49 State Garage Door Openers?

[justsam]

All of you that are old enough to remember the 49 State vehicle debacle, it looks like it is revisited on garage door openers. My sister in law recently bought a small new retirement home in Utah, which of course came with a new garage door opener, Genie Model 2028, I suspect the bottom of the line. Due to weather conditions there and her age, I wanted to install a battery back up on the new opener. Turns out this unit not only does not come with battery back up, but there is no provision to even add it.

I live in California where, as a result of wildfires and loss of power people had difficulty evacuating, and that resulted in mandatory back up as of mid 2019. I guess I was surprised that units are sold that do not even have the provision. Clearly they are not sold in California. Looks like I will either need to replace the new opener, or use some other UPS that can can power it. I believe the motor in it is 24VDC.

 

[kbuhagiar]

I can't figure out if you are complaining about the 49-state situation, or praising it.

I live in California but I can't get a conventional smoke alarm with replaceable batteries, nor can I get a higher-flow faucet. I think the battery backup for garage door openers is a great idea, but I would prefer to retain the option of deciding for myself whether or not I want one, especially when you consider cost with vs. without.

 

[racecougar]

I think the battery backup for garage door openers is a great idea, but I would prefer to retain the option of deciding for myself whether or not I want one, especially when you consider cost with vs. without.

Amen.

 

[vavet]

I can't figure out if you are complaining about the 49-state situation, or praising it.

I live in California but I can't get a conventional smoke alarm with replaceable batteries, nor can I get a higher-flow faucet. I think the battery backup for garage door openers is a great idea, but I would prefer to retain the option of deciding for myself whether or not I want one, especially when you consider cost with vs. without.

I did not know about this with the smoke detectors in CA. That seems really weird and counter to CA's typically pro-environment, green/conservation-minded, waste-reduction mindset. I get that you're reducing battery waste, but at the end of the 10 years, you're throwing away the whole smoke detector. How many people will go through and recycle that Li-ion battery the right way or even know that there is a right and a wrong way?

 

[justsam]

To be sure I am very much a fan of being able to make a choice. I guess my angst is with Genie, that if I choose to have a battery back up with this unit it is not even an option, and rightly is not sold in California.

 

[P0234]

A battery backup for a garage door opener is some of the stupidest **** I've ever heard of. I'm sure for some cases there is a need, however for 99.9% of the population, its more e-waste.

 

[Zeke]

Question to CA: What's wrong with pulling the disengage cord?

 

[tez929rr]

Question to CA: What's wrong with pulling the disengage cord?

Honestly, there are a lot of people who have no idea that they can release the door from the opener. I’m sure this is a lowest common denominator solution.

 

[jstroede]

A battery backup for a garage door opener is some of the stupidest **** I've ever heard of. I'm sure for some cases there is a need, however for 99.9% of the population, its more e-waste.

I actually use mine from time to time. We use the garage as our primary means of entry to the house, and it is how my kids get in the house (we do have a keypad on the entry door now too though) when they get home from school. In a couple of instances, they have come home and the power was out, but they were still able to get in the house.

There are also instances where garage doors are the only means of entry to a garage. This is a solution to get inside in the event of a power failure. Is it necessary? No, but it is a feature that I prefer to have.

 

[P0234]

I actually use mine from time to time. We use the garage as our primary means of entry to the house, and it is how my kids get in the house (we do have a keypad on the entry door now too though) when they get home from school. In a couple of instances, they have come home and the power was out, but they were still able to get in the house.

There are also instances where garage doors are the only means of entry to a garage. This is a solution to get inside in the event of a power failure. Is it necessary? No, but it is a feature that I prefer to have.

You should always have a key stashed somewhere. What happens if the power is out for an extended time? Also using a garage door for a primary means of entry isn't the smartest. You have additional wear/tear on the door and opener. Thieves can look inside and see what awesome stuff a GJ guy has. Last, its slow, if you need in quick, in the case of some creep is following you, a garage door is slow to open and close. All around its a bad idea, a keypad lock is a much better option for kids.

