I recently installed two Sears openers on my garage doors. They came with remote keypads (wireless) that I mounted outside.
To open the doors with the keypads one must push the 4-key code followed by the Enter key. The problem is that they do not open the doors on the first try. We must invariably re-enter the code to operate a door.
I tried replacing the cheapo batteries provided with fresh alkalines, but to no avail.
If that's not frustrating enough, adding to our irritation are those crummy rubbery keypad buttons that want to move off sideways rather than go straight in when pushed.
Is this normal behavior, or have I gotten two faulty keypads by coincidence? Or could I (heaven forbid!) have made some sort of installation mistake?!
I installed a Sears remote opener like you described a couple of years ago. I remember when I first got it it seemed to mis-enter a lot but that seemed to get better after a few uses. I probably use the keypad once a week or so. I recall the problems went away after a couple of months. If the door opens at all I doubt you made an installation mistake.
I put my keypad opener on the garage trim right by the door. I don't know for sure what the range of the device is but I would suspect the closer the better. Any chance that you have it too far away?
Yeup! I have the same keypad and the same problem. You have to press each button slowly and firmly to get it to work. If you try to quickly enter the numbers it won't work.
This is not normal behaviour for these keypads & we install hundreds of the Liftmaster brand every month w/ almost no failure.
First I would make sure that the antennas on the motor heads are pointing straight down to the floor. If they still do not work properly I would move the keypad to different locations (we too also normally install them on the door trim) & test them before actually screwing them to the wall.
If you find one spot that works well & if your doors are close together (the range is approx 50' to 75') you can use one keypad to open either door. The number is stored in the motor head on the Chamberlain brand (Sears, Craftsman, & Liftmaster) & not in the keypad & therefore will open an unlimited number of doors that are within its range. You could give or sell the other one to anyone that has one of these brands as long as their opener is Security + or rolling code.
How the buttons are pushed usually does not make any difference. The keys are lit w/ LED's that can only be seen when it is dark, but if they light up the key push has been registered.
The factory purposely uses non-alkaline batteries. The keypad is basically a transmitter w/ a code & I don't know the scientific reason for it but some alkaline batteries will actually decrease the range on some transmitters. Many of the manufacturers have recommended for years to use a non-alkaline battery but the bunny has a better marketing campaign.
If all else fails exchange the keypads, but it would be very rare for one person to get two defective ones, since the failure rate is extremely low.
Thanks Kevin, and thanks also to Pat, Bruce, screamingchild, and Doordoc!
The second 'Enter' does seem to help. I also straightened the antenna wires a bit (although they were pretty straight to begin with).
The two doors are side-by-side and the keypads are on the door trim--about as close as they could possibly be to motor heads.
But I'm thinking that perhaps some of the problem IS contact bounce, so I've lightened up my touch, concentrated on straight-in key strokes, and slowed my key-pushing speed a bit.
And so far, on about 4 tests today, after careful attention to all of your suggestions--tah, dah!--they seem to be working!
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