Vintage Veloce
Well-known member
FWIW, there are no obviously new resistors near the caps.
LM8500 Wall Controller Failure.
- Thread starter Dakota00
- Start date
That was what i found on the net before changing the caps..
looking for a pebble 4766 or any 47xx pebble hinged handle
rlwhitetr3b
Well-known member
I'm betting that failing open is by design. Lost of security is much better than trapping someone in a building due to controller failure. We have been looking at a failure because of break down, but maybe the failure could be from a fire. Trapping someone in a burning garage would not be good.
Vintage Veloce
Well-known member
I've been a "product manager" and I understand the choices the PM and/or engineers make. There is certainly the possibility that they didn't account for the "what do do if the smart wall button fails" scenario, but it is pretty likely they did consider it, and that "opening the door on failure" was a design decision. The manufactures of gizmos like this seem to be mostly concerned with preventing physical injury, and opening the door seems to be the standard default choice for problems.
bonecrrusher
Well-known member
Has anyone replaced the 888LM - and the opener still not work?
I have 2 of these units - and replaced the defective one - not getting any lights on the controller.
So I swapped it with the working unit - and it works fine.
I have 2 of these units - and replaced the defective one - not getting any lights on the controller.
So I swapped it with the working unit - and it works fine.
wssix99
Well-known member
I think we all had skepticism, reflected in the posts above that the changes made in the earlier versions were really "fixes". Liftmaster couldn't give an explanation of the fault and seemed to be playing Whack-a-Mole with us and the problem.
The fact that they are sending out product with blue dots on it and are doing this silent recall thing gives me more confidence that they finally found something tangible and have addressed it. However...
I'm a little less confident now. (Thanks for posting the pictures!) I was expecting to see some fundamental changes, and I can't pick any out...
Maybe we shouldn't discount the properties of the blue dot on the back? Maybe it emits a protective magnetic field around the device?
2level
Well-known member
HaHa!
Chamberlain/Liftmaster needs to make clear what's been done, technically, to rectify the problem. Time to issue a concise bulletin instead of the BS about bad soldering, wrong capacitor, ect.
Today my door won't close. It moves about an inch then reverses to full open and the light flashes 10 times. Is this a failed controller issue? The 10 flashes indicates an adjustment problem but why would that occur suddenly?
The failed door is the one we use most. Can I swap the wall controller with one of my lesser used doors?
The failed door is the one we use most. Can I swap the wall controller with one of my lesser used doors?
JJC
Well-known member
Are you safety sensor clear and not bumped out of wack
gnpenning
Well-known member
The lights can be on, but can be right on the edge. Just the movement of the door can be enough to cause them to reverse. Eyes don't have to be laser straight but should be close to a straight shot. Bad electrical connections can also cause your problem. Try holding the wall button while the door is going down. Will it close?
Absolute encoders are another common problem with these units.
If the above doesn't help start a new thread so you don't get lost in this one.
slodat
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I had same issue about 3 years after I had mine installed. Called LM and they sent out a new one under warranty. The one issue I have always had is when its hot and the east side sensor catches sunlight it will not close unless I keep holding down the wall controller button, I don't know if this is due to a shadow or is blocking the clear view of the other sensor on the other side of door. Anyone experienced this?
gnpenning
Well-known member
Common. You can try swapping the sensors side to side, moving them future to the side so sunlight doesn't hit them or putting a sunshade on the receiving side. Some make the shade out of PVC pipe others toilet paper roll.
Just registered so I could say thank you to everyone on this thread, especially Brian for all the great suggestions.
I have two single garage doors with 8500 motors and (lucky for me) 12' ceilings.
In 2016 one of my 888's failed, last weekend the other did. I don't have a ton of confidence in Liftmaster to have addressed this problem until we're about 2-3 years out from this latest product warranty notice. I'll keep my 888's in the drawer until then.
I swapped to an 850LM (thanks Brian) which has awesome range. I wired in 78LM's where the 888's were and the light control works great on them with my 380LM lights. I picked up a pair of 885's for the inside of the front wall which is even better than time to close, I can click the button as/after I'm walking out the door with my bike/dog/backpack instead of having to high step the sensor and rush.
