Garage Opener Receiver Weaker With Age?

[tez929rr]

I have installed transmitter/receivers on our two gates and on the roll up door in our shop. The ones on the gate are Liftmaster 850LM’s. I only installed them because the transmitter/receivers that came with the Apollo openers were out of the frequency range for the Homelink systems in our cars. The shop door opener is an older Liftmaster rolling code receiver that isn’t made anymore. A couple of months ago suddenly I had to be much closer to get the shop door to open it. I’ve changed the batteries in the remotes but no change. This went from working 100 feet away to maybe 20. I don’t mind changing the receiver but if there is something other fix I’d love to hear it. Do the receivers lose strength with age? The one on the shop door is about 15 years old. This was like an overnight change which makes me think it’s something else.

 

[racecougar]

You didn't happen to install LED lights anywhere nearby recently, did you? Anything else that may cause interference?

 

[Max]

I second racecougar’s thoughts about possible interference and LEDs are a likely culprit. Another possibility is that many openers have snall antennas attached (6-12” long) and it may have been damaged or fallen off.

 

[tez929rr]

I second racecougar’s thoughts about possible interference and LEDs are a likely culprit. Another possibility is that many openers have snall antennas attached (6-12” long) and it may have been damaged or fallen off.

No LED’s added in the last two years and the antenna is still there. I thought of the antenna but not the LED lights. The overhead lights are fluorescent tubes. Some of the workbench lights are LED but none of these are on when I’m trying to open the door. Even the security floodlights on the building are LED and have been so for about ten years. I used to be able to walk out the house back door 100 feet away and push a remote button on a table inside and the shop door would open.

 

[rlmartinson]

I "third" racecougar's note on LED lights. I had similar thing happen when I replaced the light bulbs on my craftman garage door opener. I used cheap LED's and they caused some sort of interference.

 

[firebirdparts]

I haven't experienced any change with age on the range, but I've also never had an opener that worked 100 feet away. Interesting.

 

[tez929rr]

I haven't experienced any change with age on the range, but I've also never had an opener that worked 100 feet away. Interesting.

The two in the gate boxes will activate from 100 yards away with the Liftmaster remotes. Not as far with Homelink. We have 6 of the same receivers on our firehouse doors but they only work from 20 or 30 feet away. Again, the receiver on the shop is an older obsolete model.

 

[tez929rr]

Thanks for the suggestion about the LED lights. It makes sense although I can’t figure out which light would matter given how long they have been in place. I’ll have to give it a good think.

 

[tez929rr]

And come to think of it, the antenna is still hanging but I haven’t checked the contacts where it’s wired in.

 

[F451]

Are the batteries in the transmitters fresh? Same for the key pad by the door, just swapped out that 9v in that the other day. Back to normal now.

 

[BillK]

I would wait a week and see what happens. There is something near my business that interferes with the remote for my Tahoe a couple of times a year. I have a pretty good idea what it is (military comm tower) but cant prove it. For a week or so my remote simply will not work unless I am right on top of the truck. It works fine when I get out of the area so i know its some type of interference near my shop. The first time it happened I thought the battery had given up.

So before you do anything drastic give it some time and see what happens.

 

[nadogail]

I would wait a week and see what happens. There is something near my business that interferes with the remote for my Tahoe a couple of times a year. I have a pretty good idea what it is (military comm tower) but cant prove it. For a week or so my remote simply will not work unless I am right on top of the truck. It works fine when I get out of the area so i know its some type of interference near my shop. The first time it happened I thought the battery had given up.

So before you do anything drastic give it some time and see what happens.

Part of the license on your equipment requires it to accept interference from other licensed users. I really got upset when the Liftmaster Dealer told me that he was aware that sometimes it is equipment operated by the Navy. I replaced the Liftmaster with equipment from another company that operates on a different frequency; the purchase of another Liftmaster depends on future weather reports.

 

[BillK]

Part of the license on your equipment requires it to accept interference from other licensed users.

And there is part of the answer. I am very familiar with the fcc rules and you can be assured that there are times when there is RF energy flying around that we will never know the source of

 

[tez929rr]

Looks like it was a loose antenna connection.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Glad I stumbled onto this, my garagedoor has become less and less responsive over the years we moved in around 2013 but house was built in 94 and reno'ed in 06. My wives side I can open from the street mine I sometimes have to get out of the car to get the remote to work.

I'll check the signal antenna, but I've been debating installing a new motor/reciever

 

[tez929rr]

FWIW I finally unhooked the receiver from the opener (roll up shop door). The connections were all good but the wire was routed in s strange way through some tight spots in the receiver box. Straightened it all out and now it works like new.