Garage Door Stopped Opening/Replugged Worked Again

I have an old Genie 98 Garage Door opener. It had a repair earlier in the = year and the worker said it could last years or go out in a month-- you jus= t don't know. In the last month it just stopped, I pulled the plug, plugge= d it back and it worked fine. A day ago, it wouldn't work again. Again, I= unplugged it, plugged it back and it worked fine. Any idea what caused it= , or is it just plain time for a new one.

One company quoted me the following (which seemed a bit high)

" 1 - Liftmaster 1345 1/3 HP Chain drive motor with two remotes - $425.00 or= =20

1 - Liftmaster 3280 1/2 HP Belt drive motor with two remotes & keyless entr= y (code pad) $470.00 or=20

1 - Liftmaster 8550 3/4 HP Belt drive motor with battery back up, two remot= es and keyless entry $570.00=20

Prices include remove and hauling the old motor, parts labor and tax. You = would also get the safety photo and new wall console with any of the motors= ."

Reply to
Senin
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year and the worker said it could last years or go out in a month-- you just don't know.  In the last month it just stopped, I pulled the plug, plugged it back and it worked fine.  A day ago, it wouldn't work again.  Again, I unplugged it, plugged it back and it worked fine.  Any idea what caused it, or is it just plain time for a new one.

 (code pad) $470.00 or

and keyless entry $570.00

would also get the safety photo and new wall console with any of the motors."

I have the same problem tho it only happens perhaps once or twice a year. I think the memory on board gets messed up. I do have a cheapie surge protector on mine.

Funny story... I told my brother in law years ago that I did this and he just ignored me. I heard more recently he had a spike and it cost him some bucks to fix the opener. Now he uses a surge protector on it.

Reply to
Doug

e year and the worker said it could last years or go out in a month-- you j= ust don't know. In the last month it just stopped, I pulled the plug, plug= ged it back and it worked fine. A day ago, it wouldn't work again. Again,= I unplugged it, plugged it back and it worked fine. Any idea what caused = it, or is it just plain time for a new one.

try (code pad) $470.00 or=20

otes and keyless entry $570.00=20

u would also get the safety photo and new wall console with any of the moto= rs."

It may be easiest to install another Genie because the mounting hardware an= d dimensions may be identical. Liftmaster is the same as Chamberlain and S= ears Kenmore, only with a one-piece overhead rail instead of a 2-3 piece ra= il that bolts together (no big deal). Chain and belt drive are about the s= ame, including for noise level, but Chamberlain uses a quieter motor with t= heir belt drive models (the motor brushes are muffled?). Unlike the old Ge= nie plastic belt drive models, the Chamberlain belts are OK because they're= rubber cogged belts, just like the timing belts used for car engines. =20

When you say the opener didn't work, do you mean it was 100% dead, or did t= he overhead light turn on or some clicking noise occurred? Because if ther= e was some sign of life, there's a chance the motor start capacitor has gon= e bad. It's a cylinder about 1-2" diameter and 3-5" long and should be ava= ilable from any electrical or air conditioning/heating supply. Another pos= sibility is that one of the big plastic drive gears has cracked, a common p= roblem.

I'd unplug the AC power (IMPORTANT!) and then remove the circuit board beca= use I think it may simply have solder joints that cracked from years of mot= or vibration. Inspect under bright light and a magnifying glass because so= lder cracks can sometimes be nearly microscopic. The joints most likely to= have failed are at connectors, heavy components, and hot components (darke= ned areas of circuit board). Resolder with a 30-40 watt iron and some rosi= n flux or fresh rosin-core solder. Also look at the plastic wrapped cylind= rical devices -- electrolytic capacitors, for any that are bulging or leaki= ng at the ends. Sometimes an opener motor won't run because the relay cont= acts have burnt. There are usually 3 relays -- one to open the door, anoth= er to close it, and a third to operate the overhead light. Sometimes swapp= ing the relay for the overhead light for one of the motor relays will fix t= he opener. These relays are in plastic boxes that can sometimes be opened,= but to clean their internal contacts relays just rub an alcohol-dampened (= not soaked) business card between the contacts while pinching them together= ; do not file. Those relays are standard parts, but it can be hard to find= one of the exact same physical dimensions and layout, although you may be = able to find them at Newark Electronics, Allied Electronics, or Digi-Key, a= nd the latter company charges very little for shipping on small orders. So= metimes the relay is OK but the transistor connected to its coil has blown = out from high voltage generated by coil, in which case you have to replace = both the transistor and the diode meant to protect the transistor from that= .

Reply to
larrymoencurly

the year and the worker said it could last years or go out in a month-- you= just don't know. =A0In the last month it just stopped, I pulled the plug, = plugged it back and it worked fine. =A0A day ago, it wouldn't work again. = =A0Again, I unplugged it, plugged it back and it worked fine. =A0Any idea w= hat caused it, or is it just plain time for a new one.

try =A0(code pad) $470.00 or

otes and keyless entry $570.00

You would also get the safety photo and new wall console with any of the mo= tors."

If the electro-mechanical components are all in good shape & the units runs well (when it runs), consider replacing the board.

Check this out...

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cheers Bob

Reply to
DD_BobK

n the year and the worker said it could last years or go out in a month-- y= ou just don't know. =A0In the last month it just stopped, I pulled the plug= , plugged it back and it worked fine. =A0A day ago, it wouldn't work again.= =A0Again, I unplugged it, plugged it back and it worked fine. =A0Any idea = what caused it, or is it just plain time for a new one.

entry =A0(code pad) $470.00 or

emotes and keyless entry $570.00

=A0You would also get the safety photo and new wall console with any of the= motors."

My 10-year old Genie wore out. I now have a new Genie Silent Max 1000

3/4HP..... it is very quiet. It will handle a heavier door if I decide to get a new hurricane resistant door (they weigh more) later. Came with two garage door openers. Home Depot is where I bought it and they installed it.
Reply to
Dottie

Heavier doors have stronger springs. Properly adjusted springs should very effectively equilibrate door weight so as to "neutralize" it.

cheers Bob

Reply to
DD_BobK

I had the door braces upgraded to meet hurricane door standards several years ago -- just didn't get a new door. The home inspection man said the braces were what really mattered.

Reply to
Dottie

I know nothing about hurricane door standards but that doesn't seem to make sense.

I'm not sure what you mean by "braces" but if I have something really strong (the braces) holding a really strong door in place, I'd assume the hurricane wouldn't blow it down.

However, if I have something really strong (the braces) holding a piece of cardboard in place, I'd assume the hurricane would blow the cardboard in, reardless of how strong the braces are.

Am I missing something?

Reply to
DerbyDad03

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