This is awesome, simply hooked Relay shield and core, connected wires to relay1 from garage door machine -parallel to garage door button. And now via Tinker app I just do D0 (LOW or HIGH) and door opens and closes. This is great no programing no coding.
Now wondering if someone can suggest how I can setup some sensor (what kind) so I know status of door.
Get a reed switch. I have one on my garage to detect if the door is open.
Here are some fun thoughts:
After a certain amount of time, automatically close the door.
Another great addition to my garage door handler was a button. When pressed the LED would blink and after about 15 seconds, the door would close. This way I can exit without needing to use the code or a remote to close the door.
I use magnetic reed security switches with my garage doors. There are some that mount on the floor and a magnet near the bottom of the door triggers the switch, but mine are regular security reed switches embedded in the inside-the-garage framing near the top of the door. I glued a strong magnet to the outside of the top of the garage door with epoxy where it does not show.
This would be a pretty neat use for the Spark Core! Just make sure you keep all the safety interlocks and sensors intact so you don’t accidentally crush your wife, or cat (or wife holding the cat) to death!
Everything made in the last 20 years has (at the very least) an IR beam that stops the door from closing if something crosses in front of it. Most of them also monitor the current use from the motor and will stop it if the current gets too high (meaning the motor is bound).
I'm sure this knowledge fills @mdma's wife (let's call her Molly) with ecstasy.
Setting up sensors is as simple as operating garage door via Tinker app. The only thing you want to do is to buy a set of sensor from the market. There are instruction written on its manual. Just follow the instruction and there you go. Majority of this installations are DIY. If you want to read more then visit there website.