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Re: [Shop-talk] Garage door opener problem

To: Dave Cavanaugh <cavanadd@frontier.com>, shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Garage door opener problem
From: Brian Kemp <bk13@earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 19:04:22 -0700
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
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Try the easy thing first and pull the release so you can open and close 
the door manually.  It should be easy if the springs are correct.  Hold 
the door open about half way then see if the door stays there.  It 
should.  If not, something is probably off with the springs.  This test 
should verify the door, springs, tracks, and hardware are all good.

While the door is disconnected, try the remote button to open and close 
the door.  There will be no load, so the carrier should slide easily on 
the track.  This will verify that the opener isn't dead.

I'm assuming you have nothing in the garage near the path between the 
sensors near the ground.  If you do, move it.

Based on the description of having to hold the wired button, I'd guess 
the problem might be an intermittent connection with the photo cell 
safety circuit.  When you continue to hold the button, it is overriding 
the safety features and forcing the door closed.  My photocells have a 
light on one side that lets me know all is good. Look at the light when 
all is clear and then step in the path and verify it changes.  Next, 
have a helper watch the light while you jiggle the wires at various 
places and see if the light changes - it shouldn't.  Also verify that 
the terminals holding the wires are secure and not corroded at the 
sensors and opener.  This should eliminate the safety reverse function 
from being the problem.

This should help eliminate issues with one opener.  The next step might 
be to sway parts between the two openers and see if you can find the 
problem.

Brian

On 9/14/2014 6:31 PM, Dave Cavanaugh wrote:
> I have a pair of Chamberlain PD200 openers in the garage.  They are 
> about 15 years old and until just recently have been flawless. Lately 
> the one on my wife's side (naturally) has gotten flaky.  As soon as 
> you push the button to close it, it reverses and the light flashes.  
> Opening is normal.  If you hold the wall mounted (hardwired) button 
> down it will close and stay down, but it will no longer close with the 
> clicker.  When the problem first started the door would partially 
> close before reversing, but now it doesn't even move.
>
> I adjusted the photocells, lubricated everything, and adjusted the 
> sensitivity pots and turned the open and close distance pots through a 
> few turns.  For a few cycles it worked ok and then reverted to it's 
> bad behavior.  I called the local residential/commercial GDO business, 
> who also installed the opener in my shop a few years ago. I wasn't 
> here, but according to my wife he lubricated everything with 
> "something heavier than WD40", "adjusted" it and left.  It worked for 
> a week.  I looked yesterday and he had turned the sensitivity pots all 
> the way up to 11.  So, $100 down the toilet.
>
> The one on my side works flawlessly....so far.
>
> This is a standard, chain drive, 1/2 HP rolling code unit, nothing fancy.
>
> I can buy a new one at Home Depot or Amazon for $125 or so. Before I 
> do, anything else to check?
>
> thanks
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