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    [HOW TO] - Garage door

    Greetings all,

    One of the first cool things I wanted to do with my HSPRO was to control my garage door, and know its status (opened or closed).

    I finally did it, and I thought I would share with pictures and video the how-to.

    First of, you need to be able to do some electrical cabling.
    You will need a LFM20 module that you will wire to an electrical outlet (see pictures 1 and 2.

    The other end of it will need to be connected to your garage door opener.
    You will need to use the 2 blue cables, and connect them where the inside button (in your garage) is connected to. See that on pictures 3 and 4.

    Finally, if you want to be able to get a status of the door (opened or closed), you will need to stick somewhere a Window/Door sensor (see picture 5 and 6). That's pretty cool to use, because you can do scripts and use the voice for example by saying "Garage door opened" or "Garage door closed". You can even do an event that check if the garage door is opened at 8PM (or has been opened for xx amount of minutes) then close it automatically.

    My next step is to use RFID and make it so if my car moves away, and if the garage door is opened, then it will close it.

    Here is a link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCb3Y86rC64
    Attached Files
    Last edited by simon templar; September 15, 2011, 02:08 PM.

    #2
    Very nice Simon!

    You should copy it over to the DIY section of the Homeseer Forum.
    - Pete

    Auto mator
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      #3
      Thanks for your post. In picture #3 there is a white wire connected to the blue wire in the bottom of the picture. Does this white wire just connect to one of the terminals in the bottom picture? The reason I'm asking is that I was expecting yo see two blue wires coming into the terminals in the 4th picture. Can you clarify exactly how the 2 blue wires connect?

      Thanks.

      Comment


        #4
        Very nice video there Simon. I'm still in the process of updating my garage after seven years or so.

        I do have my opener automated and using wired versus wireless for the automation in conjuction today with other "stuff" in the garage now (PIR and IP camera). The automobiles are dealt with separately using the RFID stuff. The driveway itself is using a combination of PIR's and driveway sensors and cams. I do have a wireless button to shut off the repetative "garage door is open" TTS.

        Relating to the wired sensors I've either recessed them in the walls or using plastic PVC have them somewhat hidden these days.
        - Pete

        Auto mator
        Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
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          #5
          Very nice....

          I did something similar years ago with a hardwired interface using an Ocelot and SECU-16. I was able to short out the resistor in the wall panel with the relay. It worked well. Luckily it was a garage so having wires running to a few places didn't really both me. This looks far cleaner. I don't have a garage now- but I like this.

          Here is the one piece of advice I will give you-- you may want to consider a second set of door sensors. "Not closed" is not the same as "fully open". If you are automatically running a script-- it might be nice to know the exact state of the door.

          Ex. I would run a script which would fire if the garage door was open for too long (I had a habit of leaving it open). Sometimes I would leave and hit the button on the remote- and the door would stop halfway rather than close. The script would try to close the door and sometimes it would go up- sometime down. Getting the full feedback allowed me to fix these issues in the script.
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            #6
            Personally I watch the door and have the ability to close/open it remotely; but other than that have no HS/HAI events or triggers that do anything mechanically to the door (close or open) based on any automation events.

            After a "faux pas" in my automation logic many years ago (with the alarm, et al) in the old house I will probably never automate any of the functions based on any events.

            Its more an issue of saftey taking precedence over automation; specifically with the garage door.
            - Pete

            Auto mator
            Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
            Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
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            HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11

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              #7
              I plan on installing DS10a sensors for my garage doors, which are inexpensive ($8 each) and reportedly work better than the Aeon Labs Z-Wave door sensors, though I've heard other types of Z-Wave door sensors work OK, albeit more expensive. I currently have an IP camera in the garage for visual confirmation of garage door state, although I would install door sensors for automation purposes.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Pete View Post
                Personally I watch the door and have the ability to close/open it remotely; but other than that have no HS/HAI events or triggers that do anything mechanically to the door (close or open) based on any automation events.

                After a "faux pas" in my automation logic many years ago (with the alarm, et al) in the old house I will probably never automate any of the functions based on any events.

                Its more an issue of saftey taking precedence over automation; specifically with the garage door.
                I like the ability to be able to remotely open or close the door (for example if I leave and forget to close it or someone needs access while I'm out). But I'm also hesitant about automating opening or closing the doors (for example, some folks may want to use RFID). Even assuming 99% reliability of automated events isn't good enough for me when it comes to a garage door opening or closing by accident.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Yes even the built in standard saftey features can be circumvented with automation; and that is specifically my concern.

                  Currently it will send me a text should I leave it open and say turn on the alarm and drive away.
                  - Pete

                  Auto mator
                  Homeseer 3 Pro - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e 64 bit Intel Haswell CPU 16Gb
                  Homeseer Zee2 (Lite) - 3.0.0.548 (Linux) - Ubuntu 18.04/W7e - CherryTrail x5-Z8350 BeeLink 4Gb BT3 Pro
                  HS4 Lite - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenovo Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram

                  HS4 Pro - V4.1.18.1 - Ubuntu 22.04 / Lenova Tiny M900 / 32Gb Ram
                  HSTouch on Intel tabletop tablets (Jogglers) - Asus AIO - Windows 11

                  X10, UPB, Zigbee, ZWave and Wifi MQTT automation-Tasmota-Espurna. OmniPro 2, Russound zoned audio, Alexa, Cheaper RFID, W800 and Home Assistant

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Greetings all,

                    To answer some of the questions:

                    - In picture 3, the 2 blue wires coming out of the LFM20 are twisted to 2 other wires (one white, and one blue). This is only because the gauge of the blue wires is too small (the wires are too big: The smaller the gauge, the bigger the wires) to get into the garage motor. So the 2 wires that I used (white and blue) are the one that you see in picture 4 going into the garage motor connectors.

