Garage door opener reverses when closing stops...

[mvbighead]

How appropriate for the garage?

Anyhoo, worked on my garage door opener on the new house this weekend. Basically I have two separate openers, and the single side we've been opening manually as the previous home owner apparently tried to install it on their own, clearly not having any kind of an idea on basic concepts (IE - screwing into studs, and not just drywall).

I've gotten that part cleaned up, and the mounting brace is secured into a stud in in the ceiling. The brackets are a bit fudged up because of their previous attempt to install it, but it is secure.

It seems I am 90% of the way there, but my only remaining issue is that when the door is closing, any time it stops, it reverses and opens back up. So whether it hits the floor, or whether I stop it with the button, it pauses for a second, and then starts to open back up. The only way to get it to be somewhat closed is to let it go to the floor, and then stop it on its way back up. At this point, about the best I can get is 3-4 inches of open space on the bottom.

I've checked the sensors, and the path is clear and they properly register blockage when I put my hand over the sensor, so that ain't it.

I've adjusted the force quite a few times, but I seem to have it about right. It will now close and stop when it gets to the ground, without binding and twisting the motor rail. In other words, if I adjust the force up any more, it will try to force the door through the ground, and start twisting. Anyhoo, the force is set right, as it closes to the floor without binding. Only problem is, when it successfully closes, it immediately re-opens.

I think the obvious solution is that the close distance knob doesn't seem to be attached correctly (may have to take it apart to get to that). But that still doesn't explain why it reverses when I stop the closing process when the door is halfway down. IE - I stop it 3 ft from the floor with the button, and it stops briefly, then opens back up.

So, any ideas?

 

[Raizinman]

There should be a an adjustable switch for high and low (not the force switch). On mine there is one near the motor and one down the chain track about 6 feet or so. You can move these to tell the door when to stop. This should be in the manual?? Do you have a manual? If not, try the manufacturers website. Even if not the exact same model listed, it should be close enough to get you question answered. Likewise, most garage door manufacturers have a 800 help line. They deal with this stuff all day. This would be a no brainer for them.

 

[merlion]

I had a similar situation with a belt-drive Chamberlain unit. This was about 1 1/2 to 2 years after it was initially installed. The guy who installed it for me came out and looked at it for free, and the determination was that one of the boards inside the unit was bad.

It just would not hold the adjustment. If it did, it was for maybe a day or so, and then it was back to the same thing as what yours is doing.

Bottom line was that the repair parts were going to be close to what a new unit was, so I changed it out.

 

[mvbighead]

There should be a an adjustable switch for high and low (not the force switch). On mine there is one near the motor and one down the chain track about 6 feet or so. You can move these to tell the door when to stop. This should be in the manual?? Do you have a manual? If not, try the manufacturers website. Even if not the exact same model listed, it should be close enough to get you question answered. Likewise, most garage door manufacturers have a 800 help line. They deal with this stuff all day. This would be a no brainer for them.

Thanks, it does seem that I have a box with a hopefully a manual in there. Hopefully I can give them a call and get a better idea. I'll also have to look and see if I can find the switch you are referring to.

Anyhoo, this appears to be a newer unit as it is still listed at the local hardware store:
http://www.menards.com/main/doors-w...rive-garage-door-opener/p-1505270-c-12367.htm

If it comes down to it, I'll just buy a new one. But I really have a hard time doing that when it seems to work just fine, just isn't "smart" enough to stay shut.

 

[waffleironhead]

Have you tried disconnecting the switch from the unit and closing it with the remote or button on the unit? Sometime the wiring to and from the switch gets crossed and will cause the unit to open close on its own. Some people tend to install the wire with metal staples that cut through the wire sheath.

 

[mvbighead]

Have you tried disconnecting the switch from the unit and closing it with the remote or button on the unit? Sometime the wiring to and from the switch gets crossed and will cause the unit to open close on its own. Some people tend to install the wire with metal staples that cut through the wire sheath.

Well they most certainly did use staples (which looks pretty crappy), but I have also been using a wireless remote. The switch seems to work correctly, it just seems like in the stopping process, something is triggering it to open back up.

I have also test by initiating the closing process, and then stopping it by hold the door without obstructing the sensors, and it does exactly the same thing as when it is stopped by a switch.

My only guess is that when it stops, the momentum of the door puts enough force into whatever to cause it to think it has reached an obstruction and should reverse. That's just a guess though.

 

[mvbighead]

Well called up their tech support which was interesting to say the least (an 800 number that seemed to put me to voicemail on some guy's cell phone). Anyway, the guy called back, and stayed on the phone with me while I made the adjustments he advised.

Ended up moving the chain a little further (about 5-6 links more past the gear) and magically the problems were gone. Honestly thought I was going to be making these adjustments for no reason, as it just didn't seem very logical. But it worked!

Next thing is to go buy the extension rail and reinstall again because it doesn't pull the door all the way up. At any rate, it works now, so I'm happy.

 

[merlion]

Good deal. Everybody loves a happy ending!