How to Automate your Chamberlain or LiftMaster MyQ Garage Door Opener with Home Automation Controller like the Vera

16/9/2014

25 Comments

Cost:
Approximately from 200 US$

Hours needed to install:
1 Hour

Difficulty:
1 - 5 Wrenches. 3 =

Things you will need:

(1) G arage Door Sub Controller
(1) Home Controller
Wire Staples or Zip Ties
Additional length 2 conductor 22 gauge or similar wire.
(2) Wire barrel connectors or crimp caps for your size wire.

Tools you will need:

Computer with access to your Vera
Soldering Gun
Wire Crimpers
Screwdriver
Staple Gun
Ladder

We have had several people in the past few months that have purchased our Garage Door Sub Controller write us and see why it does not work their MyQ system.
We now have a solution.

In this How To, I will discuss how to install your Relay Control Kit to your Chamberlain or LiftMaster garage door opener MyQ wall button.
The photos were supplied by customers that have done this. Thank you.

First off, let me explain what the MyQ add on is.
The MyQ system is made for LiftMaster and Chamberlain Garage Door Openers (GDO).
The system consists of an internet gateway, wall button and various add on's for lighting.
Parts:
The gateway connects to your wireless router and provides a gateway to connect to from your computer or the MyQ app on your smartphone.
What it does:
The MyQ system allows you control and monitor your garaged door, gate and lights through the MyQ app.
The difference with MyQ and standard GDO triggers:
The MyQ gateway uses a radio frequency to trigger your door opener versus our RM10 and the short it puts on the trigger inputs on your GDO.
The MyQ systems also has power from the GDO on the wire going from the GDO to the wall button to power various items contained in the wall button.
The problem:
A short on that wire or the trigger input of the GDO will cause the wall button to malfunction.

Installation Overview:
You will need to connect the RM10's output wires from the RM10 to the wall button directly instead of the GDO.
You will need to remove the wall button from the wall, open it and solder 2 wires to a surface mount circuit board button then re-assemble the button, re-install the wall button, secure the wires and RM10 and then test.

For the install example we will be using pictures from a LiftMaster MyQ wall button model #882LM

Your MyQ wall button and circuit board may be different but similar as they have different wall buttons for their different MyQ systems.
We are assuming you are mounting the RM10 on or near your GDO. If you are not, please make the necessary changes for your particular installation.

Let's get started.
For this install template, let's go with a test run first and then secure everything after we know it will work.

First you will need some 2 conductor wire around 22 -24 gauge solid core, long enough to go from the wall button to the RM10. If your run is longer than 30' go with the 22g, if shorter than 30', go with the 24g wire.
Cut some of this wire longer than you will need because you may need to wind it around things getting it to the RM10. Better to be a foot long than a inch short.
Let's take the wall button off the wall.
Crack open the wall button case by removing any screws holding it together to expose the circuit board.
Remove the circuit board but leave the wires going to the GDO attached if possible.
NOTE: Notice the push button soldered to the circuit board on the mid left hand side of the image below. This is the button we will be soldering to.
This button has 4 mounting legs that are also contacts to the circuit board.

Determine which 2 of the 4 legs to solder your wires to.
Look for the 2 legs that are open when the button is not pushed but closes when the button is pressed.
TIP: You may further be able to tell which posts you want, by looking to where the circuit mounted buttons legs leads go to and which ones are connected together.
As you can see in this example photo of the button that the top and bottom right legs of the circuit board button are connected together meaning they are the ground. The Top Left leg goes up and to the left meaning it is a good candidate for one of the posts we are looking for.

After looking at the legs leads and where they go, it looks as if in this example that the top Right and top Left are the ones to solder the wires to.
Use a meter to verify these contacts are open when the button is not pressed and closed when the button is pressed. If so, these are the posts you will solder the wires to.

Now to further verify you are on the correct legs, with the circuit board still connected to the GDO, take a small bit of wire and touch it to the two posts you have selected.
If the GDO triggers you are ready to go to the next step. If not, try another two and re check.

