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07-19-2009, 12:08 AM | #1 |
Drives: 2008 Yaris LB Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 198
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DIY Stealth Garage Door Opener Button
So, I was tired of keeping up with my garage door opener. I had stashed it in my driver's side glove box for the last year with some velcro, but i'm too lazy to keep opening up the glove box to open the garage. So, I dismantled my garage door opener to see how it works and see if I can rig up a nice, stock looking button on my door to use. It was easier than I thought it would be...
Here is my garage door opener dismantled. Although openers vary, almost all of them use the same basic topology: a momentary switch closes a circuit which triggers the signal sent to the opener to open/close the door. As a bonus, the board for the opener switch has pads for more switches right on the board. The pictures were taken after I had already soldered wires to the switch pads: I then wired up the switch: A quick test.... SUCCESS! so then i started to decide where to mount the switch. The optimal place IMHO is in the push-button start button cover. But I had already mounted my cruise control switches there, so I opted for another good location, the forward most door sill trim piece: Works like a charm! I used the same popular black momentary switch we all seem to be buying from radio shack. I drilled the hole just slightly too big, so I used a thin nylon washer I had lying around (after painting it flat black) to mount the switch, and i think it looks COOL... I tucked the board for the opener down in between the factory door panel pad and the door panel. |
07-19-2009, 12:13 AM | #2 |
Drives: Yaris Sedan 5MT Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SoCal
Posts: 865
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Nice and clean!
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07-19-2009, 12:50 AM | #3 |
Learn to Relax
Drives: 2007, Meteorite, LB Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Anaheim, CA
Posts: 2,070
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Good idea.
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07-19-2009, 03:59 AM | #4 |
Banned
Drives: 2005 Ford Focus Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Dallas, tx
Posts: 140
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thats is awesome, couldnt you wire this into a power source in the car so you could null out the battery? use some resisters to bring it down to a propper level so you wont have to worry about doing anthing
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07-19-2009, 05:21 AM | #5 |
Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1,285
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Nice.
I've been looking for a way to hide the garage opener too. I have to wait though. Not sure how much longer I'll be staying at this house. New house will probably have a newer garage opener model and remote. |
07-19-2009, 05:33 AM | #6 |
vroom vroom
Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 7,744
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hahahaha nice! I've been meaning to do this for ages but too lazy And mine runs off a lil 12V battery, even better...
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The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson Bye bye 1NZ... |
07-19-2009, 09:52 AM | #7 |
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Can you post pictures of your cruise control too? (sorry to get off topic)
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42.88 |
07-19-2009, 11:34 AM | #8 |
Drives: 2008 Yaris LB Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 198
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the cruise control is pictured in the DIY cruise control thread... search is your friend.
At some point I'll probably power it from the car, but mine is a 3 volt, so I have to build a little voltage divider circuit first. One day when i'm bored... |
07-19-2009, 11:57 PM | #9 |
Drives: 2009 Meteorite Metallic LB MT Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Southeast Wisconsin
Posts: 810
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That's a nice mod.
How about an antenna to extend the range? (might not be legal) I live in an apartment and don't think the landlord would appreciate me modifying the door opener. |
07-20-2009, 12:08 AM | #10 |
My R1 eats my Vitz!!
Drives: '07 Vitz Lifty, Stick Shift Join Date: May 2007
Location: Oneida, NY
Posts: 131
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There is a very popular garage door opener mod on my Yamaha R1 forums. It does exactly the same thing, but ties the switch into the high beams. So all you have to do is pull up, flash your highs and you're good to go. Flash once again to close it behind you :) Check it out. It has the 3V power source converter plans too...
HIGH BEAM GARAGE DOOR OPENER MOD
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My Car Rules! |
07-20-2009, 12:28 AM | #11 |
╚══════════RN
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Don't they sell universal garage door openers? Or you could just pick up a replacement remote from the manufacturer.
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07-24-2009, 04:34 AM | #12 |
Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1,285
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PatrickJohnson, would either of these switches:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1838/ http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1909/ be too big for where you mounted your switch? Also, can anyone here make one of those 12v to 3v converters? |
07-24-2009, 08:51 AM | #13 |
Drives: 2008 Yaris LB Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 198
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those switches are fine in size, but they are on/off toggles, you need momentary switch
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07-24-2009, 09:37 AM | #14 | |
ULTIMATE
Drives: 09 5dr LB, 2x 08 3dr LB Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA, CT
Posts: 13,460
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Quote:
Here's an off the shelf 12V to 3V adapter: http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a...ADAPTER/1.html |
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07-24-2009, 10:55 AM | #15 | ||
Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1,285
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Quote:
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/6512/ http://www.frozencpu.com/products/6099/ Quote:
Would a power wire going to one of the power door locks or window switches work with this? |
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07-24-2009, 11:11 AM | #16 | |
ULTIMATE
Drives: 09 5dr LB, 2x 08 3dr LB Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA, CT
Posts: 13,460
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Quote:
Correct on the wiring of the power adapter. With the plastic removed, the circuit board would be very small. Those switches would be fine. You'd probably want to grab two separate power sources. Ignition switched power (or maybe dimmer output) for the LED and always on for the opener supply. |
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07-24-2009, 11:14 AM | #17 |
Drives: Polar White - 5 Door '09 LB Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1,285
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Thanks CTScott. Do you know offhand if there are ignition switched and constant 12v power wires going to the power door locks and windows switches?
The power door locks work even when the key isn't in the car (if you're in the car and press the door lock switch when the car is off, the doors still lock / unlock). The power window switches don't though. |
07-24-2009, 11:24 AM | #18 | ||
Drives: 2008 Yaris LB Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Murfreesboro, TN
Posts: 198
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Quote:
Quote:
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/AnyVoltMicro.htm but if i were to get the one CTScott posted, I would crack open the cig plug part (after switching it to 3 volts) and mount that board near the garage door opener board on the inside of the door. then I would run wires from the power points that went to the plug connections down to a +12v spot on the fuse block. Then clip the wire part of the power board to a suitable length and wire it to the battery pads on the open remote board. make sure to remove the battery on the remote board, or else you will be sending 6 volts (2 3 volt supplies in parallel) and will likely mess up the opener. |
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