I only have two remaining imperfections:
1. The 885's don't work with the 380's but they work great to open/close the door. I'm contemplating switching them to 78LM's instead since I located them directly below the 8500's. However, I'm not even sure that I care b/c I think I'd only use them to close the door and the openers do a fine job of turning the light on and then off when the door is activated.
2. My 828LM is now useless since the 850LM isn't MyQ enabled (in fact I now have zero MyQ devices). The 828 was actually a halfway decent purchase and could have been great if it were able to detect and alert when the 888's melt down, alas it just shows them as offline and is rendered useless when they blow up. I'm hoping we might see a MyQ 850LM which at $50 or so would be an OK buy for me provided it works as well as the 850. Alternatively, I might consider the hub and bridge but I'd rather not put extra parts on my door. I could replace the 8500's with 8500W's but that's a very expensive solution to a very minor issue. I might just sell/toss the 828 if I don't see any new products which can take advantage of it. The Liftmaster app really isn't that bad, it gets the job done nicely and it's nice peace of mind to know the door is closed if you can't remember after you've driven away.
I ordered an additional 890MAX for my bike rides for now since I can't use my phone anymore. I'm also contemplating a simpler type of switch to trigger the 8500's using one of my smart plugs, but the hard part there is figuring out if the door is open or closed, something the 828 did fairly well.
I have two single garage doors with 8500 motors and (lucky for me) 12' ceilings.
In 2016 one of my 888's failed, last weekend the other did. I don't have a ton of confidence in Liftmaster to have addressed this problem until we're about 2-3 years out from this latest product warranty notice. I'll keep my 888's in the drawer until then.
I swapped to an 850LM (thanks Brian) which has awesome range. I wired in 78LM's where the 888's were and the light control works great on them with my 380LM lights. I picked up a pair of 885's for the inside of the front wall which is even better than time to close, I can click the button as/after I'm walking out the door with my bike/dog/backpack instead of having to high step the sensor and rush.
I only have two remaining imperfections:
1. The 885's don't work with the 380's but they work great to open/close the door. I'm contemplating switching them to 78LM's instead since I located them directly below the 8500's. However, I'm not even sure that I care b/c I think I'd only use them to close the door and the openers do a fine job of turning the light on and then off when the door is activated.
2. My 828LM is now useless since the 850LM isn't MyQ enabled (in fact I now have zero MyQ devices). The 828 was actually a halfway decent purchase and could have been great if it were able to detect and alert when the 888's melt down, alas it just shows them as offline and is rendered useless when they blow up. I'm hoping we might see a MyQ 850LM which at $50 or so would be an OK buy for me provided it works as well as the 850. Alternatively, I might consider the hub and bridge but I'd rather not put extra parts on my door. I could replace the 8500's with 8500W's but that's a very expensive solution to a very minor issue. I might just sell/toss the 828 if I don't see any new products which can take advantage of it. The Liftmaster app really isn't that bad, it gets the job done nicely and it's nice peace of mind to know the door is closed if you can't remember after you've driven away.
I ordered an additional 890MAX for my bike rides for now since I can't use my phone anymore. I'm also contemplating a simpler type of switch to trigger the 8500's using one of my smart plugs, but the hard part there is figuring out if the door is open or closed, something the 828 did fairly well.
The door opening on failure is not "by design". It's just due to the simple fact that the thing shorts out. No different than just shorting the two wires directly together, which opens the door if it is presently closed.
wssix99
Well-known member
If that were the case then the lights would come on, the door would auto-close, and things would operate normally but just at the wrong time.
This issue is a phantom opening in a completely different mode from the normal operation where the other features (ie: auto-close) are defeated. It's a total design fail.
rite_accord
Member
Dave,
Thanks for the tip about the 78LM wall mounted control; I've been using an LM850 with a lighted push button (LM #041A4166) for a wall mounted control for months because like you, I decided I couldn't risk another 888 failure.
With the lighted push button, there is no independent control of the 380LM light (push button only opens/closes the door, with the light only coming on for the default 4.5 minutes at that time).
I believe I'm going to order a 78LM to replace my lighted push button so that I can regain independent control of my 380LM.
