Hidden garage door opener wires - clean way to exit wall?

[jstluise]

While I have my garage ceiling torn into for adding more lights, I figured now would be a good time to hide my garage door opener wires (control panel & sensors) and run them through the ceiling/wall.

Behind the control panel and sensors I can just poke a hole in the sheetrock, but I'm trying to think of a clean way to get the wires out of the ceiling next to the opener (cleaner than just poking a hole in the ceiling). I was thinking I could just have a single gang outlet box with solid cover, then put a small hole in the cover.

Are there any other options?

 

[DirtyJersey]

This?

http://www.legrand.us/wiremold/poke...rc9am2tc-single-service-poke-thru-device.aspx

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[DirtyJersey]

This?

http://www.legrand.us/wiremold/poke...rc9am2tc-single-service-poke-thru-device.aspx

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Or this...


Theres a smaller round one i can't seem too find a pic of. Check out Home Cheapo in the area they sell in wall wiring for tv's.

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[ishiboo]

I run Cat6 for stuff like that now, despite being obviously overkill for a garage door opener. Easy to come through the wall with a coax bushing to make it look nice.

http://www.trianglecables.com/produ...campaign=278&gclid=CNuaiNqf5tICFY61wAodkuIPKQ

 

[jstluise]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I like the coax bushing, I had not heard of those before.

 

[ducksface]

I did away with my wired controller.
I stuck a battery operated remote on the wall with foam tape.
No wires. I really can't find a use for the wired switch on anything other than an 8500.

 

[justsam]

I think I would be a fan of the simple bushing as shown. If you still wanted to use a low voltage box behind the wall than you could use a coax switch plate.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-1-Gang-Midway-0-406-in-Hole-Device-Telephone-Cable-Wall-Plate-White-R52-0PJ11-00W/202059897

Wayne Dalton tried to use wireless safety sensors on their iDrive opener, but then reverted back to wired sensors. The contractor who built my home got caught up in their claim to not need wiring for sensors, and wound up doing some drywall work when the wireless did not work out and the sensor wires needed to be hidden as you are doing.

 

[SiGmA_X]

While I have my garage ceiling torn into for adding more lights, I figured now would be a good time to hide my garage door opener wires (control panel & sensors) and run them through the ceiling/wall.

Behind the control panel and sensors I can just poke a hole in the sheetrock, but I'm trying to think of a clean way to get the wires out of the ceiling next to the opener (cleaner than just poking a hole in the ceiling). I was thinking I could just have a single gang outlet box with solid cover, then put a small hole in the cover.

Are there any other options?

I would put one of these behind the 8500. Or just poke a hole, you'll never see it, the 8500 should cover it nicely.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...able-Wall-Plate-White-R52-0PJ11-00W/202059897

 

[tjm129]

I've been using this
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41Q%2BiGR5z-L.jpg
I ran 1/2 EMT conduit in my walls with boxes to mount a switch plate to, I'm insulated so i figured if i ever needed to pull new wires it would be super easy. I know it is overkill, but EMT is cheap.

I also have an idea that I have not completed yet. mine is a 1 car garage, for the sensors, I mounted extra deep boxes in the walls near the floor, then I and using 1" mud rings, this gives me enough clearance to mount the sensors inside the wall, and i will mount a clear face plate on them. Then the sensor will be completely hidden, and no risk of hitting it, or gathering cob webs, dust etc.

 

[mm08822]

drill through the top plate in the wall above the switch location. Whats another rectangle of sheetrock if you are already into sheetrock, joint compound, tape, paint, etc?

 

[rharman]

I would put one of these behind the 8500. Or just poke a hole, you'll never see it, the 8500 should cover it nicely.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...able-Wall-Plate-White-R52-0PJ11-00W/202059897

This plate - exactly. Get some small loom if you really want it clean.

 

[ard]

FYI..no need for a single gang box...one of these will support any plate/cover:

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

FYI..no need for a single gang box...one of these will support any plate/cover:

 

[jstluise]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I think I'll go with the low voltage gang bracket (I forgot about those!) and the simple plate with the hole in the middle. That should be just fine.

drill through the top plate in the wall above the switch location. Whats another rectangle of sheetrock if you are already into sheetrock, joint compound, tape, paint, etc?

This is already done and I plan to just poke a hole in the sheetrock behind the switch. This thread was mainly to figure out a clean way to exit the ceiling above the garage door opener unit.

Also, regarding the wired vs. wireless control panel, the control panel I have is the liftmaster myQ which requires power for the wireless connection to the internet gateway. So wireless is not an option for me.

