasonal changes.
This system can also be expanded - I have a list of ideas in the longer video, i.e. lighting or heating chicken coop
after a full week in use, I am checking the system to make sure all is working. This is the new and improved higher capacity chicken coop solar system for the automatic door to solve a problem I was having over winter. Its using the original automatic door and solar panel but replacing the lower capacity batteries with built in battery control module (BCM) with a larger capacity lead acid rechargeable batteries and a renogy charge controller.
The reason this upgrade was needed is that once winter comes and the sun is lower in the sky, the original battery would be depleted about every day. The upgraded batteries I suggested people to use would last about 7 - 10 days before being depleted. I always kept 2 fully charged batteries as spare plus a 3rd battery in use. It is just a PITA to swap out the batteries in winter time when one day you might have 75% battery levels, its a cloudy day or the temperature drops to sub-0 and the next morning your automatic door doesn't open because the battery is dead. I love consistency and one thing about batteries, lithium doesn't do very well in cold or even below 40 degrees F (4.4444 celcius according to google lol). However, as much as most people hate lead acid batteries, they do great in cold weather down below sub-0 degrees. So this solar system upgrade includes a battery pack stored in an ammo can that is more than 3x the capacity of even the higher capacity batteries I used to recommend. Not only that, using the renogy charge controller allows you to upgrade to even a larger battery if you so wish, like a 100AH deep cell trolling motor battery (I have one and considered it but its overkill I believe, time will tell).
I love to invent things and find solutions to problems and I believe this is a great idea and it saves me time and hassle, worth the cost in my book and allows me to focus my time wasted fixing a problem that shouldn't exist but does due to seasonal changes.
This system can also be expanded - I have a list of ideas in the longer video, i.e. lighting or heating chicken coop
