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Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

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Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#81

Post by libria »

buescher wrote: post #53

I'm not going to point out the big things wrong with this project, because someone might think "oh, if I just fix those things I'm good". I will say I think it's the worst garage door opener project I've seen on hackernews yet. Nothing wrong with messing around with motors in the workshop but the author of this one should keep his project away from other human beings. Probably pets too. Here's the CPSC page on garage…

> No, you will not accidentally meet real-world safety standards with your project by dint of your sterling virtue, high intelligence, wisdom in the ways of the world, and impeccable engineering skills. Nor will you do so by adding a couple more features. Safety is the result of deliberate processes.

This is unnecessary condescending snark that I hope we see less of on HN. Everyone should be open to criticism, but how does that encourage the inventor?

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#82

Post by _ea1k »

buescher wrote: post #53

I'm not going to point out the big things wrong with this project, because someone might think "oh, if I just fix those things I'm good". I will say I think it's the worst garage door opener project I've seen on hackernews yet. Nothing wrong with messing around with motors in the workshop but the author of this one should keep his project away from other human beings. Probably pets too. Here's the CPSC page on garage…

I think that you will find your opinions much easier to get across to a developer if delivered in terms that are much less aggressive. Anyone doing actual work will find your approach rude at best.

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#83

Post by rtkwe »

buescher wrote: post #76
jesseryoung wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I briefly took a look at the page and checked out the comments and thought you were being a total buzzkill on a cool toy project until I went back and actually looked at the schematic. This is project taking complete control over the motor that opens and closes the door and NOT using the simple "throw a relay on the door opener" trick that you usually see (ex: https://cdn.instructables.com/F9V/T9JH/I9YBZHM7/F9VT9JHI9…

I'll happily be a buzzkill and say don't do that either (outside of your basement garage door opener laboratory) but it's not nearly as egregious.

The 'throw a relay on the door opener' is doing exactly the same thing hitting the interior button to open the door. It sends the same signal to the motors and doesn't bypass any of the load limiting or safety sensors. Those are basically safe.

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#84

Post by buescher »

libria wrote: post #81
buescher wrote: post #53

I'm not going to point out the big things wrong with this project, because someone might think "oh, if I just fix those things I'm good". I will say I think it's the worst garage door opener project I've seen on hackernews yet. Nothing wrong with messing around with motors in the workshop but the author of this one should keep his project away from other human beings. Probably pets too. Here's the CPSC page on garage…

> No, you will not accidentally meet real-world safety standards with your project by dint of your sterling virtue, high intelligence, wisdom in the ways of the world, and impeccable engineering skills. Nor will you do so by adding a couple more features. Safety is the result of deliberate processes. This is unnecessary condescending snark that I hope we see less of on HN. Everyone should be open to criticism, but ho…

There is no invention here, and nothing to encourage. Electrically operated doors date from the 19th century, and we have over 100 years of understanding of their hazards.

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#85

Post by catchmeifyoucan »

An easier way to achieve this using a raspberry pi would be to simply have the pi press the right button on the garage remote. I took a pass at this a few years ago. Compared to messing with larger electronics, it’s a much easier setup.

https://www.heyraviteja.com/post/weekend-projects/open-garag...

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#86

Post by rtkwe »

blackfawn wrote: post #70

I'd recommend driving a FET or two to connect at the push button(s) (i.e. GPIO is "pushing the button") rather than the relay board to drive the motor. Not only is jumping the switch(es) more simple, you also stay on the low voltage side of things and any safeties built in would still be present. ETA: by push buttons, I mean the "normal" garage door buttons that would open and close the door (typically on a wall in t…

There's no safeties built in according to their schematic they're directly spinning the motor at full speed with no current monitoring or feedback to the actual position of the door.

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#87

Post by blackfawn »

rtkwe wrote: post #86
blackfawn wrote: post #70

I'd recommend driving a FET or two to connect at the push button(s) (i.e. GPIO is "pushing the button") rather than the relay board to drive the motor. Not only is jumping the switch(es) more simple, you also stay on the low voltage side of things and any safeties built in would still be present. ETA: by push buttons, I mean the "normal" garage door buttons that would open and close the door (typically on a wall in t…

There's no safeties built in according to their schematic they're directly spinning the motor at full speed with no current monitoring or feedback to the actual position of the door.

Exactly. What I'm saying is they should NOT be driving the motor directly like they've drawn up but instead, they should be "pressing the button via GPIO" on the real door opener attached to the garage wall.

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#88

Post by buescher »

rtkwe wrote: post #83
buescher wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll happily be a buzzkill and say don't do that either (outside of your basement garage door opener laboratory) but it's not nearly as egregious.

The 'throw a relay on the door opener' is doing exactly the same thing hitting the interior button to open the door. It sends the same signal to the motors and doesn't bypass any of the load limiting or safety sensors. Those are basically safe.

Those projects can be made safe, but they generally don't mitigate the hazards that compliance with this section will: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/1211.14 They are not the same thing as a human pressing the button.

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#89

Post by rtkwe »

catchmeifyoucan wrote: post #85

An easier way to achieve this using a raspberry pi would be to simply have the pi press the right button on the garage remote. I took a pass at this a few years ago. Compared to messing with larger electronics, it’s a much easier setup. https://www.heyraviteja.com/post/weekend-projects/open-garag...

There are direct hookups on the back of basically every garage door opener for connecting wall switches you could use too to make it even simpler.

Re: Show HN: Raspberry Pi garage door opener

#90

Post by rtkwe »

buescher wrote: post #88
rtkwe wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The 'throw a relay on the door opener' is doing exactly the same thing hitting the interior button to open the door. It sends the same signal to the motors and doesn't bypass any of the load limiting or safety sensors. Those are basically safe.

Those projects can be made safe, but they generally don't mitigate the hazards that compliance with this section will: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/1211.14 They are not the same thing as a human pressing the button.

Those are a bit overkill, I've not had any garage door that beeped for opening for remotes for example and that's a similar distance of triggered by someone not in the immediate area. They should be safe based just on the break sensors and current limiting.
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