 

[jstroede]

You should always have a key stashed somewhere. What happens if the power is out for an extended time? Also using a garage door for a primary means of entry isn't the smartest. You have additional wear/tear on the door and opener. Thieves can look inside and see what awesome stuff a GJ guy has. Last, its slow, if you need in quick, in the case of some creep is following you, a garage door is slow to open and close. All around its a bad idea, a keypad lock is a much better option for kids

Ok whatever dude. My opener will operate 10+ cycles off of the battery. I think that's going to be fine. Funny I have used the garage door as the primary means of entry since I put it in over 20 years ago. Still the same door. Yeah I put in a new opener because guess what, I wanted a quieter opener with battery backup. Maybe my stuff lasts because I have worked with garage doors for 20+ years and I know how to take care of my stuff?

If I lived my life worrying about if thieves could see my stuff, I would live a very sad life. That's what insurance is for. Yep, I have documentation of all my stuff, plus proper other precautions. I work in my garage with my door open all the time.

What if the battery in my house door lock dies or it just doesn't work? I have more problems with those things than I ever do with my garage door opener. Then I am cornered on my front porch with no way out. What if...what if...what if...I don't live my life paranoid of stuff happening. I and my family are prepared and outside of that we live our lives.

 

[kbs2244]

I worked with a guy in north IL who lived in a bucks up area
he had to show a guy who flagged him down as he drove by during a power outage how to open his door
his comment to me was
"I am sure that guy made at least 50 percent more than me and he was that dumb"

 

[P0234]

Ok whatever dude. My opener will operate 10+ cycles off of the battery. I think that's going to be fine. Funny I have used the garage door as the primary means of entry since I put it in over 20 years ago. Still the same door. Yeah I put in a new opener because guess what, I wanted a quieter opener with battery backup. Maybe my stuff lasts because I have worked with garage doors for 20+ years and I know how to take care of my stuff?

If I lived my life worrying about if thieves could see my stuff, I would live a very sad life. That's what insurance is for. Yep, I have documentation of all my stuff, plus proper other precautions. I work in my garage with my door open all the time.

What if the battery in my house door lock dies or it just doesn't work? I have more problems with those things than I ever do with my garage door opener. Then I am cornered on my front porch with no way out. What if...what if...what if...I don't live my life paranoid of stuff happening. I and my family are prepared and outside of that we live our lives.

Lol at the What if paranoid... from the guy that had to have battery backup. The stashed key works for all the scenarios you mentioned. The door locks, at least the ones I have give you a ton of low battery notice. I've had them for decades, haven't needed my stashed key yet.

IMO, Its just a stupid feature to have and the manufacturers love it because most people will buy a new battery from them every 3-5 years at 3x markup.

You don't need to defend using your garage door however you want, its yours, be you. I'm just saying there are smarter ways that don't require spending more money and then having to maintain one more thing.

 

[MadMechMaster]

Darwin needs to adapt with the times. Should we let him?

 

[juddspaintballs]

I did not know about this with the smoke detectors in CA. That seems really weird and counter to CA's typically pro-environment, green/conservation-minded, waste-reduction mindset. I get that you're reducing battery waste, but at the end of the 10 years, you're throwing away the whole smoke detector. How many people will go through and recycle that Li-ion battery the right way or even know that there is a right and a wrong way?

Smoke detectors need replaced by the end of 10 years whether they take replaceable batteries or are a sealed 10-year style. The sensors go bad frequently before 10 years and are no longer reliable. If you're still putting new batteries in your 10+ year smoke detectors twice a year, it's time for you to replace those smoke detectors anyways.


To the OP, could you just plug in a UPS for a computer to power the opener a couple of times?

 

[Lassen Forge]

I live in California but I can't get a conventional smoke alarm with replaceable batteries, nor can I get a higher-flow faucet.

