rolling door opener recommendation

[wstephens1249]

Hello all, I've recently had a garage built with 2 12'x12' roll up doors and I am looking for openers to add to them to make life that much easier. They are dead shaft style doors with a chain to raise and lower them.

I am looking for the most cost effective and easiest way to add openers to them.

I was originally looking at the lift master 8500 but those have me terrified so I'm not sure what to think there.

I've also seen the lift master 8950 but it seems awfully similar to the 8500. Is there any experience with that model? https://www.northshorecommercialdoor.com/liftmaster-8950w-operator.html

Some one here briefly mentioned Zap openers, I've never heard of them. They come in a completely different style but still cost effective and intriguing. Thoughts or expereince???? https://www.northshorecommercialdoor.com/zapmo815rgmi.html

I'm open to any other input that anyone would have.

Thanks.

 

[tapered-pin]

what scared you about the Liftmaster 8500 series?
(they're for sectional doors anyway, not coiling doors)

what you need is a coiling door electric motor that will replace the chain hoist. (or the 3950 you've already identified)

coiling doors are almost exclusively for an commercial/industrial application, so any actuator isn't going to be cheap.

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

Liftmaster makes several openers for rolling sheet doors. You will probably have to install the opener specific sprocket on the drum, can that be done with tension on the springs? Might be time to ask a professional installer or dealer about options.

 

[wstephens1249]

Liftmaster makes several openers for rolling sheet doors. You will probably have to install the opener specific sprocket on the drum, can that be done with tension on the springs? Might be time to ask a professional installer or dealer about options.

So That Lift master 8950 comes with a sprocket and spacers to add to the drum end of the rolling door and then it turns it via chain. The thing that worries me with that is motor and control (I dont know what its technical term is) looks similar to the 8500 and could be the same opener but with different means of connections. Many owners of the 8500 have had issues with them dying prematurely and leaving their door wide open.

The Zap opener is belt driven and seems a lot simpler unit. It is also seems to not be a well known brand, at least to me.

 

[rsanter]

Do you have three phase by chance?
I have an industrial lift master opener that I got but ends up I’m not using

 

[wstephens1249]

Do you have three phase by chance?
I have an industrial lift master opener that I got but ends up I’m not using

No, I dont.

 

[tapered-pin]

Many owners of the 8500 have had issues with them dying prematurely and leaving their door wide open.

I had never heard of that issue until I read your OP, then I saw 2 other threads that mentioned it.

interesting.. I've only had my opener for a few months, but my brother has had his for almost 5 years and it's never given him any trouble at all.

one of the other threads I saw yesterday mentioned that LM will send you a replacement control that is supposed to fix the problem.