Exit door occasionaly staying open

[slash007]

The exit door on my TF will randomly stay open sometimes after a wash is complete. It uses a loope sensor in the ground to detect that the vehicle has left. There are also photocells, but those are only for safety I think. Anyhow, every once in a while after a car exits, it just stays open. No rhyme or reason that I can find. Of course last night the TF was used at 1 AM and the door didn't' close. Didn't realize it until I randomly checked the cameras at 6am. Drove down to close the door, and of course the water in nozzles had frozen. It's fine after closing the door and letting the bay heat up, but I need to figure out why it's happening. Any advice is appreciated.

On a related note, I have two light (toggle) switches in the ER. that open/close the exit doors on the two automatics. I want to find a way to be able to control them remotely so that I can open/close the doors without driving across town. What can I use that would do that? I thought about a smart switch, but those require a neutral. These are basically toggle switches that look like light switches and just have a thin wire going to each lead.

Thanks.

 

[Day-nightsigns]

On opening and closing of your depots remotely. What kind of power is it using to open/close now, what kind of motors? I’m assuming they have limit switches to Automatically start/stop them. Can you post pictures?

 

[slash007]

I have airlift doors, so they just open and close using air pressure. There is a solenoid that is attached to open and close buttons that are next to each door. Honestly I don't know much else about them. I just opened up the faceplate where the toggle switches are inside the ER and there is a wire that looks like ethernet wire coming from each bay with one wire going to each pole on the switch.

 

[chaz]

Sounds like the eye beam may be partly blocked or dirty or not fully aligned. At one point I had a piece of rubber hanging between door panels that caused an issue when the the dryer blew the rubber to block the eye.

I also have a bay low temp alert connected through my Hamilton Dan system that sends an alert text....

 

[Day-nightsigns]

Do you have to continually hold the switch while the door opens and closes or is the switch momentary? I’m asking because I have an answer to remotely control your doors and just want to steer you in the right direction. If you could take a few pictures it sure would help. You can message me if needed.

 

[soapy]

Just had this problem on one of my IBA, turned out one of the photo eyes was intermittently not sending signal. Over the last 25 years a photo eyes is the problem 90% of the time when this happens.

 

[Rudy]

Probably photo eye issue.

Sometimes, a random small piece of falling ice.....hits the "beam" just right...and fools the safety system.

My system has a "fail safe" system....whereby, after about 5 minutes, the doors always try to close if left up for any reason. I've seen (via video) customers exit.....the door starts down, and then reverses (due to ice, or in the fall....blowing leaves). I've seen the door stay up....and then 5 minutes later....close. It's a valuable backup to prevent your doors staying up all night.

 

[slash007]

I do not have to hold the button/switch to open/close. Just a quick press of the in bay button or toggle of the switch in the ER. I wondered if it was maybe a photo eye as I had one go bad a few years ago, but the symptoms on that one were constant and easy to figure out which eye was bad. I watched the tape of when it stayed open last and the car drove out normally and it just didn't close after he left. Didn't even attempt to. Eyes seemed clean, but I wiped them down this morning anyway.
I will take pictures the next time I am there, totally forgot this morning.

I do like the idea of a temp sensor as well. Would something like this work? SmartThings Multi Sensor
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsun...MU0YA2l-Fl7klxwZxRdqj9jyjKSBL0YwaAszmEALw_wcB

I would like to control them remotely and also get an alert if the bay is too cold or door is still open after a certain amount of time.

 

[Rudy]

If you have a PC at your wash connected to the internet.....here's an easy solution to remote control:

http://denkovi.com/usb-relay-board-four-channels-for-home-automation-v2


It takes a couple of weeks to arrive....but it works great. For less than $25, you have a device that can be controlled via the internet. You can use Remote VNC to access the computer that controls this USB device. I use it to reset my automatic washes. I am also able to toggle in a free wash if needed. Saves me trips to the wash.

 

[slash007]

I do have a pc at the wash connected to the internet, so I could use something like this. With 4 ports, would I basically wire each of my 4 doors to it and one board would be enough? I would still prefer something wireless as some of the doors are pretty far, but I guess I could find a way to run wiring to each door if I had to. Would I just tie in to the current wire that goes to each open and close button? I would still like to also use something that would alert me if the door is open and a temp alert. I see so many z-wave or zigbee options, but many have bad reviews.

 

[Rudy]

They have units with more than 4 output relays, if needed. I think you have to provide power to the unit if you get the larger units. The 4-relay unit uses the USB for power.

They provide free software....and it works great. I just log on (via home PC or Android phone and VNC), open the program on the car wash PC....and engage whatever relays I want to. I wish I had this 20 years ago.

 

[Day-nightsigns]

This would be be an easy fix. Search some other boards and you will find some with temp sensors etc. It all depends how much you can actually do yourself, it might not be a lot more $ to add all these goodies with the current door system.
Good luck

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/272853110723

 

[slash007]

Thanks for all the advice. A friend of mine is encouraging me to try arduino. Anyone have any experience using that? Said it's harder to setup, but so much more capability once I learn it.

 

[slash007]

A few hours ago I was at the wash and the exit door stayed open again. I tried closing it using the buttons in the bay, but they didn't do anything. Once I went into the ER and used the switch, it closed right away. Makes me wonder what could be going wrong as this is a new variable. Both the in bay and ER switch are going to the same place, so no idea how that even makes sense, but figured I would mention it in case someone had any ideas.

 

[soapy]

Open your door control buttons and check for corrosion on the wires. I have had electricians wire the door controls through the buttons and seen this problem caused by a bad contact.

 

[slash007]

Wires are all perfectly clean. Only time I've ever had them not respond was when there was not air, or this last time when the door stayed open and it shouldn't have. Seems like a signal was preventing it from closing. Maybe the photoeye is going bad and thinks something is in the way? If so, how would I know which eye is the issue? Usually it's just one of them.

 

[soapy]

When it happens try wiggling the wire on the back of each photo eye. That is where they usually go bad FME.

 

[DakotaHoskins]

We had a problem similar to what you are describing and when we replaced the solenoid and open close box for the particular door it went away.

 

[slash007]

I just installed a board with relays and can now open/close my exit doors remotely. Next I need to figure out why the door stays open sometimes. Is there a way to test the photo eyes and tell which one might be the issue? I'm assuming that one of them is going bad as I've seen it in the past, but can't remember how to test.

 

[slash007]

I decided that I had enough and need to get this door issue fixed. I installed a sensor last year that texts me when the door stays open and I am also now able to remotely shut it, but I need to figure out the issue. I so far have replaced both door sensors (transmitter and receiver) and still have the random staying open issue. What else can I try? How can I tell if they are properly aligned? Door shut every time the past two days, then so far today it has stayed open 3 times.

One thing I noticed is that if I walk through any of my other doors, I can hear the sensor click every single time. With this door, it sometimes doesn't click and I have to go back and forth. Other doors are instant and always with the click, this one not so consistent.