Custom garage door opener

[chadstyle]

Originally Posted by xjohnx

I remember hearing about a way to wire up a hidden garage door opener and tie it to your high beams so you just blink you high beams a specified number of times to trigger the door opener.

see here: http://www.iwsti.com/forums/how-inst...or-opener.html

This is exactly how I am building it, project box and all but I have one more component..the PAC TR7. That is the part that allows multiple pulses to activate the garage door opener. I don't think that the OP of that thread really thought out his idea very well. Every time he uses his hi beams the remote is transmitting constantly. The TR7 would work great in his application as well since then he could flash the headlights 2 or 3 times and the garage would open. I don't recommend wiring your hi beams directly to the relay.

Thanks for the link this is very close to what I am building and hopefully that clears things up a little for those that were confused.

[chadstyle]

Originally Posted by sikest

Chad

If you can apply gate logic and sequencing in the manner listed in your reply below you obviously have a solid background in electronics. Tapping into the digital readouts would require very advanced knowledge of the automakers proprietary PAL chip which controls the HVAC module which puts your knowledge above many electrical engineers. Based on your quote below you obviously have the ability to reverse engineer complex circuits and even custom integrated circuits.

With all this in mind you should not need any assistance from anyone on this message board to research something as simple as an aftermarket garage door opener. I for one read your original post and based on the content attempted to provide a laymen's response to your laymen's question. I'm sure if you pop your trunk three times, clap your hands, turn on the wipers and honk yankee doodle dandy the answer will come to you.

Best of luck with your project!

T.

Funny stuff Yes, I have it all worked out and have a firm handle on the how/why this works. I was really just trying to simplify the circuit if possible before jumping in head first.

Thanks bud, Yankee Doodle dandy just knocked on the door...

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by chadstyle

Did you read my original post? I already have the wiring figured out..it's really quite simple. That's not my question though. My question was asking if anyone knew of a universal garage door opener that's designed to do this so I could cut down on parts used and time wiring. I think the answer to that is "No"....

I'm not trying to hide or protect anything so a single trigger is fine and to keep everything working factory I'll program it to 2 or 3 pulses. Do you understand now?

Yes now I understand, no need to be so brash. Your post left me with the impression you were looking to integrate a garage door opener to open a garage door, and the "compartment" was the garage itself, but it seemed unusually complex. I've never heard of a garage door opener that utilizes sequenced inputs. Interesting little project, nonetheless.

[NemeGuero]

You could use the one I linked if you're just going to hack it apart for just the internal circuitry.

[mangostick]

Damn and I thought I was slick clipping the door opener on the inside of the driver door cup holder lol. Good info here! A hidden pushbutton system would be pretty neat. Hello bat cave style

[chadstyle]

I'll post a video for you guys once its installed. I'll be away this weekend but hopefully next weekend I'll have an hour or so to get in the car and wire it up. Thanks for all the feedback guys and I apologize if my original question wasn't clear. It's not an ordinary question so I was trying to explain the circuit in hopes someone had something close already. I appreciate all the links posted and time spent looking for useful information.

[chadstyle]

Ok, update on the project. Last weekend I was away on vacation so today I went and picked up a PAC TR7 and a relay. A couple weeks ago I ordered the garage door opener, which u already gutted and metered the pins on the back of the 4 pin button. Now that I have all the parts I measured them and ordered a project box so I can mount them nice and tidy inside the dash. I will prewire and test them before epoxy in the project box and creating an install harness.

Here is a pic of the parts as I've had a few requests from people that would like to do this mod...

[chadstyle]

Here are the soldered connections on the back of the garage door remote button. It was taken on a cell phone so the quality isn't the greatest but you get the idea...

[chadstyle]

Ok so I finished up the project box today. Decided to pick up one at a local radio shack in the spirit of making it simple for others that want to build their own. I also picked up an adjustable 12V cigarette lighter plug that had a switch to set the output voltage. Normally I would buy a voltage regulating chip but the most common ones radio shack has are all 5V and using a bunch of resistors will get hot. Again, trying to keep it simple for those following along and this step can be skipped if you decide to leave the battery for the garage door remote in tact. I chose to power it with the car so once the install is complete I will never have to open this up again. The last thing I did was install a three wire harness. Power, ground, and trigger wire. Inside the box I used quick disconnects so I can switch between a positive or negative trigger in the car. Of course the box is also fused with a 5 amp fuse internally just in case anything ever malfunctions.

Here's a couple pics of the inside and outside of the box. I will install it in the car a little later today. I tested it on my test bench and it works great!!

[Acree]

If you need a voltage regulator, you can easily use any of the numerous gigantic online electronics distributors such as Allied Electronic, Future Electronic, Digikey, or my personal favorite, Mouser.

-Acree

[avusblue]

That's a really cool idea. Let me relay a different and simple way. The carpeting in our cars is exactly like the soft ("loop") half of velcro. I stuck a piece of the scratchy ("hook") half of velcro tape on the back of my garage door transmitter and placed it on the side sill below the door opening, just above the fuel door release handle. It stays there perfectly securely and is easy to find and use by feel.

Super easy and practically free, it gets the transmitter out of the way but still provides ready access.

[chadstyle]

Originally Posted by Acree

If you need a voltage regulator, you can easily use any of the numerous gigantic online electronics distributors such as Allied Electronic, Future Electronic, Digikey, or my personal favorite, Mouser.

-Acree

I love mouser and use them all the time!! I was really just trying to keep it simple with off the shelf parts from the local rat shack for people that don't order voltage regulators, resistors, and diodes on a regular. Thanks for the reply as there are those of us that can simplify this even further by creating a simple circuit. I had quite a few PM's asking to follow along so that is why I chose these parts.

[chadstyle]

Originally Posted by avusblue

That's a really cool idea. Let me relay a different and simple way. The carpeting in our cars is exactly like the soft ("loop") half of velcro. I stuck a piece of the scratchy ("hook") half of velcro tape on the back of my garage door transmitter and placed it on the side sill below the door opening, just above the fuel door release handle. It stays there perfectly securely and is easy to find and use by feel.

Super easy and practically free, it gets the transmitter out of the way but still provides ready access.

Sorry bud, no "cool" factor there. Was shooting for something much more stealth and don't want anything exposed, anywhere. I appreciate the response though.

[chadstyle]

Update...here is the video. Super simple install and works perfect.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CESmo7ztT9c"]Stealth Garage Door Opener - YouTube[/ame]