OzSTOC
Farkles, Gear & Accessories => Farkles and Gear General Section => Topic started by: BigTed on June 11, 2018, 05:07:59 PM
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I’ve just completed a pretty easy farkle… for the last 7 years I’ve carried a remote control for my garage door in my bike jacket pocket. As I approach home I use my right-hand (coasting) to push the button. It’s only a summer vented jacket. So, if it’s rainy I’ll also have a rain jacket over the top and, of course, wet-weather riding gloves which causes problem pressing that pesky little button.
So, borrowing a few ideas from the interweb, I can now open my garage door by flashing my bike’s hi-beam:
<edit: there is a Youtube here of the farkle in operation, but it doesn't want to render on the forum for some reason>
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TX1qVrdQ7Q[/url]
! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TX1qVrdQ7Q#)
Now that I’ve done it, I wish I’d done it years ago. Here’s the how-to:
Open up the remote control fob and locate the contact point for the push button (mine has 3 buttons). Trace the circuit and locate a solder joint for each. Solder 2 thin wires to each: be careful as the tracks are super thin. For the wires, I actually used some stripped cores from an old ethernet cable (I’m lazy and cheap). Feed the wires outside the casing and close it back up. Note that my existing button continues to work. Sorry – no photo for this – but I’ll grabe some soon and update.
Connect a lead to the wire coming from the hi-beam switch into the hi-beam relay. See photos from ST-Owners for access to the relay here (http://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?62641-ST1300-Headlight-Wiring-Diagram&p=706872&viewfull=1#post706872). Here, you can see mine (I just used one of these clamps (https://www.bunnings.com.au/narva-3-4mm-blue-electrical-terminal-ezy-tap-connector-8-pack_p4330777) with a spade connector):
(https://www.otterpotter.net/wp-content/uploads/HiBeamGarageDoor/IMG_20180611_131835.jpg)
(https://www.otterpotter.net/wp-content/uploads/HiBeamGarageDoor/IMG_20180611_132006.jpg)
Run the lead through the frame and backwards to the area under the seat.
Get a standard horn-relay – it doesn’t need to be high-current as it’s passing bugger-all through it (from a 3V battery in your remote) and wire it up as shown here (https://www.the12volt.com/relays/relaydiagram20.html) (forget the fuse):
(https://www.nook.net.au/www/wp-content/uploads/HiBeamGarageDoor/wiring.jpg)
The capacitor/resistor will ensure that even if you turn on your high-beam (instead of just flashing) then only a momentary pulse is sent to the remote control. If you don’t include the capacitor/resistor and just wire it directly to the earth then running high-beam for a long time may flatten your remote’s battery. The relay, 1000uF polarized capacitor, and 10K resistor will cost <$10 from JayCars.
The wire from the high-beam switch is connected to pole 86 (pink), and the ground pole 85 is run through the capacitor/resistor then to the bike’s ground/frame/-ve.
Then, the 2 wires from your remote control are connected to poles 87 and 30 (it doesn’t matter which as it’s just closing a circuit).
Here’s the finished product (just a working prototype – I will clean it up, make sure contacts are insulated, etc…. one day, maybe).
(https://www.otterpotter.net/wp-content/uploads/HiBeamGarageDoor/IMG_20180611_132338.jpg)
(https://www.otterpotter.net/wp-content/uploads/HiBeamGarageDoor/IMG_20180611_132350.jpg)
(https://www.otterpotter.net/wp-content/uploads/HiBeamGarageDoor/IMG_20180611_132906.jpg)
(https://www.otterpotter.net/wp-content/uploads/HiBeamGarageDoor/IMG_20180611_132943.jpg)
Enjoy!
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That's pretty cool. :Like:
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:rockon. Excellent idea.
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Fantastic. :-++
I've got a three door garage, with a remote on my key ring. The number of times I've opened up the other doors before managing to get the right door through my gloves is a mystery.
And I love that you think it's a pretty easy farkle. :grin
For me, it's :||||
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Awesome work mate, brilliant farkle :thumbsup
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That's a very practical and clever farkle. Well Done... :thumbsup
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There are a couple of problems with this idea.
1, As you drive down the road on high beam, garage doors may randomly open/close. o:)
2, Continuous driving on high beam, will flatten the remote battery. When you get home and flash the high beam, the remote wont work and you will crash into the door that dint open.. :eek :eek :eek
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There are a couple of problems with this idea.
1, As you drive down the road on high beam, garage doors may randomly open/close. o:)
2, Continuous driving on high beam, will flatten the remote battery. When you get home and flash the high beam, the remote wont work and you will crash into the door that dint open.. :eek :eek :eek
Some good points there Brook :popcorn :popcorn
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There are a couple of problems with this idea.