Strip your solid core wires about 1/8" and prepare them for soldering onto the board mounted button.
NOTE: This image below shows the wires stripped about 3/8". I do not suggest stripping them that much as they have more chance to short on something else in the wall button box.
Find a good way to run your wires out of the wall button box when it is assembled and mounted on the wall so the wires will not be damaged when you re-attach the wall button to the wall. You might have to drill a hole in the side or top of the wall button box for this.
Feed the wires through the hole in the wall button.
Solder the wires to the posts making sure that the wires do not make contact with any other electrical contact on the circuit board or the switch
NOTE: Notice this person bent the wires so that more of the wire could be soldered onto the button posts and they would not short to each other. This makes for a better solder connection.

Now temporarily connect the other end of your wires to the RM10.
Now test your install by plugging the RM10 power supply into an active 110v power outlet.
Your GDO should trigger. If it does, continue. If it does not, check your connections.
Unplug the RM10 from the outlet. DO NOT LEAVE IT PLUGGED IN!
Assemble and re-attach the wall button to the wall.
NOTE: Now at your wall button should have (2), two conductor wires coming form it. One should be for the GDO and one should be for the RM10.
Secure the RM10 wires going from the wall button to the RM10 by stapling or zip tying (preferred) them to the ceiling or beams. Staples can some times short the wires together.
Permanently connect your wires to the RM10 using butt connectors, crimp caps or solder and shrink tube.
Secure your RM10.

Plug your RM10's power supply into your 110v trigger.

You are done. Test again.
Show your friends, family and neighbors.

I hope this How To helps you connect your MyQ controller GDO to your Home Control, Automation and Monitoring System (CAMS).

We have more How To's here.
I would like to thank Mark Carey for his photos and his contribution to this post.
Thank you.
007 Systems

25 Comments

dusterp

10/3/2015 10:57:55

I did this same thing with the visor remote and it has three buttons if you mess one up plus you should have two visor remotes anyway.

Jamr

17/3/2015 13:36:42

That is great but unfortunately you have to replace the batteries with the visor remote.
The wall button has no batteries to replace.

2/6/2015 23:17:34

Yes this is true but I can mount the controller anywhere I want and the battery last several years. If you mess up the wall button then you have to shell out a lot for a new wall button to replace it. I'd at least recommend a trial on the visor to be sure you're happy with the mod before jumping up to the wall board.

Brian

23/3/2015 08:17:14

I have the MyQ internet gateway and control panel (888LM) and I also have a 2gig controller that utitlizes Zwave. Will the RM-10 work with the 2gig and the alarm.com app?

I'm also hoping to remotely open/close a Mighty Mule 500 gate opener via the 2gig (gate is close proximity to house), and I'm hoping another RM-10 will facilitate that. Any experience in that direction?

23/3/2015 15:52:48

Brian, we have not done a 888LM yet so I can not say for sure. But if the 888LM will trigger your GDO with two solderable contacts on it's board button, it will work. You will need to crack it open and test it. Most likely it will.
We recommend you follow all UL325 recommendations when you do this.

Your MM500 has a normally open accessory input that will work with all NO triggers such as our RM10.
We have more information on it here.
http://www.007systems.com/vehicle-gate-control.html

23/3/2015 21:10:49

Thanks Jamr! For some reason, the "RELAY CONTROL KIT "link in this article above is dead. What products besides the RM-10 were originally contained in that link?

I will be using an Evolve LDM-15 to connect this to my 2gig via Zwave. I want to find a way to get the power to autmatically turn off once the door button has been activated, but I do not have a Vera. I don't think it is possible within the 2gig. Any suggestions?

Kevbo

30/3/2015 01:50:42

Works like a charm

MichaelB

2/8/2015 07:29:38

Hi,

Thanks for providing this information. I followed your instructions and when I solder in the two wires to the switch and connect the 882LM, the LED flashes slowly (not the lock flash) and the button does not work. I haven't even connected the two soldered wires to a relay. As long as I solder the two wires like your picture, the 882LM flashes and doesn't work. I'm sort of at a loss, cause it doesn't seem to make any sense to me. Did you have anything like this happen to you?

6/8/2015 05:31:13

Sounds like the wires you soldered onto the switch are shorted some how. I would remove and check for a short.

