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I'm not sure how many practical applications can be found for this device, but the idea is sound and it was a quick, easy build so I thought I'd share it with others.
We've got an outdoor cat, and recently I noticed his food bowl was getting emptied daily, which wasn't normal for him. I assumed something else was eating it. Sure enough, I've since seen not one but two other cats that are showing up and chowing down on his food. Right off the bat I started thinking up automated feeders that would open in response to an RFID chip on my cat's collar, but those ideas seemed too complicated and cost prohibitive.
I thought at the very least I could try some sort of negative reinforcement on the errant cats and hope I could condition them to stay away. The only problem with that is that they're on my deck, and I have to go out a door to get near them, and by then they've already run away. Yelling at them and banging on the door or chasing them off the deck isn't quite enough of a deterrent.
That's when I got the idea for this instructable. I had most of the stuff lying around the garage so it wasn't tough to put together. Basically it's a common sprinkler valve hooked up to a wireless remote so I can turn the hose on from anywhere in the house. So I can put out food at prime cat time, monitor the area from elsewhere via a webcam and my laptop while I watch TV or do other things, and dole out a healthy spraying the instant the cat touches the food. Even if it doesn't work over the long term it'll make me feel like justice was served.
We've got an outdoor cat, and recently I noticed his food bowl was getting emptied daily, which wasn't normal for him. I assumed something else was eating it. Sure enough, I've since seen not one but two other cats that are showing up and chowing down on his food. Right off the bat I started thinking up automated feeders that would open in response to an RFID chip on my cat's collar, but those ideas seemed too complicated and cost prohibitive.
I thought at the very least I could try some sort of negative reinforcement on the errant cats and hope I could condition them to stay away. The only problem with that is that they're on my deck, and I have to go out a door to get near them, and by then they've already run away. Yelling at them and banging on the door or chasing them off the deck isn't quite enough of a deterrent.
That's when I got the idea for this instructable. I had most of the stuff lying around the garage so it wasn't tough to put together. Basically it's a common sprinkler valve hooked up to a wireless remote so I can turn the hose on from anywhere in the house. So I can put out food at prime cat time, monitor the area from elsewhere via a webcam and my laptop while I watch TV or do other things, and dole out a healthy spraying the instant the cat touches the food. Even if it doesn't work over the long term it'll make me feel like justice was served.
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Signing UpStep 1Tools and Materials
Remote Switch - I already had one of these laying around. They're maybe $15-$20, and you can find them online or locally at a home improvement or big-box store. They're commonly used for things like turning holiday lights on and off. Mine is designed for outdoor use which is handy since there's going to be water around.
Sprinkler Valve - I picked one up for $11 at the home improvement store in the plumbing/irrigation aisle. Get a 3/4" model.
24V Transformer - This you'll need to power the valve. I've got in-ground sprinklers at my house and thus have a sprinkler controller powered by one of these. Since I won't be using it for the next 4 or 5 months (It's plenty rainy here this time of year) I'm scavenging it. I just opened the case of the controller and there were two quick release levers I flipped to pull the cord out. If you don't have one you can find them near the valves at the store for maybe $15-$20, though it makes the project a little pricier.
Adapters - These are Male NPT to Female Hose Thread. It might look like a standard garden hose will screw into the valve directly but it won't; the threading is different. Get two of these. These were also in the irrigation section right near the two previous items.
Short Piece of Hose - This is a couple foot section of hose I chopped off the end of one the of hoses I already owned. I needed this because I couldn't find a Male NPT to Male Hose Thread adapter, which would have let me screw a nozzle right to the adapter. The hose and the menders basically allowed me to make a short piece of Male/Male hose which I needed to attach everything. It actually works well because it gives a little flexibility in aiming the nozzle, which would be harder if I didn't have it. If you can find other adapters, by all means hook things up in a way which makes sense to you.
Male Ended Hose Mender - I needed two of these. One went to the other end of the short piece of hose I cut off making the Male/Male section, and the second went to fix the hose I chopped the short piece off of. (Otherwise I would have wasted the entire hose.)
Teflon Tape - For the threads of the adapters.
Sprinkler Valve - I picked one up for $11 at the home improvement store in the plumbing/irrigation aisle. Get a 3/4" model.
24V Transformer - This you'll need to power the valve. I've got in-ground sprinklers at my house and thus have a sprinkler controller powered by one of these. Since I won't be using it for the next 4 or 5 months (It's plenty rainy here this time of year) I'm scavenging it. I just opened the case of the controller and there were two quick release levers I flipped to pull the cord out. If you don't have one you can find them near the valves at the store for maybe $15-$20, though it makes the project a little pricier.
Adapters - These are Male NPT to Female Hose Thread. It might look like a standard garden hose will screw into the valve directly but it won't; the threading is different. Get two of these. These were also in the irrigation section right near the two previous items.
Short Piece of Hose - This is a couple foot section of hose I chopped off the end of one the of hoses I already owned. I needed this because I couldn't find a Male NPT to Male Hose Thread adapter, which would have let me screw a nozzle right to the adapter. The hose and the menders basically allowed me to make a short piece of Male/Male hose which I needed to attach everything. It actually works well because it gives a little flexibility in aiming the nozzle, which would be harder if I didn't have it. If you can find other adapters, by all means hook things up in a way which makes sense to you.
Male Ended Hose Mender - I needed two of these. One went to the other end of the short piece of hose I cut off making the Male/Male section, and the second went to fix the hose I chopped the short piece off of. (Otherwise I would have wasted the entire hose.)
Teflon Tape - For the threads of the adapters.
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http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Garden-Center-Watering-Irrigation-Sprinklers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbx69/R-202206756/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
im gonna do that one day. 3:-)
It never worked. I was VERY disappointed, as the problem still exists.
One note to anyone attempting this though. Yes you are, in fact, buying an adapter that changes a 3/4" thread to a 3/4" thread.
As for the cats... Maybe you could wire up a tripwire, pressure mat, or some other low voltage switch. You might want to add a timer if you do though so you don't hose down your own cat.
Definitely post a video of the perpetrators receiving their just desserts.
I've actually been talking with the wife about making an automatic motion-activated sprayer, to get rid of large pests that walk through our yard on their way to school. I can't wait for *that* video...
Uhhh... squirting people, obviously.
not sure what for, it's definately cool, just to have it :-)