Garage door wont open????

[STYKO]

Hey, anyone ever have an issue with their garage door not wanting to work all of a sudden? Its only 4 years old the sensors dont seem to be working as there are little lights that are green when on, or I think orange when not lined up, however there are no lights on at all....

The wires run up through the ceiling then come out at the bottom of the door to sensors. I tried wiggling the wires etc...no go....The door tries to open or shut but wont work unless the sensors are lined up.....

Can I by pass this for now, do sensors go bad???? Any ideas would be great, thanks

 

[medler]

Maybe ask your neighbor to borrow his sensors. That would eliminate that problem.
At my house if the sun hits the sensors right the stupid door won't close. Ticks me off

 

[catinthehat]

Disconnect the sensor wires from the opener itself, that should bypass that circuit allowing the door to open and close. You just won't have the safety features.

 

[rsaint]

I think the sensors are only for closing if they are not lined up the door will start to go down and stop and some go back up.

 

[Smithys]

I have garage door issues when the outside temperature goes to -10C. When it gets cold, my door does not close unless you hold the button down to force it closed.

Any ideas why or how to fix it?

 

[LinkTank]

I mounted my sensors on the top of the motor. Just rewired and had them facing each other. Ya no safety future anymore. But eliminated that problem. Or Try cleaning the sensor face also. Maybe if you washed your garage floor the sensor got splashed.


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[CUSO]

That does not work. The safety features of the sensors prevents you from bypassing with a certain amount of resistance. Your best bet is to check wires for continuity, and if they are ok, then it's mostlikely the sensors.

Is there any life in the opener at all? Usually if the sensors are not aligned, or not working, the opener would close for a second, then open and an error flash goes on.

Long shot here....Are you sure there is power to the opener?? LOL I have seen it man..

Disconnect the sensor wires from the opener itself, that should bypass that circuit allowing the door to open and close. You just won't have the safety features.

I mounted mine at bumper height. Just in case I don't drive in enough.

I mounted my sensors on the top of the motor. Just rewired and had them facing each other. Ya no safety future anymore. But eliminated that problem. Or Try cleaning the sensor face also. Maybe if you washed your garage floor the sensor got splashed. /QUOTE]

 

[Summiteer]

Disconnect the sensor wires from the opener itself, that should bypass that circuit allowing the door to open and close. You just won't have the safety features.

usually need to jumper between the sensor terminals.

 

[DaveB]

usually need to jumper between the sensor terminals.

Won't work. The only way is as someone mentioned, to just mount the sensors in the attic pointed at each other.

 

[DaveB]

I mounted my sensors on the top of the motor. Just rewired and had them facing each other. Ya no safety future anymore. But eliminated that problem. Or Try cleaning the sensor face also. Maybe if you washed your garage floor the sensor got splashed.


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You need to increase the down force. There will be two screws for up and down limits (the distance the door travels each way) and there will be two screws to adjust the up and down force before the reverse kicks in. With the cold temps, the grease in the door rollers and on the opener traveler has thickened up and you will need to increase the down force. You don't want it tooooo high as it is supposed to reverse when it hits an object, like a kid or your car hood.

 

[senorjeem]

Lotsa good work arounds, but like Styko said in his original post....NO LIGHTS... It's not gonna do any good pointing a dead light at a receiver.

 

[DaveB]

To the OP...no lights at all in the sensors? As Cuso said, check for power. If it's an old Stanley opener, they had a black capacitor inside that burns out. If it's a Chamberlain (they make Sears, Home Depot, and a lot of others) they rarely foul up, but when they do, the board is the first suspect. Most people just buy a new opener since the costs to have a serviceman out there have drastically increased since I did garage doors in the late 80's....

 

[the_real_wild1]

Maybe ask your neighbor to borrow his sensors. That would eliminate that problem.
At my house if the sun hits the sensors right the stupid door won't close. Ticks me off

Mine do the same ****ing thing!

 

[CUSO]

Just remember, that if you ever plan on selling your home, the inspector will check to see if the sensors are set up properly. You will then have to fix it right to pass.

Hope you don't have any kids, because those sensors are there for a reason. Just sayin'

 

[sledneck_03]

the sensors are for down only control. not up

If yours does not allow it to go down when the suns shining just tape a tube about 3-4 inches long over the sensors like a scope.

Had to do it on my last house and now my new house. Wife was late for a meeting and left the garage open with my sled in it and it was -20. I rushed home and it was freezing inside and the heater was running non stop. plucking stupid...... just pull the god damn red rope and manually close it.

 

[sledneck_03]

Just remember, that if you ever plan on selling your home, the inspector will check to see if the sensors are set up properly. You will then have to fix it right to pass.

Hope you don't have any kids, because those sensors are there for a reason. Just sayin'

I cant really see how they help in anyway unless some one is standing directly under it or someone leaves something under it, then the auto up setting should kick in. The sensors should be high enough so if you dont have your vehicle all the way in the garage the door/ hinges dont rub the car.

I have mine set so if my foots under the door it will go up with no more force then someone lightly stepping on my foot.

 

[CUSO]

That's ok if you set up the door that lightly and won't crush a child. It has happened a few times, and that is why the sensors were mandated. BUT on a cold day, when things are not moving like they are supposed, you will see the problems of them going back up from resistance.



Thing

I cant really see how they help in anyway unless some one is standing directly under it or someone leaves something under it, then the auto up setting should kick in. The sensors should be high enough so if you dont have your vehicle all the way in the garage the door/ hinges dont rub the car.

I have mine set so if my foots under the door it will go up with no more force then someone lightly stepping on my foot.

 

[STYKO]

There is power to the opener it self. When I hit the mounted door opener button or car visor opener the opener (mounted to the ceiling) tries to open or close but then just flickers the lights several times as if something is in the way of the sensors. And yes the lights are not lit on the sensors it self, they usually are green. It is a sears g-door opener. its worked fine for the last four years no matter the temp, now its just not working, weird.

I have unplugged the g-door opener and wiggles wires, I really think the sensors are shot or there is a disconnect in the wire somewhere.

 

[STYKO]

thanks for all the posts everyone, gives me a few things to try ...

 

[Highfly]

On my garage door opener the lights flash when it tries to come down (I do have movement) then the door loads up and reverses.
Unlatch the door from the drive so the motor has no weight and see if it will move with no load on the chain??? Mine is an old Stanley.
Edit, so old in fact it does not have the sensors......
Edit#2 just thinking with the warm weather could the door have frozen to the floor with the recent warm spell then cold again??