Strange Homelink Problem

[PhilBa]

I ran into a weird homelink problem.

Homelink from the Model S has been working fine for me since June of last year. Theother day I put an LED light bulb (Cree band) in my Genie opener. When the light bulb is off, homelink in the car causes the door to operate. When the light bulb is on, the door doesn't operate. Remove the light bulb and it works fine. Put the bulb back in and the manual and remote openers work just fine but not the Model S. Home link in the prius also works fine. WTF??? Will try a different brand of bulb. Guess the switching electronics in the bulb interfere with the RF frequency but why only the Tesla? Is the home link transmitter weaker in the Model S? I've played with moving the opener's antenna around but that didn't help.

Maybe I'll go back to a CFL bulb.

Any thoughts?

 

[Doug_G]

I think the Homelink signal from the Tesla is a bit on the weak side (i.e. works from my driveway, whereas my old Infiniti could trigger it from several houses down the street). Probably the LED bulb is producing electromagnetic interference, and this is reducing the sensitivity of the receiver - just enough that it doesn't work with the Tesla, but will still work with a stronger signal.

Switching bulbs should work. Maybe even just a different brand of LED light.

 

[Chipper]

I think the Homelink signal from the Tesla is a bit on the weak side (i.e. works from my driveway, whereas my old Infiniti could trigger it from several houses down the street). .

I am surprised by this comment. My experience is exactly the opposite. My opener--not Homelink had a very limited range even with a new battery. My HomeLink will open the door halfway down the street. Everyone has different experiences. YMMV I guess.

 

[PhilBa]

More fussing.

My Model S is definitely weaker. The Prius homelink has about twice the range.

Tried a different led bulb - ecosmart - and it works.

 

[mknox]

I am surprised by this comment. My experience is exactly the opposite. My opener--not Homelink had a very limited range even with a new battery. My HomeLink will open the door halfway down the street. Everyone has different experiences. YMMV I guess.

Yep, me too. I can open my garage door from so far away I can't even see it yet. I could also do this with the Homelink in my old Cadillac CTS, so maybe it has more to do with the garage door opener than the car.

 

[jerry33]

Yup, it's definitely weaker. I have to hit it just right or it won't open. When closing about one out of ten time I have to move forward just a bit or it won't work. The Prius worked from further away but you had to hold the button longer.

 

[captain_zap]

I'm almost positive it's an electromagnetic interference problem. I just chased down a problem with our new EMC test chamber at work and it was the LED bulbs inside. They all have high frequency switching power supplies and a minimum of noise filtering. The receivers used in garage door openers are not very selective, so if there is anything nearby that emits a frequency in their passband it will desensitize the receiver. In extreme cases it will jam the receiver completely.

On another note I use the Philips 60W equivalent LED bulbs in my garage door openers without issues.

I ran into a weird homelink problem.

Homelink from the Model S has been working fine for me since June of last year. Theother day I put an LED light bulb (Cree band) in my Genie opener. When the light bulb is off, homelink in the car causes the door to operate. When the light bulb is on, the door doesn't operate. Remove the light bulb and it works fine. Put the bulb back in and the manual and remote openers work just fine but not the Model S. Home link in the prius also works fine. WTF??? Will try a different brand of bulb. Guess the switching electronics in the bulb interfere with the RF frequency but why only the Tesla? Is the home link transmitter weaker in the Model S? I've played with moving the opener's antenna around but that didn't help.

Maybe I'll go back to a CFL bulb.

Any thoughts?

 

[PhilBa]

Thanks CZ, that makes sense. Kind of surprising since I thought the LED smps chips ran in the low MHz range. Maybe a little aluminum foil will solve the problem - I like the Crees because they are great lights and are way cheap with the SCL subsidy.