Overhead Door Openers

[bdhsfz6]

Dont know about the genie.....

But yes the electronic stops are critical. But same for a conventional opener or you can damage the door.

But even if the electronics fail.....there is a cable slack sensor. The split second there is no tension on the cable, the door will stop and reverse.
As long as its installed properly, I have never seen a slack cable come off the drum on a jackshaft opener.
But even if it did.....it isnt any different than a cable coming off the drum on a conventional opener...which I have seen happen as well for various reasons

Ironically, I've never had a cable come off the drum when using any of my overhear door openers. It did happen though when I installed the second jackshaft opener. I got careless when setting the door speed and down stop. No damage luckily but it was quite a hassle to get it back together. I know there is supposed to be a slack sensor in the system but it didn't work for some reason. I had to lock the shaft with vise grips to keep it from turning and use a floor jack to lift the door to get enough cable slack to slip it back on the drum.

 

[ray66v]

If you have a really high ceiling, you may want to go with the jack shaft opener.

If you have a real low ceiling, or, you have high lift track on the door, (where it runs up the wall), then, you usually have to go with the jack shaft opener.

Otherwise, the only thing you really gain with the jack shaft opener, is a lighter wallet.

 

[bdhsfz6]

If you have a really high ceiling, you may want to go with the jack shaft opener.

If you have a real low ceiling, or, you have high lift track on the door, (where it runs up the wall), then, you usually have to go with the jack shaft opener.

Otherwise, the only thing you really gain with the jack shaft opener, is a lighter wallet.

I think this depends on where you install the opener.

In the house, I like the quietness, very low maintenance and the extra overhead space. In this case, IMO, a jackshaft opener is worth a few extra $$.

This is less important in a barn though, so an overhead opener may be more practical & economical.

Just my opinion though, YMMV.

 

[ray66v]

I think this depends on where you install the opener.

In the house, I like the quietness, very low maintenance and the extra overhead space. In this case, IMO, a jackshaft opener is worth a few extra $$.

This is less important in a barn though, so an overhead opener may be more practical & economical.

Just my opinion though, YMMV.

I have seen belt drive overhead openers that made less noise than the door it's self.

 

[ponytug]

I have seen belt drive overhead openers that made less noise than the door it's self.

That is our experience as well. When we switched from a chain driven opener to a belt driven opener, all of the noise is now from the door, despite my best efforts to lubricate each moving part.

All the best,

Peter

 

[bdhsfz6]

It isn't so much the chain or belt that makes the noise. In my case, the opener power head is fastened to the floor joists of the bedroom above the garage. It will wake you from a sound sleep if someone comes in during the night.

Several years ago, to quiet the door itself, I lubed the hinges, installed nylon rollers and sprayed the spring with oil. It helped a lot but it did nothing for the noise from the power head.

The wall mount opener is attached to the jackshaft which is bolted to the outside cement block wall and does not transmit vibration. It can barely be heard in the bedroom above.
Every installation is different though. YMMV,

 

[grsthegreat]

But now you wont catch the kids coming in at 2 am.

 

[bdhsfz6]

After replacing all 5 ceiling mount garage door openers with jackshaft wall mount units, I discovered another advantage to the wall mount style. Two of the doors on the house have windows in the top door section. The doors are Raynor insulated models which are pretty much Styrofoam panels covered with sheet metal. With the window, the top section doesn't have a lot of structural strength. Even with the recommended angle reinforcement along the top edge, both doors were bowed inward by the repeated pulling action of the ceiling mount opener over the years.

There was actually a 1" gap between the top center of the door panel and the sill. I never noticed it until I removed the old opener. The other 3 doors do not have windows in the top section and weren't bowed.

I see a definite advantage to the wall mount jackshaft openers, which lift the door instead of pulling it open. This is especially true for these rather fragile insulated doors with windows in the top section.