Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Garage Door Virtual Switch and getting correct status

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Garage Door Virtual Switch and getting correct status

    Hey guys,

    I'm sure this has been asked just can't find the correct result for it.

    I have a virtual garage door switch that toggles the ELK m1 output relay dry contact to the garage door. I also have a reed switch to see if the garage door is closed.

    The reed switch will always display the correct contact. However, I've had cases where the virtual garage door would show closed but the sensor status is open.

    Any suggestions on how to fine-tune the event to always show the correct status on the virtual switch based on sensor status?

    Click image for larger version

Name:	image.png
Views:	341
Size:	184.1 KB
ID:	1570180

    #2
    Are there only two statuses for the reed switch, normal and violated? If so you could change the conditions to normal and not normal, or violated or not violated. It shouldn’t make a difference but might be worth a try.

    Comment


      #3
      Yep, only 2 statuses for the reed switch. I've left the default of normal = closed, violated = open.

      The problem I have is I'm using the virtual device as the control/toggle for opening and closing the garage door. If I press the virtual device whilst the garage door is opening it will trigger the garage door to stop leaving the garage door half open but the virtual device will show closed.

      Trying to work out a way for the virtual device to always reflect the status of the reed/contact status.

      Comment


        #4
        You could change your Virtual Device to have Control and Status separate. You could even add a status of "Opening": and "Closing".

        That way you could have your device showing the actual status of the door "Opening", "Open", "Closing" and "Closed". Let Open (99) and Close (1) be the control, then update Open (100) and Closed (0) represent the current status. My door sensor is set such that it only makes contact when fully closed. The status of my Virtual Device is set by the sensor. I use the Opening and Closing status to show me something is changing whenever the door is moving. Closed is signaled by the sensor. Open is signaled when it has been Opening for 15 seconds.

        This method worked for me for years, but I now have a garage opener that interfaces with HS so I just follow that device.

        Click image for larger version

Name:	capture.png
Views:	295
Size:	105.6 KB
ID:	1570375
        HS4 Pro, 4.2.19.0 Windows 10 pro, Supermicro LP Xeon

        Comment


          #5
          Hey Randy,

          Would you have screenshots of your events for the above?

          I'm struggling to get my stupid head around this.

          I thought I had worked out by using easy trigger to change the values on the virtual device to try and simulate opening and closing of the garage door when I hit the close/open control on the virtual switch. I got it working however if it's a status-only value it breaks HSTouch as it needs to be set to on/off controls to allow controlling via the HSTouch screen. If I had the value set to closed which is status only then I could not get hstouch to trigger the toggle on/off function.

          All I really want is to always show the correct status on the virtual garage control switch. Closed status is easy. If elkm1 zone 12 shows normal/closed update the status to closed.

          If I accidentally hit the driveway virtual switch twice within 15 seconds it would go from control open to control close. Garage door will be half open. The wife will see the virtual garage button as closed thinking the garage door is actually closed.

          Need to fine-tune the WAF on this one

          Cheers

          Comment


            #6
            I have a setup very similar to what Randy is describing, (I think I was inspired by some other forum post about garage door control). Based on Randy's post above, it sounds like he's not currently using that routine, but I'm happy to share how I've got mine going. I always felt this was a bit of a brute force method, but it generally works well for me. I do not use Easy Trigger, but I've heard there may be functionality in that PI to simplify what I'm doing below.

            I use a Zooz Zen17 Relay for Garage Door Openers (GDO). This device has dry contacts connected a door sensor which trigger when fully closed, and a relay for GDO control. The Zen17 has two of these pairs, so I have all of the Events below in duplicate (two doors).

            My Zooz relay devices have two states - Off and "Open-Close" Open-Close is the momentary button push which triggers the GDO.

            Here's my Virtual Device for the Large Garage Door (VDLG). This Virtual Device is HS4 ID Number 394; you'll see that in some of the script statements used.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	image.png
Views:	386
Size:	65.1 KB
ID:	1571973

            I use 12 (yes a dozen) total Events​ to manage this GDO, but several are related to local control (from keypads), lighting control when the door is open/closed and email/push notifications. I'll only post the ones related to the Virtual Device configuration. I use a script statement to set the value in many of these Events, mostly for the "Closing" and "Opening" feedback.

