Trigger when mouse trap caught a mouse

[bjacobse]

I have a good mice trap, that actually cought 2 mice. It though only happened this first time I used it.

However I occasional get a mouse in the trap, it's placed on the floor in my garage, for now I check daily - but I need your help to provide me some ideas how I can mysensorize the trigger signal? and yes stability is a key issue, as if it's unstable I have to continue to check daily.

Currently I neither have wifi nor cable network in my garage, so it's not possible for me place a webcam
I have 230V AC electricity in my garage, so I don't need to use a battery device for monitoring
As mice carries all kinds of diseases, I don't want the sensor to touch the mousetrap

I have thought of a sound pressure sensor, but I think its not working as I have a manual garagedoor, and when this opens or closes it provides a fairly loud clash noise, and this will trigger the sensor

what to do?!?

The trap is a Mjølner:

[Nca78]

Poor things

I see 2 ways of doing it, both involving close contact to the trap:

• reed switch or ultra low power hall sensor on the top part of the trap (so no direct contact to the mice) and a magnet glued on the yellow moving part (sorry no idea of the name in English)
• accelerometer as I suppose it makes a pretty strong vibration/shock when the trap is triggered. You might have the space to put it inside the trap so it would not be in contact with mice.

[gohan]

I think a reed switch and a magnet is a good and cheap solution. Just choose the normally closed or normally open ones according to the where you want to put it in order to save battery.

[boozz]

@bjacobse Although you have 230VAC in your garage, I would go for the option @gohan mentioned; a reed switch with a magnet. The node itself can be carried around with the mouse trap without all the wire hassle and need for an power adapter.
If you use the reed switch on an interrupt pin, it can be used to wake up the node and send the message. Afterwards you can bring it back to sleep. Saves batteries

Good luck with it.

BTW. never thought of a plastic version for a mouse trap. I only know these ones:

[gohan]

@boozz The modern version has a "protected" bait so that no other mouse can reach it once the trap has been triggered

[Nca78]

@gohan said in Trigger when mouse trap caught a mouse:

@boozz The modern version has a "protected" bait so that no other mouse can reach it once the trap has been triggered

A really modern version would automatically push the dead mouse away and rearm

[sundberg84]

@bjacobse Koppla upp råttfällan med Z-Wave – 03:29
— Z-Wave Inspiration

[gohan]

basically once the trap is armed the contact is closed and it opens when tripped.

[bjacobse]

@gohan
Thank you, this will be my approach, then the sketch is the door/windows sensor
Thank you all for input.
I will post pics when project is ready

[bjacobse]

@sundberg84
Hey good idea, but I would like the electronic to be away form the mouse/rat, so I don't get pee/faces on as it contains diseases...