Garage Door Sensor Help Needed

[bjaspud]

Gentlemen, I could use a bit of help trouble shooting my garage door sensor. The door works fine if I hold the button. When I run it in automatic mode the lights blink and the door wont close. One sensor has it's green light lit. (I think that is the sender? - we'll call is sensor 1) The other sensor's (receiver? - we will call it sensor 2) light was out. I suspected a bad electrical connection so I removed the sensor and then wired a jumper wire direct from the opener to the sensor. When I manually moved the sensor 2 in front of sensor 1 (the sensors were only about 6" apart now) the green light on #2 would light up when the sensors were aligned. OK so now I have 2 green lights on the sensors I figured I was ready to go. Hit the opener button .... nothing, same flashing light, no movements. Can someone tell me how to correctly test these things???

Thanks,
Spud.

 

[Tejaas]

I watered my yard pretty heavy yesterday, and before I went to bed I went to shut the garage door... Interrupted immediately.

Walked over to the sensor, and there was a dime-sized moth sitting in the little sensor lense.

Every time I've had a problem with mine it was because an extension cord snagged it or I wacked it with a piece of lumber, etc.
Make sure you have it slid and click-locked to the rear of the mounting tab, I have noticed on others that if you whack it hard once or twice the epoxy potting inside may have the sensor actually shooting at a slight angle, and could interrupt the plane.

if you still have an issue it's pretty much got to be an electrical connection, internal failure, or you maybe soaked it with the hose...?

These things operate very similar to 2 basic TV remotes, they don't have a variable hertz range so it can't really be "out of internal adjustment" or anything.

I don't know how yours is wired in, but on mine the wire leads run from the back of the sensor into the sheetrock directly behind the garage door track, MAYBE 6" of wind loop exposed. Perhaps tug out on the wire where it goes into the wall and see if you have the shielding chaffed/nicked?

If all else fails, just pick up a new pair and splice them in, I had a set a few years ago that acted really touchy and I didn't trust em anymore. Bought a new set, spliced them in, never had a legitimate problem sense that I didn't cause.






~Tejaas~

WTB: Armstrong 1/4" 10-972 Ratchet!

 

[Tejaas]

P.S. I recommend the "Lift Master" ones, I think I paid like $25 for them a while back when I decimated the old set with a 2x4 by accident. 15 minute install.


~Tejaas~

WTB: Armstrong 1/4" 10-972 Ratchet!

 

[Richard Cranium]

With mine, if they are seeing each other they both have a green light on, then if any thing breaks the beam the over head light blinks. I had so much trouble with one of mine it is mounted in front of each other with less than an inch between them...Richie

 

[upndown]

Try remounting your sensor where it belongs, then connect your jumper wire. See if they will line up that way. If so it's your wiring, if not it's your sensor.

 

[jwvess00]

Hi there!

I had trouble at my first house with the door sensors tripping it unnecessarily. I finally figured out that in the afternoon the sun was shining on the receiver sensor, blinding it. I swapped them side-for-side, and the problem went away.

 

[bjaspud]

Guys, thanks for the replies but nobody has addressed my question. I've managed to jumper the 'dead' sensor #2 so that it lights up its green light when aligned with the sensor #1. I have them moved just inches apart to do this test. My dilemma is that even with both lights lit, the door will not operate.

Suggestions???