Garage door opener installation

[Oldpath05]

My one year old 8500 LiftMaster stopped working, again, my son fixed the Travel Module last week, worked for a few days, now it wont come down, again.. I push the button and the door starts to move, then stops, the over head light blinks, and on the opener the led light blinks 4 times, the door sensors are lit at the bottom of the track. I don't know why everyone likes LiftMaster, for the past two months, I've had nothing but problems with it, seams like now when I push the up/down button, I have to say a prayer, cross my fingers and hope the door comes back down.

One bit of good news today, because of this so call storm of the century tomorrow, no work, I get to stay home and be mad at my door opener. LG

 

[wmonroe]

Does the door have a "down force" adjustment? It sounds like that is the issue.

Good luck with the snow. I was hoping for more in SW PA.

 

[KennyG]

I've had to do a little fiddling with my Liftmaster, making sure it's well lubed and tweaking the downforce to keep it working. Concerns me a little but the local garage door company tells me they prefer Liftmaster over other units for large doors (mine is 12 x 11).

 

[s219]

My one year old 8500 LiftMaster stopped working, again, my son fixed the Travel Module last week, worked for a few days, now it wont come down, again.. I push the button and the door starts to move, then stops, the over head light blinks, and on the opener the led light blinks 4 times, the door sensors are lit at the bottom of the track. I don't know why everyone likes LiftMaster, for the past two months, I've had nothing but problems with it, seams like now when I push the up/down button, I have to say a prayer, cross my fingers and hope the door comes back down.

One bit of good news today, because of this so call storm of the century tomorrow, no work, I get to stay home and be mad at my door opener. LG

You should be able to lookup that code in the owners manual -- the number of blinks will tell you what's wrong. You have to get to about 8 or more blinks before it's something complicated, so only 4 blinks ought to be simple.

The only problem I had with my opener was when ladybugs got inside the gear wheels in the counter module, got ground up when it turned, and blocked the sensor. Luckily I could sort of see something was in there with a flashlight, and it was easy to pop out that module and clean out the mess. Also found 3-4 dead stink bugs inside. If it ever happens again, I may staple window screen over the units to prevent more trouble.

 

[Oldpath05]

LED Blinks) or UP and Down Arrow Symptom
1 blink ) or 1 Up 1 Down Arrow- Wires are cut, or not connected
2 blinks ) or 1 Up 2 Down Arrow- Wires are reversed, or there is a short in the wiring
4 blinks ) or 1 Up 4 Down Arrow- Safety Sensors are misaligned, or were momentarily obstructed
100 blinks) -------------------------- ladybugs got inside the gear wheels

This is what LiftMaster says on their trouble shoot page, I have the 4 blinks on the LED light but both lights on the sensors are on, the manual says if both lights are on, then the sensors are working, guess I have to call LiftMaster this weekend, I'd call today but I'd rather stay inside and watch the snow blow around.

 

[the old grind]

Both sensors lit means they're properly connected, should not be read as properly aligned. I bump mine around stacking shovels, brooms, and rakes just inside the door on either side. Aligning them is usually a trial & error operation, but stuff happens.

 

[Oldpath05]

Now that I have to open my 12x12 door by hand, I look at the 8500 LM and wondering how does it put the door down when it does work? I see how it brings the door up by winding up the cables on the cable drum that's on the shaft, the cables hook on both sides of door at the bottom. I see the both torsion springs unwinding as the door goes up. But I don't get how the opener pulls the door down, it cant push the door down by the cable, cables are made to pull, not push. I don't se how gravity lets the door down because when I lift it up by hand, the door stays where ever I set it, I don't get it big Dan.

 

[aczlan]

It counteracts the force of the springs to allow gravity to drop the door.

Aaron Z

 

[s219]

Yeah, it's not really working the cables, it's manipulating the spring tension, which either causes the spring to reel in the cables or let them out.

Normally there is one light to indicate the sending sensor has power, and then the other light will come on when the receiving sensor is seeing the beam. So both lights on is a good sign. I'd suggest checking the wiring for both of them to make sure it's not nicked or something. On one opener install ages ago, I accidentally pierced one of the sensor wires with a staple, and while the sensors both lit up, it sent a false signal to the opener and it would reverse the door after it started going down. That was an embarrassing mistake, as I am normally careful when stapling wires....

 

[Oldpath05]

It counteracts the force of the springs to allow gravity to drop the door.

Aaron Z

I think the springs are almost unwound when the door is up, so when the door starts to go down, it starts winding the spring, and when the door is completely down, the springs are all wound up like I am when the opener doesn't work. in other words, when I unhook the opener, I have to pull on the rope to bring the door down, gravity isn't helping. The last opener I had if I remember right, it was mounted on the ceiling, it had a rail with a long chain riding on it, the chain pulled the door up and pulled the door down. I cant seam to understand this 8500 LM I have now make the door go down, must be above my pay grade.