Hey guys, I've got a problem with my garage door not closing when the temperature gets a bit colder. My door is an old wooden multipanel door that spans the two car garage. The opener is a chain driven Craftsman 3/4 HP.

The door will open just fine but will not go down. It starts to go down then goes back up and the lights flash on and off. It will however, go all the way down if you hold the hard wired switch down.

I think I read somewhere that this may have something to do with the type of grease that is used on the chain. Could this be the problem? Is there any way that I can degrease the chain while it is still attached and then regrease it?

Any help is most appreciated!

 

That sounds like a safety beam issue, if you have them. Does the door roll smoothly up and down, when the opener is disconnected, and will stop anywhere in the middle of the opening w/o slamming up or down?

If it really only does it when cold, and works fine on warmer days, I'd suspect a loose connection or broken wire on the safety beams. Check alignment, clean lenses and tighten all connections.

They make grease for opener chains, but almost any standard multi purpose grease would be fine. I used motorcycle chain lube for years on mine w/no problems.

Its not like a bike or M/C running at high speed with grit and junk all over it. I always just used a rag damp with solvent. Wipe it once with the damp rag, once with a dry rag, then re-lube. Check your instructions if you have them, of visit the Chamberlain website, they make Sears openers.

 

I do have safety beams. I assumed that the wires were soldered within each sensor. Can I open them and tighten the connections somehow? I can easily check the wires going into the opener and clean the lenses as well. Thanks for the advice.

 

If the wires are permanently attached, don't try to open them, just check the wires and accessible connections.

Also, it may be that cold has made the brackets move out of alignment. If they are the kind that attach to the track at the bottom, it's very possible.


EDIT It is also possible that you have a bad solder joint or cracked run in one of the sensors. If it still does it on cold days after the above checks, try using a blow dryer to gently warm up the sensors one at a time and see what happens. Could also be the same issue with the logic board in the opener, or the board may just need re-seating in its connector.

 

Yes, do they do attach this way. I'm not certain how I'll be able to check this though. How can I adjust the alignment so that this doesn't happen? I'm not sure how to check this? I know that one of the sensors has an led that stays lit unless the beam is tripped. I guess the first step in knowing is noticing if the led is on or off and if it's off then try to realign?

 

You have it right. Try and put the beam in the middle of the "good" zone. Also, if you have a helper, stretch a string between the sensors to use as a guide.

 

Also check your track and rollers for old dirt,oil, or grease. Clean them up and lightly oil the hinges. There should be a down force adjustment on the motor. You may need to tweek it a bit. I think that with the colder weather, the door takes a little more force to push it around the bend and the safety reverse confuses this with something blocking the door and reverses.

 

[QUOTE=dinki;1467190]Hey guys, .......My door is an old wooden multipanel door that spans the two car garage. The opener is a chain driven Craftsman 3/4 HP.

The door will open just fine but will not go down. It starts to go down then goes back up and the lights flash on and off. /QUOTE]

When we still have the chain drive openers our doors used to do this in the winter. I routinely had to adjust with the "down force" adjustment on the opener. I assumed it was due to the wood swelling and shrinking and cause things to bind up. Anyway, now we have gear drive units and all is well.

 

What was stated could be true. I wasn't sure if the lights would blink for a downforce issue though, I was thinking they only flashed when the sensors had an issue.

It does say in the newer model Chamberlain manual, that "occasional adjustment of the limit and downforce settings is normal. Weather conditions can affect door travel".

Could probably test by raising the door and disengaging the trolley, see if it will run to the closed position w/o the door attached.

I really dislike the chain drives, seems like more problems with them than screwdrives, in my experience.

 

Thanks for all the tips guys. I at least have a good starting point for things to try.

 

I checked the safety beam last night and it does not appear to be working at all. The garage was open when I came home last night and it was dark. When I drove in, the light in the garage did not come on when I broke the beam. I closed the garage door and broke the beam with my hand and the door kept coming down.

