dreamofwinter
Songster
Who else has a Hentronix door with wi-fi app? I'd like to hear from others to understand whether I just have an unusually quirky individual door or there is a larger issue.
I have the large side-opening door with wi-fi app. I installed it in April 2022. Within a few weeks I started seeing issues with it. Mostly, it loses wi-fi connection (as in, the app "forgets" which wifi it should be connecting to) - despite the wifi mesh router being within a few feet and having a very strong signal. More recently, it will also lose Bluetooth connectivity, and the only way to reconnect is to reset the door by unplugging it and plugging it back in.
Most concerning of all, in the past 8-10 weeks it will just stop working, leaving my chickens locked inside or worse, exposed to predators, when the door fails to open or close at the appointed time.
Hentronix support has not been able to resolve this - they've had me do updates to the app and to the firmware, and things will work awhile and then fail again. I'm also more than a little frustrated with them since this has been going on over six months now, and getting them to respond to my emails in less than a week has been impossible. I've also gotten My Pet Chicken involved since I bought it through MPC. Neither have been able to resolve the matter and my requests for a refund are also falling on deaf ears - so basically I'm out $350 for a door that has to be propped shut with a brick as often as not.
Has anyone else run into these issues? Any advice?
I did see one post here saying that even though the door is plugged in it also needs a battery. I'm not sure that's applicable. I do not have a battery, only a plug.
I'm so bummed about this because I designed the coop specifically to work with this size and style of door. It's a beautiful door, and when it works it's completely amazing. But the fact that it's hit or miss is incredibly stressful, especially since it seems to fail just before I have to leave town for several days, adding a huge burden for whoever is watching my flock.
I have the large side-opening door with wi-fi app. I installed it in April 2022. Within a few weeks I started seeing issues with it. Mostly, it loses wi-fi connection (as in, the app "forgets" which wifi it should be connecting to) - despite the wifi mesh router being within a few feet and having a very strong signal. More recently, it will also lose Bluetooth connectivity, and the only way to reconnect is to reset the door by unplugging it and plugging it back in.
Most concerning of all, in the past 8-10 weeks it will just stop working, leaving my chickens locked inside or worse, exposed to predators, when the door fails to open or close at the appointed time.
Hentronix support has not been able to resolve this - they've had me do updates to the app and to the firmware, and things will work awhile and then fail again. I'm also more than a little frustrated with them since this has been going on over six months now, and getting them to respond to my emails in less than a week has been impossible. I've also gotten My Pet Chicken involved since I bought it through MPC. Neither have been able to resolve the matter and my requests for a refund are also falling on deaf ears - so basically I'm out $350 for a door that has to be propped shut with a brick as often as not.
Has anyone else run into these issues? Any advice?
I did see one post here saying that even though the door is plugged in it also needs a battery. I'm not sure that's applicable. I do not have a battery, only a plug.
I'm so bummed about this because I designed the coop specifically to work with this size and style of door. It's a beautiful door, and when it works it's completely amazing. But the fact that it's hit or miss is incredibly stressful, especially since it seems to fail just before I have to leave town for several days, adding a huge burden for whoever is watching my flock.
