Open/Close Garage Door

[nugentgl]

OK, I have hesitated in asking this question but I searched here and cocoontech without much success. Basically, I just setup a new HSPRO system controlling 3 light switches with no problems. So now I want to setup HS so that between the hours of 11PM and 6AM, if the garage door is open, close it (I forget to close the door all the time). I found posts saying to use Insteon Hawkeye or a ZRF113 or X10, etc., however, I don't understand how to make it work as the posts are vague.

For example, looking at a ZRF113, how would I wire that to my garage door opener? I have a red and white wire that goes from the back of my garage door opener button (on the wall) to the physical garage door motor mounted on the ceiling. I am very confused...

So can someone recommend a technology they used to control their garage door via HS and explain how they implemented it as my garage door opener can't be much different from everyone else opener.

[Rupp]

What kind of light switches do you currently have?

[nugentgl]

Sorry, I am using all WD HA20 switches with two ztrollers connected via LS100's (I have no serial port on my PC).

[Vector]

I use the ZRF113 for my garage doors and a gate opener. It is fairly straightforward.

First, this unit is not really designed to be used as a regular switch. It does have a small button that is used to open or close the contacts on the relay, and also used to include to wave. But it would not be very convenient to use that way as the button is very small and it is not designed to be mounted in any real way.

Hookup the 2 blue wires to the same contacts that your pushbutton switch is connected to on the garage door opener. I have mine sitting on top of the garage door opener so I can get power from the same outlet, and conveniently connect the blue wires to the garage door opener.

This switch is an on/off switch. It is not a momentary switch like your pushbutton wall switch. So what I did was create an event that if that device is turned on, it waits 1 second and then turns it off. So I can just go the the status page and turn the device on, and the event turns it off automatically 1 second later.

The device is turned ON to open OR close your garage door (just like the pushbutton in your garage-or the remote). It does not know or care whether the door is open or closed. If it is closed, turning it on will open the garage. If it is open, turning it on will close the door.

I use other sensors to determine whether the door is open or closed.

I hope that helps.

Regards,
Vector

[nugentgl]

I use the ZRF113 for my garage doors and a gate opener. It is fairly straightforward.

First, this unit is not really designed to be used as a regular switch. It does have a small button that is used to open or close the contacts on the relay, and also used to include to wave. But it would not be very convenient to use that way as the button is very small and it is not designed to be mounted in any real way.

Hookup the 2 blue wires to the same contacts that your pushbutton switch is connected to on the garage door opener. I have mine sitting on top of the garage door opener so I can get power from the same outlet, and conveniently connect the blue wires to the garage door opener.

This switch is and on/off switch. It is not a momentary switch like your pushbutton wall switch. So what I did was create an event that if that device is turned on, it waits 1 second and then turns it off. So I can just go the the status page and turn the device on, and the event turns it off automatically 1 second later.

The device is turned ON to open OR close your garage door (just like the pushbutton in your garage-or the remote). It does not know or care whether the door is open or closed. If it is closed, turning it on will open the garage. If it is open, turning it on will close the door.

I use other sensors to determine whether the door is open or closed.

I hope that helps.

Regards,
Vector

Vector - thank you very much for your explanation, that really helps. So wiring it like this:

ZRF Blue Wire --> Button White Wire
ZRF Blue Wire --> Button Black Wire

will allow me to still use the garage door opener button? Also, what do you do with the extra wires on the ZRF? I'm assuming you just put a wire nut on each wire not used.

Also, I am not understanding your comment about on/off vs momentary. Can you explain that just a tad more?

And finally, what sensor do you recommend using to determine if garage door is opened or closed?

[Vector]

Yes - wired as you described.

Yes - you can still use your existing button.

Yes - just wire nuts on the extra wires - those are used if you have a second switch wired into the ZRF - just like a 3 way light switch.

When you press you existing garage door opener button, you are MOMENTARILY connecting the wires. When you release the button, it breaks the connection. We will use the ZRF to mimic the operation of the pushbutton. When you turn it on, it connects the two blue wires (just like pushing your button), and then the event turns the zrf off, which disaconnects the blue wires (just like taking your finger off the button.

Alternatively, you can create an event that turns the ZRF on, then waits 1 second, then turns it off. I use this type of event as well, but I still have a single event that turns it off if it is on (in case it otherwise gets turned on - manually or mysteriously!).

I am currently using GE wireless sensors hooked up to my Elk M1G alarm as the sensor to determine whether the door is open or closed. The UltraM1G plug-in connects the M1G to HomeSeer. If you search these forums, you will see others have used a variety of Z-wave (e.g HomeManageables/Hawking battery powered sensor), or X10 (DS10A), or other methods to determine whether the door is open or closed.


Regards,
Vector

[nugentgl]

Sorry for the late thanks. This helped greatly!

[Rupp]

Sorry for the late thanks. This helped greatly!

If you do this, take pictures and post it here in the How-To forum for other to use.

[Pete]

Lee,

Make sure your logic works well. I currently have my garage door opening / closing connectivity with X10 switches. I have it running passive events to let me know different status. The open/close logic is there but not utilized. I have it announcing every 3 minutes via TTS that the garage door is open. I can bypass that and it automatically enables TTS event when it shuts door.

This is due to a near accident one day when my wife pulled into the garage "yakking" on the cell phone and the garage door shut on her. She shut off the car immediately but it could have been a serious accident. That day WAF was at an all time low.

[Rupp]

True, I put a camera in my garage so I could check before closing the door as the same thing happened to me. My auto closing closed the door on the back of the Pathfinder and it wasn't pulled all the way in. This put a gash all the way down the back door before it reversed.

[Pete]

I was thinking of installing a camera in the garage for same reason.

[nugentgl]

That is a good idea about the camera! I was also thinking about a motion sensor. How about this logic:

- if door is open and there has been no motion for 10 minutes, then close door (only between the hours of 10:00PM and 6:00AM)

- if door is open and there has been no motion for 10 minutes, email me so I can check the camera (between 6:01AM and 9:59PM)

Oh and the ZRF device is being redesigned so there is no ETA on restock so instead I got the Global Cache wifi to cc (per Mark at HS). I will let everyone know how the GC works.

And what kind of pictures will be the most helpful?

[jackpod]

Automating a garage door is dangerous, be sure to have your events/scripts well error trapped. If you use TTS have HS announce that the door will be closing in 10 seconds, have the close event triggered by some other event such as the back door to the house opening, have a switch inside the house to trigger the open/close event. Have TTS announce that the garage door is open after a set time in the evening. Getting the events to control the door is easy, error trapping and safety require a lot of thinking the process thru. Also make allowances for "unusual" schedules as there will be times when there needs to be variance from the normal routine

[Pete]

Today and because of my OC I ask my wife three or four times as we leave the house if I shut the garage door; then alway look at my camera on my cell phone to verify. In the old house would call up the neighbor and ask (they were very pleasant like this).

[nugentgl]

True, I put a camera in my garage so I could check before closing the door as the same thing happened to me. My auto closing closed the door on the back of the Pathfinder and it wasn't pulled all the way in. This put a gash all the way down the back door before it reversed.

Good thing is there are no and will never be cars in this application. What I am most concerned about is people; however, I think the motion sensor should rule out a person in the way unless of course the person decided to take a nap half in/out of the garage