What's the best way to link up the garage lights to a garage opener? Our opener has very poor source of light. I would like the overhead lights to turn on when the garage door opens. Is there some kind of device that I can add to the switch that can be activated in conjunction with the opener?
Thanks,
Larry
Sometimes the opener light is activated by a relay. If the relay is rated high enough you could just lift the contactor leads and parallel the hot to your lights. If it's solid state you could just replace the feed to the bulb with a relay that would parallel your light switch. I'm sure you could also do this with 10X others know more about that. Richard
If your overhead lights are not on a 3-way switch: Low-tech and most work would be to wire the coil of a 120v relay in parallel with the light that is connected to the opener.
Then, wire the relay contacts in parallel with the overhead-lights switch, such that whenever the relay is closed the normal light-switch is, in effect, bypassed.
Not sure how you'd have to modify this idea to make it code, but this is a starting point for making it happen.
A more reasonable method might be to look into those fancy light controller systems and see if they have an 'add-on' for doing this.
D
Me too. I been wondering WTF these other 2 buttons are for on the opener. Appearantly not a damn thing.
Hmmm, Usually opener has two light bulb sockets to take 2 60W lamps. Not enough? I installed motion sensor based light fixture inside garage. When we walk in from side door it lights up and goes out after certain delay(adjustable). If car is coming in, both lights comes on which gives more than enough light.
You might want to try substituting CF (compact florescent) lamps for the light you now have. Use as high a wattage CF as you can find that will fit and is not greater than the max indicated for the fixture. That will usually give you 3-7 times more light.
I've done the same. I have a double headed flood light mounted inside my garage with 150 watt light bulbs that is activated by a motion sensor. I think I paid less than $15 for it. Works just fine....
...but they don't work too well in cold weather, and may not work at all with motion-sensing switches.
You may be correct about the motion-sensing switches, but the OP was talking about the lights on the garage door opener.
Modern CF do remarkably well in cold weather. They start slightly dimmed and brighten in a short time.
Why don't you just get a motion sensor for INSIDE the garage that turns on a bunch of flourescents?
If you can live with a seperate remote for the garage lights, X10 will work. You need one of the wireless remotes, a transceiver that plugs into any outlet and converts the wireless to X10 powerline, and then an X10 wall switch to replace the existing switch. Check out smarthome.com
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