Well I thought I would do my first writeup on doing a garage door opener button since I don't think I've seen a thread like this. I used to keep the garage door opener in my jacket pocket until I bought a new Taichi jacket and was a little too snug to keep the bulky opener in the pocket.
Very simple to do for under about $5 if you have the soldering tools and already have a garage door opener. Sorry for the crappy phone picks.
First off, you'll need the garage door opener, some wire (mine was 18 ga. I think?), a push button switch, some solder, and a soldering iron. You'll also probably want some flux (helps the solder flow) and a way to remove any solder errors (the mesh solder remover).
Once I popped the opener apart, I removed the buttons. The main opener button clearly closed a single position switch with four legs (A). I used the continuity function on a little digital tester to determine which legs were the closed legs when the button was pushed (B,C). These are the legs that need to be extended to the pushbutton switch.
The rest is easy. Just solder a pair of wires to legs B and C (this will obviously look slightly different on your garage door opener of choice) and solder those to the pushbutton switch. You'll want to use connectors of some sort so the opener isn't permanently attached to the switch. I also drilled two small holes (3/32"?) into the top of the opener case to thread the wires out. Its been a while since I did any fine soldering, so dont bash my crappy soldering job!
After that, I drilled a 1/2" hole into the little box on the right side of the frame (not sure what this box is for, if someone knows what it is or what its name is feel free to correct me). You can drop the opener right into the box, screw the pushbutton into the hole, and you're done! Easy and unobtrusive.
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Silver 2006 CBR 600RR
Last edited by kwanjuju; 06-08-2010 at 09:11 AM.
The Following User Says Thank You to kwanjuju For This Useful Post:
I just want the little box to put stuff in, like spare change. Nice write up. I have to rev the bike to get my kid to open the basement door. I don't have a garage.
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nice mod and handy hope this can help others. Ill keep this in mind for the future, but is there smaller boxes somewhere that can be sleeker or hide elsewhere incase someone happens to click it outside and bam ur garage is opened etc...
i have been planning on doing this for a long time.. just got motivated after reading this and went out and did it in under 15 min start to finish.. i mounted my button inside the fairing in the little panel that covers the right intake tube near the fork so i can just reach down and press it and it stays hidden came out great!
Anyone with a garage should have this mod. I do. It saves alot of hassle, both leaving and even better, coming back; especially when the cops are chasing you and you need to hide, QUICKly.
I have modified the design described above in favor of using the HORN SWITCH to control the garage/gate OPENING DEVICE. For me it works flawlessly and is very convenient!
Here is what you'll need to do:
1. Remove the SEAT
2. Remove the LEFT MIDDLE COWL and the RIGHT MIDDLE COWL
3. Remove the FUEL TANK COVER
4. Locate the LEFT HANDLEBAR SWITCH CONNECTOR
5. Use a standard WIRE TAP and tap the BLACK and BROWN/WHITE wires individually. (These wires are located next to each other in one corner of the CONNECTOR. I tapped them on the side of the HANDLEBAR.)
6. Run appropriate spans of wire from each WIRE TAP to the BATTERY COMPARTMENT located under the seat. (This should be pretty easy with the FUEL TANK COVER removed.)
7. Connect a newly run wire to each of the 2 posts soldered on the OPENING DEVICE as described in the previous post(s). (I'm not sure if it matters which wire is connected to which post. If you have any issues try swapping them. I used quick-connects here to enable this and easy removal of the opening device.)
8. Tuck the OPENING DEVICE into the BATTER COMPARTMENT.
9. Disconnect the HORN as desired. (I'm sure I'll get some feedback here as to how potentially dangerous this is. Oh, well... I don't want to blast my horn each time I leave/return.)
10. Put the BIKE back together.
I've included here a diagram that should help clear up any confusion.
I've deployed this for a privacy gate opener that controls entry/exit for my neighborhood. It's been an awesome upgrade and not having to take my hands off the bars is a huge advantage! Enjoy!
I have modified the design described above in favor of using the HORN SWITCH to control the garage/gate OPENING DEVICE. For me it works flawlessly and is very convenient!
Here is what you'll need to do:
1. Remove the SEAT
2. Remove the LEFT MIDDLE COWL and the RIGHT MIDDLE COWL
3. Remove the FUEL TANK COVER
4. Locate the LEFT HANDLEBAR SWITCH CONNECTOR
5. Use a standard WIRE TAP and tap the BLACK and BROWN/WHITE wires individually. (These wires are located next to each other in one corner of the CONNECTOR. I tapped them on the side of the HANDLEBAR.)
6. Run appropriate spans of wire from each WIRE TAP to the BATTERY COMPARTMENT located under the seat. (This should be pretty easy with the FUEL TANK COVER removed.)
7. Connect a newly run wire to each of the 2 posts soldered on the OPENING DEVICE as described in the previous post(s). (I'm not sure if it matters which wire is connected to which post. If you have any issues try swapping them. I used quick-connects here to enable this and easy removal of the opening device.)
8. Tuck the OPENING DEVICE into the BATTER COMPARTMENT.
9. Disconnect the HORN as desired. (I'm sure I'll get some feedback here as to how potentially dangerous this is. Oh, well... I don't want to blast my horn each time I leave/return.)
10. Put the BIKE back together.
I've included here a diagram that should help clear up any confusion.
I've deployed this for a privacy gate opener that controls entry/exit for my neighborhood. It's been an awesome upgrade and not having to take my hands off the bars is a huge advantage! Enjoy!
Good idea but i'm gonna do mine to my highbeams, I like my horn especially for those assholes that cut you off
I would suggest that instead of tapping the wires for the horn you cut them completely. Depending on the design of the opener you may or may not damage it by feeding 12V into it from the bike, if you plan on using the bike as the power source for your opener then it is almost certain that it either wont work or will damage the opener.
Otherwise, good idea.
As a side note, you could get a European switch unit, they have a highbeam flasher switch on them that you could use. The only downside is that you loose your indicator running lights...
I would suggest that instead of tapping the wires for the horn you cut them completely. Depending on the design of the opener you may or may not damage it by feeding 12V into it from the bike, if you plan on using the bike as the power source for your opener then it is almost certain that it either wont work or will damage the opener.
Otherwise, good idea.
As a side note, you could get a European switch unit, they have a high beam flasher switch on them that you could use. The only downside is that you loose your indicator running lights...
I thought about that but if I'm reading the wiring diagram correctly the power source to the horn switch is shared by the high/low light switch and the turn signal switch. If so, cutting it would kill those functions.
If the very occasional push of a few extra volts kills the opener I can simply replace it via my HOA.
Per the side note, I don't want to lose any of the bike's functionality. The intent was to add 'factory feel' functionality. Looking at, driving, and seeing the bike this is a completely 'hidden' mod including the lack of any aftermarket switches, buttons, etc...
If you cut it where you have indicated on the schematic in your post above it will have no affect on any other function in the bike.
If you want to keep the running lights you could also use a couple of relays to imitate the part of the switch your losing... and you get to keep your horn.
Another option: Use horn switch!