JOE

22/9/2015 21:09:46

Will this work with the Linear GD00Z Garage Door Opener Controller on a chamberlain, or do I have to use the rm10

23/9/2015 09:29:13

That depends on your model of GDO. Call me and we can discuss it.

Joe

23/9/2015 11:06:42

I have a liftmaster myq remote on the wall which transmits wirelessly to the GDO. I soldered 2 wires to the buttons and when I touch them together, it does open and close the garage door. I tried your technique with the nutone ngd00z, but it doesn't seem to ever tell the garage door to open. The lights flash on the nutone. but the door never opens. Not sure if this technique doesn't work, or if the nutone is just not working

joe

22/9/2015 21:11:51

will this work with the Linear GD00Z Garage Door Opener Controller on a chamberlain, or do I have to use the rm10. I already have two wires soldered to the pushbutton on the wall and if I touch them together, it opens the door. I would prefer to just buy the linear since it gives the warning and also has the open and closed notification

Ben

8/5/2016 20:46:14

Did you ever find out if this works using the Linear GD00Z instead of the relays? I imagine it would, since the Linear GD00Z is just a relay that also communicates with the tilt sensor to get the door status.

23/9/2015 16:14:18

@ Joe. I will assume the Nutone NGD00Z works exactly the same as the Nortek GD00Z.

I would check to see if your Nutone NGD00Z is causing a short like it should when it is tripped on the two white conductors coming from it.
If it does then it should trigger your GDO with the wires you have already connected and tested on the My Q wall button.
If it does not, your problem is with the NGD00Z wot working correctly as it is suppose to short the two white wires together after being triggered and beeping and signalling the light for 5 seconds.

Dan

28/9/2015 21:23:27

Hi,

I was looking to use the myq garage system for my gate opener. I have hooked up a 312HM so my gate opener can be opened with a liftmaster remote.

I was thinking I would put the myq sensor sideways in a waterproof box mounted to one of the double swing gate leafs so it would think it was a garage door opening. Do you think I would need to mount it sideways? Or should the "top" portion of the myq sensor still be pointed up?

I was also hoping to use a magnetic reed switch and hook it up to the myq sensor so it will know for a certainty that the gate is closed, but am not sure exactly where to solder it to, any advice as I attempt this setup?

Thanks!

Dan

8/10/2015 10:35:48

@Dan.
As I do not have a MyQ system I can not answer your questions on it. We use home controllers to control gates and doors. this gives us the ability to control an entire house with only one controller and having the benefit from one app on our mobile device.
Good luck with your project.

Rob

4/4/2016 19:12:54

15 minutes, up and running. Thanks for the solder points!

Jamr link

5/4/2016 12:01:46

Good to hear. Amazing what can get done with some wire and a soldering gun.

Brandon

25/9/2016 18:24:05

I did a test using Linear GD00Za and MyQ wall remote in picture above. The only thing is I found I need to connect the wires to the opposite side of the button illustrated in your picture. It was only a test to confirm it will work but I will be soldering this in when I have more time. I tested with Vera plus IU7 Linear And MyQ 8550 wall switch. It worked as I stated however I appreciate the above reference

26/9/2016 11:11:07

Glad it helped. If you are good with a soldering iron, which it sounds like you are, you can solder to any point on the board or the components that make contact with the same circuit.
As shown in these photos, the switch has a lot of metal to solder to.

John J.

18/11/2016 08:00:14

Does this workaround also work for a Craftsman Assurelink GDO?

J Miller

18/11/2016 08:08:54

It should. I can't say for sure as I do not have one to test. If you crack the wall button open, you can test by shorting the circuit board button. if it triggers the opener, it will work.

Tibi Molnar

12/12/2017 22:48:07

I have an a slide gate that uses the 312hm receiver. Can I modify the 888lm to wire to the 312hm and have it connected to myq liftmaster bridge 882lm?

13/12/2017 09:49:33

Hi Tibi.
Lots of unknowns there so I can not say for sure.
What are you trying to accomplish?

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How to Automate your Chamberlain or LiftMaster MyQ Garage Door Opener with Home Automation Controller like the Vera

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