I tried ordering the type of motor found in a rotisserie unit and instead of getting ones that ran on 120 volts I somehow mistakenly asked for 12 volts AC. I burned the first 2 out by applying 120 volts without knowing any better. They only turned for a few seconds and then smoked and sizzled.

It took me about 20 minutes to remember a transformer from an old cordless phone was still in the barn and its output was in the low AC range. 9 volts AC to be exact, a full 3 volts under what I needed.

The lower voltage makes the motor go slower, which is a good thing. Now the time in between clangs is closer to a minute as opposed to 30 seconds. I also adjusted the location to intersect with the two main deer paths near our blueberries.

I've got a feeling this new configuration will last longer due to its reduced speed and low voltage.

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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.



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