Hi there,
I’m about to automate my garage door and I’m debating between the two implementations.
I have an older opener that would require a MyQ add-on (888LM) / Internet gateway (828LM), so price-wise, the total cost of connecting the door would be the same as LFM-20 with SmartSense Multi.
With recent community driven integration of MyQ, what is the recommended way to connect garage doors?
Thanks. Appreciate your input.
IMHO, I would go with the LFM-20 because it will work with most all garage door openers. You mention yours is an older opener so I personally wouldn’t invest in something specific to it since it may need replacing some day.
I actually chose to go with the Linear FS20Z-1 versus the LFM-20. It is a little cheaper and it works great.
This opener is about 2 years old and of a high quality. I said “older” because it doesn’t already have MyQ built in.
I already have Linear FS20Z-1 purchased, but I would use it for fireplace if I don’t use it for the garage.
I should’ve mentioned that I’m really concerned about injuries due to door descending unexpectedly because we have little kids.
Sine a relay is more of a door opener hack, what’s the chance of it misfiring?
I have only had mine installed for a month now and I haven’t had any situations with it descending on its own. Honestly I see this relay no different than the standard doorbell opener button or car openers where the garage could close while someone is walking through. That is why I have the sensors installed to stop it from descending if someone is walking through.
I use the LFM-20. It has never misfired. And your laser beam across the entry way would still work if you had an app make it close automatically.
IMO, the biggest thing to verify is that your garage door opener just has on/off on the wires coming in. If so, the LFM-20 is easy. Mine was a Genie opener with Intellicode which encodes multiple buttons and lights into the same wires. You can’t just wire up the LFM-20 easily. I soldered the LFM-20 to a remote control that I’d taken apart using some videos I’d seen online as reference. Not a convenient solution and I would have happily used an add-on to the garage door opener if one was available.
My opener has only 2 wires coming out of it and a control panel is attached to it. It’s not a simple door bell button, it has motion sensor, temperature display and a bunch of other controls.
I gotta look into it, but I don’t think I could wire up the LFM-20 easily. Getting another remote control to hack into would not be cost effective. LFM+Tilt+Remote > MyQ.