Anyone good with garage door openers?

[nsolimini]

So my garage door will only close now if I press and hold the button on the wall. I am certain it is the saftey sensors causing this issue since the indicator lights on the sensors are no longer lit. I put a test light on the back of the opener and the posts have power, but if I run alligator clips from the back of the opener to the sensors, the lights still dont turn on.

Any ideas what I should try?

 

[Doug]

Check to see if the lenses on the safety sensors are dirty.

 

[eldirector]

My sensors only light up when pointed at each other correctly and free of obstructions. I'd start there.

Since it sounds like you have some long test leads, move one of the sensors so it is right in front of the other, and see if they light up.

Most garage door openers will flash a fault code on an LED somewhere, too. At least the newer ones do.....

 

[nsolimini]

I cleaned them, that was my very first thing, I thought they might be blocking the signal and thats why the little led indicators were no longer on.

 

[nsolimini]

I'll give that a shot too (since I only tested one at a time), hopefully its something simple like a frayed wire.

 

[Indy60]

Safety Sensors would have nothing to do with the issue you describe. The problem has to be in the RF receiver of the main unit or in the remote you use in the car. Do you have more than one opener remote and does the problem follow both remotes?

 

[Indy60]

Just had a thought, try cutting the 120v power to the opener for a few seconds then see if the opener "resets" when the power is restored.

 

[chuddly]

They also have a "tension sensor" that could be the issue. It is usually adjusted on the head with a small thumb knob thing.

 

[nsolimini]

There is only one remote, what lead me to believe the sensor is becuase if I tap the button to close, it will start to close then immediatley go back to the full open position.

I have cut the power for a few minutes with no luck

 

[Indy60]

You stated above you could hold the wall button down and override the sensors? The door closes all the way down? The tapping of the button and immediate reversing sounds like the close tension setting. Try pulling the carriage disconnect handle on the track and see if you can cycle the door opener with the wall switch and the remote.

 

[nsolimini]

That is correct, I will try that one too, I never thought of that.. that's a pretty good idea. Thanks

 

[Mr. Habib]

I've had my door act the same way when the sensor died. holding the button would allow it to close. In my case, though the LED on the transmitter and sensor were still lit. I would still try disconnecting the door and ruling out the pressure switch. I would also check for voltage at the terminals on the IR transmitter to make sure that the opener is sending power to it. I'm still betting on a bad IR transmitter or receiver.

 

[Mike H]

I recentely had to clean the battery contacts on my remote.
Using the remote the door would open ok but usually I had to make 3 tries to get it to close. I just about went out to buy a new remote but I checked the battery contacts and thet were slightly corroded. A little sandpaper did the trick and ...viola, remote closes the door with 1 push of the button.

 

[Signal23]

I bump into this a lot, I am a homebuilder.
Most of the ideas are correct here.
1. make sure the sensors are pointing at each other, un ubstructed.
2. make sure lenses not only dust free, but clean
3. IF it happening only when sunny, put a "shade" on the lens being hit by the sun.
4. to much friction in the rollers, chains or springs, will cause a malfunction and you can sometimes over ride that with holding down the button.
5. check for a broken lift spring or frame movement. Sometime, with the change in temps, the wood/weather strip/ concrete will move slightly and cause a bind or to much friction (doors go up slower/ with more effort in cold.

You should find your problem in that testing.

 

[Mr. Habib]

To me the big clue is that neither the IR transmitter or the receiver light up. The receiver won't light if it can't "see" the transmitter, but the transmitter should always be lit. If it isn't, then it is either dead or not getting power from the opener.

 

[nsolimini]

I can open the door with the remote, but not close it. Closing it is where I have my issues

 

[voodoo304]

I had this exact problem not too long ago with my sensor. I opened up the sensor housing and snooped around a bit. I found a wire had broken free of the solder. If I held that wire in place my light would come on. I took the soldering iron and reheated the solder and stuck the wire back in there. Works like a charm now.
Hope this helps. I went for over a year with a remote not working and having to hold the button. I know how frustrating it is.
Good luck.