Integrating garage opener

I have two cars with Alert 750R alarm/remote starters in them.  They each have several aux outputs that I've been trying to find a use for.

I got a wild hair up my arse and decided to tear apart my garage opener remote and pull out my soldering iron... All went well until I attached it to the 3V power convertor and apparently fried the remote :(

So, I've decided to go a different route.... Instead of trying to jury rig a remote, I'm considering buying another cheaper base unit, and 12v transformer and patch it into the garage opener.  Then I can 'learn' the remotes and use some functions on it.  I'd just rather not buy another 750R, and can't figure out how to avoid it.

What I'd prefer....

Some way to mount a remote in the cars permanently that I can just wire into the 12V system.   If I could find something like that, it would be easy to rig it into my alarm remote.  I was able to solder connections that would have worked.. it was the power that blew up my system :(

I can rig anything on the inside to open/close the garage.  So the brand of the switch for activating it is irrelevent... I just need the remote transmitter to be able to be patched into my car power...

Anyone know of such a beast?

Success (well so far)....

I figured out why I fried the first remote.  The voltage regulator I bought at Radio Shack (roughly $20) was set at 9V.  Not only did I screw up the polarity, I tripled the voltage.  Not good for someone who should have enough experience to at least test the voltage before connecting something as delicate as a 3V device.

Anyway, I couldn't sleep, so I went and removed the remote from my wife's car, and soldered wires on the battery leads.  Tested it... Works.  Cool!

Soldered wires onto the connection points for the #1 switch.  I thought I toasted it again.  The point to solder is extremely small, and I ended up delaminating it from the board. 

If you try this..here's some advice.. Don't use rigid wire.  Use something like 22 gauge copper strand or something.  Also, use a cold fusion solderer.  I forgot I had one.. It saved the day.  Also, if you have someone around to serve as a third hand.... do it....

So anyway I get the wires soldered... Tore apart the voltage regulator (designed to go into a cigarette lighter) and soldered wires onto it.  Connected it in the Jeep and TESTED THE POLARITY again before connecting it.  Added a 5A fuse, spliced it into an always hot wire.  Touched the two wires together and badda bing... Garage door opened :)

So tomorrow I'll add a switch to the negative side of the line, and run both sides of the wire to a ground.  So when I press the switch, it will ground both sides acting like the switch closing.  Then, I'll splice in a wire after the switch to go to my 750R Aux output (which is negative).  So i'll either be able to press the button to close the circuit, or press the button on the remote to open my garage. 

After I got everything soldered, I cut out holes in the old remote casing for the wires, popped out the button (to avoid it getting pressed by accident), and will mount the regulator and remote under the dash out of sight... drill a hole for the momentary on button switch, and I have a permanent mounted garage opener that will never require batteries and always work when I press the button to activate it.  In my wife's car, she has (er had hehehe) hers in a compartment that you'd press and it would (in theory) press the remote button and open the garage.  The problem was it never seemed to line up right and was a pain.

I'm going to fab another of these tomorrow, and pick up an extra one to leave in the garage in case we ever end up in a loaner car or something. 

Would a more simplistic way of making your remote for your alarm open your garage be to... Hook up a relay between the two contacts that are shorted together when the button is pressed?

This was an idea I had for a simple 30 min rigging so I could remote start in the mornings without having to manually open the garage.  Definately not as sophisticated or convenient as the way you have done it.  Good work!

I'd originally considered a relay, but realized it was unecessary since the alarm sends a ground through the aux wire.  So your way would actually be a bit more sophisticated actually.

If for some reason the ground doesn't work (can't see why it wouldn't) I will do exactly as you suggest.  I was just trying to avoid adding the relay if possible. 

Yep.  Needed a relay.   Here's what I ended up doing.

Went to Radio Shack and bought one of the 12V to 3V convertors.  Actually it was a stepdown convertor with 3V being the lowest.  Cost $21 (sucked, but at least I didn't have to worry about it). 

Tore it apart, soldered wires to the part designed to go into the cigarette lighter, cut the other end off.   Taped it all up really well.  Hardwired the wires into an always on + 12V source, and good ground under the dash.  Tested the output... 3VDC -- Cool.

Removed the board from the remote.... Soldered wires on to the power leads.  If you do this, I highly recommend you get a cold fusion soldering iron.  These contacts are PUNY, and I can't imagine how hard it would have been to not have the solder melt instantly.  Anyway.  I used BLACK/ Red wires so there would be no confusion about polarity later. 

Figured out what the contacts were I had to short to activate the garage door.  Soldered a wire to each.  Cut out slots on both ends of the remote casing and snapped it all back together.  It had 4 wires running out of it.  Two on each end.  Taped it all up good so something doesn't snag a wire and pull it off or something.

Tested the polarity again on the 3V supply and spliced the wires.  Touched the two switch wires together.. The garage door opened.  Cool.

Connected wires to all but 87a on a 30A auto relay, jumpering 87 and 30 with a long black wire, then cutting it in half.  Connected 85 to a constant 12V + supply, 86 to the RED / white (trunk wire) on my 750R -- I have a Jeep.  No trunk. --  Connected 87 to one side of the remote switch, and 30 to the other.

Hit the trunk button on the remote... Garage door opened.  Cool.

Drilled a hole in my console and installed a momentary button switch.  Wired each end of the black wire to the switch.  Pushed the button.  The garage opened.  Cool.  Sweet success.

For the sake or brevity, I omitted that I closed the garage door in between attempts ;-)  It's cold here in Ohio!

Joseph

Excellent job, Joseph!

I did the same on my sport-touring motorcycle using the momentary button. Works nice when the opener is hidden away in the fairing.