I helped my dad install a Chamberlain belt drive door opener a couple weeks ago. I set the limits and adjusted the force and it seemed to be doing alright. Recently, we had a patch of cold weather and the door opener wouldn't respond to the remotes sometimes. If it did at all, you had to right outside the door for it to work. Kinda has me stumped with the cold weather variable. Any thoughts?
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Chamberlain Door Opener problem
- Thread starter Cholleman
- Start date
nova65ss
Well-known member
Not sure the cold weather is causing the problem, maybe if you are in the extreme north with really low temps?
Most range problems are caused by interference from something else like a wireless router, etc. Did you have an opener before or is this a new install?
Most range problems are caused by interference from something else like a wireless router, etc. Did you have an opener before or is this a new install?
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
Batteries when cold produce a very low voltage which can effect the range on a battery powered transmitter. The cold can also affect the operating frequency with some transmitter designs.
nova65ss
Well-known member
That makes sense, but I have always thought the battery either had enough juice to send a signal or it didn't? You know what I mean?
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
Haven't you noticed a flashlight dims when the batteries are low???That makes sense, but I have always thought the battery either had enough juice to send a signal or it didn't? You know what I mean?
Put a flashlight in the freezer overnight and see if it works. Some of the newer battery chemistries work better than others. One of my favorite ways of killing a pager overnight was to place it in the freezer.
Store unused batteries in the refrigerator for a long shelf life.
Last edited:
nova65ss
Well-known member
I know what you mean with the flahlight deal. I just think about my tv remote and if the batteries get low it turns off and will not work at all does not matter how close I am. Same with my cellphone I do not lose range when the battery is low it still works until it completely dies. Just talking out loud I have no idea?
Torque1st
MEMBER EMERITUS
Different technologies and different battery types. The cell phone has a uP that requires a certain voltage to operate. When the rechargeable battery is low the very act of keying the transmitter section will kill the battery voltage. The TV remote has a bright IR LED that requires a certain voltage to operate and a uP also. You may not have noticed but range is reduced when the battery is low. Most likely you operate it from the couch potato position and never notice the range reduction. The garage door transmitter requires a base voltage to operate the digitizing function but the RF section itself is analog and requires power to transmit. When the battery is low the transmit power is reduced.
eieio
Member
the battery(s), if furnished in the opener kit, could be years old. it's simple to try a fresh one.
thanks for the replies guys. i'll have them swap out the batteries in their remotes to see if that helps. my mother's car has a Homelink that I programmed for her so she's not even using the supplied remote and she still has the issue. I searched and it seems that there is a frequency change sometime back from 390MHz to 315MHz. We live in Virginia Beach which is in close proximity to more than a handful of military bases.