Using garage door safety beams

This soulution does not use the beams, but it will do what you want.

The item is Discontinued..............................................

True.

You can still get the wireless one:

But the more elegant solution is use a door contact and a power flash module.

Thanks for the response but it appears this just notifies you if the door is open or closed. I'd like to know if the safety beam is broken

- it somone/something walks into the garage.

Les

Thanks for the response but it appears this just notifies you if the door is open or closed. I'd like to know if the safety beam is broken

- it somone/something walks into the garage.

Les

Or use this:

and this:

For no-fuss wireless.

Oops!

I should have read the question more thoroughly, sorry!

It seems to me that the beams are usually mounted too low for accurate detection (you may pick up a stray cat or dog nosin' about). I'd suggest going with an actual beam detector or one of those chime units you see being used in many retail store entrances.

Check out this product

.... It will work indoors & outdoors........

I saw that one and similar products but I'd really prefer an electric eye type detector. I don't want the chime going off while I move around in the garage - only when something enters the garage. And since the door opener's safety beam is already in place it seems logical to use it.

But, thanks for taking the time to search and to respond. A motion or PIR detector will be Plan B.

Les

Granted, it's not a strong security application but I think it would suit my need. Although the beam could easily be avoided by somebody trying to be stealthy, I think the beam would be pretty effective on the neighborhood kids who might wander in just to see what's available.

Thanks, Les

The beam on my garage door is way too low to be effective (in my opinion). It's too easy for a person to "step over" and will probably give you a whole lot more in the way of grief than it's worth (cats, squirrels, and puppy dogs). If you're still bent on using it, there's obviously a relay inside the motor housing (I can hear mine "clicking" when I interrupt the beam) and a person with a "modicum of soldering skills" could easily parallel the output to a chime (you'll need a local power supply to make it work).

If it is a Liftmaster/Chamberlain garage door opener check out their options on their website or one of their main dealers. They have some oddball stuff. Even some built in stuff that might suit your purpose automation and auxilary light control. For instance when you trip the beam on mine the light on the lift motor turns on. I would suggest you search the interent armed with the model / part number of your opener.

Also, as some suggested the safety beam may be too low. Its no big deal to raise it slightly. Those I have seen mounted only a few inches above the floor could be misssed even accidentally. Raising it to a foot or may 18 inches should be no big trick and reduce the likelyhood somebody would accidentaly miss passing through it.

See it HERE:

How About This? Watch The Video.

>

Its a perfect solution, they work great. Just put a sock over it when you're working in the garage, or something to block it's view.

| >> Les | >>

| >>

| >Check out this product | >

.... | >It will work indoors & outdoors........ | >

| | I saw that one and similar products but I'd really prefer an electric | eye type detector. I don't want the chime going off while I move | around in the garage - only when something enters the garage. And | since the door opener's safety beam is already in place it seems | logical to use it. | | But, thanks for taking the time to search and to respond. A motion or | PIR detector will be Plan B. | | Les

I like that one..especially the output relays.

| >> Is there any place that sells something that could be tied into the | >> safety beam of my garage door opener to trigger a remote chime to | >> indicate someone/something has entered my garage when the door is | >> open? | >>

| >> It appears that the wires from the sensors to the door control carry | >> around 10.85 volts dc until the beam is broken when the voltage jumps | >> to around 12v. Would maybe the X10 Powerflash recognize the ~ 1v | >> difference and trigger an X10 receiver? | >>

| >> Thanks for any help/suggestions. | >>

| >> Les | >>

| >>

| > Check out this product | >

| > .... It will work indoors & outdoors........ | | | How About This? Watch The Video. | | | >

| |

I've always thought it kinda dumb they mount those beams so low. IMO it should be mounted high enough that if you leave your car partially sticking out of the opened garage door (like when you back in to garage to empty groceries from the trunk and your wife pushed the button to close the freekin door without looking to see if the car is ALL the way in! - twice she did that) - if the beam was higher the door would not have closed on her car (twice...did I mention she did it twice?)

| > Is there any place that sells something that could be tied into the | > safety beam of my garage door opener to trigger a remote chime to | > indicate someone/something has entered my garage when the door is | > open? | >

| > It appears that the wires from the sensors to the door control carry | > around 10.85 volts dc until the beam is broken when the voltage jumps | > to around 12v. Would maybe the X10 Powerflash recognize the ~ 1v | > difference and trigger an X10 receiver? | >

| > Thanks for any help/suggestions. | >

| > Les | >

| >

| | | | -- | Posted via a free Usenet account from

|

I ended up buying an el cheapo motion detector for $20 and it seems to be working great. I mounted the detector just inside the garage door and it just covers the doorway. I can move around in the garage all the way back to the back wheels of the cars before it goes off but anyone crossing the threshold at the door sets it off. I'll have to see how long batteries last (3 AAAs).

Thanks, Les