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Boost Garage Door Opener

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Hey Everyone,

I'm completely new to this forum, but looking forward to being apart of this community.

I'm no electrician, but i'm knowledgeable.... Somewhat haha.

Here's my project/task: I have a garage door opener that's used to open/close a secure gate. We use this garage door opener from a office which is roughly 50' away. This system works 40% of the time as we sit.... Most of the time we have to get up and walk towards the gate. Sometimes the difference of 5' could make the difference. This clicker is probably used 60+ times a day. My irrational side wants to connect a car battery to this thing and boost it's signal! Haha so what can I do? I've attached some pictures. I have no problem with soldering and playing around with this thing..... maybe there's something else I can buy with a better signal... Suggestions?

Thanks
 

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eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Sorry, i was having some difficulties with attachements. They're now attached... :)
 

davenn

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Sep 5, 2009
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Hi ya eakas
welcome to the forums

putting a car battery onto it isnt going to make ny difference IF it is already running off a 12V power supply

IF it runs off a lower voltage supply, say 9V, then putting a 12V supply onto it is likely to just kill the unit
The only real help would be to try a better antenna on the receiver unit down at the gate so that it gets more signal from the transmitter. This would improve operation reliability.

do you know the frequency the unit operates on ?
433MHz would be the most common

Dave
 

davenn

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OK I assume that,s the transmitter unit in the pix

now how about pix of the receiver unit so we can see where hooking a better antenna onto would help :)
Thats more important

Dave
 

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Hey Davenn,

Your absolutely right, a car battery wouldn't do anything! It would have been irational ;)

I'll have to take a look at the receiver again, but I believe we made some changes, but no improvements were noticed. Nothing can be done to the actualy clicker?

Thanks
 

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Yes, the pics are of the transmitter. I'll get pics of the receiver tomorrow :)
 

duke37

Jan 9, 2011
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You could try a parabola made from cooking foil to focus the radiation in the direction required. If this works, you could make a Yagi with the receiver placed where the driven element would normally be.
 

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Jan 15, 2014
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Based on the pictures, where is the antenna part? Could I not just solder or add a piece of wire to the antennae to slightly improve its effectiveness?
 

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Jan 15, 2014
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I'm going to attach some new pictures of another clicker. I can play with either one of these. My first question is where is the transmitter.... which i'm assuming I'll replace with maybe a Dorji ASK?

UPDATE: the clicker attached is much weaker than the other one. It hardly works... not sure its a good unit to play with.
 

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davenn

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still waiting for the needed pics !! ;)


you have to remember these garage door openers are only designed to work over ~10 metres ... ~30 ft the TX power level is VERY low just a few milliWatts

if you need the transmitter to be portable then adding the antenna to the receiver is even more important

Dave
 

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Hmm from my end it shows the pics are attached on the message :s

So... attaching a wire or anything to the transmitter wouldn't do anything... you feel playing with the receiver is probably a better solution? I don't think I have much flexibility with the receiver as it's attached to a gate.

Is there something out there I could replace these clickers with... a more powerful gate clicker? Or maybe a repeater.. .something to extend that signal strength.
 
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(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Jan 21, 2010
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Hmm from my end it shows the pics are attached on the message

Yes, but your editing of the message will not result in people posting on the thread getting a message informing them of activity on the thread.
 

davenn

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Hmm from my end it shows the pics are attached on the message :s
................

No, you just reposted more pics of the transmitter

you didnt post what I asked for .... this is now the 3rd time ;)
and you didnt answer my question


Dave
 

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Hey Dave,

The pictures posted are of two different transmitters... as i'm hoping there's something I can do to it, to improve performance.

I do not know the frequency.

I will get pictures of the receiver asap. It's a little difficult as I work evening.
 

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Please see pics of motor box and receiver antennae. That's all the pics I could get at this time.
 

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(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
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Maybe straightening out the antenna could help. I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be bent like that.
 

eaks77

Jan 15, 2014
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Hey Again,

I took a good look at the antennae. It looks like its supposed to be bent :s Is they another antennae I could try? The connection looks like a coaxial cable.... like tv antennae style. If that sounds right.
 
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