As for adding additional 78LM's for inside control (in place of your 885 wireless controls), I'm not sure that would work if your plan is to connect them in parallel with the 78LM's that you already have connected in place of the 888's.
I believe that multiple 78LM's across the same set of leads may draw too much current, looking like a contact closure across the leads to the 8500.
Thanks again.
Keith
Thanks for the tip about the 78LM wall mounted control; I've been using an LM850 with a lighted push button (LM #041A4166) for a wall mounted control for months because like you, I decided I couldn't risk another 888 failure.
With the lighted push button, there is no independent control of the 380LM light (push button only opens/closes the door, with the light only coming on for the default 4.5 minutes at that time).
I believe I'm going to order a 78LM to replace my lighted push button so that I can regain independent control of my 380LM.
As for adding additional 78LM's for inside control (in place of your 885 wireless controls), I'm not sure that would work if your plan is to connect them in parallel with the 78LM's that you already have connected in place of the 888's.
I believe that multiple 78LM's across the same set of leads may draw too much current, looking like a contact closure across the leads to the 8500.
Thanks again.
Keith
Relearn everything... even the internet gateway.... lights.....
looking for a pebble 4766 or any 47xx pebble hinged handle
PhantomEB
Well-known member
I emailed the guy who sold and shipped me my 8500. Red and yellow light flashing intermittently and beeping, no function of the door while this is happening.
I think I read here before that not available to Canadians.
But I gotta try for the purple dot replacement as the supplier has referred me to the manufacturer. This time I gonna be hell bent to get the key fob openers working so my girl gets one too.
I think I read here before that not available to Canadians.
But I gotta try for the purple dot replacement as the supplier has referred me to the manufacturer. This time I gonna be hell bent to get the key fob openers working so my girl gets one too.
wssix99
Well-known member
I would assume this is just the single unit coupon offer and would expect LiftMaster will still send you replacements under Warranty. (That's how I got my extra ones for my extra doors.)
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First, super glad if I was able to give a little back to the community by sharing my solution. Also thanks for giving back and keeping me from messing with it any more.
The 78LM's are not super **** but they do appear to work properly with no issues and it is nice to be able to turn on/off the light.
I'm out of ideas on what I can do with my 828LM now though, I guess I'll hold onto it for a year or two and just unplug it for now.
FTR, My 850LM had zero trouble learning from my 2018 Odyssey.
rite_accord
Member
I've just installed a 78LM wall control (using it in conjunction with an 850LM universal receiver) to control both the 8500 opener and the associated 380LM light.
This set up seems to work well, and allows turning on and off of the 380LM light independently of opening the door (the light does still come on for about 4.5 minutes when the door is opened / closed as well).
Since the 78LM doesn't have an RF receiver in it, I don't believe that it has the circuitry that the 888LM has to open or close the door autonomously, so I beleive that the 78LM will prove to be a more secure solution than the 888LM.
I never had the 828LM Internet bridge (I didn't like the idea of connecting my garage door opener to the Internet), but for others I expect that Internet connectivity might be missed.
As others have said, the 850LM receiver has plenty of range (haven't had issues with the remotes not working like I sometimes saw with 888LM wall control). Also, the 850LM had no issues learning my existing liftmaster car remotes.
On the off chance that the door does open unexpectedly, I've installed a Skylink GM-434RTL Garage door monitor that operates completely independent of the garage door opener. The Skylink device alerts me whenever the garage door is opened.
I do now have a surplus 829LM Garage door monitor I'll have to figure out what to do with, as it doesn't work with my present set up, but I view that as a small issue.
Thanks Dave and Brian!
This set up seems to work well, and allows turning on and off of the 380LM light independently of opening the door (the light does still come on for about 4.5 minutes when the door is opened / closed as well).
Since the 78LM doesn't have an RF receiver in it, I don't believe that it has the circuitry that the 888LM has to open or close the door autonomously, so I beleive that the 78LM will prove to be a more secure solution than the 888LM.
I never had the 828LM Internet bridge (I didn't like the idea of connecting my garage door opener to the Internet), but for others I expect that Internet connectivity might be missed.
