Controlling overhead lights with a new liftmaster opener

patrickoneal · Apr 15, 2015

I've seen a few threads on this topic, but no elegant or particularly safe looking solutions.

I got a liftmaster 8500 for my garage door, and I didn't want to mount the little remote light and have a cord running down my wall.

I found that liftmaster/chamberlain make these switches that can be synced up with the opener:

http://www.chamberlain.com/smartphone-control-products/lighting-controls/myq-interior-light-switch

https://www.liftmaster.com/For-Businesses/Accessories/CDO-Accessories/model-823LM

They're both the same exact thing except for the logo, both are around $30 shipped, but the Chamberlain comes with a little 3 button garage door opener remote, so that's what I got.

The only problem is that they're only rated for 2.5 amps of CFL lighting. I have four 8 ft four tube T5 fixtures from Home Depot. That's closer to ~8 amps, and the electronic ballast inrush(probably 200 amps), would weld the relay in the switch closed in short order.

The solution I found was this:

http://www.functionaldevices.com/pdf/datasheets/RIB2401B.pdf

It's a fully enclosed relay rated for 16A @ 277VAC of electronic ballast load. I verified with the manufacturer that it's good for that at 120VAC as well. I got the RIB2401B with the 120V coil for obvious reasons. The coil only draws 47mA, and I'm triggering it with the Liftmaster/Chamberlain switch. Only around $20 shipped. The older data sheets and relay labels make no mention of electronic ballast rating, so I'd stick with new stock(read the label if you're buying on ebay)

I had wired my lights with two switches and 14/3 romex, so that I could turn half of each fixture on. This didn't turn out to be particularly useful to me, but getting rid of that functionality allowed me to repurpose one of the hot wires to constantly power the common terminal on the relay without having to pull new wire.

I went to the first J-Box in the attic and popped a 7/8" hole in the cover to mount the relay and wired it up.

After letting the switch "charge up", everything works fine and the relay in the Liftmaster switch should last just about forever since all it's doing is triggering the RIB lighting relay.

If anyone else is interested in doing the same, I can post up a wiring diagram.

xyster101 · Apr 15, 2015

I thought of doing the same thing but I did not want to turn on my fluorescent lights on that much. An hour of lights on uses the same power as turning the lights on once. It is also bad to turn these lights on and off as it burns up the filiment. I know when I work around the garage with the door open the lights are always turning on and off as I leave and come back from another part of the yard. Just a thought.

patrickoneal · Apr 15, 2015

xyster101 said:
I thought of doing the same thing but I did not want to turn on my fluorescent lights on that much. An hour of lights on uses the same power as turning the lights on once. It is also bad to turn these lights on and off as it burns up the filiment. I know when I work around the garage with the door open the lights are always turning on and off as I leave and come back from another part of the yard. Just a thought.

I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. I didn't really consider the effect of cycling the lamps.

I knew that cycling them shortens the life, but I decided to google a bit, and the start up power consumption increase only lasts a split second with electronic ballasts, and apparently not much longer with old magnetic ballasts. The few sources I found on it may be propaganda from lighting control companies, but I'm pretty sure the "same as burning them for an hour" thing is a myth.

Captain America · Apr 16, 2015

I plan on doing the same thing to my garage. I looked at the liftmaster switch and noticed the max of 300watts, didn't look at the max amp for CFL. I'm still designing the layout of the lights in my garage, but I'm probably doing 8 - 4' T8 lights on two switches (four per switch) or all 8 on one switch.

NICE find on using a relay. Might have to look into that.

RickP · Apr 16, 2015

Good write up of your project. I really like that light switch remote control idea - I may have to use that on some exterior lights.

wssix99 · Apr 16, 2015

That's a nice solution for a single garage door. Multiple doors require lighting contactors, (if they are all hooked up together with the lights) which is a lot more involved. There is also a nice thread on this site with how to do that.

patrickoneal · Apr 16, 2015

wssix99 said:
That's a nice solution for a single garage door. Multiple doors require lighting contactors, (if they are all hooked up together with the lights) which is a lot more involved. There is also a nice thread on this site with how to do that.

I'm pretty sure you can program more than one opener to control a single liftmaster wall switch. I don't see where a contactor would be required unless the current draw of the lights exceeds the capacity of the RIB relay I used... and you could always use multiple RIB relays and still come out cheaper than a lighting contactor.

wssix99 · Apr 16, 2015

patrickoneal said:
I'm pretty sure you can program more than one opener to control a single liftmaster wall switch.

