I’m wondering if there is a simple relay that SmartThings is compatible with that could be used as a Garage door openner/closer? Something like this: http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-2975-evolve-lfm-20-20a-z-wave-relay-fixture-module.aspx, but preferable cheaper.
Depends if you want something commercial or not! 
I am working on this project right now: http://build.smartthings.com/projects/garagedoor/
Andrew from SmartThings was a HUGE help on the code for that last night and I’ll have it hooked up and testing tonight.
Takes an Arduino Uno ($22) - Smart shield ($Retail TBD) - and relay ($7) - then some power source. You can power via usb - so an old phone charger could work - I just picked up the $5 one that works with Arduino. (So in the end - likely about the same price… but hey - you made it yourself!!!)
The plus about this setup (and for other things) is if a person with a more advanced garage door wants to control more with the relay - they could. They could pick up the 4 relay module - change the code - and separately control 2 doors and 2 lights (if the doors have the light button as well) if they wanted. I will only be making it work with 1 relay - as my garage door opener is extremely old and only has open/close functionality.
I have that Evolve relay module and have it hooked up to my garage door. It works great.
The only trick is that when you send it the ‘on’ command you have to send it an ‘off’ shortly afterwards. It is like you are actually pushing the button on the opener, you don’t hold it down forever, you push and release. Luckily, SmartThings has a SmartApp that handles all of that for you.
Nice, thanks for the info Matt.
Hey Matt - which SmartApp are you using for that?
Just to be clear @matthewnohr
Is this the relay that you’re talking about?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007C8U6AC/
Any does anyone know what the difference is between the relay listed above, and this one plug in module? They look identical on Amazon.
One other thing I did not mention was that I wired it up in parallel to my existing garage door opener. You need to do that so the original button still works. I found this blog to be helpful: http://www.bornsupercharged.com/tech-shit/controlling-overhead-garage-door-with-z-wave/
@chrisb - I got the relay you originally mentioned. This one: http://www.amazon.com/Evolve-LFM-20-Fixture-Module/dp/B006U1O978/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355860114&sr=8-1&keywords=lfm-20
It looks like it is out of stock now, but you can probably find it on other sites besides Amazon.
@eschuld - The app is simply called “Garage Door Opener”.
@Matt - yeah - I looked at that one… didn’t work for me. I have the arduino shield + relay setup working - but the code Andrew sent over makes it not a standard opener. It works GREAT! But I need to spend some time looking at the code and at the smartapps to make it work - since it’s a little different.
And yes - set it up in parallel - like you said. I actually placed my whole setup on top of my garage door opener and just screwed the wired into the same spot that the existing button spots are in… so both wires hooked up to the same spot. I did it that way as I am powering my arduino with the power adaptor - not batteries - and there was already an outlet up by the opener. Worked slick!
@Eric - Right, that sounds like what I did. I wired a regular old plug onto the relay module (it had black/white/green wires for power) and just plugged that into the outlet that already by my opener. Then hooked a couple wires (blue I think) into the same spot as the wires from the existing button.
I’m considering this as a cheaper option:
http://www.smarthome-products.com/p-2975-evolve-lfm-20-20a-z-wave-relay-fixture-module.aspx
Get this relay ($10) and a Zwave outlet ($30+shipping). Saw a guy on you tube who did this. Apparently the relay has outputs suitable for running in parallel to the garage door opener.
Oops… yeah, I meant this one:
Here’s the video where I saw it demo’d:
This is similar to the one I built. I built mine out of spare parts I had and it works great.
Okay, so I have all my parts now. I’ve got two Intermatic outlets (one for each garage door), I’ve got the relays and the connectors. Still need to pick up some wire to hook up the outlets to power in the garage.
The plan is this: Outlet is wired up and defaults to off. Plugged into the outlet is a cord that goes to the relay. The other side of the relay will be wired in parallel to the garage button. So, when I activate the garage door in SmartApps, the hub will send a signal to the outlet to turn it on. This will turn on the relay, with will close the other side of the relay circuit, simulating someone pushing the garage door button.
Of course, this only simulates pushing the button. Now we have to simulate releasing the button. So, after a few seconds the hub needs to send a signal to the outlet to turn off, which turns off the relay, which opens the circuit, which simulates releasing the button. I believe this shouldn’t be too hard to do in the SmartThings App.
BUT… looking at my parts I’m wondering about trying something different. Here’s the thing. The relay has two separate circuits on the other side. I could wiring up two garage doors but this would be both doors open/close whenever the circuit is closed, so I don’t plan on doing this. Different outlet, different relay for each garage. But what I also notice is the Intermatic outlets have a push button on them. This allows you to turn on/off the outlet while standing at the outlet as well as remotely turning it on/off. This, like the garage door button, a momentary push button.
Part of me wants to take apart this outlet and see if I can connect the second relay outputs to this button. The idea being that as soon as power goes to the relay it signals a push on the garage door button telling it to open/close. And at the same time it sends a signal to the outlet, telling it to shut off. This would mean that all I have to have smartthings hub do is send one signal to the outlet: Turn on. The act of turn on will, because of the relay, turn it off automatically a split second later.
What I don’t know, of course, is if this will turn it off too quickly. Will this be an instant off at the outlet? If so, will it happen before the garage door registers a button press? I’m really curious how this would work.
In the end I probably won’t do this as my understanding is to the “turn on - wait 2 seconds - turn off” is pretty easy to do. Probably a lot easier than the hacking of hardware I’m thinking of doing.
Maybe it is just that I’m more of a software guy, but rewiring the button on the outlet seems like a lot more work that using a SmartApp. In fact, there is already a smart app called “Garage Door Opener” that basically listens of the “on”, waits 3 seconds, then sends an “off”. That’s what I was using with my garage. You’d probably need the app installed twice, once for each garage door.
You’re probably right. Like I mentioned, I’m probably NOT going to do it, but it’s just tempting when you see the second set of posts for the relay and you see a push button the on outlet. :)
Now if only my Things and Hubs would come…
I am a novice when it comes to electronics so I thought I would ask. I want to use the setup that this guy did.
My only question is what wires hook up to which sides of the relay. I want to use the $10 radio shack relay. Does it matter which color goes where from the power cord and which cord goes to which part of the bell wires?
Thanks!
Has anyone taken this to the next step to have the door report back if it is open or not?
If I’m away from home, I’d like to be able to check to make sure I closed the door. My plan is to use the arduino sheild to determine if the door is open, and also to allow me to open or close it. I would like this to work for both of my garage doors. I’m hoping to tap into the existing system of how the garage door opener knows if it is open or closed.
Thanks!
hey jibg, I would think the multi sensor could report that pretty easily.