Wi-Fi Feeder Timer Control with your Phone

Hello THF members. My name is Andrew and I am the owner and engineer for Perforce Outdoors LLC. I did get permission from the THF admin (J.P.) to make a post here in the Blinds & Feeders forum. I was hoping to get at least a few guys interested here to start building a larger user base and get more product feedback.

I have spent a large portion of my career designing high reliability instruments that operate in some of the harshest conditions on the planet. I got into designing hunting gadgets after helping a family member remove hogs from his property due to serious depredation. As many of you have experienced, the hogs were mostly nocturnal due to pressure from adjacent land owners and often times very sensitive to scent left at the feeders. Part of his strategy was to bait and hunt at night. I helped him find equipment to outfit his feeders but became frustrated with what we ended up with and it seemed like there could be a better solution.

First off, the feeder lights did not run very long off the alkaline batteries and required large solar panels to stay running throughout the year when we ran them off the feeder battery. Of course larger solar panels require a charger controller so you don't overcharge the battery. After purchasing charge controllers, I found the cheap charge controllers off Ebay and Amazon to be inefficient. We also decided that it would be nice to be able to completely operate the entire feeder from your cell phone when in the blind. This way he could place extra corn out while not having to walk up to the feeder leaving behind fresh scent.

From all this effort came the Perforce Timer. It integrates a complete Wi-Fi feeder timer you can control from your cell phone in the blind, plus 12V lead-acid battery charger, and a managed power output for a feeder light. It has a 150+ yard range with line of sight. Once installed and powered, the Perforce Timer creates a local Wi-Fi network at your feeder enabling you to connect whenever you are within range. You can use your existing 6V or 12V motor as the power output is programmable and has 3 speed settings per motor type. There are no fuses that need replaced because the motor output is protected with a self resetting fuse. Onboard diagnostic information tells you your battery voltage and power output from the solar panel. It can be operated from your iOS or Android phone. You can also access it through a laptop if you like. The feeder light output has manual remote operation in addition to a timer or dusk to dawn modes. It also has a programmable low battery monitor that will prevent your light from completely discharging your feeder battery. I’ve had a few people create their own light setup just using red or green 12V landscape lights off Amazon.

The design is patent pending for some of the novel design features. It has been improved and validated through two hunting seasons with numerous units operating in both the summer heat of Central Texas in addition the extreme cold and hot temperatures of the Midwest. I can’t stand the cheap feeder related electronics sold at many of the big box retailers that don’t last very long. I will stand behind the product. I’ve tried my best to source as much as practically possible from the USA. It was designed in the USA and final assembly also occurs here.

In addition to the Perforce Timer, I carry a line of solar panels from 5 to 30 Watts and mounting kits that include all the mounting hardware and wiring protection at a very competitive price. You will need a minimum of a 5W panel to power the Perforce Timer. The 5W panel is only $19.99 and the 5W solar panel mount kit is only $44.99. Compare this to the small, 1 Watt panels you pay $40.



The stock antenna can pivot 90 degrees so it doesn't have to stick out through a varmint cage.



I’ve noticed the “stand and fill” feeders have gained quite a bit of popularity and so I am actively working on an antenna solution that better suits those feeder types. It will allow remote mounting and be better protected from animal damage for those feeder types. If you have one and are interested please PM me as I could use a few people here soon to try them out. You can find more information on the Perforce Timer at www.perforceoutdoors.com/perforcetimer To purchase, visit our store at www.perforceoutdoors.com/store

If you are even remotely curious about this feel free to PM me and we can talk more. If there are any outfitters or ranch managers on here who would like a larger quantity I can work with you on a package. This is a great way to control your feeders without having to manage all the remotes.

We are currently pursuing dealers and if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

Link no worky, got the bottom main website to work

Weird! Somehow the hyperlink got butchered and is missing the "." after www Now if I could figure out how to edit my post. Apparently we aren't allow to edit posts?

Well here they are... Thanks for pointing that out!

https://www.perforceoutdoors.com/perforcetimer.html

https://www.perforceoutdoors.com/store.html

Edit* I guess I can edit this post...

Very interesting. I love hunting gadgets - this is something I could see myself using.

I love my all seasons feeder WiFi timer. Has all these features and more. FeedSync timer https://www.allseasonsfeeders.com/products/feedsync-timer

Aren't you with All Seasons Feeders? This is not the way we do things on this forum. You are welcome to promote your product, but not by hijacking another company's thread. We pulled your other post. No more hijacking.

That's pretty cool. I hate having to check the feeder when pig hunting just to see if it is working.

I would need at least 200 yards of range to work for me.

very interesting

Can you set off the feeder from your phone whenever you want to? It would be nice to do a drive by and click your phone to see if the feeder is working.

Yes, as long as you are in within range. The only time you should have to walk up to the feeder is to fill it.

How many feeders can you control with the app?

You can only connect to one at a time from a single device. Once you disconnect, you can connect to a different one.

Thread Update: I contacted Andrew soon after this thread appeared and after a long conversation with him, dropped some dollars on the unit. It arrived a couple of days later, along with the 5 watt solar panel that he recommended for my application. Installation was by the book and just as easy as it sounded. Funny thing is that when I pulled out of my ammo can, the timer, the remote wiring, a terminal block that I used instead of wire nuts to build the circuit, and replaced it with Andrew's unit, we all stood there looking at the installation thinking, "is that it?" With everything built into the Perforce unit, it makes for a really clean installation! Anyway, the things works great. Set-up via the App is easy and being able to control the unit remotely is really handy. I found myself at the lease with a blanket of corn under the feeder, like everyone else in central Texas! It was easy to, from the blind, turn off the afternoon feeding. At the same time, when I had a couple of young bucks hoovering up all the morning corn, I could easily set the manual timer to 3 seconds and throw a little bit more. As Andrew predicted, at 150 yards I need to hold the phone at window height to get reliable wifi connection to the unit but I have had zero problem getting that connection. And with that connection, I can see battery levels, as well as solar panel performance. If this unit proves to be reliable thru the summer, next Fall will see us replacing the control systems on all the rest of the feeders on the lease.