I don't believe you can. I recall its the other way around. You can add multiple lights to one opener, but not multiple openers to one light control.

patrickoneal · Apr 16, 2015

wssix99 said:
I don't believe you can. I recall its the other way around. You can add multiple lights to one opener, but not multiple openers to one light control.

Maybe not... the instructions aren't clear in that regard. I do know that the switch can learn multiple remotes, so I figured multiple openers wouldn't be a problem. If the opener on my other nearby garage was new enough to work with it, I'd try it and see.

jimmie jam · Apr 17, 2015

Interesting, did not know that this was an option.

wes73 · Apr 17, 2015

I have that switch connected to my outside garage lights. This was much cheaper to buy this switch than run 150' of 14-3 for a 3 way switch. Plus i can control it from anywhere with their smartphone app and the MyQ device.

TheEquineFencer · Apr 17, 2015

I used the RIB relays in my shop powering them from a motion switch and/or a manual override timer in case I'm standing in one spot too long. It was cheaper than buying and wiring more motion switches.

You can get them in AC or DC and a whole range of voltage and amperage ratings.

wssix99 · Apr 17, 2015

patrickoneal said:
Maybe not... the instructions aren't clear in that regard. I do know that the switch can learn multiple remotes, so I figured multiple openers wouldn't be a problem. If the opener on my other nearby garage was new enough to work with it, I'd try it and see.

Yes. They are not clear. When I purchased my openers, I looked in to this but don't remember where. I may have confirmed with the manufacturer.

Here's the other thread where multiple units are discussed: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171014&highlight=contactor&showall=1

patrickoneal · Apr 19, 2015

wssix99 said:
Yes. They are not clear. When I purchased my openers, I looked in to this but don't remember where. I may have confirmed with the manufacturer.

Here's the other thread where multiple units are discussed: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171014&highlight=contactor&showall=1

In that thread, RCman gutted the remote light instead of using a liftmaster remote switch... maybe it wasn't available yet. He does state that more than one opener can be programmed to control the light:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2727564&postcount=17

He used a lighting contractor instead of a RIB relay, probably more expensive, but likely will last longer.

This probably holds true for the switch as well. I'll never have a second door on my garage, I just wanted to throw this out there for anyone considering doing the same thing I did.

Captain America · Apr 19, 2015

I also will be controlling my garage lights with the Liftmaster switch, and I have two doors.

Thanks for the links, gotta check them out.

patrickoneal · Apr 19, 2015

Captain America said:
I also will be controlling my garage lights with the Liftmaster switch, and I have two doors.

Thanks for the links, gotta check them out.

Just a heads up... If you do it, you'll probably think the switch is broken or miswired when you turn the power back on. It takes a good 10 minutes for something in the switch to charge up before it gets responsive. Also, get the chamberlain switch if you want the keychain door opener remote, it's the same price as the liftmaster version without the remote.

Spudland_Dave · Apr 20, 2015

I want to do this SOOOO bad, but am still confused, not enough time to dig into the whole thing..
Why doesn't someone offer a "Turn Key" DIY Pack with instructions? :dunno:

wssix99 · Apr 20, 2015

Spudland_Dave said:
I want to do this SOOOO bad, but am still confused, not enough time to dig into the whole thing..
Why doesn't someone offer a "Turn Key" DIY Pack with instructions?

Because LiftMaster wants us to spend $2000 on computer equipment to control all this from an iPhone. https://www.liftmaster.com/for-homes/Accessories/MyQ-Accessories

Trey T · Apr 20, 2015

patrickoneal: Can you show me (on diagram) where you locate the "trigger" wire coming from the Liftmaster for your relay?

jdm5 · Apr 20, 2015

wssix99 said:
Because LiftMaster wants us to spend $2000 on computer equipment to control all this from an iPhone. https://www.liftmaster.com/for-homes/Accessories/MyQ-Accessories

Not sure if you're serious or not - I agree this would be useful (linking a light to multiple openers) but the Internet gateway is $40-60 and works standalone (assuming you have an existing home network - router and ISP). It was basically plug and play, and the iPhone app was free and works well.

Can you clarify what you mean?

patrickoneal · Apr 20, 2015

Trey T said:
patrickoneal: Can you show me (on diagram) where you locate the "trigger" wire coming from the Liftmaster for your relay?

Here you go. I'm using the liftmaster wireless switch and it's lowly contact ratings to switch a much higher rated relay:

patrickoneal · Apr 20, 2015

The tricky part is getting 120V constant(unswitched) to the yellow common terminal on the relay. If you don't have drywall, you could just mount a box right beside/above/below the switch, or use a 4" square box with a single decora cover to house the switch, and use one of the 1/2" knockouts to mount the relay directly to the box. If you're using a metal box, make sure the antenna is dangling out of it.

