Garge door opener not responding to remote control unit

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Garge door opener not responding to remote control unit

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:06:22 AM EDT

Our garage door opener has stopped responding to our remote units. I've tried new batteries, made sure the codes were set correctly, etc. but nothing has worked.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Do the remote units eventually crap out and need to be replaced?

Thanks,

Corey

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:09:31 AM EDT

[#1]

Try cycling the power on the door opener itself. Sometimes, they get hosed up and you have to boot them.

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:20:55 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
... Do the remote units eventually crap out and need to be replaced? ...

Wouldn’t think both would go belly up at the same time.

If LARRYG’s suggestion doesn’t work, I suspect you’re going to need a new receiving unit.

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:24:07 AM EDT

[#3]

You can also get a "universal" opener from Skylink, if your remote took a dump.

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:25:16 AM EDT

[#4]

Speaking of power on the door opener, have you insured that it is getting power? I know this may sound silly, but sometimes we overlook the obvious.

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:25:35 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Try cycling the power on the door opener itself. Sometimes, they get hosed up and you have to boot them.

Nope, that didn't work.

The remote unit's red light is activating when I press the button, so it appears that is okay.

Thanks,

Corey

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:29:53 AM EDT

[#6]

Do you have a manual button inside the garage or house? Does that operate the door?

If so, and the cycling the power didn't work, it looks like your reciever unit is kaput, as 199 suggested.

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:31:09 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Speaking of power on the door opener, have you insured that it is getting power? I know this may sound silly, but sometimes we overlook the obvious.

Yep. The base open/close switch in the garage works fine.

We have one factory remote unit (the opener came with the house and appears to be at least 10+ years old) and bought two other remote units that work with our brand of opener.

Both of the aftermarket ones worked well for maybe a year or so, then they would only open after multiple pushes, or sometimes every other day. There was no rhyme or reason -- sometimes they worked and other times they didn't.

Then the factory remote unit just stopped working, which was strange as it was always 100%. So, I kind'a suspect that the problem might be in the actual garage door opener itself.

I really want to get this up and running before it starts snowing.

Thanks everyone.

Any other suggestions? Is there anything I can do by cracking the garage door opener open and poking around inside? Maybe an antenna unit came undone??

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:33:33 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
....
If LARRYG’s suggestion doesn’t work, I suspect you’re going to need a new receiving unit.

By receiving unit, do you mean "whole new garage door opener" or "$20 part that I can install myself"??

I'm not adverse to spending money on stuff, but we're going to be building a new house in 6-9 months and really only need this unit to "work," not be the world's ultimate garage door opener.

Thanks all,

Corey

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:38:20 AM EDT

[#9]

I had this problem with a 20+ year old Genie opener. The receiver was shot. I replaced the whole unit for <$100 at Sears. If your opener is newer, you may be able to replace just the receiver.

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:55:55 AM EDT

[#10]

If you have a newer "code-hopping" receiver, it's possible that the synchronization got messed up, and you'll need to check the owner's book, or call the factory to see how to rest the transmitters and/or receiver. (Like a car remote when you change the battery)

Posted: 11/23/2003 11:57:32 AM EDT

[#11]

I suspect that the receiver is shot. There is what appears to be a little antenna wire hanging down from it. I took the cover off and the antenna appeared to be connected.

So... I suspect that we'll need a new garage door opener.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Corey

Posted: 11/23/2003 12:03:54 PM EDT

[#12]

The receiving unit could be part of the manual switch on the wall (easy fix) or inside the motor housing (not so easy). Look for an antenna.

Depending on the age and/or make of the opener, you should be able to get just the receiving unit. You’ll probably have to go straight to the manufacturer.

If you’ve still got it, dig out the instruction book and look for a part number.

Alternatively, opening the unit and looking for loose or corroded connections, broken wires or such might get you somewhere.

However, assuming you can’t repair it, you’ll then need to put it back together and reinstall it. Otherwise, you’ll have no opener at all till you get a new unit (which is a major pain to someone as lazy as myself). Plus you’ll have to track down the key to the manual lock!!

Ah!! The continued joys of home ownership!

Edited to add: Opps! We were both typing at the same time!!

Posted: 11/23/2003 12:55:45 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
The receiving unit could be part of the manual switch on the wall (easy fix) or inside the motor housing (not so easy). Look for an antenna.

Depending on the age and/or make of the opener, you should be able to get just the receiving unit. You’ll probably have to go straight to the manufacturer.

