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Garage Bell

Boyd

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Dec 16, 2009
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866
Location
Forney, TX
I need to install some type of parking aid in the garage for my wife. The problem is I don't want to hang a tennis ball or put in a curb as I use that space when needed, which is often.

One idea I keep coming back to is a driveway bell. But with 4 kids at home I don't like the idea of a hose always laying around waiting to be tripped over. So I'm wondering if it would be possible to modify one to accept a signal from a set of garage door sensors? I have a workbench that divides her parking space from my work space, I could place one sensor there and one on the wall opposite of it. When she breaks the beam, the bell goes off.

The issues I see with that set up, assuming I could make it work, is how to interrupt the signal after she trips it initially (so that the bell doesn't continue going off) and how to activate/deactivate the system so that it doesn't go off each time someone walks between the beams.

Can this be done or am I over-thinking a solution?
 
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ddawg16

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Jul 11, 2008
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Location
S. California
Over thinking.....

Use a mirror....it will take a little messing around....but find a location that you can put it on the adjacent or front wall so that it shows the front of the car and a spot on the floor.

When set up right, your wife should be able to look in the mirror and see when she reaches a specific spot.....then she knows to stop.
 

bazzateer

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Oct 8, 2009
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Location
Watford, Great Britain
Cheaper option than John's: If your she parks next to your desk make a permanent mark/sign somewhere on the desk in line with her door so when she's alongside the mark that's where she stops.
 

JoeMopar

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Nov 4, 2010
Messages
179
Just tell her to pull in till she hits your bench, then back up a tad.:lol_hitti
 
Last edited:

iggi11

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Mar 29, 2011
Messages
5
I like the idea. I don't there is any such thing as overthinking. You could hook up the sensor to trip a timed light (like a security light) which could have a seperate switch attached to it to disable it when not needed.
 

UncleJoe

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Dec 2, 2008
Messages
908
Location
New Bern NC
I know you said no tennis ball but here is what my dad did. He mounted a small cheap pulley to the ceiling and ran a cord through it and connected it to the garage door and one end to a tennis ball that hit the windshield of the car where the rear view mirro is attached.

This got the car parked centered on the ball at exactly the correct space. When you close the door the cord through the pulley raises the ball up and out of the way. Something to think about.
 

december45

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Apr 13, 2009
Messages
1,580
We got a couple of those parking aid things... the green light is on, as you get closer it turns yellow and when your in the right spot it turns red.. works for my wife.
I even have one in front of my lift, set up for my trucks, pull up until the light turns red and your in the exact right spot, it helped alot when i first got the lift but really dont need it much now, but it does work.
 
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eldirector

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Sep 18, 2008
Messages
608
We got a couple of those parking aid things... the green light is on, as you get closer it turns yellow and when your in the right spot it turns red.. works for my wife.
I even have one in front of my lift, set up for my trucks, pull up until the light turns red and your in the exact right spot, it helped alot when i first got the lift but really dont need it much now, but it does work.

I have the same for parking my truck. It fits in the garage with just 6" in front and enough room to walk behind it.

This is it:
Park-Zone_PZ-1500.jpg
 

SuperSocket

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Nov 2, 2010
Messages
2,683
Location
Michigan
Get a parking laser, cheap and effective. If she can't park with that, then perhaps she is going to have to start parking outside or give up the keys, lol
 

kbs2244

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Nov 11, 2006
Messages
14,065
Whatever you go to, if you plug it into the door opener light it will go off in a while.
 

diggerrick

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Dec 1, 2010
Messages
996
We got a couple of those parking aid things... the green light is on, as you get closer it turns yellow and when your in the right spot it turns red.. works for my wife.
I even have one in front of my lift, set up for my trucks, pull up until the light turns red and your in the exact right spot, it helped alot when i first got the lift but really dont need it much now, but it does work.

Exactly what Dad put in for Mom.
 

LocoCoco

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Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Messages
247
Location
Northern Ontario
But you must admit it was funny. I know it was what I was thinking :bounce:
I would not have said it but was defintly thinking it. LOL


I think up a lot worse things to say to my wife, but you'd be amazed how quickly I've learned to just shut up.

:)

We got a couple of those parking aid things... the green light is on, as you get closer it turns yellow and when your in the right spot it turns red.. works for my wife...


Just realized my wife floors it on yellow lights. Something to consider...




LC.
 

6brzina

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Joined
Oct 6, 2010
Messages
95
Location
Forney, TX
I hung a 12 in. convex mirror off one of my door tracks so I can see where I'm at while pulling the wife's car in. My wife won't even try to pull her car into the garage, I have to do it for her.
 

Radio Flyer

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Mar 28, 2010
Messages
1,685
Location
Suburban Chicago
Be careful using the tennis ball.

My brother uses one for his wife. I was in his garage one day and the ball was always in the way, so I shortened it. well you can guess what happened.
 
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