Garage Door

[Mike]

I've been wiring the garage for door/window sensors etc in addition to cleaning up wiring that was done outside the wall so that it is inside the wall.

I was going to hook my garage door opener to the elk so I could control it using a relay.

I looked at the opener and it has two wires to it R and W (red and white). There are two functions on the opener, the light and the opener. It is a Sears 3/4 HP opener.

I thought it might be simple so I disconnected the red wire and tried to control the lights, did not work. I then reconnected it and disconnected the white wire and tried to control the lights, it still did not work. I'm guessing then it may be more complicated (or both wires have a signal when the light it on).

I am going to try the same test but with the opener (perhaps the opener uses only one on, and the light both) but thought this must be a common integration activity that a cocooner will have gone through before.

Any tips would be appreciated. I'm also going to see if I have the manual (gasp!).

 

[Spanky]

Normally, all you have to do is short across the two terminals to make the garage door go up and down. Leave the push button switch connected.

 

[Mike]

Thanks Spanky, that was it. The light function was throwing me off. I am still not sure what triggers that, but I really don't care (I have an Icon switch for the real lights in the garage if I want automation there).

 

[Spanky]

Some of the garage door openers use different resistor values in the wall push buttons for the different switches. One button drops the voltage by 1/3, the next button drops the voltage by 2/3, etc. The door opening/closing is a short across the terminals.