Question:
I would like to be able to turn on and off lights in garage using the
remote control for the garage door. Is it possible? How would I do it?
Answer:
There are several ways. I'll tell you how I did it. I got a second
garage door receiver, which is just a box that plugs into an outlet,
"listens" for the right button presson the car's remote transmitter,
and closes a pair of contacts when it receives a signal. I wired those
contacts to the contacts of an X-10 keychain remote, so that when
the garage receiver's contacts close, the X-10 keychain remote transmits
an X-10 RF signal. Then I wrote a macro, triggered by the X-10 keychain
remote, that would turn on my front porch and walkway lights, and
turn them off after five minutes. Yes, the whole scheme has a Rube Goldberg
feel to it, but it allows me to control the lights in my front yard from
the extra button on my garage remote control. That garage remote has
greater range than X-10 RF transmitters, and it was already in the car
anyway, so my solution doesn't clutter up my car.
Check Sears and your hardware stores. Depending on your garage remote
brand, you may be able to get a module designed just for light control.
It will switch an electrical outlet based on a garage remote
You can do it with a relay in the motor power line and "universal
module" but would strongly suggest that you look at a motion sensor
solution... something, such as a car or human moves in the garage or the
garage door opens or closes, the lights go on.
