Comments on: DIY: Garage door open indicator http://www.practicalhacks.com/2009/09/15/diy-garage-door-open-indicator/ Gadgets, gear, and greatness for people on the go Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:48:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Michael Firstman@ Mig Welder Prices http://www.practicalhacks.com/2009/09/15/diy-garage-door-open-indicator/comment-page-1/#comment-4416 Michael Firstman@ Mig Welder Prices Sat, 13 Nov 2010 09:42:05 +0000 http://www.practicalhacks.com/?p=7151#comment-4416 Neat trick. I like it. I wish for a way to have the alarm rigged so that when the garage door is opened the parked car's lights turn on and it's horns blare and a copy of that video Macaulay Culkin uses to scare of the wet bandits in Home Alone plays in the background :) Neat trick. I like it. I wish for a way to have the alarm rigged so that when the garage door is opened the parked car’s lights turn on and it’s horns blare and a copy of that video Macaulay Culkin uses to scare of the wet bandits in Home Alone plays in the background :)

]]> By: Fred http://www.practicalhacks.com/2009/09/15/diy-garage-door-open-indicator/comment-page-1/#comment-4055 Fred Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:31:26 +0000 http://www.practicalhacks.com/?p=7151#comment-4055 This might not be for everyone but I will throw it out there. First thanks for the great write up. I plan on doing the install this week with a few twists and turns. I plan (as mentioned) to add the second garage door to the circuit. Also will use the Genie switches that send the open and close signals. I just buy two from Home depot. They never die. I will also use LED's in two locations. One in our kitchen(which is off the mud room) and also above the front door. The the reason is two fold. If we are not in the area of the first light then we have to walk past the front door to go up stairs. It is in plain site when lite. The second reason is in case one of led's blows out. I know they last a lifetime(blah blah). I have had many a led stop working in my car and why take a chance. I will have to wire them up in series (I think) to make sure that if one led does die the other will work. We leave our garage open most of the day so that little light will be on most of the time. Your thoughts on how to wire the two would be helpful.. Last comment is bringing the led up stairs. Many of us no longer use "house phones" land lines anymore. I have disconnected my phone and also the wires from phone company box. I have since used these wires (which are very nicely color coded) to run speakers through out the house. If you are the type that knows this type of wiring, I think you could find the correct wires near your garage and have have your wire issue to upstairs resolved. It would require you to connect those wires together at each phone jack,but that is no big deal compared to running wire upstairs.. Just a thought. This might not be for everyone but I will throw it out there. First thanks for the great write up. I plan on doing the install this week with a few twists and turns. I plan (as mentioned) to add the second garage door to the circuit. Also will use the Genie switches that send the open and close signals. I just buy two from Home depot. They never die. I will also use LED’s in two locations. One in our kitchen(which is off the mud room) and also above the front door. The the reason is two fold. If we are not in the area of the first light then we have to walk past the front door to go up stairs. It is in plain site when lite. The second reason is in case one of led’s blows out. I know they last a lifetime(blah blah). I have had many a led stop working in my car and why take a chance. I will have to wire them up in series (I think) to make sure that if one led does die the other will work. We leave our garage open most of the day so that little light will be on most of the time. Your thoughts on how to wire the two would be helpful.. Last comment is bringing the led up stairs. Many of us no longer use “house phones” land lines anymore. I have disconnected my phone and also the wires from phone company box. I have since used these wires (which are very nicely color coded) to run speakers through out the house. If you are the type that knows this type of wiring, I think you could find the correct wires near your garage and have have your wire issue to upstairs resolved. It would require you to connect those wires together at each phone jack,but that is no big deal compared to running wire upstairs.. Just a thought.

]]> By: Alan http://www.practicalhacks.com/2009/09/15/diy-garage-door-open-indicator/comment-page-1/#comment-2245 Alan Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:04:49 +0000 http://www.practicalhacks.com/?p=7151#comment-2245 That is a great idea, Kevin. It would work perfectly. Now I just have to figure out how to run that wire from the garage to the bedroom. Thanks for the great instructable. That is a great idea, Kevin. It would work perfectly. Now I just have to figure out how to run that wire from the garage to the bedroom. Thanks for the great instructable.

]]> By: Kevin http://www.practicalhacks.com/2009/09/15/diy-garage-door-open-indicator/comment-page-1/#comment-2241 Kevin Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:43:35 +0000 http://www.practicalhacks.com/?p=7151#comment-2241 Alan, Thanks for commenting! It's no doubt possible, but I'm not certain how draw the schematic. Simpler would be one LED, with two swtiches wired in parallel - one on each door, of course - this way the LED would illuminate if either door was open (or if they both were open). If that solution wouldn't work for you, please consider posting your question over at Instructables; I'm sure someone would be able to address it. kc Alan, Thanks for commenting! It’s no doubt possible, but I’m not certain how draw the schematic. Simpler would be one LED, with two swtiches wired in parallel – one on each door, of course – this way the LED would illuminate if either door was open (or if they both were open). If that solution wouldn’t work for you, please consider posting your question over at Instructables; I’m sure someone would be able to address it. kc

]]> By: Alan http://www.practicalhacks.com/2009/09/15/diy-garage-door-open-indicator/comment-page-1/#comment-2239 Alan Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:04:18 +0000 http://www.practicalhacks.com/?p=7151#comment-2239 I like this solution. I have installed the wireless variety, but when the battery in the transmitter gets weak, it is a pain to get a new one and replace it. I am not skilled with creating circuits, so I ahve one question. We have two garage doors. I'd like to install two LEDs. I think I figure out how to use the same transformer, but I want to confim that this is possible. I like this solution. I have installed the wireless variety, but when the battery in the transmitter gets weak, it is a pain to get a new one and replace it.

I am not skilled with creating circuits, so I ahve one question. We have two garage doors. I’d like to install two LEDs. I think I figure out how to use the same transformer, but I want to confim that this is possible.

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