Trey T · Apr 20, 2015

I misunderstood your post so that's not what I meant. I thought you meant there's a low current 120vac output from your liftmaster opener.

patrickoneal · Apr 20, 2015

Trey T said:
I misunderstood your post so that's not what I meant. I thought you meant there's a low current 120vac output from your liftmaster opener.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. There is no low current output on the 8500 that I know of. On the regular overhead openers you could grab it right at the light bulb socket.

Worsedog · Apr 20, 2015

Not sure about your 8500, but my two 3800 both control the same remote light. Can't imagine they'd reduce the usefulness with the newer models.

Trey T · Apr 21, 2015

patrickoneal said:
Sorry if I wasn't clear. There is no low current output on the 8500 that I know of. On the regular overhead openers you could grab it right at the light bulb socket.

yah, what I had in mind was to use the Liftmaster remote light to trigger my z-wave controlled lights.

wssix99 · Apr 21, 2015

Trey T said:
yah, what I had in mind was to use the Liftmaster remote light to trigger my z-wave controlled lights.

The link I put in post #13 has some really good tips on doing this.

wssix99 · Apr 21, 2015

jdm5 said:
Not sure if you're serious or not - I agree this would be useful (linking a light to multiple openers) but the Internet gateway is $40-60 and works standalone (assuming you have an existing home network - router and ISP). It was basically plug and play, and the iPhone app was free and works well.

Can you clarify what you mean?

I am totally serious. I was coming at this as a non-iPhone, non-Android person. My $2000 includes all of the required devices to work with their apps. Liftmaster also wants to sell us a ton of other gadgets to control additional home systems with their myQ system.

If one is already been wed to Apple at the iAlter, then the monetary expense is probably not so great.

Even if one is in a situation where the adoption cost of myQ is lower, I'm still not a fan. People hacking in to baby monitors is one thing - can you imagine what someone could do if they hacked in to a myQ system?

Captain America · May 15, 2015

About to order (12)twelve 4' T8 fixtures, I will light 6 with the liftmaster switch and the others on a regular wall switch. My calculations show 384 watts and 3.2 amps on just the bulbs, not including the ballast.

Is the RIB2401B relay enough to control this setup? I'm also going to use a liftmaster switch to control 8 double bulb perimeter light probably incandescent or cfl bulbs (wish I could afford LED, 16 bulbs=$$$$$) Will the same relay work?

I'm about to start pulling wire in the garage so adding a 12/3 to power relays will not be a problem.

Denwood · May 15, 2015

I decided to just wire in an exterior motion sensitive LED fixture/light instead of using my opener to control lights. This way when entering the shop (if lights are off, or shop is dark), the LED fires up. Conversely if the shop lights are on, the LED is held off by its photocell. None of the shop lights need to be cycled if we're just parking. You can see it just above the door at center. I find that a quick shop visit to grab a tool or similar no longer requires flipping on the main lights as the LED is sufficient...and "hands free".

Works well, and simple to install.

slodat · Jun 7, 2015

I have three 8500s and six of the lights that come with the openers throughout my shop. The openers control all six lights.

67carl · Jun 7, 2015

An alternative (and if you don't have a Liftmaster or other opener with the necessary wiring) that I did was to install an occupancy sensor switch (Lutron) in an outlet box wired to some recessed lights in strategic locations in the garage. Garage door or man door opens and the lights come on until I leave then auto shut off. If I need more light then I just flip the switch for the T5s

Captain America · Jun 8, 2015

Here's what I did....

I installed two relays with Chamberlain remote switches with the key fobs to control the T8 garage lights and the perimeter lights around the garage and house. I have two liftmaster 8500s that are programed into the controller remote ( button 1= wife's door, button 2= my door, button 3 = perimeter lighting).

Anytime the garage door is opened, I break the sensor, or walk by the wall sensor the T8 lights come on.

I programed the perimeter lighting so my wife can use homelink in her Jeep, or button 3 on my remote to turn on the lighting at night while pulling up to the house. Also, the light switch to the perimeter lighting is the the detached garage so now I can use the key fob or phone app to turn on the perimeter lights from inside the house.

You can also control everything from the phone app from anywhere.

patrickoneal · Jun 20, 2015

Captain America said:
Here's what I did....

I installed two relays with Chamberlain remote switches with the key fobs to control the T8 garage lights and the perimeter lights around the garage and house. I have two liftmaster 8500s that are programed into the controller remote ( button 1= wife's door, button 2= my door, button 3 = perimeter lighting).

