Posted By: Cast
Finally throwing corn - 04/03/16 10:30 PM
This is about my fourth attempt to create the perfect feeder for us old farts. I sat this up a long while back right outside my cave and just thought it through.
I wanted a powered winch and a hog light way up high at least. That meant a big deep cycle battery to power the winch and bright hog light. I finally got it built up and moved it out back for testing. You can see the hole in the treeline where the deer come and go between the tractor and the feeder. The empty pole is the camera pole, yet to be built. It will get another much smaller battery and solar panel. Please note the lack of streaks.
After we moved it out back it was time to throw some corn. Programmed the timer up just fine and pressed the test button. Nothing. Battery good. Motor good. That means timer motor relay is bad. I can't fix that, warranty anyway.
That brings us current. It warmed up today and I wanted to get outside after a sick week inside so I swapped the bad feeder box with my spare. It works now. It's a Monarch feeder and a very bright dusk to dawn motion activated white LED flood light. It comes on dim and ramps up full bright slowly. No shadows jumping out to scare the hogs. I have pics of a green one with hogs and deer milling around oblivious to the bright light. Isn't that a beautiful Texas sky?
It's all powered by this power pole which is obviously still in construction.
I had a few bags of corn on hand. Feeder checks good. Winch checks good. Solar charger checks good. Grab that bag of corn. Corn moldy. Grrrrr! It's always something.
So Mrs Cast and I sat up a corn cleaning station in the cave and got one bag of corn cleaned and loaded in the feeder. FINALLY! Now the fun begins.
I'm thinking wifi hotspot on the top of the tripod is next.
I wanted a powered winch and a hog light way up high at least. That meant a big deep cycle battery to power the winch and bright hog light. I finally got it built up and moved it out back for testing. You can see the hole in the treeline where the deer come and go between the tractor and the feeder. The empty pole is the camera pole, yet to be built. It will get another much smaller battery and solar panel. Please note the lack of streaks.
After we moved it out back it was time to throw some corn. Programmed the timer up just fine and pressed the test button. Nothing. Battery good. Motor good. That means timer motor relay is bad. I can't fix that, warranty anyway.
That brings us current. It warmed up today and I wanted to get outside after a sick week inside so I swapped the bad feeder box with my spare. It works now. It's a Monarch feeder and a very bright dusk to dawn motion activated white LED flood light. It comes on dim and ramps up full bright slowly. No shadows jumping out to scare the hogs. I have pics of a green one with hogs and deer milling around oblivious to the bright light. Isn't that a beautiful Texas sky?
It's all powered by this power pole which is obviously still in construction.
I had a few bags of corn on hand. Feeder checks good. Winch checks good. Solar charger checks good. Grab that bag of corn. Corn moldy. Grrrrr! It's always something.
So Mrs Cast and I sat up a corn cleaning station in the cave and got one bag of corn cleaned and loaded in the feeder. FINALLY! Now the fun begins.
I'm thinking wifi hotspot on the top of the tripod is next.
