Garage Door Opener...CHEAP & EASY! - Suzuki Volusia Forums : Intruder Volusia and Boulevard Forum

Tripod · 10-19-2008, 11:15 PM

I know others have already posted their method...this is just mine...

ok, let me first start off by saying, that I am NOT a mechanic or electrical guy...if I can do this, anyone can...but I like to tinker and mod...plus, I AM CHEAP!

I did NOT want to cut or drill any holes for the button, and realize I could have bought an opener that fits on my keychain, but I didnt want to have to find or reach for it.

Using parts I already had...laying around the garage already, I will show you how EASY it is to wire the opener right into your pass button and high beam switch...AND YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW ITS THERE!

here is what you need:
1. garage door opener (aleady programmed to open the door you want)
2. 18 gauge wire
3. electrical tape
4. wire stripers
5. small screwdriver

first, open the opener and remove the battery. making sure to remember which side was the positive, and which was the negative. Throw away the plastic case and the battery, no use for them anymore.

here is what we have, the circuit board, and this is the side with the button that presses to close the circuit, and operate the door.

on the flip side of the board are the terminals that need to be joined. (the job that was the buttons)
(NOTE: some openers will not have a button like this, it will just be a rubber button thats built into the plastic cover that depresses onto the circuit board itself, to close the circuit. look for that spot on the circuit board. you will be performing the next step in the same way on your circuit board)

strip an 1/8" of wire, and cut the bare wire into a little pile, and pick it up with a small piece of electrical tape. keep the pile flat and compact.

place the tape over the terminals that you want to close, and you have just created a permanently "ON" circuit...no need to press the button anymore. Also, take 6" of wire, strip 1/4" at each end and attatch to the positive and negative battery terminals of the circuit board.

wrap the entire unit carefully, but protectively with electrical tape, and your unit will look something like this....

FINALLY, remove your headlight. The headlight has 3 wires that plug into it, in its plug assembly (black white yellow). the positive circuit board wire to the yellow headlight wire, and the negative circuit board wire to the black headlight wire.

tuck the circuit board safely in the back of the headlight bucket, reinstall the headlight....and THATS IT!
When you press your pass button, your garage door will now open....press it again, the door will close....

That just cost you little or no money, and you didnt have to cut or drill anywhere on the bike....

I hope this proves useful to someone!

let me know!

seckwielen · 10-19-2008, 11:29 PM

Nice documentation..

I would have done some soldering in a couple places.. But one question..

Instead of the pile of wires on the backside why didn't you just place something on the front of the board that holds the button down?

The pile of wires looks a little risky.. I know that electrical tape tends to stretch a little in the heat and that could lead to your "wires" shifing to a portion of your board that may render the operner uesless..

Tripod · 10-19-2008, 11:38 PM

I actually went back and soldered it, but I didnt do it initially..
I was trying to show that this could be done on the CHEAP!
with stuff laying around the garage...not everyone has a soldering iron!

The soldering did prove useful...but its an extra step, and I was trying to show the quick easy painless method!

seckwielen · 10-19-2008, 11:44 PM

I am in the stages of doing this modification myself.. I have been going over the electrical diagram and I believe that I can add a Diode to the pass switch circuit so the transmitter does not remain on continuously when the high beams are on.. When I finsh my mod I will post the additional info on the VR site..

Duffy · 10-19-2008, 11:56 PM

A real McGyver type job..................well done.

oddo · 10-20-2008, 12:52 AM

I have the same exact remote so this should be real easy. BUT the question I have is that I like to drive in the daytime with my high beams on. Will this still work or will the GDO fry since the circuit is closed and has 12 volts going through it all day? Thanks...

Tripod · 10-20-2008, 07:27 PM

as a follow up, the battery in the remote that I used is an energizer A23....which is, in fact, a 12v battery....
there is already 12 volts running through the remote control.

