Cat sprinkler project

I love cats, but it has been necessary to build something to deter our local cats from rumaging through our bin bags!

It is not as simple as putting the rubbish in a wheelie bin or container as we live on a hill - it would be difficult to get the bin up and down the steps. The driveway is sloped (wheelie bin would fall over!) and the garage is under the house which would stink the place out!

Instead, I dug up the patio with the help from my father and step mother (shown in video) and layed a water pipe. This is attached to a solenoid valve under the sink.
The solenoid valve is connected to a computer in the roof via input/output cards.

Here is how it works:

* If any external door is opened or movement is detected (except cats!) the system is deactivated for 5 minutes
* The Redwall PIR at the end of the passageway detects a cat (system must be armed)
* The first activation is ignored
* A second activation now triggers the start sequence
* The PIR is now ignored. Motion is now detected from the camera - there is a 'motion detection grid' setup around the rubbish bags, movement outside this area is ignored (such as a cat walking through)
* Motion must be detected 4 times in the bin area. This can be seen on the vacuum fluorescent displays by the flashing fish - each new activation flashes a new part of the graphical fish!
* After 4 activations, the 10 second countdown starts - this also triggers live recording from the camera
* In the last 5 seconds of the countdown, motion must be again be detected in the target area, this then shows "SPRAYING..." on the displays
* The solenoid valve is switched on for 6 seconds!


The computer with i/o cards does more than just this. Further videos to come, but they are not as existing as this one!

-----

Also see follow up video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcs-GFfcaLo
"How my cat sprinkler system works - QBasic and I/O boards"

Category:

Education

Tags:

• cat
• sprinkler
• spray
• deterant
• deter
• fox
• pigeon
• squirrel
• rubbish
• bins
• wheelie
• computer
• control
• input
• output
• PIR
• redwall
• vfd
• display
• water
• solenoid
• valve
• qbasic
• io
• module

[blackbeltste]

I suspect im not the first person to say this...

Why didnt you just get a wheelie bin? and stop putting bin bags on the floor........

[mrmattandmrchay]

@blackbeltste The answer is in the first part of the video description :)

[benzoburnyou]

Human evolution.... jk very impressive ,bravo for the rig .

... You could have just a trash can , no ?

[mrmattandmrchay]

@benzoburnyou "It is not as simple as putting the rubbish in a wheelie bin or container as we live on a hill - it would be difficult to get the bin up and down the steps. The driveway is sloped (wheelie bin would fall over!) and the garage is under the house which would stink the place out!" :)

[p4rtn3r]

Hi matt can't wait for you to upload more of your computer controlled vids

[mrmattandmrchay]

@p4rtn3r Hi! Actually, I've done lots of filming that explains everything and how it works. Problem is - "TIME!!", I have to edit it and post it.

I didn't think anyone would be interested, but i'll expedite it now!

Thanks for comment, Matt

[magnusalexa]

good way to get rid of em is 2 ave water bomb balloons ready,with added ingredient chilli powder in the water,next time you c 1 ave a shot in front of where its runnin or walkin too cause as soon as you throw they leg it.

if you encounter the kind of cats who enjoy the frill of annoyin & escapin which about 5% of em are put out some luxury cat food mixed with anti freeze, they love the taste of anti freeze and its a really bad poison

[magnusalexa]

looks like you missed every cat and now have a moss green path for youre troubles.

[Sumfera]

Wow...floppy disks. Waste on water perhaps? They'll return.

[m4553y]

I put rat poison in chicken and put it in my bin. NO MORE CATS! lol......some would say cruelty, i call it the owners fault for letting them on my property.

[Meerkatgirl1342]

@blackbeltste mabey the people cant afford them?

[RabidLarmer]

You know what, they might be attracted by the bags of rubbish.

[TheDplo]

Owned XD

[aTruster]

Ok. You buy a big black bin with a lid. You put a black bin liner in the bin. At the end of the week you take the bin liner out and put it out for the rubbish man.

If necessary get two.

[jellyboy123]

love this video hate them smelly cats they always poop in my garden,