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Squirrel Repeller

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skmetal7

Fri Mar 03 2006, 05:38PM

Registered Member #101 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:12PM
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 41

Ok, today my mom gave me a project: to try and keep squirrels off of a particular bird feeder, near a window

what i was thinking was to bend a copper tube and attach it to the bottom green basin along the top rim, that would be one electrode, then the metal cage surrounding the seeds would be the other electrode(i would have to scrape off the green plastic that is coated on the cage.)

the squirrels jump from the branches behind the feeder, land on the green basin and use it as a perch and this is where the copper tube will be placed

, then they stick their paws/ mouth in between the cage (the other electrode).

the birds only touch the cage since they use that as a perch instead, or they land on the green basin (but still they would only be touching one electrode at a time)

now im wondering how many volts to use. (i have a 5,000v transformer, but that might be a little cruel) maybe 100v, 200v? ac, dc?

Marko

Fri Mar 03 2006, 05:55PM

Registered Member #89 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 02:40PM
Location: Zadar, Croatia
Posts: 3145

Use some low frequency, very low current HV. Few miliamps are probably enough to kill a squirrel so you must be careful.
Dont like animal torturing but if it is a must low power driven ignition coil or so should be ok...

It owuld be sad to see roasted squrrel etc. in that cage

Nik

Fri Mar 03 2006, 06:49PM

Registered Member #53 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:31AM
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 638

You can use the same idea as a cow fence. It pulses a few KV once every 15-20seconds, the current isnt very high but it will make you think twice about touching it again.

*edit*
On second though, make sure its safe for even you to touch because i dont think you want a pile of dead squirlles under your bird feeder.

vasil

Fri Mar 03 2006, 07:01PM

Registered Member #229 Joined: Tue Feb 21 2006, 07:33PM
Location: Romania
Posts: 506

I am sure y'll find a way without high voltage. They dont deserve such severe punishment.

skmetal7

Fri Mar 03 2006, 07:28PM

Registered Member #101 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:12PM
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 41

i have an inverter from a spiral florescent lamp, it has 4 out put terminals and runs off of 110v ac.

or i have a few transformers from thoes ionic air cleaner things, one i have no idea what the input voltage is but it has a bridge rectifier on it (ill get a pic later) a transistor, and a fer other components. the other is a 16vac to 7kv dc black box from a different air purifier, i cant even get it to arc, and i dont feel like being a guine pig right now to test it

ill have a switch so when it needs to be refilled it can be turned off

oh yeah, the cats dont even bother them anymore

the_anomaly

Fri Mar 03 2006, 07:33PM

Registered Member #19 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 03:19PM
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 168

air rifle gets rid of one but then they like multiply after you get one. Maybe you can fill the dish with water. The birds could use it as a bath and I don't think the squirrels would like it much. We tried for a long time to get the squirrels off our bird feeder but the best we did was to hang it far off on a long slippery pole or let the cat out.

Marko

Fri Mar 03 2006, 08:24PM

Registered Member #89 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 02:40PM
Location: Zadar, Croatia
Posts: 3145

I thing that neon lamp inverter would nopt be good idea, it burns much more than shocks, ignition coil was even used as cow fence and I think its perfect idea.
Run it pulsed, from some low voltage source (etc. NE555 + 2N3055) to give few kilovolts and current of under 1 mA, to be unpleasurable but still not life threat even for squirrel.

IamSmooth

Sat Mar 04 2006, 04:26AM

Registered Member #190 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 12:00AM
Location:
Posts: 1567

I have built an electric fence charger to keep furry rodents away from my garden. You will need at least 2.5kv to penetrate the fur. You need to keep the total energy at about 0.15-0.25 Joules for small animals. Squirrels may need more because they are "squirrelly." You need to keep the pulse width under 100 usec as longer periods will lead to sparks which can be a fire hazard.

In short, you should aim for 0.5 - 1 second pulse intervals with a pulse width of 30-100usec and a voltage of 5kv. This should hurt, but not kill the squirrel. I would set up a ground plate on the bottom and a mesh cage as the hot wire. The birds will fly and land above it.

blinkenlightz

Thu Mar 23 2006, 07:58AM

Registered Member #202 Joined: Sat Feb 18 2006, 07:20AM
Location:
Posts: 3

Two other methods you might consider would be a motor with a pressure switch to SPIN the feeder and throw the little suckers off when they get on it. This would be VERY entertaining to watch. This is not my idea as someone actually sells a commercial product that does this. Squirrels are much heavier than birds so mechanical switch that discriminates should be pretty easy. You could use one of those slider fish scales that they sell in the fishing section at Wally world and just add a contact to the little indicator so when it slides down to squirrel weight xx ozs then zing! Another idea would be a mechanical buzzer or relay wired as buzzer will scare them away. Put your switch where the feeder hangs up or on the rail where the squirrels hang on. You could also just run the switch inside and give button to your Mom. Then all you would need would be a motor at the top of the feeder where it hangs up..hook motor shaft to feeder hook and start spinnin off squirrels with centrifical force. Or buzzing the little suckers when they get on it. Funny!

We have feeders too so I know how you feel. Spinning them off is much more humane. Squirrels have very advanced muscles and nerves for all the running and jumping they do and I would imagine that electricity would hurt their nervous system very badly.

I don't think they would come back too soon if they get thrown or buzzed off the feeder.

GimpyJoe

Thu Mar 23 2006, 01:54PM

Registered Member #316 Joined: Mon Mar 13 2006, 01:30PM
Location: Marietta, GA
Posts: 212

Here's a device I came up with: Make a water gun with an electronic valve and a black tank. Point the nozzle at the feeder and attach the electronic valve to the pressure switch on the feeder. The sun heats the tank and pressurizes it, so you don't even have to hook it up to a hose.

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