Dog Overheating Alarm Gadget
Summer is here...
And so is the summer heat!
Unlike humans, dogs do not have the evaporative sweating mechanism like humans have to cool us down!.
This means dogs can be vulnerable to heat stroke if your dog's temperature reaches 109 degrees fahrenheit (42.8 degrees celsius).
Luckily, this is entirely preventable!
In this tutorial we will show you how to make a gadget to be worn by the dog that sounds an audible alarm and red LED when your dog gets to close to overheating.
*DISCLAIMER* We are not vets, and are not experts. From what we have read, If your dog overheats, it is recommended by veterinarians place cloths soaked in cold water around his or her paws, in you dog's armpits and on his or her head and neck, get her or him some cold water to drink, and take your dog to the vet! We are not responsible for your dog!
Here are some references:
Acquire Parts
You will need the following components:
Battery holder for 18650 battery
A pouch of some sort (waterproof is most optimal if your dog likes to swim or roll in mud!
A thermometer.
Glue for locking the sensor threshold.
NOTE: some of these shopping links would supply excess parts.
Assemble the Circuit
Follow the circuit diagram photo shown in this step.
Battery + (RED wire) ==> Module VCC.
Battery gnd ground (BLACK wire) - ==> LED (FLAT side) ==> LED (ROUND side) ==> Buzzer (- sign side) ==> Buzzer (+sign side) ==> Module output pin.
Set Sensor Temperature Threshold
With a screw driver, turn the small potentiometer on the module. Be careful to not over rotate it.
You will need to have a regular thermometer and a lighter also.
Place the thermometer parallel to the module, and move the light a decent distance away from it.
When the thermometer reads 104 degrees fahrenheit (40 degrees celsius), stop.
Then, turn the potentiometer dial on the module until the exact point where it is ON. This will sound the buzzer.
You have now set the module to trigger the buzzer alert when the dog is too hot, and at risk for developing heat exhaustion.
Glue the potentiometer in place mildly.
Treat your dog medically when this alarm goes off!
Make a Pouch for the Gadget
Glue the temp sensor module to one side of the inside of a thin pouch from a pencil case, plastic bag, coin purse, or something similar. The rest of the gadget should go inside the pouch also. Then, fasten it to the inside of the harness near the belly or chest of your dog. The side with the sensor glue inside should be touching the dog's belly or chest.
Simply plug the battery into the case when you want to run the gadget!
Stay Cool!
We hope you found this tutorial handy, or at least interesting!
Have a great summer!
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