Garage lighting with a sectional door

[lbhsbz]

Got tired of the front half of the garage being dim at night with the door open...door blocks ceiling lights when open.

so, screwed a couple lights to the door, grabbed a 3way switch (they’re not supposed to be used like this I don’t think, but it works) and some slinky cord, make a bracket with a piece of vacuum hose to flick the switch.

door open...lights on garage door turn on and lights above garage door turn off.
As soon as the door starts closing, lights above garage door turn on and lights on door turn off.

I’ll clean up the wiring once I figure out if I need to move the lights any.
Works good though...surprisingly. Lol

 

[Kachina26]

What could go wrong?

 

[Joe mama]

Oh!!!!! This is going to be good. Lol

Can’t say I would have thought of that.

 

[DLC]

If you have windows in your garage door you can set lights up above the window so the light will shine thru the window when rolled up

 

[lbhsbz]

If you have windows in your garage door you can set lights up above the window so the light will shine thru the window when rolled up

No windows.

I was originally gonna set up some “smart” bullshit with an arduino using the limit switches on the opener...but then I remembered I bought this $50 slinky cord that ended up being a bit heavy for the original project...so....why not.

best part is, I didn’t have to go to the store. All put together out of the junk stash.

 

[lbhsbz]

What could go wrong?

I’m certain we’ll find out shortly

 

[JayBreww]

@cyclone advertised some sweet lights made for this on his channels.


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[LargeOrangeFont]

That solution is licensed in 3 states I’m sure.

 

[floatn turd]

I added two of these lights from Home Depot.
You can aim each light panel where you want it.
These friggen things are like a nuke going off!
The light is straight blinding.

 

[Jed-O]

Got tired of the front half of the garage being dim at night with the door open...door blocks ceiling lights when open.

so, screwed a couple lights to the door, grabbed a 3way switch (they’re not supposed to be used like this I don’t think, but it works) and some slinky cord, make a bracket with a piece of vacuum hose to flick the switch.

door open...lights on garage door turn on and lights above garage door turn off.
As soon as the door starts closing, lights above garage door turn on and lights on door turn off.

View attachment 962845 View attachment 962846
I’ll clean up the wiring once I figure out if I need to move the lights any.
Works good though...surprisingly. Lol

Pretty clever... Redneck as shit, but pretty fuckin clever!
Is the post that activates the switch a spring wrapped in rubber hose?

 

[lbhsbz]

Pretty clever... Redneck as shit, but pretty fuckin clever!
Is the post that activates the switch a spring wrapped in rubber hose?

It is a rubber hose. I stuck the screw in from the other side to add a little support, but there's about of 1/2" of hinge somewhere in the middle of the hose with no bolt through it. It’s slipped over a screw on the actuator bracket but still has enough stiffness to actuate the switch, while being flexible enough to go over it.

 

[Jed-O]

It is a rubber hose. It’s slipped over a screw on the actuator bracket but still has enough stiffness to actuate the switch, while being flexible enough to go over it.

Nice. If it ever starts to sag and becomes unreliable, try a stiff pull spring. Think about the door stops we used to play with when we were kids.

 

[lbhsbz]

Nice. If it ever starts to sag and becomes unreliable, try a stiff pull spring. Think about the door stops we used to play with when we were kids.

Good idea. I'll refine this thing over the next few weeks...just sorta hackfucked it together so I could get started seeing what was going to go wrong..lol

 

[Taboma]

It is a rubber hose. I stuck the screw in from the other side to add a little support, but there's about of 1/2" of hinge somewhere in the middle of the hose with no bolt through it. It’s slipped over a screw on the actuator bracket but still has enough stiffness to actuate the switch, while being flexible enough to go over it.

That's the only part of the equation I was curious about --- how the switch handle wasn't getting torn off. Otherwise, wiring the 3-way back-ass-wards, it's just a single pole, double throw switch, doesn't care which direction the current travels --- great idea, bravo

 

[lbhsbz]

That's the only part of the equation I was curious about --- how the switch handle wasn't getting torn off. Otherwise, wiring the 3-way back-ass-wards, it's just a single pole, double throw switch, doesn't care which direction the current travels --- great idea, bravo

It was by accident...I grabbed a switch outta my switch box and was scratching my head as to WTF the other terminal was for...so I checked continuity and realized it was a 3 way. I must have bought some spares 13 years ago when I wired the old house (found 7 more in the box too...lol). Saved me from adding another switch for the other set of lights.

 

[lbhsbz]

It was by accident...I grabbed a switch outta my switch box and was scratching my head as to WTF the other terminal was for...so I checked continuity and realized it was a 3 way. I must have bought some spares 13 years ago when I wired the old house (found 7 more in the box too...lol). Saved me from adding another switch for the other set of lights.

...and, now that I learned this 3 way switch trick...I’m gonna have fun on the next house I rewire....all the lights front the front of the house to my bedroom will be setup like this...with a real 3 way at the end so I don’t have to walk in the dark and trip over shit to go to bed.

 

[Taboma]

...and, now that I learned this 3 way switch trick...I’m gonna have fun on the next house I rewire....all the lights front the front of the house to my bedroom will be setup like this...with a real 3 way at the end so I don’t have to walk in the dark and trip over shit to go to bed.