            Garage Door Status On. This sets the VDLG Value to Opened 10 seconds after the Sensor shows the GDO is Opened. I have a nearly identical event for Garage Door Status Off , except that there is no Wait before setting the VDLG value to Closed; the VDLG value of Closed is triggered immediately when the Sensor shows the door is closed.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	image.png
Views:	241
Size:	59.0 KB
ID:	1571974



            Garage Door Open. This triggers the Relay to open the door if it is closed, then sets the VDLG value to "Opening". The Status On Event above then changes the VDLG value to Opened 10 seconds after the Sensor registers the door has opened. I have an identically opposite Event for Garage Door Close, the Status Off Event (opposite the above Event above) changes the VDLG value to Closed when the Sensor closes.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	image.png
Views:	234
Size:	53.5 KB
ID:	1571975


            Garage Door Open - Sync. If the GDO is already open, and the VDLG receives a Open command, then this action syncs the VDLG. This way I won't accidentally activate the door to the opposite closed/open state of what I want, if for some reason the VDLG has fallen out of sync. I have an identically opposite Event for Garage Door Close-Sync.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	image.png
Views:	242
Size:	49.6 KB
ID:	1571976

            Garage Door -Check if Closed. This Event runs a sub-event to confirm that the GDO has fully closed, and travel hasn't been interrupted by the GDO safety sensors. The sub event sends a notification if the GDO isn't closed after 30 seconds. I do NOT have a similar Event to check if the GDO has opened fully, as there is no physical sensor to confirm this, and I'm only primarily concerned if the GDO is fully closed or not.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	image.png
Views:	238
Size:	49.9 KB
ID:	1571977

            The accidental double push and having a GDO half open can be often problematic. ​Depending on your use case and the way that you locally display GDO open/close and control functions, you might need some tweaking, but this is one way to do it.

            It's a lot of logic to unpack. Feel free to ask more questions.

            Comment


              #7
              Did anyone ask this yet… Does your garage door opener support a dry contact pushbutton switch? If so a GD00Z gocontrol garage door opener makes life easy. Everything can be handled in few events. I try not to reinvent the wheel whenever possible. I purchased a garage door opener that was compatible with this device.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Bradkw View Post
                Did anyone ask this yet… Does your garage door opener support a dry contact pushbutton switch? If so a GD00Z gocontrol garage door opener makes life easy. Everything can be handled in few events. I try not to reinvent the wheel whenever possible. I purchased a garage door opener that was compatible with this device.
                My garage doors use dry contact pushbutton (std GDO's). The Zen17 is fully compatible with my sensors, my GDO's, and HS4.

                I looked at that product and the MyQ add-on units. In my case I would have needed 2x GD00Z units @ $100. I already had reed switch sensors on the doors, so I did not really want to use wireless/battery tilt sensors, (although they can provide more definitive direct feedback by sensing full open, opening/closing and full closed). I also preferred not to have an audible beep when closing the door (safety last!).

                I was previously using Insteon I/O Linc units on each door; the Zooz Zen17 was effectively two of those units in one box, and Z-Wave. (And $40)

                Basic garage door control could definitely have been handled with just a few events. There are sometimes other reasons for creating a Virtual Device, this adds complexity. Making the system "smarter" is not the same as reinventing the wheel, but can feel like it!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Steveo369 View Post
                  I have a setup very similar to what Randy is describing, (I think I was inspired by some other forum post about garage door control). Based on Randy's post above, it sounds like he's not currently using that routine, but I'm happy to share how I've got mine going. I always felt this was a bit of a brute force method, but it generally works well for me. I do not use Easy Trigger, but I've heard there may be functionality in that PI to simplify what I'm doing below.
                  .
                  You are correct. Adding the MyQ device negated the need. That said, yours is similar to mine. I centered everything around the door sensor indicating closed. Open was determined by time since the door began opening. The only time this would pose a problem is if someone stops the door mid-opening. It would still correct as soon as the door moves again. This could be improved by adding an “Open” sensor. Then I would have absolute indication of Open, Closed and in between.

                  I opted for MyQ specifically for the phone apps, the added value is knowing the true status of the door.

                  HS4 Pro, 4.2.19.0 Windows 10 pro, Supermicro LP Xeon

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Steveo369 View Post

                    My garage doors use dry contact pushbutton (std GDO's). The Zen17 is fully compatible with my sensors, my GDO's, and HS4.

                    I looked at that product and the MyQ add-on units. In my case I would have needed 2x GD00Z units @ $100. I already had reed switch sensors on the doors, so I did not really want to use wireless/battery tilt sensors, (although they can provide more definitive direct feedback by sensing full open, opening/closing and full closed). I also preferred not to have an audible beep when closing the door (safety last!).

                    I was previously using Insteon I/O Linc units on each door; the Zooz Zen17 was effectively two of those units in one box, and Z-Wave. (And $40)

                    Basic garage door control could definitely have been handled with just a few events. There are sometimes other reasons for creating a Virtual Device, this adds complexity. Making the system "smarter" is not the same as reinventing the wheel, but can feel like it!
                    There is always more than one way to do anything. I used the GD00Z because it was an out-of-the-box solution. Yes, it cost a few bucks but I didn't get into smart home to save money!! I don't mind the beep. But that's an easy fix if I did… I could add a dry contact relay. But that is also another few bucks.

                    I also understand the accomplishment of figuring out the logic to work around a problem. I'm not a programmer and complex logic sometimes makes my brain hurt!


                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    X