Garage door hack possible with window switch???
 

Garage door hack possible with window switch.
Have not seen anything using the window switches. I have 2 extra switches

Yes. It can be done.

Thanks Meir. Can't find any info on window switch as far as which contacts. Just need power and ground as I do not want to have illuminated.

To use the window switch as a garage opener you do not need power or ground if you do not want it aluminated.
You just need to solder 2 wires to the garage remote button contacts, and then connect them to the window switch.
By pressing the switch yo are closing a dry contact.
Let me see if I have one around, and I will post a pic.

Leg #4 is your common.
so whatever you are going to connect to it, will close a circuit with leg # 1 when pressing one side of the switch, and with leg # 2 when pressing the other side.
if you connect both legs together as shown, the garage door will open no matter which side of the switch you press.
this is all assuming you have the type of remote that has the same button for closing and opening.
if you have 2 buttons, well.... i'll have to make another drawing :D

Class act as usual!

This is perfect Meir, thanks. Yes the opener just has one button open and close. So the #1 & 2 terminal could be used for the left and right door so I would solder to the contact buttons on the opener? #4 would be soldered to what on the opener board?

you will have to identify the pins on the board that operates the garage door.usually there are 4, but you will need to use only 2.
what i usually do, is take a paper clip, open it, and use it to create a shortcut between the button contacts.
once you identify which two contacts open the door, it doesn't really matter which one will be connected to the leg #4 and the switch, and which will go to the #1&2.
if you post a pic of the remote i might be able to help more.
if its a liftmaster i might have one.

I did this hack right after I bought the car. Works like a champ.

Thanks Meir, I will get pics of remote today.

Great, did you use the Targa switch or some other type switch?

i personally used the targa switch, just for the icon.
the switch itself is the same as your window switch. after all, the targa is just a large window.

Here you gohttp://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507751299.jpg

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507753293.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507753311.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507753328.jpg

Ok.
You have three buttons on the remote. Which one opens the garage door, and what the other 2 are doing (if at all)?

The remote can control 3 doors. Button with 3 lines is not used.
Buttons with 1 and 2 lines are used for 2 dr garage.

got it.
before we start doing anything, we need to confirm and locate the correct contacts.
since this remote does not have the classic PCB mount push button (this one is called carbon contact silicon), it's going to be pretty easy to test.
grab a small flat screw driver and step outside with the remote disassembled in your hand.
lay the screwdriver in a way that it connects the two lines that i marked in red.
start with #1 then go to 1a and so on until you tested all 6 contacts.
if i got my orientation right, then 1 and 1a will open and close one door, 2 and 2a will open close the other door, and 3 will do nothing.
once you confirm that, we can move to the next step.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507770726.jpg

Exactly right sir. 3a and 3 are not assigned.

this is the configuration you will need, to open 1 door, by pressing the switch to any side.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507773434.jpg

if you want to open 2 doors, you will have to figure out which one of the contacts is the common. you will need a voltmeter to test it, or solder the wires and experimenting by touching the other contacts.
im almost positive that the one connected to the blue one is the common, but it's always good to test first.

assuming the blue is confirmed as the common, here is a configuration for 2 doors.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507774064.jpg

when you are soldering the wires, remove the battery from the remote.

Am I actually soldering on the gold contacts themselves?

Yes.
Unless you can confirm other points on the board that leads to the contacts.
Again. You will need a volt meter for that.
The gold holes on the top of the remote will be a good place to start.

Would that be the 6 holes lined up in the middle of the board as I was looking at those initially.

I have a multimeter, what would be the steps for testing on the board?

You will have to set the voltmeter to diode test. That's the function when you touch the two probs together and the voltmeter beeps.
Then you need to place one of the probs on the connects, and run the other prob thru the holes, one at a time.
If the voltmeter beeps, that means that the hole and the conntact are connected.
In this case, you can solder the wire to the hole instead of the contact itself.
And yes. Start with the 6 holes in the center, and you can also check the 3 on the left.
My guess is that you will find the common. Not sure if you will find the other side.
Just by looking at the board.

Solder wires to the two terminals below the red dots I've placed in this photo.
Run one wire to terminal 4 on the switch and the other to either terminal 1 or 2.

That's it. No need to mess with anything else. ;)

Hello Gentlemen, I appreciate all the help so far. I had a little emergency today with my cable modem out, so no anything. Will try to follow recommendations tonight or tomorrow and update soon.

Ok, so this evening I had a chance to pull out he multi meter and check the board. Pics aren't great, but what I found is that the 4th hole, in the line of 6, when touched by one probe and then touching the top part of the contacts seems to be the common as the meter zero'd out each time on the top row of contacts and the middle row of contacts. So that means that ironically, #4 on the switch wire is soldered to the 4rh hole as the common and the other 2 wires each go to their respective contacts.http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507860382.jpg
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1507860424.jpg

Well done.

Thank you sir. Will buy wire and hopefully solder everything this weekend. Thanks for the help.

So I finally had a chance to work on the garage opener and window switch. I soldered as mentioned below with the COMMON going to 4th smaller hole on the board and then each SWITCH to the top part of the contacts. Nothing happened.
I then looked at the 2 contacts that Particlewave suggested and those Contcts worked with one of the doors, however it was the door my wife uses:eek:. So next task was to figure which hole on the board was for the other door...my door! After about 10 minutes and testing the remaining holes on the board, I was finally able to find the hole(contact) that controlled my door. I soldered it up and was able to get both doors working with the points noted. No pics of the soldered board as I immediately tape wires and placed back in the car.
Thanks for all the help Meir and Particlewave.http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1508506960.jpg

See I told you it's simple :D

Indeed!!! All set now.