How to mount garage contact closure

[pgray007]

This may seem like a dumb question, but I can't get a good idea on how to mount my garage contact closures (standard garage-specific units from AO). The packaging has no instructions and the picture makes it appear they're mounted on the floor of the garage, with the magnet and bracket on the bottom of the door.

I'd rather not drill into concrete, and an extensive search here implies you can mount them in or near the track, and that many door have pre-installed magnets or at least a provision to easily mount the magnet, but I can't find a picture of this or obvious location on my door.

I also looked at mounting on top of the door, but the aluminum door is offset so I'd be shimming and goofing around, and it seems like there must be an easier way.

Thanks for enlightening me with what seems like it should be much less difficult!

 

[jpmargis]

Standard practice is to bolt the switch portion to the garage floor. If you don't want to drill into the floor, I suppose you could use structural adhesive.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Look at the last picture in my Home Security How-To and see how you can easily and reliably mount these sensors on the top of the garage door. Mine has been working like this on two of my garage doors for almost ten years without one false alarm. Remember they have a very large gap distance, so I doubt you would have to shim.

 

[wuench]

I agree, I mounted mine to the top too. The sensor goes on the header and the magnet is screwed to the top of the door. When the door opens it moves up and away so there is clearance.

 

[michelkenny]

Mine's on the top of the door too, no problems.

 

[newalarm]

Top of door is probably best location since at the bottom, they tend to get damaged more, or greater chance of damaging wires anyway.

 

[jpmargis]

You can drive over the contact with a truck and the wires are supposed to be in armored cable, so I think its more of an aesthetics thing.

 

[cctv]

On the floor it might be easier to tamper with from the outside with a strong magnet. Wheres on top of the garage door you have more protection from a magnet and from damage caused by repeated exposure to elements and vehicles.

You can drive over the contact with a truck and the wires are supposed to be in armored cable, so I think its more of an aesthetics thing.

 

[newalarm]

i have seen one in pieces in a warehouse... hence my comment about avoiding floor. Over time, the abuse his much more harsh on floor. An the armored cable will fail too given the chance...

 

[pgray007]

Anyone ever mount one on the side, near the track for the garage? I saw this mentioned "somewhere on the internet" but haven't been able to find any pictures or additional information.

Failing a side mount or some other neat trick, I think I'll go above the door.

 

[newalarm]

They probably meant the center track, where the arm pulls the door up. There should be two pairs there already used by the garage door system to know when the carriage/door is in the fully closed or open position (on my door at least they are there.) Problem is wiring getting caught up or tampered with (mine door sensor wire got caught in the track).

 

[Desert_AIP]

Anyone ever mount one on the side, near the track for the garage? I saw this mentioned "somewhere on the internet" but haven't been able to find any pictures or additional information.

Failing a side mount or some other neat trick, I think I'll go above the door.

I use the track mounted version on the 4 bay doors at my place.
They are built to clamp on the track and the magnet has the proper bolt hole spacing to correspond with the holes for the self tapping bolts used to mount things like the slide locks and pull handles on the garage doors.
I mount them about a foot off the ground on the side closest to the side wall.

 

[ecborgoyn]

OK. I understand the advantages of mounting it above the door. Mine was mounted on the floor (concrete) as the system was (professionally) installed when the house was built. Why is this the 'standard' location? What's the logic?

 

[pgray007]

I use the track mounted version on the 4 bay doors at my place.
They are built to clamp on the track and the magnet has the proper bolt hole spacing to correspond with the holes for the self tapping bolts used to mount things like the slide locks and pull handles on the garage doors.
I mount them about a foot off the ground on the side closest to the side wall.

Does yours look something like this, or is it completely different:

http://www.automatedoutlet.com/core/media/media.nl?id=2219&c=852901&h=8e4ef9a45e458e429dc2&resizeid=-2&resizeh=240&resizew=240

 

[tmbrown97]

I think the OP already has his purchased... but for another mounting option, I like these - they mount extremely easily and work great.