I'm trying to find a garage door opener that automatically closes after a preset time.
the only thing I'm finding is an aftermarket 'butler' that works wirelessly, which is fine, but do any openers have this built in?
I've never seen one and seriously doubt that any opener manufacturer would offer such a thing because of the obvious liability issues with unattended closing.
that makes sense, but I wish they did - we had a car stolen after leaving the door up
So have a decent security alarm company install a photoelectric or IR detector across the door opening which activates after that "preset time" you mentioned and will trigger a "burglar alarm" if a person (or car) passes through it.
Not eggsacklt rocket surgery for a decent alarm guy to figure out how to make that up.
Jeff
I'd buy one.
Every morning on the way out, I
This is all on top of the normal checklist (wallet - phone - keys - sunglasses - parking pass - badge - train ticket - zipper up - front door locked - back door locked - basement door locked - windows closed
- space heater unplugged - furnace off/set - lights off). No wonder I'm late for work all the time.
There's nothing in the house worth stealing but the garage is full of tools and motorcycles. Too much temptation. It would be great if, after 30 minutes of no motion in the garage, the door would close on it's own.
-rev
They do have sensors that light up when the doors up. Only works if you go into the house and leave it up while at home, not if you leave it up after going to work.
Personally I've never had an issue because I never leave my door up ever. But thats mainly due to how my house is situated.
My opener has been known to almost completely close, then reverse itself. One day I worked an entire 12 hour shift only to find the door wide open when I got home. My garage is attached to the house and is my normal method of entrance so essentially the front door to the house was wide open all day long. Luckily, nobody decided to take advantage of it or I'd be in a world of hurt.
Now I back out, hit the remote, and wait until the door has closed completely... and about 15 seconds more just to be sure. I don't move until I know it's closed all the way... ever.
I don't know why a manufacturer would have to worry particularly about injuring somebody with an unattended closing, particularly if the IR beams remain active. It seems like the worst that could happen would be that the door wouldn't close if something was in its way. It already does that.
I have read about devices that alert you within the house if the door stays open more than X number of minutes. Maybe that'd be an option.
I can't imagine anyone making such a thing. Just think of what would happen the first time a small child got killed, and even with all the current safety devices, it would happen.
I suggest that you work on another idea. You could have a light that would show inside whenever the door was up, or an audio alarm that would go off after a pre-determined time. It could be in the garage or in the house.
I don't see that as an issue if the opener is adjusted correctly. Most openers are designed to immediately halt closing and reverse if contacting an obstruction.
Most folks would learn from that to close the door.
That's probably treatable.
And it is malfunctions? Squashes the neighbor's cat? All you have to do is watch the TV ads the lawyers put on and the idea will never fly by a manufacturer.
Don't see it's really any different than the possibility of any opener malfunction...
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True, but if you are there to push the button to start the close cycle, you can kick the cat our of the way. Having it come down by itself opens new worlds of liability.
Industrial applications lo longer have just a button to push to start the cycle, you must hold it in until the door closes.
Legal issues aside (should it malfunction), I made mine out of X10 parts. USe a universal module to act as a switch and then get a controller to issue commands when you want the door closed. IF desired a powerflash module can be used to signal the controller the door is open and than have the controller go into a X minute timer and than send a close door command
Go to
What if it just spuriously opens/close? Or someone just down the street changes their controller and now it's working another one as well? All can/do happen...one can make up any scenario one wants.
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Hmmmmm..... that sounds awfully close to being a positive thing :-)
Sure, make up the scenarios. but the penalty by a jury is going to be harsher when it is intentionally induced. Sleazy lawyers just love that stuff.
Can't squash a cat. Cats are smart enough to get out of the way, especially with all the racket the door makes.
Which would not work in the case where you LEFT home.
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