Lights on when opening garage door?

[5Cent]

I thought I read somewhere that there is a product that you can replace your opener light bulbs with to activate other garage lights to come on when the opener is activated.

I have (2) 4' T12's that I would like to hang about 3' away from the opener box to give the wife some more security when pulling in.

 

[nova65ss]

I have seen people get the screw in outlets that go in the light fixture and run a cord to their flourescents. Not sure how I like having a cord ran across the ceiling though.

 

[rcleaver]

You might want to look into using an X10 device.

 

[kbs2244]

I have done it the way nova discribed at many places.
Sometimes flouresents or, at my home, 2 hologen work lights.
It is just extension cord wireing.
One fellow didn't like the look and re-ran the cords up through the celing and then back down to the light.
I would suggest wire mold instead if it bothers you.

 

[5Cent]

I have done it the way nova discribed at many places.
Sometimes flouresents or, at my home, 2 hologen work lights.
It is just extension cord wireing.
One fellow didn't like the look and re-ran the cords up through the celing and then back down to the light.
I would suggest wire mold instead if it bothers you.

Thanks for the help guys. I'm debating on using Flours. as they will be turned on and off frequently, but it would be nice to have the higher output since the opener has the option to turn the lights on automatically which is nice since it's in the middle of the garage, directly where the hood of the truck opens

 

[Ironcrow]

I got a cheap adapter at the hardware store that screws into lightbulb socket and turns it into a plug receptacle. I took the automatic lightbulb out of my garage door operator, screwed in the adapter, plugged a calculator transformer I had laying around into the receptacle, trailed the little 9 volt wire from the garage door operator, and put the plastic light difuser cover thing back on the opener. Now, instead of a dim 60 Watt bulb on the garage door opener 4 minute timer, I had a 9 volt DC signal.

I take the 9 volt DC to an industrial solid state relay (so called 'SSR' or 'hockey puck' relay). I paralleled that with the wall switch in the garage for about 15 amps of flouresent lights. Hit the opener button, the door opens, and ALL the lights come ON. Lights go OFF on the opener's timer (unless I go over and flip the wall switch).

 

[FakeName]

if it's under 500 watts, I use something like this in my garage and closets at home. The work great:

http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/cooper-wiring-motion-sensor-wall-switch-p-23078.html?ref=42

 

[Torque1st]

Garage door opener lights are very stupidly placed. They should be on the back side of the opener where they do not blind the driver while driving into the garage.

I mounted another ceramic screw in bulb socket on the back side of my opener. I also reduced the bulb size on the front side to two 40W bulbs with life extender diodes that reduce their brightness. Now I have lights on both sides of the opener and they do not blind the driver.

 

[kbs2244]

Just to be clear.
The lights I hook up to the opener are seprate from the general lighting.
In my daily driver garage the 2 hologen work lights are mounted on the walls.
One is mounted on the wall in front of the cars and shines between the 2 cars so you can see your way when get out of the car on the left.
The other light is mounted on the back wall and shines on the stairs from the garage to the house which is to the left of the car on the left.
With the opener timer set to max we have plenty of light and time to unload a car without needing to turn on the general lighting.

 

[5Cent]

Just to be clear.
The lights I hook up to the opener are seprate from the general lighting.
In my daily driver garage the 2 hologen work lights are mounted on the walls.
One is mounted on the wall in front of the cars and shines between the 2 cars so you can see your way when get out of the car on the left.
The other light is mounted on the back wall and shines on the stairs from the garage to the house which is to the left of the car on the left.
With the opener timer set to max we have plenty of light and time to unload a car without needing to turn on the general lighting.

Yep, that's what I'm looking for. The Chamberlain opener allows for different timers for the lights to stay on when the opener is activated, but also lets you turn them on manually for added light when working in the garage.

 

[Torque1st]

I installed a pull chain switch on my opener to turn the lights on manually. Cost me a couple of bucks at the hardware store. I also used the switch string to suspend a plastic Easter egg at the proper spot to just contact the windshield on the car when it was in far enough.

 

[DGC15]

I just got a motion detector light that you normally would mount on the outside of the garage. Mounted it on a 4 sq box and ran a cord out to a outlet. As soon as it sees the car coming in it comes on. I have the sensor pointed so it sees the door to the house too. When I come out of the house it comes on and I don't have to remember to turn it off when I leave. I love it. You can set the time it is on and the sensitivity.