Re: Garage Door Opener keypad recommendations

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Dec 15, 7:12=A0pm, George <no.geodosch.s...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Nov 2010 10:09:12 -0600, George thoughfully wrote:
> > I'm looking for recommendations on a garage door opener keypad. =A0I
> > normally use a wireless remote / homelink to operate the door, but I
> want
> > a keypad as a backup, so that someone cannot be locked out of the house=
.
>
> > My requirements seem simple, but I've had no luck with finding a unit
> > that meets them:
>
> > 1. Wired - it will activate the door by triggering the manual pushbutto=
n
> > circuit
>
> > 2. No batteries - it must be A/C powered. =A0If it has a back-up batter=
y,
> > for in case of power failure, that's fine, but I don't want the unit to
> > fail because the battery died.
>
> > 3. The relay must be separate from the outdoor keypad. =A0This would
> > prevent someone from simply ripping the keypad off the wall and shortin=
g
> > the wires going to it.
>
> > 4. It must be reliable
>
> > A unit exists that meets all of the above requirements except one: a
> > Genie KEP-1. =A0I've got one of these. =A0In fact, I've had 2, and they=
 have
> > both died. =A0The first one lasted many years, but it eventually stoppe=
d
> > On Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:04:56 -0500, Josepi thoughfully wrote:
>
> >> Get a standard, secure, wireless, keypad, battery operated unit,
> >> available almost every hardware store that links via rolling code
> >> passwords each usage. They come with every garage door opener that
> >> isn't bottom end quality and work very reliably.
>
> >> Change the battery every couple of years so it works reliably without
> >> any voltage spikes from the dirty grid power in your home.
>
> > Thanks for all the replies. =A0It looks like I'll end-up going with a
> > wireless unit after all, since it doesn't appear there are many other
> > choices. =A0I guess for the batteries, I could always wire-in an AC
> > adapter.
>
> >> If the OP is really worried about being locked out, he could put a key
> >> inside a false rock for a few dollars. The false rock is available at
> >> Amazon, as is the keypad.
>
> > I don't believe in hide-a-keys, false rocks, etc. =A0They're too obviou=
s
> > of a hiding place, and where I live someone could spend a long time
> > turning over rocks, or checking the usual hiding places, without being
> > noticed.
>
> >> He could also install two wireless garage door openers. They are cheap
> >> enough, and having two virtually gurantess the batteries will be good
> >> in one of them.
>
> > Actually not a bad idea! :)
>
> > On Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:09:11 -0500, Josepi thoughfully wrote:
>
> >> He could also go in another door and release the drive lock and then
> >> open the garage door manually.
>
> > On Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:26:59 -0600, Bill Fuhrmann thoughfully wrote:
>
> >> Actually, he is just trying to find a reasonable ability to have a
> >> reliable way in, IN CASE SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE A KEY HANDY. =A0If he
> >> doesn't have the house key handy, he is also not likely to have the
> >> opener key handy.
>
> > Yes, it's the locked outdoors without a key scenario, so going in
> > another door would not be an option in that case. =A0It's also good so
> > that if I need to let someone get into my house when I'm away, I can
> > always talk them through getting in with a keypad, so they wouldn't nee=
d
> > to have been given a key ahead of time.
>
> Update: I ended-up building my own keypad and wiring it to the KEP-1
> control box via a 7-conductor cable. =A0I found a 3x4 matrix keypad onlin=
e,
> and created a mounting box for it. =A0The keypad is supposed to be
> weatherproof, but the box I made uses an outdoor outlet cover, so it
> should be doubly protected from the elements. =A0So now I've got somethin=
g
> that meets my original requirements, even if I did have to create half of
> it to get there. :)-

Good job!