Anytime the garage door is opened, I break the sensor, or walk by the wall sensor the T8 lights come on.

I programed the perimeter lighting so my wife can use homelink in her Jeep, or button 3 on my remote to turn on the lighting at night while pulling up to the house. Also, the light switch to the perimeter lighting is the the detached garage so now I can use the key fob or phone app to turn on the perimeter lights from inside the house.

You can also control everything from the phone app from anywhere.

Glad it worked out for you. Cool setup you've got there. I didn't see your PM or post until today, otherwise I would have answered your question about the loads.

regor0 · Jun 21, 2015

patrickoneal said:
I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. I didn't really consider the effect of cycling the lamps.

I knew that cycling them shortens the life, but I decided to google a bit, and the start up power consumption increase only lasts a split second with electronic ballasts, and apparently not much longer with old magnetic ballasts. The few sources I found on it may be propaganda from lighting control companies, but I'm pretty sure the "same as burning them for an hour" thing is a myth.

For flourescent fixtures, Mythbusters did a show on this about 10 years ago. It turned out turning the lights on was equal to 8 seconds of "leaving the lights on". So almost no difference in cost. Myth busted. Have no idea on how turning them on an off affects the life.

dschmit · Jun 21, 2015

Denwood, what brand motion light did you use? I am looking to do the same, and i like the looks of the light you used.

buening · Jan 11, 2016

Has anyone use the 888LM Wall Control in conjunction with these RIB2401B relays?

These wall controls have motion sensors built in, and come with every 8500 opener. My ceiling lights are on 3-way switches, so it won't work with the 823LM wall switches that patrickoneal used. I'd like to splice into the wall control wire run to the motors (these are ran in my attic), and use them as a trigger wire to activate the relay. I already have a jbox in the attic for the fluorescent lights, so this would be ideal.

I'm trying to determine if the wall controls have the light delay in them, or if its in the opener. I'm guessing one wire on the control is the signal wire to activate the opener motor to open/close the door, and the other wire is the signal wire for the lights which would include the delay.

I may test the voltage on the screws on the back of the wall control, to see how long they send voltage to the opener motors and to identify which wire does what. Figured I'd ask on here if anyone has done it though.

wssix99 · Jan 12, 2016

buening said:
Has anyone use the 888LM Wall Control in conjunction with these RIB2401B relays?

I have the same set-up as you and needed to install lighting contactors.

You can't tap in to the switches. They are serial devices and communicate directly with the drive/motor units. All the "magic" happens inside the drive unit. The timer must be in the actual drive unit since use of these switches is optional.

There is no native direct wire option other than to remove the circuit board from the remote light that comes with the opener and wire it separately in a new electrical box and tie that into your contactor(s) or relay switches.

I don't have a good picture of my setup but will try to get a good one for you when I get home tonight, if you are interested.

wssix99 · Jan 12, 2016

Here's the box, where I have my four lighting contactors installed with three Liftmaster remote light boards:

View media item 56911
Here is the inside:

View media item 56910
I have a contactor for each remote light board and a fourth for my wall switches. If any light board is on or the wall switches are on, they energize the circuits and an indicator shows which contactor is "on." (The top indicator shows my wall switches are on and the first picture shows my middle garage door is commanding its light control on.)

My contactors are also double pole (probably not what most people need) because I drive a lighting circuit and a separate HRV circuit with them. (This drives the HRV by my garage light timers and allows me an exemption from my City code that I have passive ventilation in my garage, which will not work well for me given that its heated!)

One can also use a single Liftmaster remote light board programmed to multiple garage door openers - and a single contactor for the remote lights. However, I'm not sure how one would know which opener is driving the light control at any point in time, so I kept everything separate so I would have discrete manual control over things.

PhantomEB · Jan 12, 2016

Denwood said:
I decided to just wire in an exterior motion sensitive LED fixture/light instead of using my opener to control lights. This way when entering the shop (if lights are off, or shop is dark), the LED fires up. Conversely if the shop lights are on, the LED is held off by its photocell. None of the shop lights need to be cycled if we're just parking. You can see it just above the door at center. I find that a quick shop visit to grab a tool or similar no longer requires flipping on the main lights as the LED is sufficient...and "hands free".

Works well, and simple to install.

This is similar to what I plan to do but just a sensor to an under cabinet LED strip. Won't glare you blind when you walk out to grab a tool or a beer or as well when I pull in with the truck. Simple and sweet!

Controlling overhead lights with a new liftmaster opener

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