We have a long drive coming into our place. It borders the fence and then you turn into the place off of that drive. IOW, there is no access directly off the road. I would like to have one of the barking dog systems and have it solar powered and have it so it would be tripped if someone came down the drive at night. Is that possible? Anyone know of such a thing? How to make one, where to get the bark?? I want it to work like motion lights. One couldn't feed it poison meat and it might be harder to shoot if its in a bush where you can't see the system. Thanks Taz

-- Taz (Taz@aol.com), November 14, 1999

Answers

Taz, for a few more dollars why not lay-in a perimeter of 'Bouncing Betty's' to discourage the un-wanted visitors? You will eliminate repeat offenders and save the trauma of deciding what kind of bark to install.

-- Truth (at@the.ready), November 14, 1999.

Taz,

I don't know about the system you want, I'm no help, but will sure be watching this thread.

I wanted a barking dog alarm for inside the house - what I do have now is a cassette tape made by a friend of dog barking; also my daughter is taping HER dog barking for me & he's ferocious-sounding beyond belief. The rest of this alarm system (just deterrant, actually) is me, awake. Just wanted to pass on where I got my barking! Do you have a friend or rel who can tape their dog for you?

Now don't anybody tell me this is silly. I'm so glad to have my tapes & a battery tape player, I'm ecstatic.

Good hunting, Taz.

-- Scat (sgcatique@webtv.net), November 14, 1999.

Taz,
You can purchase a 12v DC electric eye from
Radio Shack. It can be run from a car battery
and charged with a solar panel. It for indoor
use so you need to put a waterproof cover over
it. Put it about 3' high so dogs and cats don't
trip it. When the light path is broken, a circuit
is closed. This can be connected to a relay that
can run any 12v warning device. All electronics
like the relay or IC chips must be in a waterproof
container. The electric eye itself seems to withstand
wet conditions as long as it is not directly rained
on.

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), November 14, 1999.

Thanks Spider. Will print this and give to Chubby Hubby. We have the batteries and we have the solar panel. Now to find the dog!! Taz

-- Taz (Taz@aol.com), November 14, 1999.

--a commercial greenhouse i built installed an electronic barking dog thing. it didn't work. I installed a 6 foot barbed wire fence, with additional loops of razor wire at the top and bottom. that worked. think i caught one wino one night, found blood and clothing scraps. the bums used to break into the greenhouse and steal flats of plants and sell them to landscaping contractors and homeowners. At 10-15$ a flat, and thinking bums shopping carts full, plus the damage to the green house double wall skins, the fence and razor wire paid for itself quickly......

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.

(GRIN)

WOOF!

loungin' in the SUN...

The Hot Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), November 14, 1999.

Sorry I do not have any useful info for you, but I want to illustrate the DGI mindset that exists out there among the sheeple, since your idea of a "dog" jogged my memory of this. While us GI's are ridiculed for "wasting" money on stored goods/preps(the goods will NOT be wasted regardless of the outcome of y2k), has anyone seen the new "ROBOTIC DOG" by SONY, that actually was released early this year, but that I actually saw here in Canada being showed off on Canada AM?

Apparently, this dog costs about $2000 US, and can be "taught" certain things. It has an official name which escapes me now, but the point is that this amount of money could buy preps for an entire family, yet there are undoubtedly scores of DGI's that will be buying this mutt for Xmas, with absolutely ZERO thoughts about the bigger picture.

All I can say is that you can't eat a $2000 robot dog when times get really tough.

Wonder how you put it down if it gets sick?

-- profit of doom (doom@helltopay.ca), November 14, 1999.

ABC's for solar panel selection:

I will keep this K.I.S.S. as much as possible.

1- estimate your consumption in total watt-hrs per week.

How ? Easy, just estimate the average number "running" hours/wk the system is "ON" and multiply by the total watts rating of the system load (total watts of all appliances of system at 12 VDC) Example: assuming 24 hrs/day x 10 watt x 7 days = 1680 watt-hr/wk You would consume 1680 watt-hrs per week.

2- Which solar panel do you need ?

Example: A 15 watt solar panel will generate; 15 watt x 5 hrs (avg. daily sunlight) x 7 days/wk = 525 watt-hrs For the example above : you need 4 x 15 watt panels (2100 watt-hrs) to cover your consumption and a 3amp charge controller to protect the battery(ies).

Try to get good Deep Cycle Marine Batteries. For a good "balanced" set-up, you should try minimize the discharge of batteries. Try to prevent discharging bellow 80% of the rated battery amp-hrs capacity. This is often done by buying a few batteries that increase your total reserve capacity.

For the example; you consumed 112 amp-hrs (1680 watts-hrs / 15 volt (mean volt.)) A bank of (minimum 2) couple batteries would offer minimum capacity (reverve)to meet your 24hr "duty-cycle".

I have taken into account cloudy days and shorter winter days. That is why you should plan for a little more power (2100 watt-hrs) than you consume (1680watt-hrs.) Make sure they are connected in "parallel" (defined in next paragraph).

You have to be carefull not to overcharge your battery (it is a permanent set-up). All connections should be in parallel (black (-) to black (-), and color (white) positive (+) to color (white) positive (+) using 16 gauge wire. (Sometimes, color red is used for positive)

Your controller will heat up (normal) , take care to place it where it will be within 3-4 feet of batteries and in dry place.

The solar panels should not be further than 25 feet from your controller. The closer the better. You be the judge.

Of course it is best to point the solar panels towards the southern exposure for maximum sunlight. Angle them if possible to get 90 degree angle sunrays to the panels.

If using 15 watts or more panels, you should always use a charge controller to protect your battery from overcharging. Some charge controllers also offer reverse current solar panel protection and a load protection feature that protect the battery from excessive (damageable) discharge.

There are many solar panel kits available. Dozens of sites on Web.

I happen to be tech support for one the up and coming solar companies. So, I am biased (just a little) but this is good basic advice.

Check out www.icpglobal.com (Hope this is not inappropriate for such a forum)

I hope this example helps out in your project. Good luck, Canuck

-- Canuck (michelwi@colba.net), November 14, 1999.

Taz,

You could always get some Geese. The U.S. Army uses them in Germany on their nuke bases. They are more reliable then dogs and noisier. And you can eat them...

You could also always get some German Shepards. Let me know and I will put you in touch with some rescue groups.

-- STFrancis (STFrancis@heaven.com), November 14, 1999.

Taz,

Don't know if you would want what I have, but here goes.

Installed what's called a Vehicle Alert. Winland Electronics Inc. Mankato MN (unsure of the rest of the address.)

It uses a magnetic probe that is buried near the only access to the property. If a vehicle passes by it sounds an alert at the house. The probe is sensitive enough that when I walk by with chainsaw in hand it goes off.

Advantage over light beams, not set off by deer and other animals.

Disadvantages will not be set off by people only, and expensive ($300- $500) Also can be destroyed by a close lightning strike (large EMF pulse to very sensitive probe)

Uses very little power but does require AC, although if you call the company they may be able to give you one that ran on DC as all the internals are low voltage.

But then again I have 2 german shepards as well that warn if people walk onto the property by other routes so I really am interested in the vehicles that come and go. Most theives are lazy and would not walk the 12 miles to town with my TV.

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), November 14, 1999.

Geese, electronic dogs ?? Do you want to deter or simply be alerted ?? Peacocks are an excellent alterter, probably more so than geese. If you want to deter, try a BIG CAT growl, it will be much more effective than a dog bark.

-- BH (bh_slientvoice@hotmail.com), November 14, 1999.