Pressure switch for water dispensing? Horse related.

[INresponse]

OK, someone out there has to know of a way to set up a pressure switch so when you, or our horse, steps on the switch the water will turn on but when you step off the switch the water will stop. My thoughts are to have such a switch under a 2'x2' sheet of plywood and when the horse steps on the plywood the valve will open and let water flow to misters or a drip irrigation type sprinkler head that will cool off the horse. I know I may have to put stops so the switch/valve doesn't get squished to much by the weight of the horse.
This time of summer we get 100* temps and although the horse has shaded areas I thought he might enjoy a cool spritz from time to time. I know, kind of goofy but it might make an interesting project. If perfected it may also be useful for dogs or other critters.

 

[backlash]

If it were me I would just get some 1/4" line and add spray tips and hang it where the horses can walk by.
Use a irrigation timer to control the water. Simple effective and no power needed.
You can set it to turn on and off several times a day or just let it run from mid morning till night time.
I have a 20" fan with water misters that would work well for a horse.
It would be on or off unless you connected it to a 120v motion sensor.
The problem I have with mine is it makes everything to wet including the people sitting close by.

 

[Pearl]

Great idea, as long as you don't have donkeys! EVERYTHING is a toy, just for them!! And the horse can't be spooky of the platform that will move or turn on the water!

 

[Magus]

OK, someone out there has to know of a way to set up a pressure switch so when you, or our horse, steps on the switch the water will turn on but when you step off the switch the water will stop. My thoughts are to have such a switch under a 2'x2' sheet of plywood and when the horse steps on the plywood the valve will open and let water flow to misters or a drip irrigation type sprinkler head that will cool off the horse. I know I may have to put stops so the switch/valve doesn't get squished to much by the weight of the horse.
This time of summer we get 100* temps and although the horse has shaded areas I thought he might enjoy a cool spritz from time to time. I know, kind of goofy but it might make an interesting project. If perfected it may also be useful for dogs or other critters.

I can design you an electric one that will cut off when they move. you'll need 2 rubber sheets, two 1/8" metal plates, and two cans of tennis balls or ideally solid rubber balls. tell me you like the idea before I spend an hour in photo shop drawing it. A 50$ electric eye would work just as well.

 

[Pearl]

I can design you an electric one that will cut off when they move. you'll need 2 rubber sheets, two 1/8" metal plates, and two cans of tennis balls or ideally solid rubber balls. tell me you like the idea before I spend an hour in photo shop drawing it. A 50$ electric eye would work just as well.

I was thinking "eye" as well!

 

[UrbanHunter]

Would a spring loaded shower "pull" valve work? I saw one on AMZ for $29. Using carpet covered plywood inside the pen attached to an arm going to a spring outside the pen, and some rope and you could make it activate when the animal walks on the "carpet" add some drip irrigation misters and the animal could get a refreshing spray.... No power needed, making it safer for all involved.....

https://www.amazon.com/Solimeta-Sel...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584070157717398&psc=1

 

[rice paddy daddy]

Our horse stall (pole barn, shed) has no door.
Years ago I mounted a 20” box fan on the open upper half of the front wall next to the door opening . There actually is a metal frame just for this purpose.
The horse knows that when it’s hot, or the flies are bothering her, she can stand under the fan.
The fans run about $20 at Ace or Dollar General, one lasts a year or so until the motor ingests enough dust to trip its fuse.

Try that - a lot cheaper and easier than rigging up some water mister device.

 

[Magus]

I was thinking "eye" as well!

You can get a pressure plate switch from some industrial supply places.
forget home depot, they just raped me to death on a common blue tarpaulin. [$75!] as far as I know it was the last one over in Dalton, where did our cheap Chinese crap go?

 

[INresponse]

I can design you an electric one that will cut off when they move. you'll need 2 rubber sheets, two 1/8" metal plates, and two cans of tennis balls or ideally solid rubber balls. tell me you like the idea before I spend an hour in photo shop drawing it. A 50$ electric eye would work just as well.

Hmmmm, motion sensor control? That is an idea.
My thoughts were similar to a professional kitchen that has the sink water controlled by a foot pedal. Use your foot to turn on the water so you messy hands don;t have to keep touching the faucet handle.

