In less than 10min garage door setup with Spark Core

Getting Started
1

This is awesome, simply hooked Relay shield and core, connected wires to relay1 from garage door machine -parallel to garage door button. And now via Tinker app I just do D0 (LOW or HIGH) and door opens and closes. This is great no programing no coding.

Now wondering if someone can suggest how I can setup some sensor (what kind) so I know status of door.

2 Likes
2

Get a reed switch. I have one on my garage to detect if the door is open.

Here are some fun thoughts:

  • After a certain amount of time, automatically close the door.
  • Another great addition to my garage door handler was a button. When pressed the LED would blink and after about 15 seconds, the door would close. This way I can exit without needing to use the code or a remote to close the door.

Here’s one from amazon that is similar to mine:

1 Like
3

I use magnetic reed security switches with my garage doors. There are some that mount on the floor and a magnet near the bottom of the door triggers the switch, but mine are regular security reed switches embedded in the inside-the-garage framing near the top of the door. I glued a strong magnet to the outside of the top of the garage door with epoxy where it does not show.

Here is the kind I used: http://www.amazon.com/Recessed-Magnetic-Window-Contacts-Switch/dp/B00BHP3I4C

Good luck!

4

This would be a pretty neat use for the Spark Core! Just make sure you keep all the safety interlocks and sensors intact so you don’t accidentally crush your wife, or cat (or wife holding the cat) to death!

1 Like
5

Can anyone recommend a decent wife and cat detector?

On an unrelated topic, what would be the fastest way to drop the door?

1 Like
6

Aren’t garage doors supposed to have a safety mechanism that makes them retract if there is some resistance to closing, such as a wife or a cat?

7

Yes your are right there are two sensor on both ends for safety mechanism.

8

Thanks for proving link for sensor, I am looking something wireless like http://wirelesstag.net they are not open source so we cannot connect to core.

It will be great if we can connect http://www.amazon.com/LiftMaster-888LM-Security-Upgrades-Previous/dp/B00B8BFG0O and use spark core as a gateway.

9

Everything made in the last 20 years has (at the very least) an IR beam that stops the door from closing if something crosses in front of it. Most of them also monitor the current use from the motor and will stop it if the current gets too high (meaning the motor is bound).

I'm sure this knowledge fills @mdma's wife (let's call her Molly) with ecstasy.

2 Likes
10

Setting up sensors is as simple as operating garage door via Tinker app. The only thing you want to do is to buy a set of sensor from the market. There are instruction written on its manual. Just follow the instruction and there you go. Majority of this installations are DIY. If you want to read more then visit there website.