Wire up garage lights to door opener.

[GoChris]

I have a bunch of florescent lights installed in my garage. The light on the garage door opener motors themselves are pretty weak. I'd like to be able to turn on the main lights when loading and unloading kids, groceries, etc.

However upon loading I don't really want to go back and turn off the main lights before leaving.

How could I wire up the main lights to go on if the garage opener light is on? And turn off when that times out?

Also if the light switch is on, the lights should not turn off when the opener light turns off.

Thoughts?

[Crazyjoker77]

What your looking for is actually quite a bit to work especially since I'm assuming its finished inside. New wires would have to run to the door opener. Probably looking at 3-5hours labour plus parts.

The easiest solution would probably to just get a motion sensor that replaces the switch. These are very common In building automation for lights and exhaust fans.(would come on as soon as it seen the door open would turn off after not seeing motion for a set-able time period and most have manual/auto/off function right on the front)

If the switch is currently in a spot that wouldnt work very well you still would have to get an electrician in to mount a new box.

[Crazyjoker77]

Thats what we use at work.

[danno]

i would do the motion sensor as well, that's your best solution. it's also easy to do, turn the breaker off at the panel you'll have two black wires in most cases on the existing switch, take those off and marrett to the ones on the motion sensor.

[AndyL]

You could get really fancy...

Or...

Wouldn't ya know it liftmaster/chamberlain/newer craftsmen - already sell something that'll do that...

http://www.liftmaster.com/consumerwe...px?modelId=839

Program your remote to it - done... any questions?

[tangj]

I have the exact same setup in my garage..
I did it for cheap.
I bought one of these

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Socket-t.../dp/B005E39VN0

and put it into the socket of the garage opener.
So it turns on and off just like it used to but now i have 4 florescent bulbs on when i open/close the garage.

[GoChris]

Originally posted by Crazyjoker77


Thats what we use at work.

Oh sweet. That might work good enough. I assume I can probably find one at home depot? I'll check it out. My garage is finished so running wires wouldn't be super easy.
Thanks.

[NickGT]

I have a motion sensor like the one in the pic. They work great. Home depot has them, that's where I got mine.

[black_2.5RS]

If you do get a sensor light, make sure you get one where you can set the duration the light stays on once it's triggered. Mine goes on and off too quickly and isn't overly sensitive, so sometimes i'm standing in the dark waving my hands like a lunatic to get the sensor to trigger while holding a couple bags of groceries.

[GoChris]

Originally posted by black_2.5RS
If you do get a sensor light, make sure you get one where you can set the duration the light stays on once it's triggered. Mine goes on and off too quickly and isn't overly sensitive, so sometimes i'm standing in the dark waving my hands like a lunatic to get the sensor to trigger while holding a couple bags of groceries.

Thanks for the tip, good idea.

[Abeo]

My garage has all the lights going to outlets, so the solution I'd use is one of those eco surge protector bars that would trigger the lights from the draw of the door opener light. The fancier ones come with a remote so you can operate the switched outlets independently.