Garage Door Remote wired switch with relay
 

Here's a write up of how I did my garage door opener mod. Goal was to mount a switch that is wired into the hidden remote, but add a relay in the mix so that when the jeep is off, the switch is inactive. This security aspect means nobody can unzip the windows and hit the switch to open the garage doors. This is also a 3 position switch (left, open, right) so that I can open 2 different doors.

The idea is to wire in the relay to the left cigarette lighter which is active only when the Jeep ignition is on. When the Jeep is off, the coil in the relay has no current, so the switched circuit in the relay is open (no connection). Having this switched circuit in between the garage door remote common and the common of the 3 position momentary switch means the switch is completely inactive when the relay is open.

Here's a picture of the final install

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103897

Parts:
3 position momentary switch ordered online for about $4 plus shipping
12V 20Amp Relay (SPST NO) from auto parts store for $6
A few feet of 18AWG wire
Wire terminators, Butt Connectors, Velcro, Wire Taps

Step 1.

This is the hard part. I took apart the garage door opener and guessed at which contact points needed to be shorted to activate the opener button. Looking at the back of the circuit board, it looked like the top row was the common, so one of the two points below was the other contact point. My neighbor and I took a small piece of wire and tested through trial and error to find which pair activated which button. Once we figured out the wire contacts, he had someone at his work solder a few inches of wire onto these contact points. 1 for the common, 1 for the left button, and one for the right button.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103892

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103896

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103887

Step 2.

Remove the panel below the steering wheel. It's just clipped in, so carefully pop it out from the top. I used a dremel tool to cut a rectangular hole to fit the switch. Pop the switch in and connect the outer switch connectors to the two wires to the remote buttons. The middle (common) terminal gets wired to the relay, so leave that one alone for now.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103891

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103894

Step 3.

Take the center console panel off. Pop the top cover off starting with the rear sides, then the top will slide forward and up. Remove the 2 screws now exposed above the radio. Pop the bottom panel off down below the switches (hazard, ESP OFF, etc), and remove the 2 screws exposed there. Then the rest of the console will pop out.

I picked up a generic 12V 20A relay switch (SPST - 4 terminals) at an auto parts store and tapped the cigarette lighter wires to the relay. See the Red and Black wires and the blue wire taps connecting to the LEFT cigarette lighter wires.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103888

These Red and Black wires then connect to the Relay coil terminals

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103895

The Green and White wires on the Relay Switched circuit then connect to the momentary switch and the common in the remote control.

This picture shows where the Green and White wires go. The Green and White wires go behind the left side of the console through a cavity to the space underneath the steering wheel. The Green wire is connected to the common terminal of the momentary switch, and the white wire is butt-connected to the common wire coming from the garage door remote.

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103889

I just put the remote in some of the space below the steering wheel, which will be hidden by the panel when reinstalled. I planned to velcro it, but right now it's just sitting there as I didn't leave myself enough wire to let it reach a decent spot to velcro it.

Then put some velcro against the wall on the left of the center console and on the relay and just mount it there:

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103890

And here's the finished look:

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/atta...hmentid=103897

Hope this makes sense - feel free to offer suggestions for improvement or ask questions for clarifications.

-goose

That's awesome! I will definitely be trying this one soon. :thumbsup:

Interesting idea, What happens if you inadvertently leave the switch on while driving? Does it hold the opener on? or does the opener have a timeout feature?

Also, Keep in mind that the electrics work with non computer chip keys. So if you had a glovebox only key, a thief could activate the system.

How's the range? Improved with the full time voltage?

Good questions - let me try to explain a little more.

The switch is a "momentary" switch, which means it doesn't stay in an "On" position. It's like a push button that comes back up once you let go - just like the garage door opener itself, not like a light switch that stays in the position you put it in.

Yes, any key that can turn the ignition on will activate the switch.

Range is about the same, but keep in mind the garage door opener isn't getting power from the jeep. It's still using the internal battery to send the signal. The power from the jeep only activates the relay, which closes the contact for the common wire, enabling a complete circuit inside the garage door opener (using its own battery). Relays keep the 2 circuits (opener with battery and current from the cig lighter) electrically independent.

Thanks for the questions.

Wow... That's intense! Good job!

Nice write up....I'll have to try that.

Good Work :yup:

I know it's tough to solder wire to circuit boards. If those solder joints break, the blue wire one looks a little dicey no offence, I'd suggest trying to find some 20-22awg stranded wire. You'll have an easier time getting a good joint.

If I had a garage door with an opener on it I would consider doing this, I still have to lift mine manually

Wow. Very nice job! :yup:

I did something similar. I included it with the rest of my stuff in my switch box. It also controls my winch, rock lights, and turns off my abs/esp. I'm getting ready to redo it and go wireless with all of it.

http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/...0/72526fb5.jpg

I didn't personally do the soldering, so no offense taken :wink: hopefully since the remote itself is fairly static with no tension on the wires, it won't decide to break free any time soon.:fingerscrossed:

Very nice. How are you going to go wireless with all those components?

That's a good question. I will let you know when I figure it out. I've been experimenting with RC circuit boards for a while. I've got a utility truck and I put 12v actuators on all of the tool box doors and made them remotely operated. This will be tougher but doable.

Well good luck with it - Haven't seen anything like it, so it will be very interesting to read your write up when ever you get around to it hint hint.

awesome write up... great job.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Hint taken. Ill be sure to do a write up. I like your relay idea. I didn't even think about that. I thought it was a non issue because its usually in the garage. But I have left it outside doorless before. Never gave it second thought. I did worry about someone pushing my winch in button when its already spooled up tight.

Bump:cool:

Excellent Write up
 

That is a beautiful job. Have seen other similar mods with individual switches. I like the rocker idea as I too have double garage doors and don't want to lose the ability to open the other door if I need to.

I'm not necessarily worried about the opener not working without power... so I guess I could forgo the steps with the relay and just wire up the rocker switch straight up and get the same results?

Thanks for a nice job

Yup - you can skip the relay and just wire the common directly back to the switch PCB, and it should work just fine (all the time :) ). Thanks for the nice feedback.

Partly did the mod tonight. Your remote is the same one I have.... just touched the wires to the spots on the circuit board you indicated and without soldering even, worked the switch and opened and closed both garage doors. :clap:

Now I just have to pop off the panel, drill some holes and do a little soldering....

Thanks again! :thumbsup:

I don't even have a garage, let alone a house and I want to do this. O well, some day!

Pretty cool mod. I just lock mine in the center console though.

I like the clean final results, great job.

I do electrical work my self, ever consider making it non battery operated and getting constant power?

Thanks.. I used to put the opener in the center console with my TJ until someone broke into it at the airport. The latch on the center consoles is just plastic, and I'm pretty sure the JKs aren't much different in terms of security.

Even when I replaced it with the Tuffy console, I found that I rarely locked it unless I was parking somewhere downtown. When it was parked in the driveway, I hardly ever locked it, and it would be easy for someone to open the soft top, and then have access to my garage.

The thought crossed my mind, but it didn't stay long enough to map it out :-) Please post up if you get the time to sketch it.

That's one of the best i've seen......nice job.

Thinkinging about constant power source so don't have to pull it apart to change battery when it dies... couldn't you simply add a resistor to a power source lead to step down the 12v to 9v (assuming the garage door opener is 9v battery operated) and connect to the 9v battery connector in the remote?

don't see why not... i suppose when this battery dies, I'll look at wiring it up to constant power.

Wow. I like this but maybe out of my capabilities. Good write up.