The sensor does have one led on. I'm not sure if it has two or just the single one that turns off when the beam is broken. I think that this may be a seperate issue from what I'm seeing on cold days, but does anyone have any advice on troubleshooting the safety beam? Grrrr.. It's not getting easier!

 

You should see the place for the LED on the non working one, the sensors basically look identical with slightly different guts.

Depending on the model, they both should glow....sender is amber all the time, receiver is green when it is aligned correctly. I believe this is correct if your sensors are about the size of one of those large packs of gum and are held on the bracket with a bolt and wingnut.

I'd still be looking at the wiring and alignment....but now I'd be looking at the wiring for the sensor that is not lit. It has to have a good wiring connection or it won't work even if it is aligned correctly.

Just disconnect and reconnect all the connections first, I think they are just spring-clip type connections.

Replacements run around $25-30 I believe. May be available at Sears, or most places that sell Chamberlain.

 

The thing that baffles me is that shouldn't a misaligned sensor cause the opener to always think that the beam is broken and not close the door ever?

 

If you hold the wired button down it overrides the system, in cases of sensor failure. But the remotes or exterior keypad shouldn't work except to open the door.

 

So I spent a little time with the opener this crisp morning. I checked the downforce and it was/is set to max so I couldn't increase it obviously. I'm thinking that this is not the problem although I'm uncertain as to whether it should be set this high.

My wife dug up the opener manual and the symptoms of my problem does go to the trip sensor. The door begins to close then moves back up and the light blinks 10 times. The light on the sender is always on as it states in the manual, but the receiver light is off. The manual states that this indicates a misalignment. I tried readjusting the receiver but was never able to get it to light. I also tightened the sensor wires at the opener. The wires going into the sensors themselves seem to be part of the unit.

I'm thinking that I'm going to try and unstaple the wires on the receiver and bring it within point-blank range of the sender and see if I can get it's led to light. It's obvious that the sender is getting power from the opener but I'm not certain about the receiver and have no way to test it. I'm hesitant to cut the leds to do a continuity check but it might come to that soon.

Now the dangerous part. Is there a way to override the trip sensor? It's not working at all right now so it is only serving the purpose of not letting the door close. I realise that this is a safety concern and needs to be addressed and this would only be a temporary fix until I get a replacement for the trip sensor. The door should reverse if it comes in contact with something on the way down right?

 

Your downforce shouldn't have to be set to max, unless the door isn't balanced and moving smoothly. Try turning it back to about the 1/2 way point and see if it closes then.

I don't think there is any way to override the safety sensors, except by using the manual button. It's a safety thing as you said. They assume that when you are holding the button, you are also watching for kids, pets or other obstructions which could hurt someone or cause damage to the door.

I don't think there is anyway to test the sensors either. They have little circuit boards and some simple components in them. I don't think a continuity test would tell you much w/o a new one to compare to.

The photocell in the sensor has probably just gotten old or failed. I think taking it down may show that when it's close enough, it MAY start working. Just don't leave them taped together to keep the door moving, it's just not safe.

It's probably bullet biting time...new sensor kit from Sears, HD or somewhere.

 

I'll give that a try, question is will me having to hold down the button to get it to close have any effect on overriding the downforce? I might not be able to adjust this until I get my sensor thing straightened out.

Right, I was thinking of the continuity test to make sure that the wire was not broken between the sensor and the opener.

Are these things fairly generic? I can find replacement parts at HD or Lowes?

Again, thanks for the help...

 

Another update. In the process of removing the staples that hold the wire to the receiver, I noticed that the receiver's led suddenly came on. This was surprising as it wasn't pointing anywhere near the receiver's lens. The opener now operates 'normally' . Problem is that the safety feature is not working still.

I took this working opportunity to adjust the downforce as suggested. A touch more than half closes the door just fine. Another problem though, the door does not reverse if it runs into an obsticle. I tried grabbing the door and lifting up while it was on the way down and it just kept coming. So now I have a very dangerous garage door.

