i-Drive Garage Door Lights

[lovebohn]

I have the dreaded i-Drive garage door openers in my current garage and for the most part they have worked fine for over 8 years now. This past summer both of the light fixture assemblies won't turn on. In the past I could reprogram them or replace the bulb with no problems. You can still hear the relay trip but no light when you open/close the door or just try to turn on the one light.

I have read about people just putting motion sensors in their garage, but with 2 young kids the light would never turn off. I really don't need all of the garage lights to turn on, just the single overhead one for each door when it opens or closes. I thought maybe there would be a simple relay that could plug into the outlet for the i-drive opener. Every time you opened the door it would sense the electrical draw and send a wireless signal to the other sensor (receiver) which plugs into the outlet the light fixture is plugged into now and turns on for a set amount of time. The same basic function it does now. Simple concept but I can't find anything on the web. Any thoughts or ideas?

Dave

 

[lovebohn]

Would a product like this work for my setup? http://www.smarthome.com/synchrolinc-insteon-2423a5-power-synching-controller.html

Then either put a LED light on the receiving side or a switched outlet with a light plugged into it. The only thing I can't seem to find out is if there can be a delay set. So the door starts to open the Synchrolinc sends the signal over to the light, the door is opened/closed and it sends the signal over to the light, but there needs to be some sort of delay or the whole setup is pointless.

 

[lovebohn]

No thoughts or guys with the same problem?

 

[ADCS]

Can you repair or replace the openers? Why re-invent the wheel.

 

[lovebohn]

I thought of that option too, but it might be a long shot to a product with no support and questionable quality.

 

[pattenp]

I had the idrive but started having too many problems including the light not working correctly. I finally gave up on it and replaced with a LiftMaster 3800 jackshaft opener. Sorry, but I think you're watering a dying horse.

 

[koditten]

I think you are on borrowed time anyways. I went thru 2 C-boards in the 1.5 years I had mine.

Please consider just replacing it. It kinda is a shame they were not better made, the instalation of the things is very easy. The durability was just ****, so I tossed it and a replaced it with a conventional unit.

 

[lovebohn]

If the motor and opener was having problems I would replace it, but spending $600 on two new openers seems like a lot for a light problem. Might was well go with the motion light route then. I guess this setup could be dead tomorrow or 10 years from now too.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Are you using regular incadescents or CFLs ?

Maybe PM AndyL . He has dealt with the i-drive openers.

 

[lovebohn]

The one in the idrive is incandescent all of the other ones in the garage are the screw in CFL.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I had one go out once, I put a new bulb in it and it still didn't work. It went that way for over a year, till it donned on me. That new bulb was bad right out of the box, changed the bulb again and it works.