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Thread: Garage Door Control

  1. #1
    Authorized Lutron Contributor
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    Garage Door Control

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

    Is there a way to tell if a garage door is open or closed by a keypad led being on or off. I do not want a load to tell me if the door is open or not just a keypad led.

  2. #2
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    RE: Garage Door Control

    Quote Originally Posted by Vic
    Is there a way to tell if a garage door is open or closed by a keypad led being on or off. I do not want a load to tell me if the door is open or not just a keypad led.
    To tell if the garage door is open or closed you would need a sensor that would wire to the input of the VCRX. When the door is open the input would remain closed. Then when the door is closed the input would remain open.

    This input would then be programmed to close an output on the VCRX. You button would have this output assigned to it. When the output is closed the LED would be on and when the output is opened the LED would be off.

    You can also assign a second output to this same button to pulse and output that would in turn open and close the garage door.

  3. #3
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    RE: Garage Door Control

    There is no way to install garage sensors as this project is finished. Is there any other way to do it?

  4. #4
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    RE: Garage Door Control

    Quote Originally Posted by Vic
    There is no way to install garage sensors as this project is finished. Is there any other way to do it?
    If you are ok with using a dummy load that is not connected to anything you can add a dummy load in the project file for the garage door. You would assign this dummy load to any button in the system that control the garage door. The button would be a toggle button with this load assigned as well as the VCRX output that controls the garage door.

    With this solution the LED on the keypad will not track is the garage door is controlled by something other than the system.

  5. #5
    I disagree with the notion that you can truly monitor the state of a garage door with RadioRA2 version today's version 6.20 software. This is a security feature so incorrect implementation could expose your garage assests to theft! Everyone should be cautious here about liability and bad implementation. I investigated this in February of 2011 and suggested at the time that Lutron adds a new button type called a "CCI/CCO monitor".

    So again I will reiterate my concerns!

    Here is the problem I see:

    If the door is shut and you open the door with the keypad button, it changes the state of the keypad LED, even if the door is forced to stay closed. Similarly, if the door is open and you use the keypad to close it, the LED changes, even if the door does not actually close. This is because the keypad button will override the current status of the CCO, which is normally controlled based on the CCI. So it doesn’t function like a true status indicator when something out of the norm occurs, like an obstacle in the door path or a kid that trips the IR beam so the stays open. Unless something changed from February 2011 to now, the only way to truly monitor the status of the door is if the keypad LED is dependent ONLY on the CCI status (A feature I believe is only found in Homeworks today).

    It seems to me that the only ways to solve this problem is by adding a feature to the RA2 software. We need a new keypad button type – CCO/CCI Monitor (keypad button operates say CCO-1 but the LED is dependent on CCI-1).

    Please correct me if I'm wrong!

  6. #6
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    Here are two possible options besides using a dummy load:
    1) If possible it would be recommended to use a sensor that would close one of the CCI's on the VCRX unit when the door is opened. This input would then be programmed to close a CCO. When the door is opened the CCI would close causing the CCO to be closed. When the door begins to close the CCI will open which in turn opens the CCO. If sensor in the door it triggered the door will open which will close the CCI again.
    On the button you want to monitor the garage door you would have the CCO that the input is triggering assigned. This way when the CCO is closed the LED on that button would be on. When the CCO is opened the LED would be off. You would then want set your button type to be Toggle control/Room monitoring. You can also add a second CCO that pulses to control the garage door on this same button.

    2) Another option would be to use one sensor that closes when the door is open and another sensor for when the door is fully closed. Each sensor would wire to the different CCI inputs on the VCRX unit. When the sensor for the door to be open is closed the input closes which closes a CCO on the VCRX. This CCO remains closed until the door is fully closed and that sensor closes the other CCI. This second CCI open the CCO.
    On the button you want to monitor the garage door you would have the CCO that the input is triggering assigned. This way when the CCO is closed the LED on that button would be on. When the CCO is opened the LED would be off. For this scenario you would need one button to monitor the CCO that the CCI's are trigger which should have the button type to be Toggle control/Room monitoring. You would then need a second button to pulse the CCO to control the garage door.

    We will also pass along this feedback to have a CCO/CCI monitoring button as a button type in the RadioRA2 software.
    Attached Files Attached Files

  7. #7
    Hi Craig:

    I have not looked at your Scenario 2, but Scenario 1 is exactly the same as what I previously had concerns with.
    Implementing "Scenario1" works perfectly if you DON'T use RA2 to send a pulse to open/close the door. However if you try to open/close the garage door with your new RA2 keypad button, AND the door jams (stays open or stays closed)... then you will temporarily loose sync on the keypad status LED, until the door actually completes the open/close motion. It doesn’t truly monitor the CCI...

    The problem is that CCO1 gets temporarily overridden via keypad (that’s what is supposed to happen), but CCI1 does not take back control of CCO1 until CCI1 changes state.

    So by opening/closing the garage door with RA2, you don't really know for sure if the door opened!

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Vic F. View Post
    There is no way to install garage sensors as this project is finished. Is there any other way to do it?
    Other concerns aside, I do not see any 100% solution without wired limit switch(s). 2 would be best but even just 1 would at least tell you it's not 100% closed.

    You say there is no way to put a sensor or limit switch? If this feature is that important I would suggest that the info its intended to supply be accurate. In that case how about moving the VCRX itself or adding another one to be mounted near the motor unit. You should have power there for the VCRX and you can usually easily attach limit switch(s) and wiring to the structure of the door travel rails.

    You have a 2 conductor wire likely run between the current VCRX and motor anyway, even if you move the current VCRX near the motor unit and use a regular button wired to the CCI to do the normal trigger/toggle of the door, then you only have one more CCI to use for a positive down limit switch or sensor. That should do the trick, you just need to add a regular garage door button, limit switch & relocate the VCRX. (You may have to or want to add an additional keypad if those functions were necessary in it's original location but then the cost of adding a second VCRX should be about the same as a keypad & adding a second VCRX would give you the ability to use both of the CCI's one for positive open and another for closed.)

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  10. #9
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    Is it possible to install some kind of sensor that detects when the door is open and alerts you?

  11. #10
    I don't know of anyway for the Lutron equipment to send notifications but there is 3rd party equipment for that. I think the major door opener companies have accessories and apps for that. If there is a way I would like to know as well.

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