GDO Died


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Old 03-09-17, 08:54 PM
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GDO Died

My garage door opener won't work. I hit the button or remote and nothing. Not a sound or click at the unit. Another symptom is that the light now stays on.

Coincidentally it occurred during the Michigan winds yesterday, with the power going on and off. Is it possible that a surge occurred and a board got fried?

How should I proceed? It's a Genie H4000A 1/2 HP with a receiver model ACSR3.

Thanks!
 
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Old 03-10-17, 02:16 AM
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It is highly likely the board got fried. It could be on lockout due to to many cycles with the power going off and on. Unplug it and see if it will reboot when you plug it back in. Unplugging it, removing the cover and observing the pc board will show obvious signs of burning if it is the culprit.
 
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Old 03-10-17, 02:47 AM
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If you already have an external receiver, that probably means the original internal receiver died in the past. I'd replace it before I'd put any more money into parts. The control board will probably run $60-70. I have the exact same model with all the original parts except the carriage was replaced recently. That was only a $15 fix. Much more than that and I'd buy new.
 
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Old 03-10-17, 07:35 AM
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Thanks What is an internal and external receiver? And what is it relative to the circuit board?

I have 2 boards in there. Should I replace the one with the big relay? Or the other one?

And I will try the reboot first and see. Thanks!
 
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Old 03-10-17, 10:51 AM
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The external receiver connects with three screw terminals and hangs down from the opener.
If you have a voltmeter.... check from terminals 1 to 3 on that receiver. You should measure 16-24 VAC.

If you don't get any voltage on those screw terminals..... I'd suspect a bad transformer and check that next.
 
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Old 03-10-17, 11:54 AM
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Well, not to argue with Pete, but the external receiver you listed is a black box that mounts somewhere on the ceiling near the opener with a wire connecting to the opener terminals and another wire hanging down about 6 inches.

They were used on older models that didn't have "rolling code technology" which gave better security since a code could only be used once. It was also used as a cheap replacement for the internal receiver (a board inside the opener) if it failed. All it did was attach to the screws on the back for power and across the same terminals as the wall button (I think). Basically it acted like a radio controlled wall button pusher.

I'm not positive, but if your main "sequencer board" (that's what it's called, I dunno why) is bad, then the receiver (internal or external) can't do it's job.

Standing behind the opener, the main board is to your left, the receiver is to the right near the round black capacitor. A manual for your opener... http://www.geniecompany.com/data/pro...ve-install.pdf
 
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Old 03-10-17, 12:03 PM
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You are correct. I was thinking of the Linear devices that most of the companies use. It can actually connect directly to the three screw terminals on the unit and hang unlike that rather large Genie unit.

Still can check for power on those terminals. The transformers failed more often then the boards did.
 
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Old 03-10-17, 12:19 PM
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Figured as much, those always reminded me of the old computer dongles we used to connect to the network. (Pre- built in Ethernet of course.)
 
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Old 03-10-17, 09:16 PM
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Hey guys, I can't be more happy, and Chandler nailed it. I just unplugged the thing and plugged it back in, and presto IT Works!

Curious....? Were the relay contacts just stuck.
 
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Old 03-11-17, 02:16 AM
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No, not the contacts, they don't just stick unless they weld themselves together. Basically the "trons" in the components on the board were all stuck in the wrong places. Unplugging from the outlet gave the "trons" a place to escape and everyone lived happily ever after til the next series of power outages.

Seriously, except for the silly language (which I used to use to explain how we fixed problems in the Navy) you just reset the electronics by unplugging and re-plugging. Just like powering down your PC if it freezes somehow. Almost always the first thing you should do with all electronics unless you smell smoke or see sparks. Turn it off, remove from power, wait 30-60 seconds, plug in and try to re-start.
 

Last edited by Gunguy45; 03-11-17 at 11:25 PM.
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Old 03-19-17, 05:03 PM
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OK...well it's dysfunctional again today. The GDO light will switch on and off, but the motor won't activate.

Should I replace a board? It so, which of the two that are up there?

Iis there some odd chance I replace the board, and still it's dysfunctional? Or is there a much higher likelihood that I replace the board, and I should be good to go?

Otherwise, how should I proceed at this point? Thanks!
 
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Old 04-06-17, 09:08 AM
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Some questions, and an update. Presently the GDO is working. (Meanwhile I have a new sequencer board on hand to put in when/if it dies again.)

--I did put in a surge protection outlet for the GDO plug. Does doing so also keep the surge pulses that occur from the motor from affecting other devices in the house?

--The push wall control inside the garage does not work. Should I replace that to remedy or something else?

Thank you~!
 
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Old 04-06-17, 12:08 PM
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On a motor that small, it should hardly affect anything else in the house, but no, it won't. A surge protector is to protect the device plugged in to it from transients, not to protect other devices.

Is it a wall control? Or just a button like a doorbell? If a doorbell type thing, you could disconnect the wires and just touch them together momentarily to see if the door functions. If yes, it's the button, if no you likely have a damaged wire. You can verify by tracing back where the button wires attach to the opener and just use a short piece of wire across the contacts. If the door operates, then you have a broken wire.
 
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Old 04-06-17, 02:23 PM
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The inside control is a Genie device with 2 buttons-- one for the door, and other for the GDO lights.
Should I just arbitrarily replace the device of do something else to get it working again? Thanks!
 
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Old 04-06-17, 11:37 PM
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If you can identify which wires are for just the door, try what I said previously. Look at the wiring diagram and see if you can tell which terminals on the powerhead are for the door an which is for the light. Hmm, just looked at the manual (page 24 & 25), even with the two controls, still only 2 wires. Must be a few components in the console I'm not aware of. Anyway...touching the 2 wires together briefly should operate the door. If yes, then the console is bad. You can replace it with a simple button for $9, the cost of the console is probably $20 or so. Make sure you get the same model if you go with a console.

If touching the wires gets nothing, follow the rest of the steps I said before. Jump the terminals at the powerhead (that's the motor unit btw) to see if the wire is broken.
 
 

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