I need to replace a very old all star garage door opener and want something that I can integrate into HomeKit or at least with hubitat that I can then inject into Hubitat. I bought a new car and will be parking it in the garage. Something I haven’t done in over 20 years! Currently I have my house setup so lights out front come on as we are pulling up to the house with my iPhone as the presence sensor with homebridge and HomeKit (appleTV 4K). I’d like to have the garage door open automatically as we are pulling up to the house the same way the lights turn on at night. What’s everyone recommending for garage door openers now a days? Thanks!
Chamberlain/Liftmaster have certainly gotten a lot of sauce in last year because of the unofficial MyQ integration was killed off but they are reliable openers. I ended up purchasing a RATGDO which has a local community driver integration and love it.
If I were to buy a new opener today I would buy the jackshaft version so you gain ceiling space where GDO is typically installed. This does require power closer to the actual door though.
4 Likes
My decades-old LiftMaster died a few years ago, and I replaced it with a basic bare-bones Genie (2128), and continued using my Zen 16 (now Zen17) out there.
No complaints -- the Genie's been flawless and the Zen1x relays always have been too. I use wired (dumb) reed sensors with the Zen17 for door position (full open / full closed).
All integrated into HomeKit, and that aspect works great too. I don't have it auto-open or close; we just use the CarPlay button instead.
1 Like
I think this is where @hydro311 was going, but I am going to type it in a slightly different way...
While HomeKit (and other protocol) GDOs exist, and some even exist in a friendly way, I would recommend purchasing an opener that takes a dry contact 'signal,' then tacking your automation on top of it.
AFAIK, most/all Genie/Overhead Door (same company) openers take dry contacts, while no Chamberlain/Liftmaster (different same company) openers can take a dry contact. There are lesser-known brands that take dry contacts as well.
Doing it this way allows you to change either your GDO or your automation separately, and not have to rip & replace the entire setup.
2 Likes
Another vote for Chamberlain/LiftMaster + RATGDO. It's easier and probably even cheaper than putting in contacts + relay.
4 Likes
From a security perspective chamberlain/liftmaster are a bit better which is why they don’t allow dry contacts. Plus you can disable all remotes via their main button device which is also exposed via RATGDO. Common breakins are to get into car in driveway and open garage door via button within it. I disable mine at night and while on vacation via automation.
4 Likes
No complaints with my 2 GoControl openers for the last 5 years.
I also use chamberlain/liftmaster jackshaft with RATGDO and have been extremely satisfied with this setup. It is the easiest to install in my experience. Once setup in Hubitat, it can be shared with HomeKit.
2 Likes
Thanks everyone. I’ll be scheduling a call to have a company come out and give me a quote on the liftmaster jack shaft. Appreciate the insight.
2 Likes
Which firmware would you install on the ratgdo for using a liftmaster jackshaft?
edit follow up question… since I’m wanting to do automation with HomeKit, I’m thinking perhaps using the HomeKit firmware instead of esphome firmware might be my best option here. Would save me a few steps in configuring HA to keep the encryption on the communication.
I have been using 3 of the Genie Intellig 1000 for 10 years. I also use the ZEN16 and modified Ecolink tilt sensors. It's all integrated into Hubitat using the HD+ app and this has worked extremely well for me. However, I don't use presence for anything.
You just gave me an idea. We have a regular genie and use an old mimo2+ (I ran all the wiring from the GDO, buttons and sensors concealed in the walls when we built the house). But I never thought to plug the GDO’s into smart plugs and disable them at night or when on vacation.
1 Like
Yep, I do the same.
Z-Wave Zen 16 or 17 $30
OR
Zigbee MHCozy 2 Channel (or bigger depending on amount of garage doors) $20
Security 2.0 to dry contact adapter $28
Ecolink tilt sensor... $22
Optional Keypad
Runs in parallel with existing system
The thing is with RATGDO, you have to buy one for each opener, right? So, with my 3 car garage, the cost could start adding up.
I don't know which opener a friend had, I think Liftmaster, but it was remarkably quiet.
I can't recommend the Zooz ZSE43 800LR tilt sensor-weak. I'm reinstalling the reliable, if not LR, Ecolinks today. If I can find batteries, that is.
I personally use esphome and use the HE community esphome driver to integrate it with HE. I then use Homebridge to expose it to HomeKit.
Correct one for each GDO.
2 Likes
I picked up a Ecolink ZWave Garage Door Controller (Z-Wave Long Range Garage Controller - Ecolink)
The issue I have with this device is on power loss. The door stops working until manual control has been done. And it times out to a default of OPEN after 30 minutes.
So imagine what kind of issues you can have. For instance if you have a rule to shut the garage door in the middle of the night if left open, it will send the command and open your garage door.
You'd need some form of UPS.
To add this is connected on a NON MyQ garage door opener.
Talked with my garage door company today. Turns out that I can’t use the jack shaft with the type door I have, so only option for me is the liftmaster 84505r. Going to move forward with it and hope I can get the ratgdo working with it.
2 Likes
I have two Liftmaster 8700W's that will be installed in a few months.
Where do you mount the ratgdo when using it with a jackshaft GDO? Use the ratgdo holster and velcro it to the side of the GDO?
If I set up ratgdo to use Apple Home (and HE via the HomeKit Integration), does it play well with Liftmaster accessories (wall mounted controls, remote controls, MyQ app, etc.)? Do I lose any functionality provided by Liftmaster accessories?
Anyone tried the ratgdo disco? Looks like many of its added features would require the device to be mounted away from the jackshaft GDO, i.e., where a ceiling mounted GDO would be located.
Check out this video.
1 Like
