Check the shipping carton. Make sure the box is not crushed, wrinkled, or visibly damaged.

Inspect the ADOR. Check the frame and sliding panel for warping, bending, or crimped corners.

Check the two tie-wraps. There should be two tie-wraps securing the sliding panel. If either is loose or has popped, the sprocket or motor may have been damaged during shipping.

Look for any bending. A bent frame or sliding panel can prevent the door from operating properly.

Contact us if you see damage. Call or text (832) 444-0192 right away so we can help.

Make sure you’re pressing the button firmly enough. The switch on the electronic board needs to be fully engaged. There should be a small bumper or spacer inside the green dome that helps it reach the pushbutton switch.

Check that the ADOR1 is receiving power. When powered normally, the red LED should briefly flash approximately once every 17 seconds. If it doesn’t flash, check the battery connection and make sure RED is connected to positive (+) and BLACK to negative (–).

Listen when connecting the battery. The ADOR1 should immediately beep “HI” in Morse code when power is connected. If it doesn’t, disconnect the battery and check the battery and connections.

If it repeatedly says “HI,” the battery is usually very low and should be replaced with a fresh one.

The yellow tape helps keep water and dust out of the control box. The tape covering the sprocket slot and the round hole on the back of the box should remain in place. On newer units, the sprocket slot may have a plastic insert instead.

The two holes in the bottom of the box are for accessories and wiring. Remove the tape only when you need to run wires through these openings. When doing so, we recommend using a grommet and silicone caulk to help keep water and dust from entering the box.

Overcast or foggy days can affect timing. The ADOR1 may open later and close earlier when there is less natural daylight. If the door is closing too soon, you can adjust the daylight sensitivity. See “CHANGE PROGRAM” in the instructions and try Program #2 to make the door open earlier and close later.

Use Last Call for late-returning chickens. See “CHANGE PROGRAM” in the instructions to enable Last Call, which reopens the door for chickens that don’t make it inside before closing. Please note that Last Call uses more battery power because the door operates more frequently.

Rule out a motion problem first. If the ADOR doesn’t always close at night—or never closes at night—first make sure the door is moving properly. See the troubleshooting topics below to check for a warped unit, binding door, or bad motor.

Check the LED. The LED should flash approximately every 17 seconds. This is the normal “heartbeat” and indicates that the ADOR is in automatic mode.

Check for outdoor lighting. Yard lights, porch lights, landscape lighting, or other incandescent light sources can interfere with the sensor at night. Lights more than approximately 25 feet away are usually not a problem.

Check nearby Wi-Fi cameras. The infrared (IR) floodlight on a Wi-Fi camera can look like daylight to the ADOR. Try changing the camera’s distance or angle slightly—often, a small adjustment is enough.

If you use outdoor lights, position or shield them so the ADOR’s sensor (“eye”) remains in shadow.

Check for a heat lamp inside the coop. Light or reflected infrared light from a heat lamp shining through the door may affect the sensor.

If you’re using the built-in photosensor, open the cover and locate the six pins on the electronic board. The pins are numbered 1–6, with pin 6 closest to you. A small ¼" square jumper should connect pins 1 and 2. Slide the jumper up and down several times to clean any residue from the contacts, then push it fully back onto the pins.

If you’re using the external photosensor, locate the small connector attached to the sensor cable. It should be connected to pins 2 and 3, with the white wire on pin 3. Slide the connector up and down several times to clean the contacts, then push it completely back onto the pins.

Check for binding or jamming. When you press the button momentarily, the door should completely open or close without reversing or retrying. If it reverses or retries, there may be resistance in the door’s movement or a problem with the motor.

Inspect the door frame. Check for warping or crimping that may have occurred during shipping or if the unit was dropped during installation.

Check how the door is mounted. Make sure the frame has not been warped or twisted by the way it was screwed to the coop wall.

Look for anything restricting movement. Check the door’s path for objects, debris, or anything else that could create friction or cause the sliding panel to bind.

Test the sliding panel. Remove the four screws underneath the battery box that hold the motor in place. Move the motor aside so the sprocket is no longer engaged with the door. Then move the sliding panel by hand. It should move freely within the frame without being pinched anywhere along its path.

If the sliding panel is pinched or does not move freely, please contact us for assistance.

Inspect the door frame. Check for warping or crimping caused by shipping damage or from the unit being dropped during installation.

Check how the door is mounted. Make sure the frame has not been warped or twisted by the way it was screwed to the wall.

Look for anything restricting movement. Check for objects, debris, or anything else that could create friction or cause the door to bind.

Test the sliding panel. Remove the four screws underneath the battery box that hold the motor in place. Move the motor aside so the sprocket is no longer engaged. Then move the sliding panel by hand. It should move freely within the frame without being pinched anywhere along its path.

If the sliding panel is pinched or does not move freely, please contact us for assistance.

