Garage door sensor

[mikefamig]

Mouser also has several 2" gap switches without the heavy metal case for much cheaper than the metal cased units.  Should be no need for the metal case in most situations if mounted at the top.
 
For example, the AMS37 for $6.11.

If I was a professional installer I would care about the price but I'm only doing a few doors and it looks like a nice touch switch. Also the ams37 is just a little thicker and I was searching for  a nice low profile sensor.
 
Mike.

 

[pete_c]

Here is a picture of mine (same configuration on two doors).  Its been a while (10 years) such that I didn't remember what I had installed.  Here have solid core insulated doors.  If I am in the garage I do hear the doors rattle if its windy outside.  The rattle of the doors has never trigged the sensor.  Note too that I have installed a second of contact switches (smaller external type of contact switches (plastic) and they work fine.
 
One thing that I like in our neighborhood that I have seen are similar insulated doors with glass panels / windows on the top of the doors.
 
I think its a Sentrol 2200 or 2300X series with 3 wires (NC, NO) purchased from Worthington around same time that I purchased HAI OPII panel. 

 

[mikefamig]

The thing I worry about is wind here as it can 'rock' my door, thus the reason for using a 'large area' magnet sensor.
 
I did a ISC West review on one brand that was foolproof if the magnet wiggled near the sensor.  Try searching the portal with ISC West Sensor as the search string (with me as the author)

 
A little off topic but I have new 8' x 10' doors made by Garaga and they are very solid. I recommend that you take a look ath them if you are in the market for overhead doors.
 
Mike.

 

[drozwood90]

HERE is how I mounted mine on top of the garage door.

I did the same as BSR, except I actually used a DS10A.
 
--Dan

 

[Del91574]

Usually the standard wide gap contacts will work on the majority of doors out there....but steel doors and clad doors present the problem...it's not that the magnet is "drawn" to them or "weakened" by the steel, but ferrous metals compress the magnetic field so, without a spacer, your 1" contact has a 1/2" gap. Then factor in any slop, usually that's the problem. For the most part, a residential door isn't going to rattle enough to cause a false if the contact is within the gap, the problem is when the doors don't close well or there's a lot of slop....and the contact/magnets don't align consistently.
 
The metal units can be driven over or more, but the problem lies if they get "forked" or if the unit isn't potted well.

 

[JimS]

Steel door issue is why I used a piece of wood for a bracket when mounting the contact on the top of the door. It also raised the magnet above the door so it swings away from the wall quickly as the door moves up and gives more clearance between the switch and the moving door.

 

[mikefamig]

Just a thought -
 
I've read of more than one problem with garage door sensors caused by the door moving in the wind because of loose tracks and it occurs to me that it may help to install two sensors on the door in different locations and then only report a breach if both sensors open at the same  time. It's not a sure thing but I think that it could reduce or maybe even eliminate false alarms. 
 
Mike.

 

[pete_c]

I have two today on each of two garage doors and have not seen a wind / rattle issue (no false alarms) in about 10 years. 
 
I hear the doors rattle when I am in the garage and its really windy outside. 

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I've read of more than one problem with garage door sensors caused by the door moving in the wind because of loose tracks

http://www.securityinfowatch.com/product/10225676/tane-alarm-products-tane-86-overhead-garage-door-contact

 

[Del91574]

Just a thought -
 
I've read of more than one problem with garage door sensors caused by the door moving in the wind because of loose tracks and it occurs to me that it may help to install two sensors on the door in different locations and then only report a breach if both sensors open at the same  time. It's not a sure thing but I think that it could reduce or maybe even eliminate false alarms. 
 
Mike.

Not needed if you use OHD/wide gap contacts.
 
Only reason to add additional contacts would be if the door is able to be bowed from the track without setting off a single unit (and detection was paramount).

 

[tmbrown97]

^^^ In the above example that'd change from wiring the contacts in parallel (so both have to move to open the circuit) to wiring them in series so that if either one moves it opens the circuit.

 

[Del91574]

Devices wired in parallel are problematic over time. It's a "logical" situation vs. a programmable option. You'd be better off going as a cross zone pair before wiring in parallel. Too easy for a wiring fault to negate detection for the sake of minimizing the possibility of a false alarm. If programming is not an option, though I hate it, I'd go with relay logic to make an AND statement.