heavy jackshaft opener

[inspector-steve]

Hey, guys long time lurker (HVAC section). I joined, Im dealing with 12x14 and 16x16 insulated steel covered doors. Have lift master 8500w on each door, and they are junk!! Always showing excessive force errors or seem to lose their memory for stops. I want a simple stupid (unsafe) door opener, one that opens and closes. I don't care for wifi or Bluetooth or anything else. So far I was seeing the Opera Mj or similar opera jackshaft

Can anyone give feedback on these or any others out there, 12 or 24v DC would be even better. On a side note the 8500w's are 24vdc but only have 1- 12v battery in them. Its kinda odd.

 

[TTMotorsports]

I had 3 of the 8500's in my shop and when I orginally installed them the springs to help the doors open were not tightened enough for them to work. So had those tightened up and they worked awesome. If it shows excessive force error i would look at the springs to be the culprit

 

[CombatNinja]

Ditto. Unhook the opener and see how hard it is to lift one of the doors. Should be easy to do with one hand. If you are straining, the spring tension is incorrect and it is likely that most any residential opener will have trouble lifting it.

 

[rburke65]

I love my 8500

 

[inspector-steve]

I can raise or close the doors manually alone without a problem. I put pushers at the top of the track to bring them back down and that helped for about 2 days before they started the samething again.

 

[inspector-steve]

 

[Slowbuilder]

Check the specs on the Liftmaster8500 - a 16x16 door is too big for them to handle. The owners manual says "up to 14' tall" and less than 180sqft. 16x16 violates both of those. Your 12x14 "should" be ok.

I have one installed on a 16x10 door, and it works fine.

 

[Viper98912]

I believe the manual states that it can't be over a certain size. You probably need to go the commercial side of Liftmaster products

 

[inspector-steve]

I believe the manual states that it can't be over a certain size. You probably need to go the commercial side of Liftmaster products

the 12x14 is within the 180 sqft size recommendation and way under the weight capacity. Im not looking to make these work, im after a simple old school opener without all of the circuits and programming these are capable of. We have the RSW-24vdc elite swing gate openers that have been flawless, the normal style garage openers have been awesome. These have just been nothing but problems.

 

[Walkers]

Most likely it is your installation. It looks like you are a candidate for two sets of springs per door because you are extra tall and your lift does not turn horizontal. Sure you can make it go up by over winding your springs, but then you have too much initial force and not enough residual force.

 

[wssix99]

These can't be the correct springs. They look puny. Did you install the doors or did someone else? As said above, I'd check the instructions and windings. If the springs are correct and wound properly, the door should be effortless to open manually.

... No door opener is going to be very strong. They all require balanced doors.

 

[inspector-steve]

They were ordered, and installed by highland doors in TN. I just told them the size door and insulated with metal on both sides. Everything else is on them.

 

[inspector-steve]

The first time I went to open them it broke a cable and the next trip home it bird nested. I think it’s an install issue also but have no idea what they can screw up

 

[eastbaysubaru]

Definitely sounds like an install issue. I've had my two 8500s working flawlessly for roughly 2 and 4 years (though both smaller doors than yours). My father used 8500s on both of his solid wood doors that were 10'w x 8'h (likely heavier than your doors) without issue as well. The doors might need larger springs as it definitely seems like they're out of balance. One thing I did when I installed a high lift track was to use tapered cable coils (I read that somewhere on here IIRC). If you're not into putting some time into diagnosing it I would have the original installer out to take a look.

-Brian

 

[Showkey]

The first time I went to open them it broke a cable and the next trip home it bird nested. I think it’s an install issue also but have no idea what they can screw up

Post 4-5 in this link cover the the unraveling………door is open too far.

Liftmaster 8500 cables keep unravelling

Wondering if anyone who has a Liftmaster 8500 has dealt with the cables unravelling off of the drum constantly... Since I got my 8500s installed early this year this has happened probably close to 10 times now and I am getting fed up with this issue...Every time this happens I have to call the...

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