Check whether the ADOR1 is in manual mode. If you JOG the door, it will remain in manual mode until you return it to automatic operation. Momentarily press the button, and press it again if necessary, to place the door in the correct position for the time of day. You can also disconnect and reconnect the battery to resume automatic mode.

Check for artificial light at night. Incandescent lights can look like daylight to the ADOR1. Shield the sensor (“eye”) from the direct light, move the light, or switch to an LED or fluorescent light. If you have a Wi-Fi camera nearby, make sure its infrared (IR) light cannot be seen by the ADOR1.

Check for heat lamps. Direct or reflected infrared light from heat lamps is often the cause of nighttime light-sensing issues.

Check the alignment of the sensor (“eye”). Make sure the sensor is positioned behind the transparent opening in the white overlay sticker. The LED is behind the top opening, and the light sensor is behind the opening below it. If either was pushed out of position when the cover was installed, carefully realign it and replace the cover.

If you're using the External Photosensor, make sure it is connected to the board correctly and has not gotten wet. If you extended the photosensor wiring, also inspect the splice for moisture. The sensor should be caulked anywhere water could enter around the heat-shrink seal.

If the sensor or splice has gotten wet, it may be possible to dry it using a hair dryer or heat gun and repair the affected seal. If the sensor cannot be restored, a replacement External Photosensor is available from ADOR.

Check for a loose sprocket. The sprocket is secured to the motor shaft with a #8-32 set screw that should tighten against the flat section of the shaft. If the sprocket is loose, make sure the set screw is positioned against the flat—not the rounded portion of the shaft—and tighten it securely.

Check whether the sprocket is slipping. The sprocket consists of two clinched-together parts: the round hub and the flat toothed section. These parts should remain rigidly connected. If the toothed section slips independently of the hub, the sprocket may need to be removed and re-clinched using a hammer and center punch.

Check for a damaged motor. If the door panel was not properly secured during shipping, the motor gearbox may have been damaged. A broken internal gear can prevent the sprocket from engaging throughout its full rotation. You may also hear or feel a clicking sound coming from inside the gearmotor.

Check whether this is happening during initial startup. If you have just powered up the ADOR while the door is closed, this behavior is normal. The system is trying to locate the bottom position.

Make sure the control box is securely attached. Two screws on each side fasten the control box to the frame. If the box can move away from the frame, the sprocket may slip out of the holes in the sliding door. Tighten the fasteners if necessary.

Check the magnets on the sliding door panel. The magnets must pass behind the electronics so the system can detect them and know when to stop the motor. Make sure the magnets are present and properly positioned.

Check that the circuit board is properly secured. If the board is not mounted correctly, it may not detect the magnets as they pass.

Clean the threshold. Dirt or debris can prevent the door from closing completely, causing it to retry twice while searching for the magnet in the sliding panel.

Check the sprocket engagement. If the sprocket teeth can slip out of the door holes even with the cover securely installed, loosen the four screws underneath the battery box that hold the motor. Move the motor slightly forward so the sprocket teeth engage more deeply with the holes in the sliding door, then retighten the screws.

Yes. See page 8 of the instructions for information on Program #11 and how to enable this setting.

Set an extra-long opening delay using Program #11. While the ADOR is counting down the delay, momentarily press the button when you want to open the door. The ADOR will then automatically close in the evening as usual.

Yes, it should. If it doesn’t, please contact us for assistance. In most cases, a software update can correct the issue.

The battery may have enough power to run the ADOR1 electronics but not enough to operate the motor, especially when lifting the door.

The ADOR1 should also provide a low-battery warning through the buzzer. Try replacing the battery with a known fresh 6V battery.

With a low-cost 6V dry-cell lantern battery, or a fully charged rechargeable 6V battery, you should get at least one year of normal operation.

The ADOR1 is designed to withstand a backward battery connection, but correct the connection immediately.

A reversed connection can quickly heat internal components, potentially cause damage, and drain the battery.

Yes. You can use a rechargeable 6V battery with a trickle charger plugged into an outlet. Do not connect the charger without the battery, as some chargers can produce excessive voltage when no battery is connected.

There are openings on the right side of the battery box for routing wires in and out.

You can also eliminate the battery by using a compatible 6V power supply. Make sure the power supply provides the correct 6V output and is connected with the proper polarity.

Yes. While ADOR does not currently offer its own solar panel, you can use a 6V solar charging system with a rechargeable 6V battery.

The ADOR connects to the rechargeable battery, while the solar panel keeps the battery charged. A small panel is generally sufficient to replace the power the ADOR uses during normal daily operation.

No. Do not connect the ADOR directly to 12V.

The ADOR is designed to operate at 6V. Running it directly on 12V would cause the motor to operate too quickly and could lead to premature motor wear.

The ADOR requires 6V power and should never be connected directly to 12V.

Rod's original instructions describe using two 6V batteries in series across the 12V source and powering the ADOR from the lower 6V battery.

Because correct wiring and polarity are important, please contact us if you have any questions about connecting your ADOR to an existing 12V system.