Liftmaster 8500 easy unauthorized entry

[glentre]

While power washing the exterior of my three bay garage today, I concentrated the spray on the weather stripping because that rubber seemed to have collected the most mold over the winter. The strong spray lifted up the weather strip a little and some water got into the garage....no big deal. However, some water apparently got on the 888LM door controller and the door opened by itself. Moving to the second door, the same thing happened.

Seems strange that with quality openers like these, all a thief has to do is lift up the weather stripping near the controller and spray a little water into the crack and the doors will open. Anyone else have this problem and, if so, what did you do to prevent someone from gaining entry the same way?

Glen

 

[Pontiac787]

Locks are for honest people.

 

[Viper98912]

You have your controllers next to the garage door? Most I've seen (in all houses) were by the entrance door into the house.

 

[glentre]

It's a detached garage with the controllers mounted next to each door inside the building. I've found it a convenient location since I can open any door from the inside without having to walk over to the man door where they are often installed. Also can shut the overhead door by just walking outside and reaching in (once passed the electric eye) to tap the controller to close it.

My house garage has a controller in the garage at the man door into the house and another outside next to the door. I sometimes forget to close the little lift-up protective door on the outside controller and it gets soaked from rain but does not open the door like the 8500 when it gets wet. I guess I could relocate the controllers away from the door seals but really shouldn't have to. Also could fabricate a protective shield around the controller to prevent it from getting wet. We are on a river in eastern Virginia where NorthEasters and hurricanes drive rain directly at these garage doors so I may have them open by themselves during a bad storm.

There should be no reason a manufacturer would make a controller that opens the door by itself when it gets wet. These doors even include the automatic lock device which opens just before the wet controller activates and raises the door.

Just wanted to give a heads up to anyone with 8500 controllers mounted like mine which may open when you least expect them to.

Glen

 

[DetachedGarage]

It's a detached garage with the controllers mounted next to each door inside the building. I've found it a convenient location since I can open any door from the inside without having to walk over to the man door where they are often installed. Also can shut the overhead door by just walking outside and reaching in (once passed the electric eye) to tap the controller to close it.

My house garage has a controller in the garage at the man door into the house and another outside next to the door. I sometimes forget to close the little lift-up protective door on the outside controller and it gets soaked from rain but does not open the door like the 8500 when it gets wet. I guess I could relocate the controllers away from the door seals but really shouldn't have to. Also could fabricate a protective shield around the controller to prevent it from getting wet. We are on a river in eastern Virginia where NorthEasters and hurricanes drive rain directly at these garage doors so I may have them open by themselves during a bad storm.

There should be no reason a manufacturer would make a controller that opens the door by itself when it gets wet. These doors even include the automatic lock device which opens just before the wet controller activates and raises the door.

Just wanted to give a heads up to anyone with 8500 controllers mounted like mine which may open when you least expect them to.

Glen

Do you have the locking pin features that go through the track?

 

[glentre]

Yes, the lock mechanism has an electric controlled pin that slides through the track but it too activates when the controller is wet.

Glen

 

[DetachedGarage]

Yes, the lock mechanism has an electric controlled pin that slides through the track but it too activates when the controller is wet.

Glen

Crazy! Can you replicate it and make a video? I'm sure Liftmaster would want to see it to improve the product.

Great looking garage in your profile pic BTW!

 

[Flargen]

I've got an 8500 as well, and recall that you can either use a "smart" controller (like the 888LM), or a traditional button. I'd take a look at where the water is hitting the back of the controller to see if it's simply shorting out the control wires and triggering the opener. If so, I'd find a way to seal the controller better to the wall if it's a larger concern.

 

[MFolks]

There's a humidity sealer used on printed circuit boards call "Humiseal" a coating that will need masking off of areas not needed to be covered.
https://chasecorp.com/HumiSeal/

 

[Stuart in MN]

Chances are there aren't roving gangs of garage burglars running around with pressure washers, so you're probably safe.

 

[DetachedGarage]

Chances are there aren't roving gangs of garage burglars running around with pressure washers, so you're probably safe.

Gives "The Wet Bandits" new meaning

 

[The Wizard]

Just a heads up to OP and others, but numerous types of malfunctioning of the 888LM will cause your garage door to open (and sometimes even open and close repeatedly on it's own). I've had two 888LM's go out on me and open the door on it's own. This is due to the dreaded failing capacitor issue.

 

[madmaxnj]

Those controllers have had problems. Do some searches up here. Reason I stayed away from the 8500. Something about failing capacitors and the units short out when they fail and open the garage. Liftmaster is extending the warrantee on them...

 

[Viper98912]

There should be no reason a manufacturer would make a controller that opens the door by itself when it gets wet.

I'm pretty sure "water" is low on the priority list for an indoor controller. Not exactly Liftmaster's fault here.

 

[glentre]

Did some research on this Liftmaster controller and found they have had some serious quality problems with a previous design. Apparently, they have a recall on these units and are giving free replacements through 2023.

I don't think the failure of my unit is due to their recalled controller. I got it wet and it malfunctioned. My bad. Just wanted to caution others to be careful when power washing or hosing down their garage to not get any water near the controller.

Glen

 

[SALIV8]

Just so i understand, the pressure washer water is spraying up more than 6' on the inside of the wall and then hits the door opener and it opens?

Is that right?

i must be missing something

 

[tff]

Chances are there aren't roving gangs of garage burglars running around with pressure washers, so you're probably safe.

At least not till now.

 

[seanc_mt]

This has ZERO to do with the Liftmaster 8500... The "controller" on the wall has a simple button inside to connect the two wires to activate the opener. This is an issue with your install.

 

[Jrad235]

Yeah.. You are trying to say that a piece of electronics that under no circumstance is supposed to be wet is faulty for failing when sprayed with water? This is an issue with your install, plain and simple.
Also Seanc_mt, the 888LM is far from a simple button for this model, it's actually one of their most advanced wall controls.

 

[glentre]

Saliv8,

I was pressure washing the outside of the door and directing the spray at the rubber seal on the side of the door. The water got under the seal, hit the track on the inside and got the controller wet. Just wanted to give a heads-up to others that this can cause the controller to fail and the door to open.

I was not critical that my fault in getting an electronic controller wet caused it to fail but I was surprised that getting the controller wet caused the door to open because strong wind driven rain could have the same result. I will be moving the controllers away from the current locations where the garage door contractors installed them to avoid this happening in the future.

Glen

 

[bradleykd]

Where in Gloucester are you? Got any good stuff??

 

[bwringer]

Whatever caused the failure, any "open the door" failure mode is concerning.

 

[glentre]

Whatever caused the failure, any "open the door" failure mode is concerning.

Exactly what I was trying to convey.

Glen

 

[JRC3]

At least not till now.

That was my thought too.

I always laugh when the local news reports similar things so you can protect yourself.