Looks like my upforce is set to the max too. Should I try and adjust this as well? What does lowering the up/down forces do? Just make life easier on the opener?

 

Run (inspect) the wiring all the way from the receiver to the power head. I couldn't find a problem with one I put in once, turned out, even though I was careful I had stapled through the wire.

Does the sensor light go out when you break the beam now? Did yours turn on the interior light when the beam is broken, even with the door down? That would be a way to check the operation. I know some of the newer ones do.

Also, since you have the manual, you should go through the adjustment steps for the
upforce/downforce, up limit and down limit settings. I'm not sure, but it seems like they do have some interaction, at least the force settings.

 

No, the light doesn't go out no matter what I do. I'm surprised that the receiver's led is even lit as it only should light when aimed at the sender.

Are you telling me that HD/Lowes sell universal safety sensors or are these thing specific to each model?

 

They MAY. My local small HD has Genie sensors, not Chamberlain, but HD sells them both online. Looks like Lowes may be the same way. I thought they used tohave them in the stores, but it's been a while since I looked. I do not think they are interchangeable.

Any number of places sell the sensors online. If you have a local Sears parts and repair store, they may have them in stock.

 

Try to always get the brand appropriate sensors for your operator. As well, make sure you have the model number for your operator.

It sounds like you have more of a wiring issue then an actual problem with your eyes. I would try replacing the wire first before spending the $30 or so dollars on new eyes.

I would also take the advise of GunGuy and set your force lower. A good thing to do first is disconnect the door from the operator and try to open the door manually. The door should ride smooth and freely and you should be able to stop it at any point in the travel without it 'floating' up or down on its own. This could indicate a problem with another system on the door, hence the reason the force is set to the max.

CHEERS

 

Personally I seriously dislike those sensors, they can drive you nuts! In my garage, I just mounted them up near the opener pointing directly at each other. Most garage door openers have a trip in case their is too much resistance as it is closing. Obviously if you have kids or very slow pets, it may be best not to do this.

 

The only problem to the 'trip' that causes the door to reverse is that if the force setting is too high, the door will not reverse. The simple check to see if the mechanical reverse is working is to place a 2x4 on the ground and once the door hits the wood, it should reverse. You can also try standing with your shoulder under the door so when it closes on the shoulder it reverses. (Please be careful if you are doing this!! LOL) It shouldn't take much force at all for the door to reverse.

I would be careful not having the sensors in place. They are mandatory, and any insurance claims that are made against your homeowners insurance can be revoked due to improperly working safety equipment. People and children have been killed by electrically operated garage doors!! Also keep in mind that this is typically the largest moving device you will typically ever own. The safety equipment is there for a reason....would you bypass the airbag in your car if it needed service from time to time?

 

personally, i WOULD bypass the airbag. if you're wearing your seatbelt properly an airbag shouldn't be required, honestly. all an airbag has ever done for me is hurt me beyond the normal seatbelt bruises (granted, i only have one airbag experience, but that's beside the point).

anyway, my garage door is doing the same thing lately. though both my sensor lights are on.. and holding down the wired button doesn't make it go down.

 

First thing I would do is disconnect the door from the operator and make sure its running smoothly, well balanced and with out obstruction. If it is then the problem is with the operator, not the door. If there is a problem with the door, it sounds like it could be the gears in the operator, or the circuit board. Both of wich you can get at any local garage door dealer and most big box stores. If it is a CB and your operator is older then 5 years or so I would just spend the money on a new operator rather then the $100 + for the CB.

I still think its backwards to by-pass the photo-eyes, and if there is ever any damage to persons or property due to faulty or inactive eyes, then insurance will not cover you.

