X10 Community Forum
💬General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: StanthemanII on October 18, 2008, 11:06:21 PM
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Is there any way for a Chamberlain garage door opener (2008) to access X10's? I would like all the outside lights which are on X10's to light when I press the button to open the garage door.
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Is there any way for a Chamberlain garage door opener (2008) to access X10's? I would like all the outside lights which are on X10's to light when I press the button to open the garage door.
I do something very similar myself. I also have a inside [computer generated] voice announcement to tell [and remind] me that the garage door is open. I accomplished this using AHP and BVC (http://www.davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm) and published the macro I used here (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=14721.msg81860#msg81860) at the X10 forums. I also use a BVC (http://www.davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm) Voice Announcement as part of my perimeter protection. You can these this in my YouTube Video (http://www.youtube.com/suitmanIM).
The" hardware part" of what I did... was purchase this magnetic switch (http://www.automatedoutlet.com/product.php?productid=388&cat=0&page=1) that I attached to my garage door and a powerflash module (http://www.x10.com/security/x10_pf284.htm). That way.. when the garage door is opened the switch will cause the powerflash unit to send a PLC X10 on signal. When the door closes... an off signal is sent.
The way I did it... I am sure.. is NOT the only way. Your Chamberlain opener is much new than mine. I know many of the newer ones allow for "third button" (lights) operation. Ether way... you shouldn't have any major problems. Actually... your idea has opened a door of possibility's. With the addition of AHP (if your not using AHP already) you can even set up exit and/or welcome routines. Causing forgotten lights to be turned off when you leave, or a hot tub to warm up when you arrive home from work.
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Is there any way for a Chamberlain garage door opener (2008) to access X10's? I would like all the outside lights which are on X10's to light when I press the button to open the garage door.
Yes, This is simply an additional way (to Dave's) to interface the Powerflash to the door opener. DaveX10 used a separate magnetic switch, I used a wall wart plugged into the garage lifter light socket.
You need a PSC01 "Power Flash" X10 interface and a low voltage wall wart power supply. Any voltage from 5 to 18 V AC or DC will work fine. Use light socket adapters to plug the wall wart into the door lifter light socket. Connect the output of the wall wart to the Powerflash and set the Powerflash to the same code as your outside lights. Using this method, your outside lights will be on when ever your door lifter light is on. If you want more sophisticated control, i.e outside lights don't come on during the daytime, or outside lights stay on longer than lifter light, then you need to add the AHP macro control like Dave X10 details.
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Here's an idea I cam across "accidentally"
Mount an eagle eye close to the light on the garage door opener.
Use the dusk/dawn OFF output to start an outdoor light macro.
When you activate the garage door opener,the light(on the opener) will go on,triggering the OFF signal,and the macro will start
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Is there any way for a Chamberlain garage door opener (2008) to access X10's? I would like all the outside lights which are on X10's to light when I press the button to open the garage door.
Yes, This is simply an additional way (to Dave's) to interface the Powerflash to the door opener. DaveX10 used a separate magnetic switch, I used a wall wart plugged into the garage lifter light socket.
You need a PSC01 "Power Flash" X10 interface and a low voltage wall wart power supply. Any voltage from 5 to 18 V AC or DC will work fine. Use light socket adapters to plug the wall wart into the door lifter light socket. Connect the output of the wall wart to the Powerflash and set the Powerflash to the same code as your outside lights. Using this method, your outside lights will be on when ever your door lifter light is on. If you want more sophisticated control, i.e outside lights don't come on during the daytime, or outside lights stay on longer than lifter light, then you need to add the AHP macro control like Dave X10 details.
The one time I tried something like this with a DC wall wart, I found the input impedance of the Powerflash was high enough that it took several minutes for the wall wart voltage to drop below the level where the Powerflash would turn off. Wall warts will obviously vary, so YMMV. Since I needed "instantaneous" response, I switched to an AC wall wart.
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Charles, I haven't run into sloe bleed off problem, but can understand if the DC wall wart has much filtering. AC would be better choice. Thanks!
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The one time I tried something like this with a DC wall wart, I found the input impedance of the Powerflash was high enough that it took several minutes for the wall wart voltage to drop below the level where the Powerflash would turn off. Wall warts will obviously vary, so YMMV. Since I needed "instantaneous" response, I switched to an AC wall wart.
Hey.... I had ran into the same problem with the DC wallwart... but wasn't smart enough to figure out what was happening. A big Thanks for the help from me.