garage door opener indication

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,155
One question begets another! When My garage door is open I don't realise it, rest is obvious.
I cringe when someone uses the phrase “is obvious”. Because that begets another question, “to whom”? Because in my experience, when something is obvious to you, it is NOT obvious to some others.

If you purport to be an engineer, or want to communicate with an engineer, you must learn never to use the word obvious. And you must make your statements as explicit as possible. Because good engineers have learned to ask all questions that are obvious (yeah no) as well as the not-so obvious ones.
 

Thread Starter

beatsal

Joined Jan 21, 2018
391
I cringe when someone uses the phrase “is obvious”. Because that begets another question, “to whom”? Because in my experience, when something is obvious to you, it is NOT obvious to some others.

If you purport to be an engineer, or want to communicate with an engineer, you must learn never to use the word obvious. And you must make your statements as explicit as possible. Because good engineers have learned to ask all questions that are obvious (yeah no) as well as the not-so obvious ones.
LOTS OF advice, still no answer!
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,155
LOTS OF advice, still no answer!
Lots of whining... still no question.

I’m not wasting my time here anymore. I’m sure that you’re a millennial who is entitled to an answer to a question that hasn’t been asked.

My crystal ball is in the shop, so see ya’!

Good luck with the others. If you understood my advice, you’ll know that you won’t be able to trust any replies (or “answers”).

Hasta la vista, Bebe!
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,788
One question begets another! When My garage door is open I don't realise it, rest is obvious.
Why is the door opened? Are you forgetting to close it? Is it hitting an obstruction and reversing?

I built an automatic garage door closer. My Wife forgot about it and got locked out of the house and had to go to the neighbors house to call me to come home and let her in.
 

Thread Starter

beatsal

Joined Jan 21, 2018
391
As mentioned, sometimes when in the house, I did not close the door, next morning I go out and see it was open all night. Recently, a neighbor emailed me saying it was open when I thought I had closed it; so my question is - can it be done or not?
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,618
Can you check your garage door each night before going to bed?
It's like part of the routine of brushing your teeth and turning off the lights.
 

Thread Starter

beatsal

Joined Jan 21, 2018
391
Thanks. This is Canada where it snows half the time. Would like something that can be done inside the remote box, say a counting cct or similar - if the count is even then door is open etc.
 

ElectricSpidey

Joined Dec 2, 2017
2,754
Wired or wireless?

Wired…LED, Reed Switch, Resistor & Wall Wort.

Wireless…any cheapo alarm system with open loop warning.

Ok, never mind...you want some rocket science kind of thing.
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,788
so my question is - can it be done or not?
Of course it can be done.

To avoid issues with ambient and stray light, I chose to use a mechanical switch. When the door was open, a timer ran and after a delay, closed the door. If you get locked out because of such a timer, don't blame anyone except yourself.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,618
Sure this is easily doable.
Connect a reed switch to a Raspberry Pi. Have it check the door every 15 minutes or what ever time interval you choose and send an SMS message to your smart phone saying "Hey beats, your door is open."
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,201
I have used this wireless sensor for a number of years to monitor two garage doors (since I also occasionally forget to close them).
It works well, but has somewhat limited range so the receiver can't be located in the house more than about 75' from the garage doors.
You mount it on the bottom of the door and it has a plunger/sensor that is pushed in when the door contacts the garage floor, closing the sensor contact (I think it may be magnetic), to indicate whether the door is closed.

The door transmitters uses a coin cell battery which last about a year.
 
I used Skylink for water. Not really sure if I was happy or not.

Right now, all the neat stuff for automation broke for some reason or another. I'd really like a comprehensive monitor for all sorts of stuff around the home.

Mostly water.
Door prop for freezer and fridge/freezer and temperature monitoring.
Possibly shed door. e.g. open after dusk.

This https://www.monnit.com/ company showed up in a search once.

One problem is not being able to hear it. I need to be able to act on water immediately.

I'm using a "baby monitor" in a unique way. A "ring" extender. With a cordless phone, I can hear if it's a page or intercom which is a nurse call system. I have two parental units. I do need to monitor a LED on the baby monitor and turn it into a high intensity LED across the room.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,576
Chamberlain G.D. systems have a limit switch (adjustable) for the up and down extreme limit, it is possible you could utilize this somehow, what you do with the limit is your choice for annunciator.
Accessed by removing the cover.
Max.
 
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