As others have said, the 850LM receiver has plenty of range (haven't had issues with the remotes not working like I sometimes saw with 888LM wall control). Also, the 850LM had no issues learning my existing liftmaster car remotes.
On the off chance that the door does open unexpectedly, I've installed a Skylink GM-434RTL Garage door monitor that operates completely independent of the garage door opener. The Skylink device alerts me whenever the garage door is opened.
I do now have a surplus 829LM Garage door monitor I'll have to figure out what to do with, as it doesn't work with my present set up, but I view that as a small issue.
Thanks Dave and Brian!
wssix99
Well-known member
If you remove the control boards from the lights, you can use electrical contractors and/or other devices (depending on your particular setup) to keep the automatic lights that trigger with the doors and then you can also control the same lights with a regular wall switch:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288164
My setup (post 39) is rather complex because my garage has 3 doors and the openers and light switches trigger two separate circuits at the same time. (Lights and a garage ventilation fan.) There are less complex options in the thread and also simpler contactors that can be used.
Vintage Veloce
Well-known member
Why buy a kit to repair your faulty 888LM when Liftmaster will send you a properly revised one for free?
slodat
ALLIANCE MEMBER
My LM8500's are on my shop. Something I gained from the 888LM failures is I now have much more secure garage doors. By putting them on Z-Wave receptacles, the openers are only powered up when I want them to be. They automatically power down every night. No accidental opening by me, the control panel, etc.
rite_accord
Member
Not sure about the "kit" being referred to here, but I think most here will agree that only about four or more years' worth of time on one of the revised 888LM's will show whether or not they have been "properly revised".
I'll keep my own solution that doesn't include an 888LM (as described previously) in place at least that long before I decide to take a chance on another 888LM.
"Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice..." - you get the idea.
This is a reasonable question. The key to my perspective hinges on your use of the word "properly".
My response is that, with a 25 year career in tech I feel like I can tell when a solution represents a design compromise. The 888 is tasked with communicating and powering on a single pair of wires and that to me is it's achilles heel. The documented failure model ends with your garage door open which can be catastrophic in an urban environment and isn't typically what anyone wants.
A design change to address this could be any of (battery backup, option for 4 conductor wire, a/c adaptor, two piece module with one attached directly to the 8500 and all communication between the two done wirelessly, etc). At least some of those options retain backwards compatibility.
If they have indeed made circuitry changes to eliminate all chances of the current failure mode, great! Without doing a complete teardown and analysis (which I'm not qualified to do anyway) I can't say if they have or haven't. My gut says they didn't make significant design changes as that would be costly. I suspect the purple dot models either use different capacitors or have a modified charging cycle frequency to improve expected capacitor life. The problem is, no amount of load testing can prove that the revised 888's will not fail with the same lifespan and there is nonzero risk that the changes could introduce new trouble or result in an even shorter lifespan. My inquiries to liftmaster have gone unanswered. I'm sure they are reluctant to explain anything for liability reasons and they have no responsibility to do so, I'm just an n of 1.
Instead of focusing on the question you ask, I took a step back and asked myself, "what do I gain with the 888 which I don't have with the 78?". The motion sensor never worked for me, it frequently left the lights on all night. The internet connectivity helps detect user error but does not detect system failure. The answer was, "not much." For the most part, the significant difference to me is the look and feel of the form factor and the ability to open the door with my phone when I arrive home on my bike without having to carry an extra remote.
Meanwhile, the 78 has a long history of reliable service since it's decades old. The circuitry is basic as a switch should be, it follows the KISS principle. It's instantly available after a power outage and does not beep, something I find rather annoying about the 888. The light button on the 78 seems to work a little better than the one on the 888.
The 850 has significantly improved range which makes life easier for me as it avoids having to get out of the car to close the door once in a while.
Cost-wise, giving Liftmaster an extra ~$100 to gain confidence that my garage door won't open while I'm gone is reasonable to me. I do like most/all of their other products, I just don't trust the 888.
For me, the change was a net improvement though a minor aesthetic downgrade.
drawz
Member
Anyone had this happen to an 8550W w/ 880LM?
