Power OG from Garage Door transformer?

[Anonymous]

Did you ever consider powering the OG from the opener transformer? I believe most openers use a 24VAC transformer to power the circuit board. Granted, it would add more complexity to OG by adding a similar circuit from OS, plus the user would have to tap into the opener’s transformer. Maybe an add-on board/option?

[Ray]

I am not sure how to access the transformer — most garage door systems have a 110V powerline plug, and I don’t know where to access the internal transformer, or its wires.

That said, it’s interesting to know that the internal transformer is 24VAC — this is the same as sprinkler controllers. Our other product, OpenSprinkler, has internal 24VAC to 5VDC converter, so it would be straightforward to copy the same circuitry to OpenGarage.

[vrbt150]

My garage door has a 24VAC output off the main circuit board, so I purchased a 24VAC to 5VDC buck converter and soldered a USB connector on the output end to power my OG. They can be picked up cheap off eBay. I’ve been running it like this for over a year and never had any problems. It saves having to run a separate AC transformer to power the USB connection.

Here is a link to the one I purchased.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Car-LED-Waterproof-DC-AC-DC-Buck-Converter-24V-12V-36V-8V-40V-to-5v-1A-5W-/281625925676?hash=item419236982c:g:i-sAAOSwopRYaPuu

[Anonymous]

Ray,

Would you be interested in setting up a DIY solder kit of your 24VAC to 5VDC circuit?

[Ray]

@Chad: there are plenty of LM2596-based stepdown regulators you can buy on Amazon or eBay for just a few bucks, for example:
https://www.amazon.com/DZS-Elec-Voltage-Converter-Charger/dp/B0728KXFZV/
While most of these require DC input voltage, you can add a rectifier diode (like 1N4002, 1N4004 etc, anything with at least 100V reverse voltage and 1amp forward current), and the diode will form a half-wave rectifier to convert 24VAC to DC input voltage. These boards also generally have a big input capacitor to smooth out the half-wave voltage.

OpenSprinkler uses the same type of regulator except it has the circuity built-in.

Just noticed that vrbt150 already pointed out some convenient 24VAC to 5VDC adapters you can buy, such as this:
https://www.amazon.com/SMAKN-Converter-Voltage-Supply-Waterproof/dp/B00RE6QN4U
(though as vrbt150 said you will need to solder a USB connector yourself).

• This reply was modified 6 years, 8 months ago by Ray.

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