Electronics wizards, your advice please.

[Tarmacsurfer]

Skip to ** if you can't be arsed to read the preamble.

I have an electric garage door (of the roller shutter variety). Wonderful piece of kit, I love it to bits and due to certain issues it has helped immeasurably with my mobility over the last few years. There is however one small problem that has recently become more pressing.

Due to the cocktail of prescription medication that I'm currently swilling my memory is getting steadily worse, to the point that for the second time I today left the house and totally forgot to click the remote and close the garage behind me. Given the large supply of tools and the assorted bikes in there this is a Very Bad Thing. Thankfully I realised, turned back and took care of it (unlike last time when I was out for the entire evening and didn't discover my error until I returned home).

**How difficult would it be to add a timer circuit to the system to close an electric garage door after X minutes open? Ideally with a manual override to disable the circuit and allow for situations like working in the garage with the door open. Basically something to close the door if I forget to do so as I leave.

Any advice gratefully received, if it's possible and you can actually build such a gizmo then feel free to PM me and throw a price in my direction.
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[Frost]

Yup it's doable. You will need:
Processor chip capable of timer functions and switch input.
Switch to tell the system to leave the door open.
Switch to detect the door has closed.
Power source.
Big motor.
Relay capable of switching the motor.

The actual programming of it would be very simple, mounting the switch important to get right. The biggest problem you will face is the motor and mechanism for actually closing the door. You will probably need to find a second hand one and gear it accordingly. A bike starter motor might do it.

[Phoenix]

The garage door is already electric so he doesn't need those. I would've thought you can just get the appropriate timer circuit premade from Maplin or just the chip itself if you're going to make it, which I assume you're not. An override switch would be possible, it can just be an interruption switch between the timer circuit and door controller but you'd obviously have to remember to disable the switch too otherwise you could open the door with the remote and it wouldn't auto close if you forgot to turn off the override switch, maybe hook it into the light so it's only overidden when the light is on.

[map]

[Feasty]

Just be careful you don't set it so that if you've left a car/bike parked under the door it doesn't suddenly come down on them!
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[CaNsA]

An IR beam across the doorway to signal when u have left the garage then to automatically close the door. no timer needed?

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Pedd]

Combination of a little 555 timer and an ir beam, the timer runs for say 2mins then shuts the door, but only if the ir beam is clear, (so if your bike/car you etc is blocking the beam then it cant shut)

Would imagine that the door has an input for a button to shut the door just hook the timer output upto that via the ir beams switch relay.
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Dont Click HERE
Current modes of transport = 125 superdream (in bits atm), 1978 GS750 chop, bandit 600(main one), 1982 bmw r100rs,
cx500 trike (hey its fun) oh and the car to ferry the missus and dogs around

[The Shaggy D.A.]

If you just want it to shut the door after a given period of time, AND you have a one hit manual push switch on the inside to open/close the door, then this circuit will do the biz for you.

https://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/projects/timer.htm

The on/off switch will act as the arm/disarm, and an additional microswitch needs to be wired in series that is closed when the garage door reaches its fully open position. The circuit doesn't draw any power until that switch is closed, so the battery will last ages.

Once the circuit is powered on, the timer starts. Instead of (or as well as) the beeper, a simple relay is needed that will trigger the garage's manual push switch.

Total cost? Maybe about £3. £5 if you want a shiny box. Less if you don't want the green and red LEDs. and even cheaper if you want a fixed time period rather than a selectable one. Total time? Maybe an hour on the circuit, then however long it takes to mount it and bodge the garage door sensor switch

[edit] If you can wait until April, I'll do it for the price of parts, petrol and a bacon sarnie or two
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[Kwaks]

I am a lazy barsteward.

Just buy one imo

https://www.protectrix.com/cgi-bin/ProtectrixBuy.cgi
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[Handsome]

Sticker on the dash of the car and a waterproof one on the dash of the bike simply saying " Door " ?...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

[MarkJ]

Please don't take offence at this, but if you are on medication which affects your memory in this way, should you be riding/driving vehicles? I take it you have been cleared by the doctor?

[Tarmacsurfer]

Cheers folks, will have a read through the links and info shortly

The door already has an IR safety beam in place, if the beam is interrupted the door won't close and if it's triggered as the door is descending it immediately stops and opens. There's also a manual switch in place so that is the obvious place to make additions to the circuit, given the pointers here then I'm probably competent enough with a soldering iron to make up anything I can see a shopping list for and diagram of.

MarkJ, of course. No offence taken.
____________________
I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[Pedd]

dont forget you need an output of some sort from the door to tell the unit its actually open, could be a standard output the unit has or one grabbed of an indicator light or door switch.
____________________
Dont Click HERE
Current modes of transport = 125 superdream (in bits atm), 1978 GS750 chop, bandit 600(main one), 1982 bmw r100rs,
cx500 trike (hey its fun) oh and the car to ferry the missus and dogs around

[Clanger]

[MarkJ]

I don't know if they exist, but maybe a pressure switch/pad of some sort that won't be triggered by the weight of a person, but by the weight of a bike/car? You could then just wire it up to the wires that come from the "down" button

[Frost]

[CaNsA]

this thread is getting far to complicated.....


Why not just get the wife to close the door?
Or buy a midget....