Garage door opener help... (diagnose)

[dcg9381]

I have two Genie 3053s, 3/4 hp, belt drive. About 2 years old. It was installed by a "professional" (meaning someone with a lot more experience than me).
The garage door is a 2-car, aluminum, insulated door, 2 years old. I can raise it up and down by hand reasonably easily and it seems OK in the track to me.

I've adjusted some of the sag out of the belt.

The "track" on these are sorta pieced together and allow some up/down movement. I've compared the movement on this one to the "working" garage door next to it, I don't see a lot of difference.

Need some help diagnosing what's going on with this, there seems like a lot of push and grab on the "track" for this garage door. But the opener has always sounded a little weak, even at 3/4 hp. The door is now faulting in both directions - open and close...

Just appreciate a little general guidance in where the problem is here....





Video one - faulted twice
Video two - faulted twice

 

[gizardlizard]

Looks like your door is binding to me. For starters, have you checked the door balance? Pull your cord and disconnect the opener from the door. Open the door 1/4 of the way open. It should slowly go down on its own. Not quickly drop. Do the same with 3/4 open. Should either stay put or slowly open all the way on its own. Then put the door halfway open. It shouldn’t move. Also, when is the last time you lubed the door hardware such as hinges and rollers?

 

[LiketoFix]

Do you Have up and down sensitivity adjustments on the unit?
On my chamberlain models it has adjustments that might need to be adjusted accordingly.

LtF

 

[dcg9381]

Looks like your door is binding to me. For starters, have you checked the door balance? Pull your cord and disconnect the opener from the door. Open the door 1/4 of the way open. It should slowly go down on its own. Not quickly drop. Do the same with 3/4 open. Should either stay put or slowly open all the way on its own. Then put the door halfway open. It shouldn’t move. Also, when is the last time you lubed the door hardware such as hinges and rollers?

Sure. I agree that the door is the immediate suspect. The door balance is fine, the door will remain open after you lift it about 3' up. I can open the door manually no problem, there are some points of more tension than others as the rollers transition.

I haven't lubed it - it's been in service less than 24 months. I can do so, but again, I'm really not having any trouble moving the door by land.

My "guess" is here that this is a heavier door and the opener track (which is a series of splices) is worn. The opener depends on that opener track to be able keep the opener a specific distance from the header... And the track is moving.

Genie actually has pretty good support (out of DFW) - but they're "escalating" me - I guess the tier 1 techs can't really do much.

 

[dcg9381]

Do you Have up and down sensitivity adjustments on the unit?
On my chamberlain models it has adjustments that might need to be adjusted accordingly.

LtF

It's faulting in the "middle" of the range. Yes, there are sensitivity adjustments (I'd assume) - IE force settings, doesn't make sense to me to turn the force up as it's operated fine for 18 months.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

The first video had me convinced your belt jumped and the opener was lost as to position, but the second looks like binding for sure.

As to it being worn, it should have been replaced with the new door/opener.

Grease that rail as it sounds dry.

 

[LiketoFix]

Think about what everyone who watched the video is saying. Maintenance! Grease, oil, adjust, and lubricate.
If the unit is only two yrs. old check on your warranty.
After a short while things needs to be re adjusted as temperatures change and conditions dictate.

LtF

 

[CJDave]

Man that opener rail bounces/flexes way more as the opener starts than I have ever seen. CJDave.

 

[Dogmeat]

WOW...the way your opener track is "BOUNCING" a lot is exactly what my door did after I went to a smaller door...
I took some force out of the closing portion, and some out of the closing positioning...and it's worked GR8 ever since!
I already had all the rollers, etc all lubed up beforehand

 

[dcg9381]

Man that opener rail bounces/flexes way more as the opener starts than I have ever seen. CJDave.

I spent about 2 hours with "remote" Genie support. They couldn't figure it out and referred me to an "authorized installer". Unclear if they'll pay for the service call to inspect it.

My current working theory is that the rail is in 5 pieces and it's "worn" over time due to flex. If it was out of warranty, I'd be inclined to weld the rail up and smooth it all out.

Everything tracks smoothly.

 

[dcg9381]

WOW...the way your opener track is "BOUNCING" a lot is exactly what my door did after I went to a smaller door...
I took some force out of the closing portion, and some out of the closing positioning...and it's worked GR8 ever since!
I already had all the rollers, etc all lubed up beforehand

The force is pre-set at the factory, I did adjust it up (there is a procedure for it), but the bounce is a function of how hard it's pulling/pushing and it seems to bounce past not at the ends but off the ends in terms of travel.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I spent about 2 hours with "remote" Genie support. They couldn't figure it out and referred me to an "authorized installer". Unclear if they'll pay for the service call to inspect it.

My current working theory is that the rail is in 5 pieces and it's "worn" over time due to flex. If it was out of warranty, I'd be inclined to weld the rail up and smooth it all out.

Everything tracks smoothly.

Was this a full on new install with tracks and opener?

Mt last garage door was a 1961 vintage wood door that lasted 45yrs before we replaced it a few years back. That was a heavy ******* and in the 20yrs of the last openers life before we replaced it the track did not wear perceptibly.

Have you tried just greasing it yet?

If this was an all new install I would bet on it being a ****** job as we had to have a tech come out and redo our entire door. He was pissed at the job his installer did.

 

[dcg9381]

Was this a full on new install with tracks and opener?

Have you tried just greasing it yet?

If this was an all new install I would bet on it being a ****** job as we had to have a tech come out and redo our entire door. He was pissed at the job his installer did.

New door (2021), new tracks, new opener. The door tech and the opener installer were different contractors. The opener installer actually made the garage door come back and correct some installation mistakes on the first run.

I have not tried greasing the garage door opener track, but as the "flex" in that track is really about the door being pulled or pushed - not sure that's it. The door itself balances well and the spring is properly adjusted. It's a little heavy (mass) - but it move smoothly.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

New door (2021), new tracks, new opener. The door tech and the opener installer were different contractors. The opener installer actually made the garage door come back and correct some installation mistakes on the first run.

I have not tried greasing the garage door opener track, but as the "flex" in that track is really about the door being pulled or pushed - not sure that's it. The door itself balances well and the spring is properly adjusted. It's a little heavy (mass) - but it move smoothly.

The flex in and of its self does not really concern me, my last one did that and so does my new one. That track is what takes all of the lifting/moving force and their flimsy as hell. Cant really tell by the video if its a T rail, box or what.

I wanted the belt drive but my door people (Jammer) wouldn't install it as they said they were using plastic gears now and they no longer carry or install them.

 

[36smash]

In the first video it appears the door is closing too far and reversing. If the door runs fine manually, balances when half way open, and doesn't drift down once fully open; I'd lube the door and reset the open / close limits.