Help w/ garage door opener switches


  #1  
Old 08-01-05, 01:00 PM
imallthumbs2
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Question Help w/ garage door opener switches

Greetings,

Our house has two push-button switches located inside our house that open the doors on our detatched garage (one button for each of the two garage doors). Both switches have stopped working (first one, then the second a few weeks later). This seems like something that I should at least check out myself before calling in the electrician. How should I proceed to diagnose the problem? Is it the switches? Do they need to be replaced or merely cleaned? Is the connection to the garage broken? Does the problem lie with the garge door opening mechanism? Suggestions???

Thanks, in advance, for your help.

--Clay
 
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Old 08-01-05, 01:13 PM
R
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Are these hardwires switches or wireless switches? If they are hardwired, do they still light up (if they ever did)? Do the door openers still work? If they are hardwired, what happens if you manually short the two wires together?
 
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Old 08-01-05, 01:17 PM
T
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It's rare to have hard wired remote switches inside the house for a detached garage. If hardwired I would think that something chewed on the low voltage wires, or they simply dissentegrated. If they used the "standard" low voltage wired in burried in the ground or even put it through PVC it won't last very long.

If wireless the batteries are probably dead.
 
  #4  
Old 08-01-05, 02:28 PM
imallthumbs2
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Thanks for the quick reply!

Yes the switches appear to be hard wired. There were never any lights to indicate power. The garage doors both still open with the car remotes and the switches in the garage.

I have not tried to short the wires connected to the switch. I have not even unscrewed the switch plate from the wall. If I try this test, how do I do it safely?

--Clay
 
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Old 08-01-05, 03:18 PM
R
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The wires are low voltage, not enough to hurt you.

There should be enough slack in the wires to pull the switches away from the wall. Use a short piece of wire to connect the two terminals together, or disconnect one wire and touch it to the other terminal. If the door opens (or closes) then the wires are still good, and you can replace the buttons.

However, I suspect damaged wires. You will have to replace them. Better yet, see about a wireless transmitter that can control both doors.
 
 

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