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Thread: Monitoring the status of a garage door

  1. #1
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    Monitoring the status of a garage door

    We received this question from a customer and thought other might be interested in this topic...


    If I have sensor wired to an input on a VCRX to determine when the garage door I open or close how can I program a button to show to status of the garage door. I would also like a goodnight button to not only turn off the lights but also to close the garage door if it is open.

    To accomplish this programming the input trigger a maintain output on the VCRX. When the input is closed indicating the door is open the CCO is closed. When the input opens the CCO is programmed to open indicating the door is closed.

    On the garage button it is set up as a toggle with the LED logic set to room. On the “Press On” tab the CCO to close the door is puled and the maintained closure is set to close. On the “Press Off” tab the CCO to open the door is pulsed and the maintained closure is opened. Since the Led logic is set to room it will follow the state of the maintained closure.

    On the goodnight button it is a conditional. There is a “Door open” and “Door closed”. On the “Door open” action the lights are programmed to go off and the pulsed CCO for the garage door is puled.” On the “Door closed” action on the lights are programmed to turn off. The LED logic is scene and is based on “Door closed”. On the press tab there is a conditional that looks at the maintained CCO and if it is open then the “Door open” scene is run else the “Door closed” scene is run.
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  2. #2
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    Craig

    I am assuming you have 1 door.

    In my opinion I would setup the input on the vcrx to set a 2 state variable. I would make my default state as closed since I would assume the door is usually closed. You currently have the input triggering a relay closure. I would have the sensor set the variable assuming your using 1 sensor you can monitor 1 state of the door and would have to make an assumption the door is not stopped in the middle. I am assuming its a residential door with a pulse open pulse stop pulse close. If you make the input set a variable we could then use that variable for comparison later on the goodnight button and Led logic

    Once you have created the 2 state variable and labeled the variable states open and close. Then assign the variables to the input based on your sensor configuration. For example is a closure to the input when the door is open or closed? Once you have assigned the variable to the input every time the sensor has a closure it will set the variable to the proper state assuming the sensor is set up to close when the door is closed and an open to the input says the door is open.

    Now I would set up my output. I would create a CCO pulsed output. I would label that garage door.Now on the vcrx i would assign tht output to output 1 on the vcdx. I would then connect that in parallel with the garage door opener button. So when we tell that output to close it will pulse the door opener as if the button was pressed.

    Now I would set up the the 2 keypad buttons you want to use to open and close the door. I use 2 separate buttons because in order to get the led logic correct you need to set up 2 conditional buttons those conditional buttons will be able to follow the logic properly. Label button 1 Open and button 2 Close . Set them as conditional led logic to scene and led based on the variable you created earlier. So on the open button you would choose the variable state open and on the close button the variable state of close.

    If you had one button it would be very confusing to end user with logic on the buttons been there done that.

    Now back to programming the Open button on the Press tab

    First you need to set up the Action. That should be the Load we made earlier CCO Pulsed thats assigned to Output 1 on the vcdx. I used the name PulseDoor In my example.

    Its conditional so I would have something like IF GarageDoor is Closed then Run PulseDoor
    So "GarageDoor" is my variable "Closed" is the State and "PulseDoor" is my action.

    This makes it so no Pulse will go on output if the door is already Open.

    The Close Button is the same except I would say something like this
    If GarageDoor is Open then Run PulseDoor
    So "GarageDoor" is my variable "Open" is the State and "PulseDoor" is my action.
    You will have to make the action again on the close button dont forget.

    This set up seems to keep the logic correct as long as the door isn't stopped in the middle.

    As for the goodnight button you will need to make that conditional to do all your lights you want then you will need to add another condition that checks if door is open and if it is to close it. Since there is no difference to the garage door on an open or close you need to make sure its open before sending the pulse

    I made a lot of assumptions on your questions
    I assumed theres 1 door
    I assumed 1 magnetic door contact
    I assumed its a residential pulse garage door
    I assumed you were somewhat familiar with conditional programming to understand what I did

    Feel free to post any questions. If someone else has a better idea or way of doing this please jump in

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  4. #3
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    Craig I apologize I just realized your posting all over to start topics. I thought you were actually asking how to do this. I now see you work at Lutron and most likely knew everything I posted. I wont address my answers actually to you and I will post example DB in the future when I try to contribute.

  5. #4
    I am trying to do this, but I am unable to assign anything to the input of the VCRX. What am I missing?

    I have a Honeywell magnetic sensor attached to the garage door and going to Input 1 on the VCRX. The garage door motor is connected to Output 1 of the VCRX.

    When the door is down and the contacts are touching, the LED next to Input1 on the VCRX is illuminated. As soon as the contact is broken, the LED goes out, so I know that the sensor is working properly.

    I like the idea of setting a variable so that I can then monitor the state of the variable from another control system as well.

    mcignarella I think your solution is perfect for me. My setup is identical to yours described, but I cannot assign anything to Input1 on the VCRX when I am in the Design--->Equipment section.

    Any pointers are greatly appreciated.

  6. #5
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    You need to do the inputs from the program tab not the design tab. I know its confusing because there is actually an assign button for the input on the program tab. It doesn't work yet. Go to the program tab then choose the controller and click on the input button. Then use the drop down choose variables. Once you have made the variable it will show up as a choice.

  7. #6
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    If you have an email you want share I can send you a sample DataBase

    One did thing I forgot to mention is when your programing your Keypad buttons conditionally you need to make 3 separate actions. 1 action called pulse door assign the cco closure under contact closures to that action 2nd action label door open assign your variable open state to that action 3rd action label door close assign the close state of the variable to that action. You will use 2 of the actions to actually tell the led where to get its state from for example led logic set to scene then led based on either door open or door close dependent on the button your programing either open or close. you will need to do everything twice once for the open button once for the close button.

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  9. #7
    mcingnarella, I tried to send you a private message with my email address, but that feature is not enabled yet. I would rather not post my email address on the open forum. Do you have any other way to post the sample database or send the file?

  10. #8
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    i think this upload might work
    Attached Files Attached Files

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  12. #9
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    I should mention that every time you upload the variables go back to there default state. This means if you upload to the processor and the door is open it will show closed after upload. you will need to run the door to get the variable correct. You wont have to worry on a power failure it will go back to the state it was at previously. So when testing keep in mind what your default state is and where door is after upload.

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  14. #10
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    Craig,
    I'm installing a Visor Receiver for the first time with Radio RA2 software. The garage doors are connected to contact closure outputs on the receiver and work fine when I engage the appropriate button. The Visor Controllers are also programmed. It's all entered into the RA2 software and I've run the program, updating the repeater. I don't see any way to run the garage doors with the Home Control software (I don't see the Visor Control or Visor Receiver anywhere in the remote software). What am I missing?

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