garage door openers- which style?
- Thread starter 87GN
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I have a genie screw drive and I find its rather noisey. Quiets down for a while after bieng lubed but right back to loud after a week or two. My brother has a belt drive unit and that thing is quiet. If mine takes a dump I plan on getting a belt drive unit.
I had a screw drive at my other house and it was very noisy. When we moved in this house it had a chain drive. Noisier than the screw. It failed not to long ago and we went with the belt drive. The quietest of all. Worth changing over to.
NHCharger
Well-known member
Belt drives are quiet. My garage door guy switched back to chain drives after having too many problems with the screw drives. He swears by LiftMaster. I installed a el cheapo sears chain drive at my old house almost 20 years ago, still working when I stopped by for a visit last year.
I have a Liftmaster screw drive in my new house. It has operated flawlessly since September 99, probably used 4-5 times per day.
I have a Liftmaster screw drive in my new house. It has operated flawlessly since September 99, probably used 4-5 times per day.
Jay H 237
Well-known member
We have 2 chain drive Allisters that have been working for the past 16 years without any problems. They were installed when the house was built in 1989.
DaveL.
Well-known member
Chain drive
I had the Sears chain drive at the old place and never had a problem in 10 years. When we built the new house/garage went with the old reliable chain drives again on my 9 & 16 ft doors. Unless you have living space above the garage I'd choose the chain.
Dave
I had the Sears chain drive at the old place and never had a problem in 10 years. When we built the new house/garage went with the old reliable chain drives again on my 9 & 16 ft doors. Unless you have living space above the garage I'd choose the chain.
Dave
I have one LiftMaster belt drive opener on a 18x8 sectional door, one LiftMaster chain drive opener on a 14x12.5 low headroom sectional door, one LiftMaster jackshaft opener on a 18x8 sectional door with 3 feet of high lift, and four LiftMaster jackshaft openers on 16X8 sectional doors with 4 feet of high lift.
All are new except the belt drive was 5 years old that was used on a 10X10 sectional door that I increased to a 14x12.5 door. Granted the belt drive is smooth and quiet. But the chain drive that replaced it is equally as smooth and quiet. The jackshaft openers make a little more noise, however still very tolerable.
I have a lot of confidence in the door installer and have used them exclusively for over 30 years. He is one of Wayne Dalton’s largest dealers in the USA and when I asked what he thought of the new I-Drive, He said that he would NOT install them on my doors. BTW all 7 of my new doors are Wayne Dalton’s ThermoMark 5200 commercial sectional doors.
In the past have owned several Genie screw type openers. They were good units mechanically. But they made a lot of noise (particularly when cold) and threw off the most amount of dirt onto the front of the door. I personally like the jackshaft style the best overall. IMHO The Best choice in a high lift sectional door application. Their two drawbacks are that they do not meet residential code and the cables come off the drums when the door hits an obstacle. Though the local inspectors didn’t have any qualms with my 5 units.
From my experience most the noise from sectional doors is generated from misalign tracks, not the openers themselves.
All are new except the belt drive was 5 years old that was used on a 10X10 sectional door that I increased to a 14x12.5 door. Granted the belt drive is smooth and quiet. But the chain drive that replaced it is equally as smooth and quiet. The jackshaft openers make a little more noise, however still very tolerable.
I have a lot of confidence in the door installer and have used them exclusively for over 30 years. He is one of Wayne Dalton’s largest dealers in the USA and when I asked what he thought of the new I-Drive, He said that he would NOT install them on my doors. BTW all 7 of my new doors are Wayne Dalton’s ThermoMark 5200 commercial sectional doors.
In the past have owned several Genie screw type openers. They were good units mechanically. But they made a lot of noise (particularly when cold) and threw off the most amount of dirt onto the front of the door. I personally like the jackshaft style the best overall. IMHO The Best choice in a high lift sectional door application. Their two drawbacks are that they do not meet residential code and the cables come off the drums when the door hits an obstacle. Though the local inspectors didn’t have any qualms with my 5 units.
From my experience most the noise from sectional doors is generated from misalign tracks, not the openers themselves.
All five of my new LifMaster jackshaft openers are model number “MJ” That model does have a quick reverse standard that can be wired into a pneumatic edge detection strip. I tried the pneumatic edge a number of years ago and I had so much trouble with them that I asked for them to be removed. After reading about the opener on their Webpage LiftMaster I see that they do offer a “Commercial Protector System.” Basically a photo eye that would sense an obstruction and signal the door operator to reverse. I can only wonder why they didn’t suggest that option to me. Nonetheless a warning “Not for residential use” is printed boldly on the front cover.
GearHead_1
Well-known member
I've got a photo eye on my jack-shaft opener. It works just as you would expect.
I just got off the horn with my garage door installer. Asked why infrared sensors weren’t installed on my new garages and why doesn’t LiftMaster recommend their use in home installations. He replied, “they are optional and because my old garage didn’t have any sensors, he assumed that I didn’t want them on a new install.” I then requested that he shoot me a number to install them.
He went on to say that with the use of jackshaft openers are recommended for use with commercial doors only. They are built stronger plus they have heavier hardware than residential doors. Making them run smoother and therefor less of a tendency to have the cables come off the drums.
One of my thoughts was if the cables would break on a “trolley opener” the door wouldn’t come crashing down as the opener could hold it back. On the other hand if the cables broke on a jackshaft opener…. Zilch the door has nothing to stop it.
He went on to say that with the use of jackshaft openers are recommended for use with commercial doors only. They are built stronger plus they have heavier hardware than residential doors. Making them run smoother and therefor less of a tendency to have the cables come off the drums.