1, As you drive down the road on high beam, garage doors may randomly open/close. o:)
2, Continuous driving on high beam, will flatten the remote battery. When you get home and flash the high beam, the remote wont work and you will crash into the door that dint open.. :eek :eek :eek
hmmm,...
1. <start geek mode> Assuming the the random codes are stored as 32 bit unsigned numbers, the number of possible codes represented are over 4.2 billion.</end geek mode> Therefore, I imagine it's unlikely to open someone else's door when I use it.
2. The capacitor/resistor ensure the relay only opens for a short time (about 1/4 sec for me), even if the high-beam is turned on for a long time (not flashed). So, it's like just pushing the button... battery is safe methinks.... unless my basic understanding of electronics and interpretation of the circuit is wrong... which I wouldn't discount!
:rockon
R.
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Good effort, beyond my abilities, so it ain't gonna happen here.
It reminds me of a taxi driver that called our talk-back radio in Melbourne a few years back now. He told the radio jocks that he had a sure-fire way to change the red traffic signals to green, "All ya gotta do in point your garage remote control at the signal and press the button".
The jocks asked if it worked, taxi driver responded, "Not every time, but often enough to make it worthwhile".
:||||
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The jocks asked if it worked, taxi driver responded, "Not every time, but often enough to make it worthwhile".
Love it!! :grin
For those with a Police switch console, one switch could be used to close the circuit saving the need for a relay (unless the 3 volts isn't enough to overcome the circuit resistance, in which case you're back to a relay circuit, but independent of other circuits).
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I took a look at the diagram.
The moment the high beam is activated, 12V is supplied to the relay and onto the capacitor. The electrolytic capacitor is already discharged, because of the 10 kOhm resistor, and is at ground potential, so the relay will activate.
The capacity will quickly charge up towards 12 V and with 12 V on either side, the relay will be de-energised. (Not enough current will flow through the resistor to activate the relay)
After the high beam is turned off, the resistor discharges the capacitor.
I would use an electrolytic rated at 63 V WDC and 105 °C low ESR for reliability purposes.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
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This looks like a challenge for the brains trust. Who is going to build a plug and play version in bulk for those of us who are challenged by "electrickery".
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I would use an electrolytic rated at 63 V WDC and 105 °C low ESR for reliability purposes.
Phew!
Here's my caveat before I ask... I'm a software engineer - not a hardware guy....
I ended up using a 16v electrolytic (couldn't find a12v). I'm curious about the 63v recommendation.
Does such a larger voltage improve reliability or is it the temp rating, or both?
Does the 63v affect the rate the capacitor charges/discharges?
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
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The easiest way to answer the working voltage question is with this
"Any DC voltage in excess of its working voltage or an excessive AC ripple current may cause failure. It follows therefore, that a capacitor will have a longer working life if operated in a cool environment and within its rated voltage. Common working DC voltages are 10V, 16V, 25V, 35V, 50V, 63V, 100V, 160V, 250V, 400V and 1000V and are printed onto the body of the capacitor."
And this:
"Generally for electrolytic capacitors and especially aluminium electrolytic capacitor, at high temperatures (over +85°C the liquids within the electrolyte can be lost to evaporation, and the body of the capacitor (especially the small sizes) may become deformed due to the internal pressure and leak outright. Also, electrolytic capacitors can not be used at low temperatures, below about -10°C, as the electrolyte jelly freezes."
From here:
https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/capacitor/cap_3.html
I usually go higher Working voltage so the capacitor isn't overloaded.
The 16 V will be cutting it fine with AC ripple from the Alternator.
At work we found replacing 85 °C with 105 °C led to fewer failures. Being on the bike it could get quite warm.
Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
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12 volts is the nominal voltage of the bike, it actually runs typically at around 14.2 volts, so a 12 volt cap would die quickly. 16volts is too close, the rule of thumb says to use a minimum of double the operating voltage, so 25 is close, 32 much better 67 perfect.
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Do you ever use the passing switch? I know that I never use mine and if I were to wire up this sort of farkle it is the switch I would go for.
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Do you ever use the passing switch?
All the time, its wired to my SR10 to activate the UHF transmit.
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Actually this was directed at the OP but nevertheless it's good to know I am not the only person who thought of using it for something else.
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I've got my garage door opener operating from the horn. As I come up the driveway, I operate the horn and the missus rushes to the garage and puts the door up for me. :whistle Disclaimer: It only works intermittently.
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:rofl
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It works fine internationally:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dR6t2zCLaA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dR6t2zCLaA)
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It works fine internationally:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dR6t2zCLaA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dR6t2zCLaA)
Lol. At least I have given my 'door opener' an internal door to access the button in the garage. :grin