I've had some rare but random door openings for a while now. I thought I was just losing my mind or a kid/pet had bumped the remote, but I randomly came across this and I'm quite sure there's more to it now. The MyQ app tracks history of opening and closing, so I've started watching that. This has shown some definite random openings. Contacted LiftMaster and they told me to reprogram everything, which I'll try this weekend. Mine was installed almost exactly 2 years ago.
Fortunately, this is a detached garage with nothing TOO valuable inside (other than the cars).
I've had some rare but random door openings for a while now. I thought I was just losing my mind or a kid/pet had bumped the remote, but I randomly came across this and I'm quite sure there's more to it now. The MyQ app tracks history of opening and closing, so I've started watching that. This has shown some definite random openings. Contacted LiftMaster and they told me to reprogram everything, which I'll try this weekend. Mine was installed almost exactly 2 years ago.
Fortunately, this is a detached garage with nothing TOO valuable inside (other than the cars).
drawz
Member
Replying to my own post...
I took my 880LM off the wall - capacitors visibly look ok, no evidence of shorting on the board or due to excess wire.
Liftmaster support asked me to clear all remotes and reprogram them. This led me to look at the manual for the 880LM, which tells you that you can see the number of programmed devices on the LCD through a hidden service menu. Turns out, there was an extra remote programmed somehow. So I cleared them all out and reprogrammed them. Time will tell if this was the problem.
chrismenke
Well-known member
I’ve done this and mine is off unless called for. The ****** part is this gargae door opener takes two minutes to “boot up”, so if I forget to activate the outlets 2 minutes from home I’ve got to wait in the drive.
Free....
I did the coupon code form, went to Chamberlains site, and bought the replacement 888LM. Unfortunately I was using my phone to do this, and I missed the "insert coupon code" section apparently before getting too far along and having the order processed.
Immediately (within minutes) I emailed Chamberlain about this asking to apply the coupon code to the order. This was however during the Christmas holiday time and the order was charged before Chamberlin was back to work. Anyhow, I got a response from Ebonee that "I have added the coupon code to your order." Ok, but it's already been charged and processed at this point.
I reply that I've already been charged, and haven't received a refund after she applied the code.
Her reply was "I am cross checking the code to figure why it was not honored in our system. So far I cannot find that code in our system. Where did you get this coupon code?"
I then replied, with screen shots of the form, included the link to it as well, and included screen shots of Chamberlains site itself with the details of this.
Her response was "I have sent this information to my supervisor to be reviewed because this should have been a warranty order but I am showing that this order was placed online. I am working to get the credit approved I will have an update for you within 48 hours."
It has now been almost 2 months of continual "I am still working with my supervisor to get this credit approved". How F#(K1\G hard is it to get a refund approved?
At this point it's quite clear they intend to keep stringing me on. I get no response from leaving voice mails, and have no other contact besides Ebonee via email.
This *****. I was using a momentary push button to control my door after my first 888LM failed. Not sure why I even decided to get it replaced at this point.
cajunfirehawk
Well-known member
So is this "recall" over? The old link takes you to a page where u enter email and logon password...says nothing about a recall?
slodat
ALLIANCE MEMBER
If you have a home automation system (I use Homeseer) you can automate this to varying degrees. In my case I manually turn them on and all are automatically turned off daily.
I have 3 8500 openers, installed Oct 2015. Woke up last week to one of the doors open on it's own. The wall controller was dark. Called LM and they needed the serial number and mfg date off the 8500. Called back with that and she had 2 888lm's sent out. Good thing she sent 2, woke up to a second door open this morning. Wondering when the 3rd will die. Didn't even get the parts yet.
Was told the problem dates were between 2013 and 2016.
Was told the problem dates were between 2013 and 2016.
FWIW, I looked at the circuit boards with a jewelers loup of the failed controllers and the lone working controller. The failed look like they delaminated and there was some greasiness like flux in a small area where they failed. The working board looked clean. Might just be residue from a component failure or maybe they got contaminated when built. Wish I could get a pic.
Also, there is no mention of this "recall" on the website. I just called the tech support number and gave them a serial number that fell within the affected dates.
Also, there is no mention of this "recall" on the website. I just called the tech support number and gave them a serial number that fell within the affected dates.