 

[Neb]

Hmmmm, motion sensor control? That is an idea.
My thoughts were similar to a professional kitchen that has the sink water controlled by a foot pedal. Use your foot to turn on the water so you messy hands don;t have to keep touching the faucet handle.

Maybe it is just me...

Spoiler: Off topic

But am I alone in being out smarted by modern bathroom fixtures?

Paper towel dispensers that delivery one sheet if you hold your hands in the right place.
Similar with faucets and soap dispensers.

Sure they are intended to reduce germ spreading and saving water and the trees (don't you know) but there is no standard so I have looked like a amature wizards waving my hands in front of a sink or paper towel dispenser trying to get it to do something.

Confession time!

I have experimented with piling a wad of wet paper towel in front of a sensor to run sinks non- stop but that was just a test.

Maybe this belongs in the embarrassing thread.

Got an old toilet? ( who doesn't?)

Mount the tank above the critter and Gery rig a way for them to trip the handle.

Restrict the rate the tank fills so they don't take a shower too often. Put a screen over the tank to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in the tank.

Not being an animal person myself...

Would they prefer a rope to tug on with their teeth or a treadle they could step on?

Ben

 

[Tirediron]

we use motion sensors to turn on a sump pump for freeze proof livestock waterers, a motion sensor from a security light will work if you cover the daylight sensor. they are cheap enough and should be fairly reliable.

 

[Mountain trapper]

When my horses or cattle get hot they go stand under some trees.

 

[Magus]

Maybe it is just me...

Spoiler: Off topic

But am I alone in being out smarted by modern bathroom fixtures?

Paper towel dispensers that delivery one sheet if you hold your hands in the right place.
Similar with faucets and soap dispensers.

Sure they are intended to reduce germ spreading and saving water and the trees (don't you know) but there is no standard so I have looked like a amature wizards waving my hands in front of a sink or paper towel dispenser trying to get it to do something.

Confession time!

I have experimented with piling a wad of wet paper towel in front of a sensor to run sinks non- stop but that was just a test.

Maybe this belongs in the embarrassing thread.

Got an old toilet? ( who doesn't?)

Mount the tank above the critter and Gery rig a way for them to trip the handle.

Restrict the rate the tank fills so they don't take a shower too often. Put a screen over the tank to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in the tank.

Not being an animal person myself...

Would they prefer a rope to tug on with their teeth or a treadle they could step on?

Ben

We had some such in our mixing vats, when they got full, the float would turn the valve off.

 

[INresponse]

All good information to think about.
@Mountain trapper there are trees and a covered area we built that gets enclosed during the winter and left open in the summer. But in the middle of summer he enjoys getting hosed down to cool off. He can handle the heat, just like people can handle the heat, but occasionally he likes to cool off a bit. This water idea is not necessary, he survived many years in an open field with far less trees than he has now, but I thought it would be a fun project and help keep him a little cooler and maybe entertain him a bit.

 

[Magus]

Lookie here.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2847713493...9493976982&abcId=9307249&merchantid=119303975
I think I want one to put on the way to the toilet! maybe right in front of the door, nothing says heart attack to a burglar than sneaking in, just to have the lights and radio come on!

 

[Tim Horton]

There are bound to be a number of ways to make something like this work... Most all would be successful for at least a while... However my experience with livestock is they will more quickly than you think mess up most any system...

Anyone remember the system used to self administer fly, mosquito, tick repellant to livestock from a sloped chain covered with burlap and soaked with repellant ?? I wonder if a similar system kept water wet several times a day that livestock could rub against as they wished would work as good, better, more economical, less complicated.... ??

Also... I have seen posts about mounting course barn broom heads at different heights around a substantial post for livestock to scratch against.. One person posted both a hanging horizontal and vertical installations of a street sweeper type round broom for livestock self grooming..

Good luck... Please be sure to post follow up of what you use and how it worked..

 

[Frodo]

Use a metal horse trough
Drill a hole in the bottom for a toilet ball cock to enter
Above the ball cock pace a section of steel pipe welded or bolted to the horse trough
To keep them from tearing up the ball cock

 

[Magus]

We had a set up like that on out chemical tanks at my last job.
Gods help us when it got stuck. Not saying it will with just water.