If you’ve still got it, dig out the instruction book and look for a part number.

Alternatively, opening the unit and looking for loose or corroded connections, broken wires or such might get you somewhere.

However, assuming you can’t repair it, you’ll then need to put it back together and reinstall it. Otherwise, you’ll have no opener at all till you get a new unit (which is a major pain to someone as lazy as myself). Plus you’ll have to track down the key to the manual lock!!

Ah!! The continued joys of home ownership!

Edited to add: Opps! We were both typing at the same time!!

There's no product manuel with it, so I'm kind'a taking stabs in the dark. Which doen't surprise me seeing that it was probably installed in the house 2 owners ago. (I save everything, BTW.)

The antenna comes from the opener itself, so I suspect that's where the problem is.

I think it's time for a new garage door opener.

Posted: 11/23/2003 1:12:19 PM EDT

[#14]

Go online to see if you can find a manual from the manufacturer's website.

The receiver is a circuit card inside the door opener housing. It has a small electrical connector that provides power to the card and leads that do the same thing as your wall switch. Make sure the connector is properly mated (maybe it shook loose due the vibration of repeated open/close cycles).

If the curcuit card is shot, it can be replaced without buying a new opener. Again check the manufacturer's website. Some larger Sears stores also sell the circuit card and clickers.

Posted: 11/23/2003 1:48:21 PM EDT

[#15]

What brand do you have?

I've just been through a long saga of replacing parts on my Genie Intellicode, and finally got it working. It needed a new sequencer board and new wiring to one of the photocells. Cost me $46 for the new sequencer board and $3 for the wire. In the process I gained a pretty good understanding of how the whole thing works. If you've got a Genie, I've got a manual and a little experience with mucking around inside the control box.

Posted: 11/23/2003 2:14:12 PM EDT

[#16]

I had the same problem once. The manual station in the garage still works right? On mine there is a lock feature on it. I accidently hit the lock button on it. It would open when you hit the button in the garage but not let the remotes open it. Its worth a shot

Posted: 11/23/2003 2:48:28 PM EDT

[#17]

On my unit there is a small reset button for the code on the unit back up at the door. I have to press it for a few seconds to reset it.

Posted: 11/23/2003 2:51:37 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
I suspect that the receiver is shot. There is what appears to be a little antenna wire hanging down from it. I took the cover off and the antenna appeared to be connected.

So... I suspect that we'll need a new garage door opener.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Corey

WAIT!!!

Have someone push the remote, while you whack the reciever with a hammer, that'll loosen her up!!

Have the wife take pics for us!!

Posted: 11/23/2003 3:04:19 PM EDT

[#19]

Well, DnPRK may have given me another angle to work on.

I'll tear it apart more in the next few days and try to let everyone know what happened.

And I'll also look for the manuel online.

Thanks!

Corey

PS AR15.com rocks for do-it-yourselfers! My sink project last weekend turned out great!

Oh, and NO PICS!

Posted: 11/23/2003 3:16:42 PM EDT

[#20]

It's definately the fetzer valve. You needs some 30 weight motor oil and ball bearings to fix it.

Posted: 11/23/2003 4:18:23 PM EDT

[#21]

Before you get too far into it, make sure the little electric "eyes" that point at each other down by the floor are lined up. They can get bent by kids riding their bikes into them, etc. They can look OK and still not be lined up right.
My door gave me hell for a while. I got out there and messed with the "eyes" bending one a little this way then that way until they were lined up and the problem went away.
Mine had a little light on top of the eyes that supposedly showed when they were lined up, but you still had to tweak it.

Posted: 11/23/2003 5:45:33 PM EDT

[#22]

There are no electronic eyes on this garage door opener. Must've been made before the days of product liability lawyers.

But while I was searching for manuals online, I found a parts supplier for circuit replacement boards, etc. They also sold a replacement receiver that is installed in place of the inside fixed opener button. That acts as the receiver to the two remotes that come with the unit. Hopefully this will be $50 or under...?

Corey

PS Boy, my spelling sux tonight. I've been so focused on my garge door opener and searching for old manuels <ahem> that I haven't taken the time to review my posts.

EDITED to add that I'll follow up with the fixed inside the garage control panal receiver replacement and will let everyone know what happens. But that seems like my best bet (and easiest install) at this point.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Garge door opener not responding to remote control unit

General » General Discussion

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us