CHEERS

 

Well, dunno about the frozen North...but no box here carrys gears or circuit boards, and if they can order them, you'll be paying their markup as well.


grecla...wish you had started your own thread with a new post...would make replying easier and less confusing to the people who read. Using someone elses symptoms just leads to confusion and delay in getting it rectified. And I disagree with your airbag opinion also, be that as it may...lets see whats up with your opener.

What exactly does/doesn't the opener do? Does the door function ok with the opener disconnected? You said.."doing the same thing lately", does it move at all? Does it start down then reverse after a few inches?

Do you get any flashing lights when it reverses/doesn't move? What brand, type and model is it?
Have you adjusted the down force slightly? If the downforce isn't set high enough, I don't think holding the button will make any difference, could be wrong on that.

Post back here or in a new thread with more info plz.

 

sorry, guys. i made my own.

http://forum.doityourself.com/doors-...or-issues.html

 

Me again. Rewired the sensor going to the receiver this weekend and things are working. It hasn't been cold here lately so I won't know if things are all good until then. Unfortunately, however, I think I may be in for the same problem. I noticed that when the beam is tripped the light bulbs on the opener does not come on like it should. The odd thing is that they do come on every now-and-then when the beam is tripped, not just every time.

I'm thinking the above behavior may be due to a faulty sensor(s) or by a bad circuit board. I'm making the assumption that the wires going to the sending sensor are good as the led is always lit on it. Is that a bad assumption to make?

 

What are your thoughts on this possibly being a cold solder point? I'm thinking I might disassemble the receiver sensor and check the circuit board for a bad solder connection. Does that make sense? In the winter the connection gets broken when the cold weather causes the metal to contract and loses contact. This is probably a stretch. I just hate to spend $40 on new sensors to find the ones I had were good and the problem presists.

 

Yeah, it could be a cracked run or bad joint. Lots of vibration in the motor unit.

I wouldn't think it would be anything external to the motor head. Does the light on the rcvr go out EVERY time the beam is broken? And the light on the motor doesn't come on all the time?

The receiver doesn't really produce any voltage or signal, as I understand it, it basically only interupts or passes the signal from the control board in the motor. Mine is too old to have eyes, so I can't verify that theory.

 

Sounds like its the circuit board, if it was in the wiring or an issue with something like that it would (should!?!) do it all the time. Also if there was a problem with your photo-eyes, then I think you would have the door staying open more often then not, and you having to over-ride the eyes by holding down the wall station. Sounds like you might need a new CB.

And Im not sure what thread it was on, but yes all the Sears operators are manufactured my Chamberlain/Liftmaster, and all the parts are directly interchangeable. For a replacement CB you are looking for a number that would be like 41A-3155-G or something along those lines. Typically its going to be under the lens cover for the light bulb.

 

I have problems with mine when it's really cold out, like now.
No amount of tinkering helps. The only thing I can do is watch each time it goes down, and when it stops to go back up I immediatly press the button again. Sometimes I have to do this twice or 3 times as it just wants to turn around and go back up. But once I get it all the way down it stays down.
Probably not the answer your looking for, but it's alot cheaper than heating my garage, and I know when it warms up the problem will be gone. Seriously inconvenient, Yes, but C'est la vie.

As for you light going on. Ockham's razor tells me I must ask, Is the bulb burned out? Is it posslibe you created more issues by moving the sensors around? Is it possible the time you came home and the door was open that somebody else started to close the door and walked away without knowing that it would reopen?(It happened to me). Your post reminds me of what I've done myself more than once. Searched for something that I could fix when it turned out the simplest explanation was the correct answer.

When my safety beam is crossed it makes a clicking noise even if the bulb is burned out, but only when the door is open.

Good Luck!

 

Sounds like your problem could be with either the ground heaving due to frost, or your tracks being too tight at the bottom and requiring adjustment....or it could just be that your circuit board is pooched and requires replacement. I would check the tracks. Ensure that there is an even gap from the top of the tracks to the bottom. When the ground heaves due to frost, this can push on the tracks and force them closer together, which can cause the problem you speak of. Nothing you can do can force the door to work properly all the time. You can measure the gap, or you can simply just run the door manually and see if it binds at the bottom when its close to being at the floor. Also you can check your springs, and make sure that they are all intact and one of them isnt broken.