                    - Regarding the automation (if the garage door was open for too long, then close it): I though about this. My issue is that sometime I just leave the garage door open for hours since my yard tools and kids toys are in it. So we just open the door, and play outside. I talked to my wife about automatically close the door, and it might not be a good idea. What if a kid as a leg on each side of the security beam (so there is no detection). We would have an accident here.

                    - Regarding the above, I was like "Ok, I can't do this during the day, but I can probably do a script after 1AM if the door is still open". That would work for me, because a couple of times during the summer we left the garage door opened all night. Not that we live in a bad area, but by principle, I like to have all doors closed at night. I had a scenario once where the door was closed, I switched HSPRO off, I opened the garage door, then started HSPRO. Well.. It saw the garage door closed, even if it was open. I setup the sensor to send an update every 6 minutes, and it did not do anything. HSPRO kept seeing the door as closed.

                    - So in result of this, my principal utilization is to close myself the door if I left, remotely. To help me with this, I have a camera in the garage (FOSCAM) that allows me to validate if the door is closed or opened.

                    - On the top of this, I have setup the voice that says "Garage door opened" or "Garage door closed".

                    I want to play again with the scenario I had where HS would take the latest known state, and see if the sensor can send an update. Maybe I screwed up somewhere, but I'd really like this to work. If it does, then I'll probably run a script after midnight to close the garage door automatically if it's open.

                    Enjoy !


                    PS: I have setup a script also that sends me a text message when the garage door is closed or opened, depending on my 'ALARM' settings (on or off).
                    on = > I receive device status changes on the garage door
                    off = > I receive nothing

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Simon:

                      Thanks for confirming the wiring (I suspected the gauge of the blue wires was the case). So, I guess the blue wires when hooked this way just provide continuity when the relay is turned on. So the blue wires really don't carry any voltage this way then (so need to worry about frying the garage opener :-) )?

                      I think I'll setup events to send text messages based on opening and closing the doors, and send message if a garage door is open for a long time. But probably won't automate closing the door.

                      Thanks.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Hi,

                        Yes, if you take 2 distinct wires and connect them in the garage opener, this would be as if your relay would be opened (since it's an open loop).

                        When you have the 2 wires touch each other (you might get a tiny spark, don't be afraid. Most likely you will not), you are closing the loop and letting the current go through. At this point, you are sending a signal to the garage door opener to activate the door. If you do this test, you should let the 2 wires touch each other for a maximum of a second or so.

                        Remember that your even should turn ON the relay, then OFF after a second. You don't want to keep your relay on. Not that it will fry your garage door, but as long as it is on, nothing else will work (probably not your remote, nor the hard wired button in the garage).

                        The attached picture shows what my event "Garage door opener" does.

                        Good luck !
                        Attached Files

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Simon:

                          Thanks for your input. I've wired LFM-20's to my two garage doors. They work great! I've verified that the LFM-20s, the wall mounted garage openers, as well as my car's HomeLink buttons all work correctly. I've also verified that the laser safety devices which open a closing door if the laser is interrupted work properly regardless of how a garage door is closed. Finally, as expected, the garage lights turn on correctly regardless of how the garage door is opened.

                          As mentioned, it is important to turn off the LFM-20 a second or so after it is turned on to return control back to the wall mounted garage door openers (haven't checked if the safety laser feature works properly if the relay is On; I do know they work if the relay is Off). As Simon indicated, the best way to turn off the relay is to create a manually run event that turns on the relay, wait a second, then turn off the relay. However, if this event is not used, and the relay is turned on by pressing the On button in the HomeSeer web GUI or HSTouch, the relay won't be turned back off. So I think I'll Create a second event that is triggered whenever the relay is turned on, and then sleeps 2 seconds, then issues the Off command to the relay. Normally, I should only need to create this second event, but if for some strange reason the On event is lost in the Z-Wave network reply so that it doesn't reach HomeSeer, then the relay won't be turned off. Thus, for extra insurance, I think it would be best that in general, the 1st event should be used to manually turn on the relay, which will sleep a second and turn off the relay. Then the 2nd event will kick in and issue a 2nd event to send an Off command, which normally won't do anything since the relay would already be off. But it seems that having both events will help ensure that the relay is turned off whatever means is used to turn it on (e.g. if the button on the LFM-20 is pressed OR the relay is turned on in HSTouch, or the relay is turned on using the 1st manually run event).

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Simon

                            Your very clear photos helped me solve in about 5 minutes what I had struggled with for about an hour - namely the placement of the Aeon Labs Sensor. Had no problems with the LFM-20, but had had 3 failed attempts at locating the sensor - either couldn't keep both parts out of the way of the moving door components or couldn't get them close enough together to work. Like your setup I had just enough room to place the main component on the supporting bracket and the magnet on the edge of the door.

                            Off to write some events now

                            Thanks again

                            James
                            cheeryfool

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Randman,

                              That is actually a good idea. I like it better than my setup. At the time I did mine, I was learning events. I'll give it a shot !




                              Cheryfool,

                              Glad it helped !

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