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I bought a cat food dispenser for $5 at goodwill and plugged it into a $10 "inching" timer plug from AliExpress. 10 seconds every 4 hours. It's the dumbest smar

I bought a cat food dispenser for $5 at goodwill and plugged it into a $10 "inching" timer plug from AliExpress. 10 seconds every 4 hours. It's the dumbest smart feeder I could make for the dumbest best cat.

schiffern 3y ago
>$10 "inching" timer plug Thanks, I didn't know these existed. Another useful "midwit" device to add to the list. https://dynomight.substack.com/p/midwit-home https://dynomight.substack.com/p/midwit-home https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37859437 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37859437
kramerger 3y ago
Now this is my kind of engineering! KISS in action is beautiful, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
onli 3y ago
Could you link to a cat food dispenser this works with? The one I have gives food whenever the electricity gets turned on as part of its startup process, but way too much. Edit: Ah, if it's from goodwill that might be not as easy...
- twisteriffic 3y ago
  It's one of these https://www.homehealthcareshoppe.com/buy-ergo-auto-pet-feeder-large-26-11-11-online https://www.homehealthcareshoppe.com/buy-ergo-auto-pet-feede... Big hopper with a plastic auger at the bottom, driven by a gear motor similar to the one that runs a dryer timer. Very simple, no sensors beyond motor overheat. Mine is slightly modified because the idiot cat ate the spout off the end of the auger mechanism. I cobbled together a replacement that's tougher than her.
  - onli 3y ago
    Oh, so this is also a programmable feeder where you are now using the startup movement to dispense food? Did you try the programming and it did not work for you? But thanks! Always good to have more options.
    - twisteriffic 3y ago
      Mine had no smarts in it at all. The programmability from the factory was a plug in timer similar to a block heater timer, but that wasn't with the unit when I bought it. If you supply power, the auger turns until the power is disconnected. As in the motor is wired directly to the power cord, with only a thermal cutout in line. The timer I use allows you to set interval in minutes and duration in seconds. They're commonly sold as "inching" timers, which I suspect is a translation error but it's descriptive enough.
      - onli 3y ago
        Alright, that clears it up. The description I found was misleading. Thanks again!
      - paradox460 3y ago
        Something like this was actually my plan for a feeder if I couldn't get the one in the article to work. Except instead of a purpose built catfood dispenser, it was an old BBQ wood pellet feeder I found on the local craigslist-equivalent for $20. Basically a big metal bin with a powerful auger and chute out the side of it
        twisteriffic 3y ago
        It's pretty much that, but in a more compact form. If I hadn't found this one I'd planned on using the auger system from a chocolate fondue fountain, just placed on its side.

schiffern 3y ago

>$10 "inching" timer plug Thanks, I didn't know these existed. Another useful "midwit" device to add to the list. https://dynomight.substack.com/p/midwit-home https://dynomight.substack.com/p/midwit-home https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37859437 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37859437

kramerger 3y ago

Now this is my kind of engineering! KISS in action is beautiful, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

onli 3y ago

Could you link to a cat food dispenser this works with? The one I have gives food whenever the electricity gets turned on as part of its startup process, but way too much. Edit: Ah, if it's from goodwill that might be not as easy...

twisteriffic 3y ago
It's one of these https://www.homehealthcareshoppe.com/buy-ergo-auto-pet-feeder-large-26-11-11-online https://www.homehealthcareshoppe.com/buy-ergo-auto-pet-feede... Big hopper with a plastic auger at the bottom, driven by a gear motor similar to the one that runs a dryer timer. Very simple, no sensors beyond motor overheat. Mine is slightly modified because the idiot cat ate the spout off the end of the auger mechanism. I cobbled together a replacement that's tougher than her.
- onli 3y ago
  Oh, so this is also a programmable feeder where you are now using the startup movement to dispense food? Did you try the programming and it did not work for you? But thanks! Always good to have more options.
  - twisteriffic 3y ago
    Mine had no smarts in it at all. The programmability from the factory was a plug in timer similar to a block heater timer, but that wasn't with the unit when I bought it. If you supply power, the auger turns until the power is disconnected. As in the motor is wired directly to the power cord, with only a thermal cutout in line. The timer I use allows you to set interval in minutes and duration in seconds. They're commonly sold as "inching" timers, which I suspect is a translation error but it's descriptive enough.
    - onli 3y ago
      Alright, that clears it up. The description I found was misleading. Thanks again!
    - paradox460 3y ago
      Something like this was actually my plan for a feeder if I couldn't get the one in the article to work. Except instead of a purpose built catfood dispenser, it was an old BBQ wood pellet feeder I found on the local craigslist-equivalent for $20. Basically a big metal bin with a powerful auger and chute out the side of it
      - twisteriffic 3y ago
        It's pretty much that, but in a more compact form. If I hadn't found this one I'd planned on using the auger system from a chocolate fondue fountain, just placed on its side.