CHEERS

 

I've got the same problem here. When it gets cold I need to hold the button on the wall to get the garage door to close. Remotes don't work for closing, only for opening. I've checked the door manually and it moves up and down fine and the sensor is clear and appears to be working fine.

My unit is a Stanley chain driven opener. It is over 10 years old and has been working fine through all the past winters and this is the first time it has acted up. It first started a couple weeks ago when temps dropped to about -25C. I did not start working on it until it got warmer like around -5C. I did a lot of checking around and thought it may have been a remote that was stuck on and threw things out o whack. So I pulled the batteries and disconnected the wiring to the opener. Anyhow, it started working again and I chalked it up to the remote being the problem. Unfortunately I was wrong because the temp just dropped to -25C again the other night and the same problem has returned.

Dinki wondered if the cold weather could affect a solder connection in the circuit board and I was thinking the same. During my initial troubleshooting, I was fortunate enough to find the same Stanley unit someone was giving away since he replaced his. I was thinking I'd switch over the circuit board but did not want waste my time or create more potential issues for myself if this is not the problem. Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks

 

Your problem is with the photo-eyes in some capacity. There could be a loose wire in the eyes somewhere, or a broken connection. The other possibility is that the lenses on the eyes are getting covered in frost or dust or snow or something along those lines. They don't have to out of alignment for there to be a problem.

If you do need replacement parts, they are very hard to find with Stanley no longer manufacturing any parts for their operators.

 

First of all I'm not an expert, but I'm sure someone on here will be able to help. This forum seems to have some fairly knowledgeable people on it. However, here is my two cents, I have the same opener and installed a new door and sensors two years ago. I also live in a very cold place. (Was -31c this morning - door wouldnt open!)

I'm surprised the opener works without the sensors being right. When I installed mine I got it used. I did not have the sensors. There seems to be no way to avoid buying them. I did try. From what I read they are not simply completing a circuit. They are providing an exact voltage. Unless you knew what resistance you needed, you wouldn't be able to duplicate the voltage and avoid buying them.

Your's may be a different craftsman, but for what its worth, tripping the beam on mine will not make the light come on. The only time the light comes on is when the door is operated and for about five minutes afterwards. If you break the beam while the door is going down the light blinks.

To all those who think its acceptable to skip the sensors, its bad news. I almost just taped mine together and left them up in the roof. Glad i didn't. They have saved a vehicle on more than one occasion. My spouse has a habit of hitting the button in the car as she gets near the house, before she can see the door. There have been occasions when I'm working in the garage with the door open and a vehicle half way out the door. The first thing I know is the light on the unit is blinking! Then she pulls up!

Hope you get it sorted.

 

Me again. So the opener is not getting better with age. I'm guessing it is the logic board and I've found the exact part match at Sear's repair site for $79 . Before I pull the trigger, though, can anyone tell me just how hard it is to change the logic board? Is it a matter of just disassembling and then pluggin the wires back into the right sockets then reassembling?

Many thanks ... again ...

 

After all you've tried..I don't know whether I'd spend $80 (plus tax + shipping, prob more like $90 by the time you finish) on this opener. You can buy a brand new one for $140 or so, less if they are on sale. A screw or belt would run more. If its more than 5 yrs old, I'd go new.

That said...yes, replacing the board isn't much more than disconnecting power, pulling plugs and a few screws.

 

DITTO....depends on what you think you are going to get out of the older operator. If you have been doing the maintenance on the thing its whole life and you think it has more spunk in it, go for it. If not go the route of replacement. Its never a bad thing to get a new operator with a new warranty and such. Just takes some more time and skill to replace the operator and rail then just the C.B.

-CHEERS

-Ian