Door opener problem

[dodge man]

I got a new opener sitting in a box in the garage, I just have to install it. I’m 99% sure it’s the board in the opener.

 

[dfkrug]

I just went thru this with one of my three 25yo Genie screw drive openers. Bad receiver in the control board like you seem to have. I considered a replacement external receiver, as others posted, but my new opener only cost a bit more. Can't find a replacement OEM receiver.

Here in CA, we are forced to buy battery-backup units now, so that's what I got. I always wanted to try one of the new quiet belt drive units anyway.

Wow, is it quiet. DC motor with electronic controls and motion detector light. Electronic adjustments for position and pressure. No WIFI in my new $100 Genie 1155.

Mechanically-speaking, the screw drives seem superior in that they always stay lubed, and don't have a sprocket or chain/belt to wear out. The noise issue may be due to the old AC motor, tho I recently became single, so it does not really matter any more.

The battery already got tested, as I had a couple of power outages already. It is lead-acid, but is always on a built-in trickle charger.

 

[ning]

Here in CA, we are forced to buy battery-backup units now, so that's what I got. I always wanted to try one of the new quiet belt drive units anyway.

My entire house is battery-backed up, and there's no car in the garage regardless. Would I still have to buy a battery unit? Is that actually a law in CA?

 

[grsthegreat]

Ya, my house is whole house backuped, so none of my 5 openers are battery backup units. Not required here

 

[dfkrug]

My entire house is battery-backed up, and there's no car in the garage regardless. Would I still have to buy a battery unit? Is that actually a law in CA?

Yeah, someone in the recent wildfire in Paradise, CA died as a result of being caught inside his/her garage when the power was off. Burned up. No one knows why he/she didn't just pull the release cord or drive thru the door.

Now, no retailer will sell you an opener without battery B/U, or ship to you in CA. Just go pick up a 49-state version at the Home Depot next time you are in Reno.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Just built a house with attached garage. 3 big, heavy garage, doors. 2 of them are
16’ high. I too wanted the jackshaft openers. They delivered tee bar units. I was ticked off as I already installed all the wiring for the jackshaft units. They subsequently sent me one jackshaft unit which I installed on one of the smaller doors. The door distributer came out to the building site to discuss the mix up. Now understand, they supplied the doors and openers. The rep took one look at the door that had the jackshaft opener installed and stated that this opener is not rated for the door and in fact a safety issue. I asked him to explain. Since the jackshaft is directly tied to the torsion shaft, if one or both cables break, that doors is coming down. That got my attention, as these doors are in excess of 700lbs! With a tee bar unit, you lose a cable, the tee bar attachment is going to hold the door in place, probably cocked in the track, but not drop to the floor. Needless to say, I installed three tee bar units on these doors. A pain in the but as my garage walls are 19’ tall and I am not a fan of heights.

Some jackshaft openers have a safety brake to prevent rapid door closures from spring or cable breaks. They are usually the higher priced commercial units though.

It should also be noted that most failures on newer garage doors involve a broken torsion spring. When that happens, whether it's a T bar or jackshaft opener, that door is coming down. The cables are fairly easy to inspect and most worn or frayed spots are easy to spot. Not so with the springs. They can let go with no warning at all.

I have 5, 10 x 10 overhead doors and have never seen a cable failure in 40 years of operation. I've had 2 springs break though, one almost got the wife when the door came down.

The older, twin spring along the track design was better at preventing rapid door drops since both springs rarely broke at once. They have been mostly phased out though, since a spring break with that design could take out a wall or a piece of you.

Unfortunately, most of us tend to take our overhead doors for granted. They are mechanisms with a great deal of stored energy, capable of causing severe injury. They should be treated as such and inspected regularly.

 

[kenmbz]

I have the twin springs still, with safety cables that run through the spring.
Had a spring break, spring stayed on the cable and no damage.
Door was down at the time, a little hard to get back up, but spring replacement was easy.
Have replaced both springs on that door. No more problems.

 

[dfkrug]

I have the twin springs still, with safety cables that run through the spring.
Had a spring break, spring stayed on the cable and no damage.

All three of my 8x7 Clopay doors have the side springs with safety cables, but my older workshop 8x8 door has torsion springs.

I also had a side spring fail 40+ years ago in a different house with a 7x16 wooden sectional door. The safety cable broke, too. I came out to the garage one day and there is was in pieces. No damage.

One thing most of us neglect is lubrication of all the rollers and hinges. I use an aerosol spray grease.

 

[dodge man]

I ordered a new Chamberlain opener and all the parts were identical so I just installed the box with the motor in it. The installation was easy, getting it to work wasn’t. It didn’t come with an installation manual but I found it on line. Then the users manual was for just about every unit they make and the procedure for setting the up and down limits was wrong. I found the correct manual on line and got it going. Now I just have to get the wife’s Chrysler 300 programmed to it, that’s not going so good.

I assumed this was made in China but it’s not, either Illinois or Mexico. All would have been good if it had the correct manuals with it.

 

[Gregster613]

I ordered a new Chamberlain opener and all the parts were identical so I just installed the box with the motor in it. The installation was easy, getting it to work wasn’t. It didn’t come with an installation manual but I found it on line. Then the users manual was for just about every unit they make and the procedure for setting the up and down limits was wrong. I found the correct manual on line and got it going. Now I just have to get the wife’s Chrysler 300 programmed to it, that’s not going so good.

I assumed this was made in China but it’s not, either Illinois or Mexico. All would have been good if it had the correct manuals with it.

Sorry to hear that the new unit is being so difficult and I agree it should have come with the correct instructions! You're intuitive though and I know you'll get it figured out. Best of luck.