Garage door openers acting oddly

[bobpal]

I have two car doors in my garage with older Genie openers. I have lived in the house for over five years and never had a problem with them until the last couple of weeks.

We had a random open of one door two weeks ago. I had a WiFi device connected to that one that would allow remote control via an app on my phone and thought perhaps it had been hacked so I disconnected it. Otherwise it has just one push-button and both is coded into the built-in transmitter on both of our cars.

This morning the OTHER door opened randomly. It does not have a WiFi device connected.

The remotes have a bunch of dip switches to set a code for each opener. Both of course, have different combinations of switches.

What could be happening to open both doors randomly? I'm stumped. The only thing I can think of is to adjust the dip switches but I'm not sure how much good that will do since both have already been "hacked". I doubt a neighbor would match both randomly, and the first one only opened once (so far).

I have a camera on my driveway and got no indication of anyone out there both times.

 

[cvairwerks]

The radios used in those openers are so old that I'm surprised it's just now happening. I think most vendors quit using dip switch code selection probably 20 years ago. The amount of RF floating around these days that has the potential for interfering with those receivers is staggering.

 

[SmackinHondas]

That is scary lol. Especially since I just got my wireless opener hooked up! I wonder if dirty sensors would cause it? Low batteries in the remote?

Or maybe one of the signals matches someone else in the neighborhood. Is there a way to change the frequency or something like that on the opener?

 

[Holt]

Do you live next to a military base. About 15 years ago Genie garage door would open randomly around here. Turns out the Air Force base was causing it.

 

[nadogail]

The Tech Support line for Geni Garage Door openers is 1-800-843-4084

 

[BigE]

If they're that old and connected to a simple door bell style switch, I'd suspect a switch failure making contact according to environmental conditions. Or something is bridging the contacts on the openers. It's more likely if you weld or grind in there. I'd clean the contacts, disconnect the opener switches, and see if it still happens.

 

[aandpdan]

The radios used in those openers are so old that I'm surprised it's just now happening. I think most vendors quit using dip switch code selection probably 20 years ago. The amount of RF floating around these days that has the potential for interfering with those receivers is staggering.

I agree. Nobody uses dip switches to set codes anymore. They all "roll" to prevent someone from hacking.

Are the receivers internal to the opener or are they external? If external, you may be able to update them.

 

[FredWanaker]

the dip switch codes can be intercepted. It is also possible some new piece of equipment a neighbor has is transmitting in the same range. Those went out at least 20 years ago.

 

[duneslider]

Any chance you have installed some new LED lights in this time frame? Or maybe a close neighbor has? Cheap chinese led lights have been known to cause issues with emitting RF that causes issues with garage door openers.

 

[Ohio Auto]

I know it sounds off the wall...but replace the batteries and clean the circuit boards in the remotes with appropriate cleaner...then diagnose from there.

 

[engineer2]

Around 1990, I came home from work and mine and my neighbor's garage doors were open. Both garage door radio receivers were blown.
Might have had something to do with being close to an O'Hare final approach. I think the the military base was still operating there.
No idea if military or commercial aircraft uses anything around 390 MHz.

 

[LeonardY]

This situation reminds me of this.

 

[FredWanaker]

some cameras use around 300 - 400. I just ran into it where a new camera was blocking a 2012 liftmaster from working. We had to extend the antenna.

 

[bobpal]

Thanks for the ideas. I am aware that the openers are old but except for these two surprise opens, they still work well. I tend to not throw out stuff that is working but I understand that what I have does not have, to say the least, the latest, most secure radio system. My house was built in 1974 so if I had to replace everything that is oldie would never end.

I replaced my doorbell buttons a couple of years ago with more robust, industrial look switches (see pic below) so I don't think that is the problem.

I removed the batteries from the remotes since we don't use them anyway. They had been sitting in a drawer in the garage with batteries previously.

No new LED bulbs in my house, don't know about the neighbors.

It looks like you can purchase a new receiver/transmitter system that provides dry contacts for the openers. I think I will look into that as a possible solution to the old built-in radios.

We have an airfare base 50 miles from here. They were doing some training exercises near our town lately. I never saw them but friends did.

My camera has been in place for a couple of years and it didn't transmit any video at the two times the doors opened.

I guess I will change the code and see what happens. Thanks again for your ideas.

 

[cvairwerks]

When Reagan was in office, the people around San Clemente would know he was in town, as garage doors and automatic personnel doors would go nuts at times. It was finally tracked down after a couple of years to being the location that his aircraft was parked. They designated a slightly different location and much of the problem went away.