Chris Adams
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2007
- Messages
- 2,117
Just installed my Liftmaster 3800. Finally. I wasn't really in a hurry till my wife announced today that it was time to find a different automatic door opener. I had been using her...
It is an easy install for anyone contemplating putting one in.
I made it twice as much work by having mounted a tall heavy nuts and bolts rack too close to the rail to fit the electronic lock. So I had to take an hour to reposition the rack.
The directions are a bit goofy in that 1. They expect you to have an assistant, or to install it out of series. They want you to press a button on the opener itself, and almost simultaneously press a button on the wall mounted switch, in my case 15 feet away.
Or you could have jumped ahead and programed a remote, which they tell you not to do in advance. In my case I borrowed some assistance for about thirty seconds. If you don't have any help, program a remote as soon as you have the wiring all in.
2. If you have never wired a door eye you may not know that the wires on each side join together before going on into the opener. They left that out of the instructions so you have four wires going to two wires with no mention of joining them. Not a problem if you have ever installed an eye system for a garage door, but a big problem if you haven't.
I have installed a couple, but in reading the instructions I noticed that omission.
3. In installing the wire tension device, the picture shows it being installed on one side of the rail. To do that you would have to cut the rail, not a good idea. No problem installing it on the other side of the rail, easier in fact, but just different from the directions.
4. The instructions said the tension device was 'pre-set' for left side. Maybe my left and right are confused but it wasn't. Sealed box. Not a problem. I switched, then switched it back. Ten second job.
After getting it installed my first impression is that it is great. Quiet, smooth, not super fast but very adequate.
An easy installation with no need for any special tools or even an assistant (except for the silly switching thing).
I've had tape openers, chain openers and screw openers. Hated the tape, it broke, slipped, had problems. Chains like to drip oil on your floor, head, car. Screw is the smoothest of those three, and by far the most reliable.
The jackshaft is smoother than the screw type, and hopefully will be as reliable.
I really like the electronic lock, the main reason I went with the 3800. Easy to install, works like a charm.
Only thing I am a little concerned about is the bracket to hold the opener body is only on one side. I would really prefer two sides bracketed.
It is an easy install for anyone contemplating putting one in.
I made it twice as much work by having mounted a tall heavy nuts and bolts rack too close to the rail to fit the electronic lock. So I had to take an hour to reposition the rack.
The directions are a bit goofy in that 1. They expect you to have an assistant, or to install it out of series. They want you to press a button on the opener itself, and almost simultaneously press a button on the wall mounted switch, in my case 15 feet away.
Or you could have jumped ahead and programed a remote, which they tell you not to do in advance. In my case I borrowed some assistance for about thirty seconds. If you don't have any help, program a remote as soon as you have the wiring all in.
2. If you have never wired a door eye you may not know that the wires on each side join together before going on into the opener. They left that out of the instructions so you have four wires going to two wires with no mention of joining them. Not a problem if you have ever installed an eye system for a garage door, but a big problem if you haven't.
I have installed a couple, but in reading the instructions I noticed that omission.
3. In installing the wire tension device, the picture shows it being installed on one side of the rail. To do that you would have to cut the rail, not a good idea. No problem installing it on the other side of the rail, easier in fact, but just different from the directions.
4. The instructions said the tension device was 'pre-set' for left side. Maybe my left and right are confused but it wasn't. Sealed box. Not a problem. I switched, then switched it back. Ten second job.
After getting it installed my first impression is that it is great. Quiet, smooth, not super fast but very adequate.
An easy installation with no need for any special tools or even an assistant (except for the silly switching thing).
I've had tape openers, chain openers and screw openers. Hated the tape, it broke, slipped, had problems. Chains like to drip oil on your floor, head, car. Screw is the smoothest of those three, and by far the most reliable.
The jackshaft is smoother than the screw type, and hopefully will be as reliable.
I really like the electronic lock, the main reason I went with the 3800. Easy to install, works like a charm.
Only thing I am a little concerned about is the bracket to hold the opener body is only on one side. I would really prefer two sides bracketed.