That's just silly... I have drilled out and/or removed those stupid flow restrictors... we also have them here, and the one thing they're really good at is accumulating mineral deposits and clogging... but they have never been a problem to modify them so things actually work like they were designed for, not some state thing...

 

[FredWanaker]

Code on new homes and remodels here require GFCI in all circuits in a garage, including the door opener. That usually means a ladder to reset one if it trips unless the panel will accommodate a GFCI breaker. California also has had issues with fires where people could not get their cars out for whatever reason. Personally I keep the pull release wired closed for this reason but a pair of wire cutters quickly allows me to use it again. a few years back my cousins lost some valuables in their garage one night as a mobile gang of theives went thru their city breaking into garages. The police told them that the gang had been tracked all across the country breaking into garages this way. Someone tried mine a couple years ago and failed, although they did break into the neighbor's garage and house while they were gone. The police caught the guy a couple weeks later, same mo.

 

[supratreo]

Ok whatever dude. My opener will operate 10+ cycles off of the battery. I think that's going to be fine. Funny I have used the garage door as the primary means of entry since I put it in over 20 years ago. Still the same door. Yeah I put in a new opener because guess what, I wanted a quieter opener with battery backup. Maybe my stuff lasts because I have worked with garage doors for 20+ years and I know how to take care of my stuff?

If I lived my life worrying about if thieves could see my stuff, I would live a very sad life. That's what insurance is for. Yep, I have documentation of all my stuff, plus proper other precautions. I work in my garage with my door open all the time.

What if the battery in my house door lock dies or it just doesn't work? I have more problems with those things than I ever do with my garage door opener. Then I am cornered on my front porch with no way out. What if...what if...what if...I don't live my life paranoid of stuff happening. I and my family are prepared and outside of that we live our lives.

my garage door is also my main point of entry. been opening and closing it at least 3-4 times a day for the last 15 years (LM 8500).
lately we've been having a higher number of power outages in the winter so i think its about time to look into a battery.

as far as smoke detectors go, i just got done replacing 10 because they wern't serviceable.
remember, CA knows whats best for you.

 

[vavet]

Smoke detectors need replaced by the end of 10 years whether they take replaceable batteries or are a sealed 10-year style. The sensors go bad frequently before 10 years and are no longer reliable. If you're still putting new batteries in your 10+ year smoke detectors twice a year, it's time for you to replace those smoke detectors anyways.


To the OP, could you just plug in a UPS for a computer to power the opener a couple of times?

wow...this is news to me but a quick google search tells me there's a consensus on the 10 year lifespan.
My current home is 8 years old. Are the smoke detectors still good? How do I know?
Wave something smoky underneath them? A press of the "test" button is not enough because that only tests the alarm part, right? Does it have a way to know if the detector part is actually able to detect?
I guess I just go by the 10 year lifespan thing, huh?

 

[jstroede]

Lol at the What if paranoid... from the guy that had to have battery backup. The stashed key works for all the scenarios you mentioned. The door locks, at least the ones I have give you a ton of low battery notice. I've had them for decades, haven't needed my stashed key yet.

IMO, Its just a stupid feature to have and the manufacturers love it because most people will buy a new battery from them every 3-5 years at 3x markup.

You don't need to defend using your garage door however you want, its yours, be you. I'm just saying there are smarter ways that don't require spending more money and then having to maintain one more thing.

I didn't HAVE to have one. I chose to have one because I thought it was a useful feature when I needed to replace my opener because it was directly under my newborn's room and was too loud. It has been a useful feature for me several times through the years. I believe that I replaced the battery one time since I put it in (my son is 14 so about that long ago), and it cost me about $12. Yeah, people are dumb enough not to figure out how to buy the same SLA battery that doesn't have the liftmaster sticker on it, but luckily I am. I supposed being able to open my door from my phone is a dumb feature, or being able to see if my door is open? Hell why do I need an opener at all when I can just have a keyed lock on it? Maybe I can hide that under a rock too so that every time my kids get in the garage, they show the whole neighborhood where the key is?

