Best and least complicated side mount opener ?

[Packard V8]

FWIW, I've researched Chamberlain and Liftmaster, but found all the recent WiFi, et al, bells and whistles to be more problematic than beneficial. Too many reports of random openings. I read all three pages of https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=397821&highlight=wall+mount+garage+door+opener&page=3

All I need is a sturdy wall mount opener with a remote, a keypad, a pushbutton and compatibility with OEM car openers. Don't need WiFi, don't need programmable times, don't need MyQ.

Any such machine available today?

Yep, I found a commercial unit for $1600, but seems a bit much to have to pay 3X the money to get fewer features.

Second question - battery backup? These are substantial extra cost and when a neighbor needed to call on his, it didn't work. The local Overhead Door franchise just replaced it with a new one, but he's still not confident it's going to work when needed.

Did you choose battery backup or quick release manual and why?

jack vines

 

[BillK]

Jack,
Cant help you on this one but if it were me I would also stick with the simplest deal. The quick release handle never needs charging

 

[Firebrick43]

I think they all have a release.

As you found residential openers have bells and whistles(because that is what sells) and commercials don’t and are 3x the cost. Your paying for larger and heavier duty components and lower volume. They don’t have what your looking for, just like you can’t buy a stick shift pickup with roll up windows anymore. Sorry. Even standard openers are coming with theses features standard now. Plus you can’t have simple and work with the Homelink on your car or keypads. The WiFi chip is .50 cents and is not causing the features. You don’t have to use it.

As for random openings on liftmaster/chamberlain(same product for most parts/same company) that was the wall controller and it has been fixed with an upgraded offering.

Battery back up is a plug in option on the liftmaster. As with all battery backup systems the batteries will need replaced after so many years and should be checked monthly, nature of the beast. Commercial systems are no different.

 

[hd54kh]

I just had a Sommer above rail mount installed a few days ago and love it. About 3 years ago I had a vertical side mount and have had no issues ever. I did not go with any WiFi connectivity.

Here is a video of a different install but mine is the same. Would something like this work for you?

Terry

 

[Chevy-SS]

I've had two Liftmasters 8500's working perfectly for 6 years now. One of the hardwired pads failed, that's the only thing I've had to replace. They are smooth and quiet. I would happily buy them again..................

I have had to buy two different transponders that converted car's remote signal to a signal that the 8500 would acknowledge. These were older cars, so that is a lot of the reason.

Don't overthink something like this. It's easy to get stuck in that old "paralysis by analysis" mode.

 

[nadogail]

WiFi ? just use the button on the little black box clipped onto the Sun Visor.

 

[Packard V8]

Jack, do to so much bad information on garage door threads and spending to much time trying to clear it up I've quit replying.

You have helped many and I want to give something back to you. I've installed a number of the liftmaster 8900w with great success. It's a plain Jane jackshaft opener and up to this point has been solid. You will find in the thread you posted a couple of my responses. I have a supplier in your area if you need help with buying, I might be able to do a will call pickup for you. Be warned, liftmaster has been playing catch-up on openers. Many models have been out of stock. A couple weeks ago liftmaster notified us that they are back to full production.

Good luck.

Thanks for the kind words and generous offer. PM sent.

jack vines

 

[Packard V8]

Update. The Liftmaster side mount mechanically is a wonderful device.

As I feared, they've crammed it full of digital whizbangs which complicate installation and operation.

1. The myQ phone app is just silly. It takes four times as long to open up and then open the door as just pushing a remote button.

To make matters worse, we have a detached garage with steel siding. The opener will not reliably connect with our modem. Sometimes it's there, sometimes, it's "Offline". Probably going to require a range extender or an external antenna.

2. We decided just to go with another remote pushbutton. I did the homework and an 811LM was the least expensive pushbutton unit listed to work with our opener. Doesn't seem to connect, so that was a waste of time and money.

3. I was told that plunger assist springs which mount to the end of the track are absolutely required. Turns out, that's true only if the door opens all the way to horizontal and needs a push to start back down. My doors are 12' and we only need them opened 8', so I've got a new pair of heavy duty plunger assist springs which will have to go to a good home.

Once the frustrating digital trivials are sorted, the Liftmaster is the answer; much preferred to overhead units.

jack vines

 

[Ls1Lark]

Jack. When searching for a jackshaft opener I went through the same thoughts you did as far as features. “Why can’t they be simple”

I ended up buying the 8500W but have not and don’t plan to hook it to my homes WiFi server. The 8500w is really nice unit as it contains the backup battery inside the unit for a clean look.

Quiet, out of the way, and so far, does its job.

Only issue I’ve had is on hot days my doors rubber weather strip heats up and seals to the concrete sometimes creating a code and a stoppage of the unit.
(Power draw/torque resistance). Usually pressing the remote again or inside wall switch a second time gets the door moving. Cooler days no problem.

Enjoy your units -


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[eastbaysubaru]

Liftmaster 8500. We had one wall mounted opener unit fail but other than that, no problems at all and we've been using them for close to 10 years (6 different units, 4 different buildings). Two of those units are ones that I picked up for my own house after the others performed so well. They're a bit slower to open than standard overhead openers, but they are night and day quiet compared to any overhead opener I've heard.

-Brian

 

[garageInfo]

I have the Chamberlain RJO20. It has all the bells and whistles except the battery backup. It has worked great. I have never seen it open except when I told it to. I like it a lot and will agree with the above posters that it is a bit slower but it is so much quieter than the overhead units.

edit - more details...

I purchased mine within the last 10 months. I also tried to look at other openers with less features as I didn't need/want them but like you will find there really isn't anything out there.

 

[ScaldedDog]

Update. The Liftmaster side mount mechanically is a wonderful device.

As I feared, they've crammed it full of digital whizbangs which complicate installation and operation.

1. The myQ phone app is just silly. It takes four times as long to open up and then open the door as just pushing a remote button.

To make matters worse, we have a detached garage with steel siding. The opener will not reliably connect with our modem. Sometimes it's there, sometimes, it's "Offline". Probably going to require a range extender or an external antenna.

jack vines

You'd only use the MyQ app when you're not standing next to a button, of course. I use it 2 ways: To open a garage door, or unlock a man door, on our detached metal barn as I'm walking over there, and to check that I closed all the garage doors and locked all the man doors in the barn and house at night. It works great!

You'll probably need more than an extender to get usable wifi into your metal building
Mine has metal siding outside, and the same stuff is used for the interior walls, so it is borderline impenetrable. A Ubiquiti bridge solved that, and all my networks work great in the barn.

Mark

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[bugnout]

Definitely need the spring assist if you want your door to open all the way. I've got a Liftmaster 8500 and works great now, but I replaced the cables twice before I figured out why they were coming off all the time. I'm lucky I didn't damage the door while I figured that out.

I don't have battery backup because I have a whole house generator.

 

[AA7483]

Who has the best pricing on Liftmaster? Same price pretty much everywhere?

 

[flan]

The 8500s were 360 shipped before the China virus came through. Now they are up in price probably because of supply problems. I’d wait it out a bit if you can. Ebay usually has em.