One of my thoughts was if the cables would break on a “trolley opener” the door wouldn’t come crashing down as the opener could hold it back. On the other hand if the cables broke on a jackshaft opener…. Zilch the door has nothing to stop it.
OldCarGuy said:
Isn't there tension in the chain around the pulleys on the opener? Maybe not enough stop a door.
Also, you would have to break BOTH cables for it to come crashing down, no? My doors are commercial doors with cables on both sides. They are high up there, too. I would hate for one to come crashing down.
It would be unlikely that both cables would break at one time; but it could happen. I would imagine that it has someway and place in time.
The jackshaft opener is attached to the jackshaft by a chain, and it does have tension on it from the weight of the garage door.Another scenario would be if one of the torsion springs on the jackshaft was broken, and the chain connecting the opener to the jackshaft would break,, there is nothing to slow the door from coming down.
In the 1800’s Elisha Otis designed a safety device to prevent his elevators from falling in the event the supporting cables would break. Making public feel safe using them and a name for him. I wonder if such a device could be made for a garage door?
The jackshaft opener is attached to the jackshaft by a chain, and it does have tension on it from the weight of the garage door.Another scenario would be if one of the torsion springs on the jackshaft was broken, and the chain connecting the opener to the jackshaft would break,, there is nothing to slow the door from coming down.
In the 1800’s Elisha Otis designed a safety device to prevent his elevators from falling in the event the supporting cables would break. Making public feel safe using them and a name for him. I wonder if such a device could be made for a garage door?
nova65ss
Well-known member
If one cable breaks it will likely come off track rather than just free falling. Typically the one side falls a foot or so then the tension from the other side pulls that side up causing it to get crooked and jamming in place. They will usually only break near the bottom as that is where they are under the most tension. Don't mean to sound like a broken record around here but there is no need to worry about a spring breaking when it is up it either, just won't happen.
I would def. get the photo eyes for that j. shaft operator always best to be safe.
Jimmy
I would def. get the photo eyes for that j. shaft operator always best to be safe.
Jimmy
Dentaltech
New member
I like screw drives. We got then Excelerator by Genie and I installed it last week. Its extreamly quit compared to the old opener I had. It opens twice as fast as a regular opener, hence the name. As another poster comented, I agree that most noise, comes from bad installs and misaligned door tracks. Anyhow this is a wonderful site that I am really enjoying.
JohnZ
Well-known member
I have two 18' x 8' steel/foam/steel insulated sectional doors (one of which is a "high-lift" with an extra panel on top); each has a 1/2-hp Lift Master chain drive opener on it, no problems with either one after six years. Both have the photo-eye sensors on them (code requirement here).
dboat
Well-known member
I have the Wayne Dalton torque drive openers that mount just above the door. Visitors are amazed at how fast they open the door and are very quiet. I have heard that the first models were problematic, but I havent encountered any.. They were priced about the same as other openers and leave the area above where the door opens free for other uses since the long rail for the belt, screw or chain isnt there or needed.. worth considering in my view.
I dont have a long history with them yet, just 1.5 years.
Dana
I forgot to mention, that they also have doors that are designed so that you dont have to have the electric eyes that the other doors require.
I dont have a long history with them yet, just 1.5 years.
Dana
I forgot to mention, that they also have doors that are designed so that you dont have to have the electric eyes that the other doors require.
krooser
Well-known member
OldCarGuy said:
I have the same units on the 12'X14' follow the roof pitch doors I installed. I had to order the doors with a solid shafts to run them with the jackshaft operators. Mine are also marked not for the home use. How much did they want for the "kits" to convert them to the eyes? ( the units all have a clutch so they will not smash any thing, or so it says
BTW they will not really have to do much work as after I wound the springs to the spec I can lift the doors with one finger ....
nova65ss
Well-known member
Photo eyes usually cost about 100-150 bucks for comm operators. You can get them through Liftmaster/ Chamberlain.
Jimmy
Jimmy
W-Cummins said:I have the same units on the 12'X14' follow the roof pitch doors I installed. I had to order the doors with a solid shafts to run them with the jackshaft operators. Mine are also marked not for the home use. How much did they want for the "kits" to convert them to the eyes? ( the units all have a clutch so they will not smash any thing, or so it says
BTW they will not really have to do much work as after I wound the springs to the spec I can lift the doors with one finger ....
A solid jackshaft is mandatory when using one of LiftMaster’s jackshaft openers.
The cost for adding photo eyes to all five of my Liftmaster’s openers was quoted at $700.00 installed.
The photo eyes are not to keep the door from crashing down. Rather it reverses the door so that it doesn’t close on an object or person left under the door. And if the door closes on an object that is more than several inches high, the cables will come off the drums. Hard packed snow can also be a culprit. That is the main draw back of a jackshaft opener.
OldCarGuy said:
Way too much $$$ for my taste I'm thinking about less then $100 for all the parts for the 3 of mine. If I can't make them for that I'm not going to install them.
I know what they are suposed to do I don't think there is any worry about the cables comming off the drums on my doors.
If the clutch is adjusted properly I don't see how they are going to come off even at the max height on mine. I'm sure that even open on my setup the springs are holding at least 100lbs and about 800lbs at the bottom. The lift will not need to even lift 25lbs to open my doors. In fact if I had seen how easy it would be to open the doors I would have saved the $340 each, on the openers for at least a few of the doors.
6t7gto
Well-known member
i have my jackshaft opener wired so that you have to hold the close button until the door is fully closed.
my door control is located right by the door opening. this way i am there to watch for anything or anybody being in the way.
david
my door control is located right by the door opening. this way i am there to watch for anything or anybody being in the way.
david