 

[BoostAddiction]

Here's a vote for what I did in my garage: I didn't use the wires at all!

You really don't need a dedicated hardwired switch if you have an opener with a receiver for remotes- just use the remotes to control the opener all the time. I have one remote mounted on the wall by the door, and use that every day (and have for 17 years now) without a problem.

If for some reason you need to open the door and the receiver is somehow inop, you can open it from the inside by pulling the emergency release cord. Cars are outside? Use their remotes.

Worst case is you can get up on the openers with a ladder to mess with them.

But in 17 years with this scheme, I've never had a problem with it. And don't have those ugly wires in the walls and ceiling, or penetrations that I don't want.

 

[kbuhagiar]

In 17 years with this scheme, I've never had a problem with it. And don't have those ugly wires in the walls and ceiling, or penetrations that I don't want.

Sounds like a viable solution, but what about the wires for the electric eyes at the bottom of the door opening?

 

[BoostAddiction]

Sounds like a viable solution, but what about the wires for the electric eyes at the bottom of the door opening?

Yep, you do have to run those. If you have the 8500-style openers it's easier to hide them by running the wires in the corners of the door trim. Harder with the traditional opener mounted high up.

 

[Orionrising]

Just tape the sensor wires to the tracks. Or if you want to be fancy run a piece of 1/2 EMT along the track...

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[Advan]

Just google "drywall grommet". There's no need to get too complicated!

 

[rharman]

I ran PVC and used short pieces of wire loom on mine.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5967657&postcount=21040

 

[rkstr]

I used some spare Cat6 cable, low voltage boxes, and finished it off with Leviton plates. Turned out really nice. Don't forget to run an extra wire and place it next to the garage door opening. Using another low voltage box, add a doorbell button and it gives you an easy way to close the door when you walk out of the garage. No need to run and step/jump over the light sensors.

 

[broox]

I used some spare Cat6 cable, low voltage boxes, and finished it off with Leviton plates. Turned out really nice. Don't forget to run an extra wire and place it next to the garage door opening. Using another low voltage box, add a doorbell button and it gives you an easy way to close the door when you walk out of the garage. No need to run and step/jump over the light sensors.

I stole this idea to get the wires from the opener into the ceiling. The 23 gauge wires are a real pain in the *** to work with, but it turned out really nice!

To finish cleaning up the ceiling, I moved the low-voltage garage door wires into the ceiling and replaced the grungy old connections to the opener with cat-6, heh. I have no idea if this will last given the super low-gauge wires, but it certainly looks nicer.

And everyone that has seen this so far thinks that I am a crazy person, haha.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I stole this idea to get the wires from the opener into the ceiling. The 23 gauge wires are a real pain in the *** to work with, but it turned out really nice!

Next time. If you pig tailed 2 23awg together you will end up with a 20awg. May as well use all the copper just might look a little messy.

 

[SGKent]

mine has a standard receptacle there that mine plugs into. Makes it easy to unplug it if / when I need to.

 

[mcmlvif100]

instead of the more typical slotted steel angle, I used a pair of 1" x 36" perforated steel tubes to hang the garage door opener. The tubes go up through the drywall into the attic where I attached them to the rafters. Ran the sensor and control wires up through the inside of the tubes to the attic. Makes for a pretty clean installation.

 

[nadogail]

I used some spare Cat6 cable, low voltage boxes, and finished it off with Leviton plates. Turned out really nice. Don't forget to run an extra wire and place it next to the garage door opening. Using another low voltage box, add a doorbell button and it gives you an easy way to close the door when you walk out of the garage. No need to run and step/jump over the light sensors.

Cat6 cable will give you "Spare Pairs". A spare pair can be priceless when the inevitable "future growth" unexpectedly presents itself.

 

[TheFabMan]

I know this an old discussion, I just wanted to add what I did. I made use of low voltage boxes, blank wall plates and 2 wire speaker terminals like for a speaker box. I then measured and wrapped the exposed wires around a small diameter tube or like a screwdriver shank. I also have surveillance cameras, a Nexx Garage controller and things that are in the same area so I used 1 round wall pass through in the ceiling. I just had to make some repairs to my opener, (broken trolley), so the bottom picture doesn't have everything tidied back up yet. Oh and yes I 3d printed some thumb nuts to make removal and reinstall of the rail straps on top of my opener easier. Not a lot of room for a ratchet with my big hands and arms in that space.

 

[bronc076]

My preferred method.