You have to buy batteries and maintain your door lock, so that must be stupid too under your logic. Do you buy a Schlage branded 9V battery to put in it? No of course not. If it is a big deal for me to buy a new $14 (I just checked amazon, they went up a couple bucks) battery every few years, then frankly I need to rethink my life. Hell 9V batteries for the smoke detectors in my house cost more than that any more.

 

[juddspaintballs]

wow...this is news to me but a quick google search tells me there's a consensus on the 10 year lifespan.
My current home is 8 years old. Are the smoke detectors still good? How do I know?
Wave something smoky underneath them? A press of the "test" button is not enough because that only tests the alarm part, right? Does it have a way to know if the detector part is actually able to detect?
I guess I just go by the 10 year lifespan thing, huh?

Unless you're getting an error (typically a single beep every couple of minutes, but it varies based on the brand), as long as it is within the 10 year window, it should be fine. Pushing the test button tests the alarm and verifies that the battery is still good. Replace it when it is 10 years old or when you get the error beep.

 

[MOS3522]

My opener at my other house (some variety of a Chamberlain IIRC) has bar locks that go into slots on the tracks. If the door is opened by remote they retract automatically. But they don't retract if the disconnect is pulled and must be manually released from the inside. That defeats the coat hanger trick shown above.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Honestly, there are a lot of people who have no idea that they can release the door from the opener. I’m sure this is a lowest common denominator solution.

If shits burning and I need to evac and cant figure out how to open the door, Im driving through it.

Just me.

 

[rharman]

Think about the single mom or the old man/old lady possibly living alone that have no idea how to use the disengage system and, likely, don't have the strength to open the door. In a panic situation, they may not have the presence of mind to deal with all that - so much easier to just hit the button and have the door open. The battery is a lifesaver for them.

 

[firebirdparts]

If it’s really that dangerous, park outside. Know your limitations.

 

[racecougar]

Think about the single mom or the old man/old lady possibly living alone that have no idea how to use the disengage system and, likely, don't have the strength to open the door. In a panic situation, they may not have the presence of mind to deal with all that - so much easier to just hit the button and have the door open. The battery is a lifesaver for them.

I don't think anyone, or at least not many, are arguing against the potential upside of having a battery backup. It has its place as an option, not a mandate.

 

[bwringer]

I'm curious as to how well a decent computer UPS would work. For around $100 - $130 you can get one that seems, at least on paper, like it should do the trick, and the batteries inside these things are easily replaceable with standard SLA batteries.

You'd have to give some thought to mounting, and perhaps heat. Maybe put the UPS somewhere lower down so it's not up against the ceiling baking all summer, and run a good thick extension cord to power the opener.

Anyone tried this?


And yeah, I'll agree that 99.999% of genpop have not the slightest idea what the emergency release is or how it works. That said, I've found that a large percentage of "perfeshunilly" installed garage doors are also not properly balanced, so lifting them manually may be impossible for smaller people, and they might not even stay up when lifted manually.

 

[rharman]

Think about the single mom or the old man/old lady possibly living alone that have no idea how to use the disengage system and, likely, don't have the strength to open the door. In a panic situation, they may not have the presence of mind to deal with all that - so much easier to just hit the button and have the door open. The battery is a lifesaver for them.

I don't think anyone, or at least not many, are arguing against the potential upside of having a battery backup. It has its place as an option, not a mandate.

Sadly, left to their own devices, 99.999% would not opt for a battery backup or even know what it was. Just like seat belts or air bags, sometimes they need a push for their own good.

 

[racecougar]

Sadly, left to their own devices, 99.999% would not opt for a battery backup or even know what it was. Just like seat belts or air bags, sometimes they need a push for their own good.

The rest of the country does not want another push from California.