Imagine losing the remote control under your car seat, and the button remained pressed, or it was crammed in the center console of your car with gum, CD's and stuff, and the button was kept in the pressed position.

eventually the battery would die, but you would be throwing 12 volts constantly the remote for at least 12-18 hours...WITH NO ILL EFFECTS!

so the answer is NO! it will not fry the GDO having the bright lights on and running the bike's 12v through it for extended periods!

costeve · 10-22-2008, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tripod

as a follow up, the battery in the remote that I used is an energizer A23....which is, in fact, a 12v battery....
there is already 12 volts running through the remote control.

Imagine losing the remote control under your car seat, and the button remained pressed, or it was crammed in the center console of your car with gum, CD's and stuff, and the button was kept in the pressed position.

eventually the battery would die, but you would be throwing 12 volts constantly the remote for at least 12-18 hours...WITH NO ILL EFFECTS!

so the answer is NO! it will not fry the GDO having the bright lights on and running the bike's 12v through it for extended periods!

This is AWESOME Stuff!! Does any one know of ANYONE that may have tried this on a newer Sportster!!??? I was going to do this but then I wound up trading in my Volusia on a Nightster... now I REALLY wanna do this!

Any thoughts!?

oddo · 10-22-2008, 03:41 PM

Follow up to my other post, i followed this to a T except soldered the connection instead of the wire pile and soldered the pos and neg connections. Took maybe 25 minutes for the install. Been using it for 2 days no problem. Thanks for the awesome info.

beezer · 10-22-2008, 04:47 PM

That's cool. Great job

10-19-2008, 11:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tripod Senior VR Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 551 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Garage Door Opener...CHEAP & EASY! I know others have already posted their method...this is just mine... ok, let me first start off by saying, that I am NOT a mechanic or electrical guy...if I can do this, anyone can...but I like to tinker and mod...plus, I AM CHEAP! I did NOT want to cut or drill any holes for the button, and realize I could have bought an opener that fits on my keychain, but I didnt want to have to find or reach for it. Using parts I already had...laying around the garage already, I will show you how EASY it is to wire the opener right into your pass button and high beam switch...AND YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW ITS THERE! here is what you need: 1. garage door opener (aleady programmed to open the door you want) 2. 18 gauge wire 3. electrical tape 4. wire stripers 5. small screwdriver first, open the opener and remove the battery. making sure to remember which side was the positive, and which was the negative. Throw away the plastic case and the battery, no use for them anymore. here is what we have, the circuit board, and this is the side with the button that presses to close the circuit, and operate the door. on the flip side of the board are the terminals that need to be joined. (the job that was the buttons) (NOTE: some openers will not have a button like this, it will just be a rubber button thats built into the plastic cover that depresses onto the circuit board itself, to close the circuit. look for that spot on the circuit board. you will be performing the next step in the same way on your circuit board) strip an 1/8" of wire, and cut the bare wire into a little pile, and pick it up with a small piece of electrical tape. keep the pile flat and compact. place the tape over the terminals that you want to close, and you have just created a permanently "ON" circuit...no need to press the button anymore. Also, take 6" of wire, strip 1/4" at each end and attatch to the positive and negative battery terminals of the circuit board. wrap the entire unit carefully, but protectively with electrical tape, and your unit will look something like this.... FINALLY, remove your headlight. The headlight has 3 wires that plug into it, in its plug assembly (black white yellow). the positive circuit board wire to the yellow headlight wire, and the negative circuit board wire to the black headlight wire. tuck the circuit board safely in the back of the headlight bucket, reinstall the headlight....and THATS IT! When you press your pass button, your garage door will now open....press it again, the door will close.... That just cost you little or no money, and you didnt have to cut or drill anywhere on the bike.... I hope this proves useful to someone! let me know! __________________ You only need 2 tools, WD-40 and Duct Tape…If it doesn’t move and it should, use the WD-40….If it moves and it shouldn’t, use the tape. Michael S. '06 Boulevard C50C '04 Ural Retro Sidecar

10-19-2008, 11:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
seckwielen Senior VR Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 610 Thanks: 10 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	Nice documentation.. I would have done some soldering in a couple places.. But one question.. Instead of the pile of wires on the backside why didn't you just place something on the front of the board that holds the button down? The pile of wires looks a little risky.. I know that electrical tape tends to stretch a little in the heat and that could lead to your "wires" shifing to a portion of your board that may render the operner uesless.. __________________ Mine Black 2004 VL800 Ltd. Hers Silver 2002 VL800.

