Question on Gargage Door Opener

[Jethro]

An acquaintance at yesterday's neighborhood picnic asked me if I could help him with a problem. He said his opener (make unknown right now until he calls me to tell me) has stopped working. He bought a pair of new Genie sensors at HD, but they didn't help. He said one lights red okay, but the other does not light green. He called Genie and they said you cannot use Genie sensors with other makes.

Is this true? Or, in other words, are sensors interchangeable, or can you only use sensors on an opener of the same make? I really didn't know, but thought I'd ask here.

Thanks

Jethro

[tim1198]

Of course, GE is not going to tell you that their sensors can be used on other systems. How do you know it's the sensors? There is so much that can go wrong, you have to systematically troubleshoot (maybe you've done that) before you start replacing sensors. Sometimes you can jump the sensor connections to test if that's the problem. I'd check the schematics first. good luck

Jethro wrote:

[Jethro]

You echo my feelings. Actually, I have not even seen his doors yet. I expect him to call this AM - I told him to. Then I'll take a look-see, and of course put a test meter on the wires from the opener to/from the sensors. I am just going on what he told me yesterday - even down to the fact that he says the red light comes on but not the green. For all I know, he has the sensors pointing awry.

Thanks

Jethro

[Eric in North TX]

Within a type, they will interchange, but there are significant differences that prohibit interchange between brands and even generations of brands. 2 or 3 companies are making them all under different names, so LiftMaster, Chamberlain and Sears would interchange, while Genie would not. This is not speculation, I've been there done that & have a spare set of Liftmaster eyes to prove it.

[do_not_spam_me]

Unless his opener was also made by Genie, it's true because the each manufacturer's sensor system uses somewhat elaborate pulsating optical and electrical signals for its sensors, both to prevent false triggering and to keep people from bypassing the safety system easily, and the industry never agreed on a single standard for each.. Also some openers have the sensors and wall button tied to the same wiring and therefore are particular about DC voltage levels as well (this has caused problems for Chamberlain/Liftmaster/Sears systems -- sometimes the door could be closed even when the optical beam was blocked).

[Pop`ö]

Hard to say; maybe. You'd have to know whether they're normally open, normally closed at the housing, voltage/feed requirements, etc., to be certain. I had a genie opener once that was so genie-customized nothing but a genie or a gerry-rigged part would work with it. Nothing was standard on it. When you get the model/make, try to research it at the mfg site; if they give specs you might be able to tell.

Pop