Remember, you can only use 2 - 3 way switches to control a group of lights, one at each end --- the 1st one has the hot to the common screw, from that switch, the two travelers proceed to 1 or more 4- way switches, two in, two out, so on and so forth --- you can have as many 4 - way switches in between as you like. At the end or last switch, you again use a 3 - way, this time the common goes to the light along with the neutral. 4 - ways aren't exactly double pole, double throw, they crisscross in an X pattern, or straight across, depending on position.
If the hot or switch leg is not landed on the common screw, switching gets real wonky.
50 years ago while dating a young lady, she took me to meet her grandmother. Grandmother had lived in this same home for many years. I went to use the bathroom and noticed the 3 way switch for the bath light only worked if the other 3 way was in one particular position.
That's always a clue, either the hot or switch leg is not landed on the common. Grabbed my tester and tools, found the problem and repaired it. Words can barely describe how elated grandma was, the switch had never worked right the entire time she'd lived there and being able to properly use the two 3 ways was like magic to her. Scored some mondo points that day.

 

[grumpy88]

I’m certain we’ll find out shortly

Lol . I see what you did there !

 

[SoCalDave]

Only on RDP...

 

[SoCalDave]

For some reason it reminds me of this.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

I'd do the same thing, but keep the light on the door on. Illumination at about waste level would be awesome. I've seen a few garages with lights on the walls for the same reason.

Well done sir.

 

[buck35]

I helped my neighbor do this very thing last fall except be put 3 sets on and used a cord reel to power them . Works great !

 

[rivermobster]

That solution is licensed in 3 states I’m sure.

Tabasco, Jalisco and Michoacán?

 

[Nikwho]

For some reason it reminds me of this.

Holy shit. Does anyone sell these?

 

[Kachina26]

Holy shit. Does anyone sell these?

Amazon.com : useless box

smile.amazon.com

 

[Joe mama]

How about some “L” brackets that extend under the door. Led lights don’t weigh shit.

 

[SoCalDave]

Holy shit. Does anyone sell these?

 

[Desert Whaler]

This is EPIC !

 

[HitIt]

If yore house doesn't have a 200A panel yet, you should upgrade it so that when this shorts out yore house burns down faster.

 

[WildHorses24]

Funny I was searching for a solution to this about a month ago and now every fucking ad on my phone is from this company... same exact idea.

Garage Door Lights | LED Garage Lighting | Garage Door Lighting

Best Garage Door Lighting System with LED Lights for your Garage Doors. Grab your sectional track door system today with FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING.

garagedoorlighting.com

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[lbhsbz]

If yore house doesn't have a 200A panel yet, you should upgrade it so that when this shorts out yore house burns down faster.

Thank you for the constructive post

 

[WhatExit?]

Why aren't you guys using the new wireless electricity products? They work just like WiFi so you can mount those lights anywhere you need using a wireless receiver.






OK so that's BS but there are companies working on it..

This wireless power startup says it can charge your phone using only radio waves

Guru is promising a bold future without wires.

www.theverge.com

 

[rrrr]

Good idea. I'll refine this thing over the next few weeks...just sorta hackfucked it together so I could get started seeing what was going to go wrong..lol

I like it! I have ideas...

You should expand the concept so when you sit down at your workbench, it triggers a relay driving a motorized arm that opens the beer fridge, then a photoelectric switch activated by the fridge light lowers the gate on a can stacker, releasing a beer can that rolls down a ramp into the vegetable drawer which contains a miniature trebuchet and activates a chain drive that racks the drawer open and trips the hold down lever on the trebuchet firing the beer across the garage that lands upright in a koozie on your workbench.

 

[WhatExit?]

I like it! I have ideas...

You should expand the concept so when you sit down at your workbench, it triggers a relay driving a motorized arm that opens the beer fridge, then a photoelectric switch activated by the fridge light lowers the gate on a can stacker, releasing a beer can that rolls down a ramp into the vegetable drawer which contains a miniature trebuchet and activates a chain drive that racks the drawer open and trips the hold down lever on the trebuchet firing the beer across the garage that lands upright in a koozie on your workbench.

Ideas like that are gestated over months of time locked down

 

[lbhsbz]

Why aren't you guys using the new wireless electricity products? They work just like WiFi so you can mount those lights anywhere you need using a wireless receiver.






OK so that's BS but there are companies working on it..

This wireless power startup says it can charge your phone using only radio waves

Guru is promising a bold future without wires.

www.theverge.com

How do you get electricity to the lights wirelessly?

 

[lbhsbz]

I like it! I have ideas...

You should expand the concept so when you sit down at your workbench, it triggers a relay driving a motorized arm that opens the beer fridge, then a photoelectric switch activated by the fridge light lowers the gate on a can stacker, releasing a beer can that rolls down a ramp into the vegetable drawer which contains a miniature trebuchet and activates a chain drive that racks the drawer open and trips the hold down lever on the trebuchet firing the beer across the garage that lands upright in a koozie on your workbench.

solid plan.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Why aren't you guys using the new wireless electricity products? They work just like WiFi so you can mount those lights anywhere you need using a wireless receiver.






OK so that's BS but there are companies working on it..

This wireless power startup says it can charge your phone using only radio waves

Guru is promising a bold future without wires.

www.theverge.com

How do you get electricity to the lights wirelessly?

"Welcome to the pool.... the water is great!"

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[Taboma]

"Welcome to the pool.... the water is great!"
View attachment 963257

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Ahhh the ole NT Wireless network, not for the faint of heart