 

[Amish Heart]

Our neighbor moves his buggy horse and a few calves around our property...puts up electric fence in new areas that they haven't eaten down yet, and of course, moves the water with them. He just attaches a hose on the nearest hydrant, using a split in case I need that hydrant. Puts a float in the water container. It keeps it full. No electricity.

 

[INresponse]

I like all the suggestions. But I am just looking for a mister/sprinkler type system to only spray when he steps in the right spot, like on a piece of plywood kept elevated with maybe a piece of spongy foam and with a couple blocks at the corners so it only pushes down enough to open the valve and not crush it under the weight of the horse.
I guess something like this, maybe.

https://www.mcmaster.com/products/foot-operated-water-flow-control-valves/

 

[Frodo]

Plywood is not your friend in this instance
A horse is a heavy critter and he will punch a hole in the spot that is elevated
If you were to add a sheet of 18 or 20 gauge sheet metal over a 3/4” ground contact rated plywood that might do the trick ( not CDX).

 

[Haertig]

How about something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Repellent-Outdoor-Deterrent-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B0B347F3K6
It's meant to scare away animals, but you could use it to attract overheated ones as well I guess. Mount it up high so the horse can mess with it. Rigging some kind of spray diffuser over the thing (maybe just a loose wrap of window screen) would make for gentler water spraying if it sprays too harshly out of the box.

 

[INresponse]

How about something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/Repellent-Outdoor-Deterrent-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B0B347F3K6
It's meant to scare away animals, but you could use it to attract overheated ones as well I guess. Mount it up high so the horse can mess with it. Rigging some kind of spray diffuser over the thing (maybe just a loose wrap of window screen) would make for gentler water spraying if it sprays too harshly out of the box.

I think that could be a winner, even better than I was trying to devise. If I can convert their sprayer to a gentle sprinkler or mister it would be ideal. 5 seconds is kinda short for my needs but I guess the horse would get used to passing back and forth in the cool area. I would need to put blinders on the sensor to greatly narrow the motion detection area so he can cool off in one small area and not be bothered in the rest of his corral.

Thank you.

 

[Haertig]

I think that could be a winner

There were a couple of these things on Amazon, I just picked the above link randomly. Do some searching on Amazon "motion activated sprinkler" if you're considering buying. There well may be other models that trigger for longer than the 5 seconds which is too short for you.

p.s. - You could also check local Home Depots and Lowes. They might carry something like this as well.

 

[Frodo]

I am going to play devils advocate here if that is not objectionable

I trained horses many years ago and learned one fact, they are not stupid and are very stubborn,
If a horse figures out that by stepping here then he will be cooled off from that thing there
He will move heaven and hell to either make it run all the time or try and destroy it because it is a bother to him
Be careful and good luck
I like this project

 

[INresponse]

There were a couple of these things on Amazon, I just picked the above link randomly. Do some searching on Amazon "motion activated sprinkler" if you're considering buying. There well may be other models that trigger for longer than the 5 seconds which is too short for you.

p.s. - You could also check local Home Depots and Lowes. They might carry something like this as well.

I used to work at Home Depot, the ones by me do not carry these. But, I did search a few others on Amazon and they all seem to have the 5 second rule. I will keep looking though. Thanks again.

I am going to play devils advocate here if that is not objectionable

I trained horses many years ago and learned one fact, they are not stupid and are very stubborn,
If a horse figures out that by stepping here then he will be cooled off from that thing there
He will move heaven and hell to either make it run all the time or try and destroy it because it is a bother to him
Be careful and good luck
I like this project

Great advice. If I go this route now that it is late in the summer and our mild monsoon season has done a great job of cooling down our daytime high temps into the 80's I will be doing my research to set this up for next summer. Also, I will definitely alter the discharge and make it either a gentle sprinkle or a heavy mist. If he wants to make it run for an hour it wont be much water and our ground is so sandy the water would soak in pretty quick and it shouldn't make a muddy mess. Well, unless he gets a good soaking and decides to roll around in the dirt. =-)