Need to make project louder

[Nigel Goodwin]

I am looking at the tweeter that is in the link you gave, and I see that it can handel as much as much as 150W, which brings up an interseting question. If the power I need for the piezo is more that the circuit can handle, what do I do at that point? Could it might be as simple as running the extra power directly to the tweeter, or is my logic faulty and I need to redesign the circuit (then I would be totally lost)?

You need to redesign, for a start add a bridged amplifier to get some decent voltage to power it, and to provide the current needs. However, simply feeding the 555 directly to a tweeter will probably be enough of a test to see if it works - and repels, rather than attracts, the dogs.

 

[HarveyH42]

I don't think you will get the results you hope for with this device. You might risk your dogs hearing or even your own. The sound pressure will still be the same whether you hear it or not. Dogs are pretty good at ignoring painful and unpleasant things, to gain something they desire. Might depend a little on the breed as to how much they are willing to take. I had Rotweiler mix, who was very high spirited as a puppy. Took me almost a year to get him reasonably well behaved (got him at 8 months old). It takes time and patience to train your dog, really no short cuts. The time, being the time that you spend with them.

Oh, have tried to simply honk the car horn?

 

[rrch123]

I don't think you will get the results you hope for with this device. You might risk your dogs hearing or even your own. The sound pressure will still be the same whether you hear it or not. Dogs are pretty good at ignoring painful and unpleasant things, to gain something they desire. Might depend a little on the breed as to how much they are willing to take. I had Rotweiler mix, who was very high spirited as a puppy. Took me almost a year to get him reasonably well behaved (got him at 8 months old). It takes time and patience to train your dog, really no short cuts. The time, being the time that you spend with them.

Oh, have tried to simply honk the car horn?

Don't get me wrong, the last thing I would want to do is hurt the dogs, or even me for that matter. It is not that the dogs are untrainable, it's a lack of time. My goal was to hopefully to only have to use it a few times and they get out of the habit of playing infront of the tires. We have tried honking the horn, but no effect.

 

[audioguru]

We have tried honking the horn, but no effect.

Don't you think the dogs will say to each other, "Listen, master has a new horn."
No effect!

 

[HarveyH42]

How old are these dogs anyway? If they are under 2 years, best way is to spend more time working with them.
Choose a spot off the drive way, but within view. After you park the car, call them to this one spot, make them sit. After they have settled, give them a simple treat. No sit, no treat. You must be consistent. A treat doesn't always have to be food, but usually easiest and quickest.

The idea is to modify unwanted behavior. Since you are in the car, its tough to get them to respond to you. They may still run around the car until its parked, then go to the treat spot.

I'm sure you are familiar with hunting dogs. Does the sound of the gun scare off the dog? I experimented with ultrasonics to scare off the neighbors cats. I never really got the results I had hoped for, but did manage to get them to defecate elsewhere. The unfixed males still came around and sprayed occasionally. Thankfully, the neighbor reduce the population from about 17, to now just 5, and I seldom see them. He overpopulated his yard, and they needed a place to go potty, that wasn't already used. So, I got the overflow. I kept my dog inside with me, he wasn't much for chasing other animals (unless I told him too).

 

[Sig239]

I was always under the impression that a dog whistle (ultrasonic?) was just used as a training tool. In other words, it does not repel them just because they can hear it and you can't.

 

[HarveyH42]

It's like any other sound to a dog, people just don't hear it. This man wants to make it load enough so that it's unpleasant to them, and not run up to the car when he pulls up the drive, and greet him. Kind of like a silent explosion. To acheive such a high level would but a little hazarous, perhaps even a little abusive.

 

[rrch123]

As I have said before, the last thing I would want to do is hurt one of the dogs. I like the idea of a "treat spot", which does not require that much time (while I am driving in, long term as far as training, I can wait and be carefull). I may take this project (since I have all parts) to another level and make one of those ultrasonic bug repellents. It would be nice to not get eaten by all those blood sucking bugs, and it will also force me to be a bit more creative and not stick strickly to the schematic.

 

[audioguru]

I may take this project (since I have all parts) to another level and make one of those ultrasonic bug repellents.

Have you ever seen one that works? Some people say they attract blood-sucking mosquitoes.

 

[HarveyH42]

As I have said before, the last thing I would want to do is hurt one of the dogs. I like the idea of a "treat spot", which does not require that much time (while I am driving in, long term as far as training, I can wait and be carefull). I may take this project (since I have all parts) to another level and make one of those ultrasonic bug repellents. It would be nice to not get eaten by all those blood sucking bugs, and it will also force me to be a bit more creative and not stick strickly to the schematic.

I don't think anybody wants to hurt their pets, but if you can't hear it, how will you know? Most of the pets I've had, seldom showed me they were hurt or sick, I had figure it out myself. When dog picked up a sand spur (small spike covered seed, painful 1/4" spikes). I'd only know if I caught him stepping a little weird. I found them a few times while cutting his nails. Will the sound ever be stronger than their want to greet you? Most animals will hide any weakness, its a survival thing.

How about those shocking training collars (don't think I could ever use one), I remember seeing a remote control version some place. But, something like those buried-wire pet fences. It's a little cruel, but couldn't near as bad as learning by the bumper or tire...

 

[Hero999]

Have you ever seen one that works? Some people say they attract blood-sucking mosquitoes.

That wouldn't make any sense. I'd expect it to repel mosquitoes since they'll think it's a bat.

 

[audioguru]

That wouldn't make any sense. I'd expect it to repel mosquitoes since they'll think it's a bat.

The only mosquitoes that know about bats are the mosquitoes that are eaten by bats. Mosquitoes don't know there are bats around.

I had lots of mosquitoes in my yard a few years ago. I also had plenty of bats.
Now they are both gone. I didn't repel them away.

 

[rrch123]

Well I figure that it would not hurt to try it. Since I have most of the parts, and the only adjustments I have to make according to the website I got this from, all I have to do is get a higher rated capacitor (I already have that). I will also get a tweeter too.
After this project, I think I will put together a little LED project I found on the net. It is based on the Knight Rider TV show (although I do not think I will put it in the grill of my truck =). )

 

[Hero999]

Mosquitoes don't know there are bats around.

Some do, it's how an ultrasonic insect repeller works.

 

[audioguru]

it's how an ultrasonic insect repeller works.

Those ultrasonic repellers are a myth and don't work.
Here is what a University says about them: