Portable Shade Shelter Opens, Closes Automatically

Portable Shade Shelter Opens Closes Automatically BUILDINGS Livestock This new portable shade shelter opens when the sun comes out and closes up tight when the wind blows too hard Developed by the same creative thinking that produced “Good To Go Gates”s Vol 40 No 4 the shelter takes cattle comfort to a new level “A past customer asked me to build him a shade shelter like one available commercially ” says Anthony Gilbert “I suggested coming up with a better design He wanted it to be something that either his 70-year-old mother or 14-year-old son could close ” It took him 2 years but Gilbert came up with a computerized automated system that opens up to provide 1 100-sq ft of shaded area A light sensor tells the small onboard computer to open the shelter with the sun and close it at night An anemometer measures wind speed triggering automatic closure when it hits 140 rotations per min for 10 min straight When the anemometer falls to 80 rotations per min or less for 10 min the shelter opens back up If the sun has gone down before wind speed lessens the shelter stays closed for the night The computer and electric motor controls are powered by a battery that’s charged by a small solar panel If desired the computer can be set up for remote control with Bluetooth Wi-Fi or both Operators can alter settings and delays as well as monitor the system via their smartphone or other devices As it is the system can be controlled with a manual switch and reprogrammed on site “The first week we had the prototype in place a storm blew through the area with 100 kilometer per hour winds ” says Gilbert “The shelter closed up tight before the high winds hit and didn’t reopen until they died down ” Once the shelter has closed it can be moved around the pasture with a UTV skid steer or compact tractor Aside from its mobility Gilbert says the only thing the portable shade shelter has in common with its competition is shade cloth which is used in many different applications “We plan to have a batch ready to sell this coming spring ” says Gilbert “We want to get a few out to see how they do before going into full production However so far the prototype has outperformed anything we expected ” The Good To Go shade shelter base model will retail for approximately $15 000 Canadian Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Good To Go Gates RR #6 Markdale Ontario Canada N0C 1H0 ph 519 372-5418; goodtogogates@gmail com; www goodtogogates com

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