How To - Linear Garage door and Amazon Alexa

This write up is for this device: Labeled under NuTone, Linear, Iris, GoControl, and several others.

Note I am pretty sure that this method of integration will not work with a MyQ garage door opener. Please search the forums for information about that. Ensure your garage door controller is compatible with the Linear Zwave module.

Informational
There is an amazing smartapp that works with this as well. Alexa Helper by @MichaelS. You can find a very detailed write up on how to install this app as well as use it here. It is well worth the effort.

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Alexa_Helper

More Informationals

How do you install custom device handlers and smart apps? Simple, follow this link and it will teach you.

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Using_Custom_Code#Using_a_Custom_Device_Handler

Step one - Install this code as a device handler - Special thanks to @Ron
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR VIA THE APP AT THIS TIME

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gouldner/SmartThingsPublic/master/devicetypes/gouldner/rg-linear-gd00z-garage-door-opener.src/rg-linear-gd00z-garage-door-opener.groovy

This link has some good information about this entire process. Read this to learn more.

Step 2 - Once you have the device handler installed in the IDE, Install your garage door controller.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR VIA THE APP AT THIS TIME

Step 3 - Log back into the IDE and go to my devices. Scroll down until you find your garage door controller and click on it. At the bottom of that screen click on Edit. You will see a drop down menu, click on it. Make sure your device type is: RG Linear GD00Z Garage Door Opener

If it something else, change it to this one. It will be at the bottom of the drop down menu when you click on Type. Click done.

Step 4 - Open the ST mobile app. Tap on Things and scroll down to your garage door. Tap on the name. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR VIA THE APP AT THIS TIME

Step 5 - Device handler may or may not show your door as closed or open. It may say that it is unknown. Either way, do this first:

Manually open and close the garage door at least 2 cycles. This will sync the device with the app.

Now try to open and close via the ST mobile app (just to make sure it’s working)

Step 6 - Go back to the ST mobile app. Tap on the hamburger (3 horizontal lines) in the top right corner. Tap on Smart apps. Tap on the Amazon Echo smart app. Tap anywhere in the MySwitches area. Check the box next to the garage door. Tap done.

Step 7 - Tell Alexa to discover your devices. Once she is done go into the Amazon Echo Android App and make sure your garage door is there.

Step 8 - Tell Alexa to “Open the Garage Door”. Then try “Close the Garage Door”

NOTE
At this time Amazon Alexa is having problems controlling some Home Automation devices. If open and close do not work you can try a couple of things:

  1. You can say turn on and turn of the garage door.
  2. You can create a group in the Amazon Echo Android app called garage door. Place on the garage door in it and then try open and close. This may or may not work. Sometimes mine works with open close, sometimes not.

Let me know if you have any questions.

EDIT 3 Nov 2016.

It has now been exactly 6 months since I wrote this. I can honestly say that I have not had a single instance of a problem with this device. It has never failed, or opened the door unexpectedly, or not closed the door, or anything else. I’ve never had a glitch from it. This is a great product.

8 Likes

Perfect timing since I just purchased two of these for the house this past weekend. Thanks @bamarayne!

2 Likes

Cool, now anyone can just shout really loud “Alexa, Open Garage Door” and get in your garage :slight_smile:

I was unaware of any Alexa issues. It works perfectly for me with Home Automation. Is this issue on Alexa side or ST side ?

“open” and “close” have gotten really hit or miss with Alexa for me. It’s not really supposed to work with those words, so can’t be mad.

actually, it is supposed to.

really? wouldn’t seem like words you would typically use with a switch or thermostat.

woohoo - it worked!

FWIW - I already had the GD00Z-04 working a few days ago, but I followed your instructions and it worked the first time. :grinning:

One weird thing that I’m sure is related to Alexa - she consistently opens with the word open, but she doesn’t understand close, I have to tell her to turn off the garage door for her to close it.

Thanks again @bamarayne

I cannot find ‘RG Linear GD00Z Garage Door Opener’ under type, all it shows is ‘Z-Wave Garage Door Opener’. I have the Iris brand from Lowes

Also the garage opener does not show up under Echo discovered devices in the alexa app, I had to create a virtual switch to make it work.

You missed step one

Go back to the beginning. Read the directions, all of them. Follow them.

yes, I missed step one. Thank you.

Currently I am able to make it work with Alexa using command " garage on " and " garage off " and have been using it for the past 1 month but before I make this change to my existing set up could you’ll please confirm that command " open garage " & " close garage " work.
Thank you

Also curious if maybe my problem is my device named is “main garage door” instead of just “garage door”. So maybe “close garage door” works better than “close main garage door”.

I couldn’t wait and I can confirm that it works. Thank you guys
Now, does anyone have something similar setup for the Schlage Lock? I’m currently using virtual switch and On/Off command.

I has a light called “Main Light” and Alexa could never get it right. I think it is getting translated to Mane or Maine or something other then Main.

I also have a light called “Gym Light” which Alexa keeps getting wrong saying “I don’t have Jim Light in your profile”

I would try changing Main Garage to “Master Garage” “Primary Garage” or just plain Garage.

Interesting! I’ll give that a try.

Thanks for posting. I can only get “on/off” to work, but it’s better than nothing.

Same here, but worked fine from the install! All I needed. Thanks @bamarayne!

This works perfectly thank you!