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Garage door sensor issues

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Eric_sf

Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
6
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Hi all I have been reading through the forum as I have been fixing up my garage and just the other day my garage door started having issues, I thought I would use my first post to say "hi from the San Francisco bay area" and to ask for your input.

My garage door (a Linear LD033) is almost 2 years old and just the other day when I pressed the button for it to roll down, it immediately stopped and went back up, flashed 3 times and then stopped. Well, 3 flashes I found out means that the safety sensors (for someone crossing as it goes down) are "obstructed." So I cleaned the laser and the receiving eye but it didn't seem to help. Oh, and they are definitely aligned.

I thought maybe one of the wires had shorted somewhere so I spliced the wires about a foot up from each sensor, soldered new wires on and wired them up to the motor and... nothing. Same result. Each sensor has its own green light but the receiving sensor's red light is always off, indicating it is "obstructed." Weird thing was when I went to wire the new wires to the motor, the moment I took off one of the wires from it's screw on the motor, the light came on for a half-second and then went off. I did this several times (put it back on and then take it off) and each time the light would come on for a moment and then go off.

I'm kind of stumped. Part of me thinks maybe either the laser or receiver sensor is bad and part of me thinks that maybe the electrical in the motor is bad. Your input would be greatly appreciated!
 
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Teken

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Jan 2, 2010
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8,214
Location
The Bad Lands
What happens when you place both sensors together? As the RED light could mean one of both situations.

- Not aligned

- Or obstruction in place

EDIT: For got to add in that you should double check to all the wires are indeed sound and intact. No staples, nails, or anything else cutting into the wire(s).

I know you said you cleaned the sensors, but make sure that the little glass eyes are completely clear and free from any dirt. If you have a can of compressed air blow it in there to make sure.

Also, check your wall brackets that they are indeed straight and not off just a little. A broom, bike, or small child could easily kick it off a mere fraction to cause it to cry and not work.

Lastly, make sure the sensor is not in direct sun light . . . Check in the evening to see if this problem persists, if not, and only happens during the day it could be too much direct sun light also.
 
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tool whore

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Aug 25, 2010
Messages
160
Location
Salisbury, NC
They do go bad. From vibration, being kicked and just being plastic. I have replaced several that were considered 'too new to fail'. Lowes sells them in pairs for $50-$60. One is a left and one is a right. Do you know which one yours is? The answer is based on the factory not where you mount it. You can mount them backwards and still have them work, but when it goes out you have to match the one that quit to the replacement.

Also, welcome to the forum. Would love to see you update your profile with a place relative to you (SF Bay Area). It helps people near you help you out down the road and also in the classifieds.
 
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Eric_sf

Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
6
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Teken said:
What happens when you place both sensors together? As the RED light could mean one of both situations.

- Not aligned

- Or obstruction in place

EDIT: For got to add in that you should double check to all the wires are indeed sound and intact. No staples, nails, or anything else cutting into the wire(s).

I know you said you cleaned the sensors, but make sure that the little glass eyes are completely clear and free from any dirt. If you have a can of compressed air blow it in there to make sure.


Lastly, make sure the sensor is not in direct sun light.
Click to expand...

I just went out to the garage, pulled the staples and put the sensors about 3ft from each other and no change (no RED light). I wiped the sensors down with a damp paper towel so they are pretty spotless. Oh, the garage is closed so there is no direct sunlight (just overhead lights).

Since I spliced new wires on I stapled them in myself (not many initially to make sure it worked) and I know that there are no damages in the wires.


tool ***** said:
One is a left and one is a right. Do you know which one yours is? The answer is based on the factory not where you mount it. You can mount them backwards and still have them work, but when it goes out you have to match the one that quit to the replacement.

Also, welcome to the forum. Would love to see you update your profile with a place relative to you (SF Bay Area). It helps people near you help you out down the road and also in the classifieds.
Click to expand...

I don't know which one is the broken one since it takes both to make the RED light come on - could be either.

Thanks for the welcome. I updated my profile :)
 
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Greatbear

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Jan 17, 2008
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1,702
Location
Columbia/Fulton, MD
The transmitting sensor is probably the one that is bad. Most of the modern sensors do not transmit a "constant" light, instead it is strobed on and off at some frequency, and the receiving sensor is "tuned" to this particular flashing rate. This is done to make the system a bit more foolproof, because a constant light shining at the receiver from some source (a lamp, the sun, car headlight etc) might fool an otherwise obstructed sensor that is it receiving light from the transmitter and allows the door to shut on something that might be in the way. The receiving sensor momentarily flashes its light to indicate it has a connection to the opener, but the light stays off because there is something wrong with the entire loop. The sensors are sold in sets, so all that is needed is a replacement pair, and I think you'll be set. Just make sure you get a set meant for that particular brand and model of opener, there are several different types, and the connections and signaling are not always compatible.
 
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klhitman

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Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
1,016
Location
pewee valley
when i have a problem like that i hold the button down and the door will go all the way down. if it comes back up then there must be something in the way. but i do agree with that you maybe have a bed sensor.

nothing last forever!
 
S

Straightgrain

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 19, 2011
Messages
608
Location
North Texas
I had a similar issue last year. I ended up reseting all the adjustments: open limit, close limit and close force adjustment. For whatever reason they got out of wack and reseting them did the trick.

As Teken mentioned if the sensor (on my door the green one) is in direct sunlight it can cause problems so you may want to check that. When I leave before sunrise, my headlights hitting the sensor can sometimes stop the door.

Good luck,
Frank
 
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Eric_sf

Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
6
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
I'm happy to report that my replacement sensors came (ordered online for $22 vs $45 at my local garage door store). Using the included crimpable connectors, I connected them up and viola! Everything is working as it should.

I think I'll build a small housing for the sensors out of wood scrap, to keep this from happening again.

Thanks again for all the input.
 
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