10-19-2008, 11:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tripod Senior VR Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 551 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	I actually went back and soldered it, but I didnt do it initially.. I was trying to show that this could be done on the CHEAP! with stuff laying around the garage...not everyone has a soldering iron! The soldering did prove useful...but its an extra step, and I was trying to show the quick easy painless method! __________________ You only need 2 tools, WD-40 and Duct Tape…If it doesn’t move and it should, use the WD-40….If it moves and it shouldn’t, use the tape. Michael S. '06 Boulevard C50C '04 Ural Retro Sidecar

10-19-2008, 11:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
seckwielen Senior VR Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 610 Thanks: 10 Thanked 11 Times in 10 Posts	I am in the stages of doing this modification myself.. I have been going over the electrical diagram and I believe that I can add a Diode to the pass switch circuit so the transmitter does not remain on continuously when the high beams are on.. When I finsh my mod I will post the additional info on the VR site.. __________________ Mine Black 2004 VL800 Ltd. Hers Silver 2002 VL800.

10-19-2008, 11:56 PM	#5 (permalink)
Duffy Senior VR Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Wa, Burlington Posts: 6,516 Thanks: 23 Thanked 74 Times in 65 Posts	A real McGyver type job..................well done. __________________ Lead, or follow, but just stay out of my way. Heaven is a warm, cozy place to sleep. Wescalero Charter Member

10-20-2008, 12:52 AM	#6 (permalink)
oddo VR Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Orlando Posts: 59 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	gdo I have the same exact remote so this should be real easy. BUT the question I have is that I like to drive in the daytime with my high beams on. Will this still work or will the GDO fry since the circuit is closed and has 12 volts going through it all day? Thanks... __________________ Debadged 2007 C50 Black, Black As Night Various and sundry mods and accessories

10-20-2008, 07:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tripod Senior VR Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 551 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	as a follow up, the battery in the remote that I used is an energizer A23....which is, in fact, a 12v battery.... there is already 12 volts running through the remote control. Imagine losing the remote control under your car seat, and the button remained pressed, or it was crammed in the center console of your car with gum, CD's and stuff, and the button was kept in the pressed position. eventually the battery would die, but you would be throwing 12 volts constantly the remote for at least 12-18 hours...WITH NO ILL EFFECTS! so the answer is NO! it will not fry the GDO having the bright lights on and running the bike's 12v through it for extended periods! __________________ You only need 2 tools, WD-40 and Duct Tape…If it doesn’t move and it should, use the WD-40….If it moves and it shouldn’t, use the tape. Michael S. '06 Boulevard C50C '04 Ural Retro Sidecar

10-22-2008, 03:41 PM	#9 (permalink)
oddo VR Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Orlando Posts: 59 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	gdo Follow up to my other post, i followed this to a T except soldered the connection instead of the wire pile and soldered the pos and neg connections. Took maybe 25 minutes for the install. Been using it for 2 days no problem. Thanks for the awesome info. __________________ Debadged 2007 C50 Black, Black As Night Various and sundry mods and accessories

10-22-2008, 04:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
beezer Senior VR Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: The VooDoo Lounge Posts: 21,653 Thanks: 342 Thanked 461 Times in 294 Posts	That's cool. Great job __________________ WFNR 2005-2007: one of these 2007-present: one of those Accessories to date: this and that, oh and one of them

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