It's been awhile since I used "Active Home (the original)" so I'll let someone else comment on building a macro for it.Steven,
I think all you basically need however is an Universal Module set for momentary mode wired across the the same contacts as your push button. This will let you open or close the door from X10. You may want to add a transever module into the mix if you want to control it with a wireless switch.
All that said, you should give some thought to whether you really want X10 to open the door. Every garage door remote system offers more security than an X10 signal. The last thing you want to happen is to have your door open when a neighbor turns on a light with their X10 system.
I do use X10 for my garage door but only to close it. (I have a magnetic switch wired in series with my Universal Module output.) I can phone in a close as well as the door closes as part of a couple AHP macros.
Pictures would be nice because installing the reed switch was the trickiest part for me. Sorry I haven't stepped over the techo hump to supply pictures. (I know it's not hard but I haven't found the time do it.) That means you'll have to survive with my description....I do use X10 for my garage door but only to close it. (I have a magnetic switch wired in series with my Universal Module output.) I can phone in a close as well as the door closes as part of a couple AHP macros.Steven,
...just close the garage door, not open it. Can you walk me through it? Any pictures of the universal module hooked up to the garage door board, as well as macro screenshots would be great!
Also, you mentioned a magnetic switch - is that like a door security sensor? I have one installed already...
azzar0 most hard wired door buttons are only 2 wire and respond to a momentary closing of the buttons contact tips. The logic of up down or stop is done inside the main door unit. This has been the case with all the units I have ever had. (some may use 3 wire).I too have never seen a 3 wire system. The momentary switch starts a direction. If I recall correctly... If it is pushed while the door is closing the direction reverses. If pressed while opening it stops. For a closed contact to definitively close the door, you must know it is open all the way. This is why I have my reed switch installed where I do.
(Garage Door IS NOT fully open in this diagram - magnets DON'T touch each other) (http://www.x10community.com/forums/Themes/x10theme1/images/post/thumbdown.gif)
Universal Module: (wire1) -------> (magnet 1) ||| ||| (magnet 2) -------------------> garage door opener
(wire2) --------------------------------------------------------------------------> garage door opener
(Garage Door IS fully open in this diagram - magnets DO touch each other) (http://www.x10community.com/forums/Themes/x10theme1/images/post/thumbup.gif)
Universal Module: (wire1) -------> (magnet 1)|||||| (magnet 2) -------------------> garage door opener
(wire2) --------------------------------------------------------> garage door opener
.....most hard wired door buttons are only 2 wire and respond to a momentary closing of the buttons contact tips. The logic of up down or stop is done inside the main door unit. This has been the case with all the units I have ever had. (some may use 3 wire).
... Anyway - is this something I could use?Well that's a really nice switch but it's really designed for detecting the door being closed. It might be adaptable but it is made to be mounted on the floor. With some clever macro programming you could send garage signals till it detects a closed closed door. The problem with that approach is that an X10 signal can open the door.
http://www.smarthome.com/7455.html
Thank You steven r! Your concept opened my eyes to how to do a very similar project (just being notified when the door is left open). I found this VERY Helpful.
Trigger = garage sensor / sensor closedYou could then put this macro on a timer and voila - garage door is closing by itself, correct?
play message "Garage door will close automatically in 15 seconds, please stand back"
turn chime on (audio beep during count-down time)
set delay 15 seconds
turn on appliance module (one that universal module is plugged in)
turn universal module on (that should close the garage door)
turn off appliance module (cut power off again)
turn chime off
trigger another macro (to check and make sure door is closed. this second macro could play another message to inform that the door was closed successfully, etc).
OK, I need help...
I got my universal modules today from X10. I wrote a macro that checks to see if the garage door is fully open (I use magnetic contacts / door sensor). If it is open then I make an announcement, turn on the chime, then turn on an appliance module (to give power to the UM506), and then turn on UM506. After a few seconds I turn the appliance module back off. The macro executes flawlessly, I hear the announcement, the chime, the appliance module clicks on, waits a few seconds, and then it turns itself off. Today I added UM506 into the mix as soon as I got it. I connected it to the garage door opener (in parallel with the push button), but it didn't work.
I bypassed the appliance module and connected UM506 directly to the push button contacts on the opener. When I did that, the push button no longer had power and I still couldn't control the garage door. My question is - how do I correctly install the UM506 so that I can still use the push button AND use the universal module to automatically close the door???
There are 2 connections on the garage door opener for the push button. I though if I take one wire from the UM506, connect it to one of the push button connections, then take the other wire from the universal module and connect it to the other connection of the push button it would work? But it doesn't. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Thanks Don.
I already have a door/window sensor on the garage door. A monitoring macro (which runs every half hour between 9 PM and midnight) announces through the speakers that the garage door is still open (with Bill's BXVC or x10dispatcher). I think all I need now is a universal module which I will connect ONLY TO THE CLOSE wire of the garage door opener. Is this true? I am assuming I can tell which one is the "CLOSE" wire on the garage door opener - correct?
Thanks,
Azzar0.