I’ve got a two part setup i’m trying to accomplish. I’m trying to find a sensor that I can connect to my garage door which I can see if it is open or closed via vera. The second part is I would like to have a wall module report if it is open. Something like the size of a scene controler which has a led indicator that I can mount in my hallway. Any ideas??? Another item would be if the wall indicator would tell me if any of my Schlage deadbols were unlocked.
Hmmm,…
Having attempted to “cheap” my set-up with the minimum that I might need, and now realizing that I should have gone with the more costly option, I’ll attempt to answer your questions…
Short of one of the following, there is no way (I know of) to determine the open/close state of a garage door opener motor unit; (a) Z-wave enabled garage door opener, like the Wayne Dalton ones [probably the best choice], (b) some sort of rigged relay attached to a Z-wave enabled relay unit [hope you have an electrical engineering degree], or (c) an IP enabled camera [at least you’ll have visual confirmation of security, but probably over-kill]…
IMHO, (a) and (c) are the best choices, while (b) is the most challenging, but potentially the cheapest.
As for your second question,… A tablet computing device mounted on your wall would provide the best solution,… I think someone has come up with an Vera app to use on the iTouch… Just mount the sucker on the wall. Short of that, you might want a PC with a USB interfaced touchscreen tuned to the MCV web-app. There are programmable scene controllers/switches, switch-like devices that are illuminated, but I don’t know much about them…
Look at;
http://www.asihome.com/ASIshop/product_info.php?cPath=564_570&products_id=3442
The most easiest and maybe cheapest way to build this up comes from the manufacturer of Vera’s dongle.
It’s a battery-powered Z-Wave magnetic door/window sensor.
http://www.aeon-labs.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemid=62
Here are a couple of options to look at:
Option 1:
Using the Wayne Dalton: the conversion module/receiver http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-1296-wayne-dalton-wdrr-372r-garage-door-conversion-module.aspx, the keyless key chain controller http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-1145-wayne-dalton-3150r-wireless-keychain-remote-control.aspx and the gateway http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-1144-wayne-dalton-wdha-12r-wireless-gateway-module-for-z-wavekep-iii3150r.aspx.
Option 2:
Wire one of these in parallel around each of your garage door push-button switches: ACT ZRF113: http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-654-homepro-zrf113-z-wave-isolated-contact-fixture-module.aspx or ZRW113 http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-552-homepro-zrw113w-z-wave-relay-switch.aspx. Each is powered by 120v but has an isolated relay that can be used with Vera to simulate a button push.
Now add a Door Sensor http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-951-hrds1-wireless-doorwindow-sensor.aspx to each of your garage doors so that Controller can track the open/close status of the doors.
When you arrive home, just use your existing garage door opener to open the door. The door sensor will alert Controller and you can trigger events, based on that. Also, you’ll be able to monitor the status of the door remotely and control the door with the ACT devices.
I have the HRDS1 sensor for monitoring status and a ZRF113 for controlling the switch. I am not quite sure why kaldoon said you need multiple ZRF113’s… I have 1 and it works perfect.
I have a scene setup to monitor when the door is opened and also when the door is closed (separate event for each). I also get an SMS message when either happens. The alerts are reliable 99% of the time and arrive within 30 seconds of the event.
See this thread for more info…
Great ideas everybody! Have any of you seen this or used it? http://www.zwaveproducts.com/GE-Home-Security/Garage-Door-Sensor.html
The one item I’m still trying to find a solution for is monitoring the door. I would like to put some sort of display in my hallway which would tell me if the door is open and/or if my Schlage deadbolts are locked. Could be a simple led panel or a color display of some sort…
The item is not Z-Wave - would be slick if it was.
ya, you will want to be careful with many of the home automation supply stores jason. most of then sell a variety of items of which only a fraction are z-wave.
The good thing about HRDS1 (vs. the one from Aeon) is ability to connect external contact sensor. My understanding is that this way you can connect simple wired contact sensor, a motion detector in parallel, etc - whatever triggers first. On Vera it will trigger the same HRDS1 device, but who cares - you’ve got security breach alert using one inexpensive zwave device and few very inexpensive wired sensors.
The Hawking HRDS1 works very well with garage doors to sense open and closed status. I can go into Dashboard and easily see if they are opened or closed.
The problem though, is having it alert you if a door is opened or not via SMS or email. You can set it to alert you when the door opens, which, depending on how often the door is opened, can be too frequent.
I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to have it check at two or three times a day, and only alert me if its open or not. The problem is that there’s no means to alert based solely upon a timer. The alerts are in the event logic only.
So I’m thinking of hooking up my garage door to Vera.
Thanks to kaldoon 
- Based on his recommendation I’m going with Option 2. Between the time thread was started and now if there are better ways to accomplish this - please let know
What I have setup is a Evolv relay (113) that is wired to the two contacts of the push button (the blue wires). I have a door sensor that is wired to a magnetic door sensor men for large doors. So far everything has been functioning great.
- Garrett
Thanks Garrett.
I’m bit confused about the Gateway as described in option 1:
- Does it receive a wireless command (Not Z-wave) then capable of sending out Z-wave command?
-OR-
- It also understands and receives Z-wave command and is capable of opening the garage door (thru’ the car 2 u receiver)
Anyone using this please provide some info…Thanks
There seems to be two models of this- One is Models: WDRR-372, WDRR-372R
The one kaldoon posted (atleast I think is not the Z-wave compatible?) This link here says it is z-wave compatible?
Any help please…?
http://www.thehomeautomationstore.com/wdrr372.html
Actually I think it is not possible with option 1 to open/close garage door with z-wave or am I missing something here? For instance the the Wayne Dalton: the conversion module/receiver can trigger z-wave scene but can it receive a Z-wave command and open or close garage door? Not sure on this!
Update:
So I ordered couple of those Evolve Relay. I’ll probably get a small junction box of some sort and try to fit these relays?
Any ideas on how to get them fixed in some sort of enclosure? Thanks
The wayne dalton can not control the garage door the way you want it to. In order for you to control the garage door via zwave, you will need to use either a modified appliance module or an easier way, the evolve lfm-20 relay module. The relay module would be powered by power of the black, red, and white wires and the two blue wires would tie into the two terminals for the wired remote of the garage door opener. I used an outdoor electrical enclosure for putting the relay in and making for a clean look. I’ll try and get pictures of the enclosure.
- Garrett
Thank You so much Garrett. I went to look for an enclosure at home depot - but not sure which one - I’ll be having two relays , one for each garage door - so pictures would be very very helpful.
This has worked really well for me for almost a year.
http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php?topic=4773.msg26131#msg26131
Since that post I have added an HRDS1 (or HM-DW001) connected to a Mercury switch (from an old thermostat) and use this plugin to ‘lock’ and ‘unlock’ (close or open) the garage door. http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php?topic=5106.0
My only issue is that my HRDS1 goes through 3 AAA batteries in about a month or two. I attribute this to the the heat in my garage. One day I will get an Amseco ODC-59A so I can mount the HRDS1 near 110V and I won’t have to keep replacing batteries. http://www.asihome.com/ASIshop/product_info.php?cPath=56_69&products_id=53
So I’ve got this working Two Z-Wave Relays One for each Door - I could just connected to single relay and have both doors open at the same time - But Two would work better.
I wasn’t sure how to fix the relay - but was able to find a Single Gang box at home depot that would do it