Adding z-wave control to existing Liftmaster wall-mounted control panel

Devices & Integrations Device Ideas
1

I’m using a regular “dumb” Chamberlain Whisper Drive garage door opener. I already connected a z-wave Linear GoControl opener so I can control its opening and closing through SmartThings. But I’m also still using the wall-mounted control panel

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that came with the Chamberlain device. I like that the control panel actually gives me the option to lock the garage door from being opened or closed by any of the remotes, as well as from being opened or closed by the Linear z-wave opener. As of now I have to manually press the lock button on the panel which is located in my garage. I know of no other way to do this except by using this control panel.

My inquiry: I want the option of being able to 1) lock and unlock the garage door through SmartThings via z-wave and 2) be able to know through SmartThings if the garage door is locked (not just closed), like at nighttime. Is this possible either by manipulating the existing wall-mounted control panel or is there a smart control panel out there that gives me this option?

2

There is a simple way to do this, but it may be too expensive, and I am reluctant to recommend these now even though I use them in my own home. this is essentially a robot finger. It has its own IFTTT channel, so integration with echo or SmartThings is very simple using IFTTT.

The reason I am now reluctant to recommend them is that they have changed from a locally operating no fee model to a cloud-based annual service plan model. So I’m not as happy with these as I used to be, but I should mention them as they are an easy solution for retrofitting which doesn’t damage the original device or alter the safety mechanisms. .

see post 7 seven in the following thread.

3

Thank you very much for the response. You’re right about those things having a wide variety of user reviews.

I’m still so new to SmartThings, as well as to any electrical understanding whatsoever. In my mind, I’m wondering (hoping) if it’s possible (or logical) of just soldering wires to the control panel chip board where the “lock” button presses against, and then somehow being able to send an electrical response (that would be equivalent to the physical pressing of the lock button) via a z-wave controlled device.