I've got an Overhead (brand) door opener that has failed after 4 years of
light use.

Any opinions on the best and most durable brand(s) of garage door opener?

Thanks

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
I've got an Overhead (brand) door opener that has failed after 4 years of
light use.

Any opinions on the best and most durable brand(s) of garage door opener?

Thanks

I just had my spring replaced and the guy told me that LiftMaster brand are
the best. They are supposed to be very quiet.

Jack S wrote:
I've got an Overhead (brand) door opener that has failed after 4
years of light use.

Any opinions on the best and most durable brand(s) of garage door
opener?
Thanks

What failed? Most any brand should have lasted longer than that. I
would suggest you either had a defective unit or the install was defective.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Jack S wrote:
I've got an Overhead (brand) door opener that has failed after 4
years of light use.

Any opinions on the best and most durable brand(s) of garage door
opener?
Thanks

What failed? Most any brand should have lasted longer than that. I
would suggest you either had a defective unit or the install was
defective.

Some weeks ago, it started reversing before completely opening or closing. A
few tries were needed to get it to function right.
I made sure the door was balanced and lubed everything, to no effect.

Then it quit working - the motor would run, but no door rail movement.

I opened things up and found the main screw drive housing was broken and
kept the drive gears from engaging right.

I bought a new housing and installed it, and it worked., for a couple weeks.

Now it's ****ed again and I'm not going to pay $80/hr to have the Overhead
maintenance guy come out and mess with it.

Unless somebody can diagnose it from this info, I think I'll either install,
or have instaled, a new set up.
I'm not inclined to just buy another Overhead motor drive and set it in,
having seen how flimsy their drive housing is.

I posted a similar question just a day or two ago here, and quite a few
replies took place with excellent info. You might want to look at that also
Jack. The subject line is:

"Best" garage door opener?


Smarty


"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Jack S wrote:
I've got an Overhead (brand) door opener that has failed after 4
years of light use.

Any opinions on the best and most durable brand(s) of garage door
opener?
Thanks

What failed? Most any brand should have lasted longer than that. I
would suggest you either had a defective unit or the install was
defective.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

I had a couple of Sears units that as far as I know, are still in use
after 15 years. I have a Genie screw drive type now in a new home. The
Sears units were chain drive. The screw drive is MUCH more quiet, and
I don't have to deal with chain wear/tension issues. Just grease it up
good once a year, and that is all that is necessary.

My son got about 10 years out of a Genie chain drive, then replaced it
with a screw drive model a year or so ago.

I think a lot depends on just how much use they get, single versus
double door, etc., etc. Figure a morning's work to replace one, and
price less than $250 usually, so 10 years would be more than
sufficient, IMHO.

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
Some weeks ago, it started reversing before completely opening or closing.
A few tries were needed to get it to function right.

Garage door openers have safety mechanism that reverses direction when it
senses resistance.

Perhaps this is a clue that something is binding?

I made sure the door was balanced and lubed everything, to no effect.

I assume you are able to opena and close the door manually with little
effort and with no binding?

Then it quit working - the motor would run, but no door rail movement.

Try running the opener with the door disengaged and see if there is any
noticeable kinks in the movement.

Even if it passes both test, there could still be something binding when the
door and the opener are linked. Perhaps next time you see this problem try
to "help" the door by hand as it opens/closes and see if it reduces the
reversal. You may also sense a kink in the door as it opens/closes.
Unfortunately, to do this test you have to repair the broken part again.

I opened things up and found the main screw drive housing was broken and
kept the drive gears from engaging right.

Could the part be broken due to excessive opening/closing force? If so, it
reinforces the clue that something is binding.

Some weeks ago, it started reversing before completely opening or
closing.

With mine, at certain times of the year, the early morning sun shines on one
of the sensors, causing it to reverse itself. You have to go outside the
garage door and stand so that your shadow blocks the sun from the sensor.

The thing about drove me crazy before I figured it out.

Steve

"peter" wrote in message
news:ktMXh.8521$oo5.8213@trndny06...

"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...
Some weeks ago, it started reversing before completely opening or
closing. A few tries were needed to get it to function right.

Garage door openers have safety mechanism that reverses direction when it
senses resistance.

No, the door is fine, and the malfunction occurs with the door disconnected
from the "runner".

It might be the logic board, which means the whole thing is shot.




Perhaps this is a clue that something is binding?

I made sure the door was balanced and lubed everything, to no effect.

I assume you are able to opena and close the door manually with little
effort and with no binding?

Then it quit working - the motor would run, but no door rail movement.

Try running the opener with the door disengaged and see if there is any
noticeable kinks in the movement.

Even if it passes both test, there could still be something binding when
the door and the opener are linked. Perhaps next time you see this problem
try to "help" the door by hand as it opens/closes and see if it reduces
the reversal. You may also sense a kink in the door as it opens/closes.
Unfortunately, to do this test you have to repair the broken part again.

I opened things up and found the main screw drive housing was broken and
kept the drive gears from engaging right.

Could the part be broken due to excessive opening/closing force? If so, it
reinforces the clue that something is binding.

you need(ed) to reverse the two sensors. I don't remember which is which,
but one color or the other is not supposed to be in the sun if possible.
That's another reason they work great mounted on the ceiling above the unit
a foot apart.

--
Steve Barker




"Steve B" wrote in message
...
Some weeks ago, it started reversing before completely opening or
closing.

With mine, at certain times of the year, the early morning sun shines on
one of the sensors, causing it to reverse itself. You have to go outside
the garage door and stand so that your shadow blocks the sun from the
sensor.

The thing about drove me crazy before I figured it out.

Steve

"Steve Barker" writes:
you need(ed) to reverse the two sensors. I don't remember which is which,
but one color or the other is not supposed to be in the sun if possible.
That's another reason they work great mounted on the ceiling above the unit
a foot apart.

Though that placement doesn't do a very good job of detecting objects
blocking the doorway, which is the whole point of having those sensors.

Dave

Ya, but I can push the button and walk out the doors without having to
perform a gymnast act to do it.

--
Steve Barker




"Dave Martindale" wrote in message
...
"Steve Barker" writes:
you need(ed) to reverse the two sensors. I don't remember which is which,
but one color or the other is not supposed to be in the sun if possible.
That's another reason they work great mounted on the ceiling above the
unit
a foot apart.

Though that placement doesn't do a very good job of detecting objects
blocking the doorway, which is the whole point of having those sensors.

Dave

"Steve Barker" writes:
you need(ed) to reverse the two sensors. I don't remember which is which,
but one color or the other is not supposed to be in the sun if possible.
That's another reason they work great mounted on the ceiling above the
unit
a foot apart.

Can you explain that? I do not see the reasoning of putting them on the
ceiling if they can't sense something blocking the door opening.

Steve

On Apr 26, 1:14 am, "Steve B" wrote:
"Steve Barker" writes:
you need(ed) to reverse the two sensors. I don't remember which is which,
but one color or the other is not supposed to be in the sun if possible.
That's another reason they work great mounted on the ceiling above the
unit
a foot apart.

Can you explain that? I do not see the reasoning of putting them on the
ceiling if they can't sense something blocking the door opening.

Steve


His reasoning, which I don't agree with, is to defeat the safety
sensor and render it useless by putting it in that location. On my
Sears unit, not only does it function as a safety, but it also turns
the lights in the opener on when you break the beam by walking by.
Which is nice if you have the garage door open and walk in from the
outside at night.

One of our rental houses has that feature. I must admit, it is handy.

--
Steve Barker




wrote in message
ups.com...
On my
Sears unit, not only does it function as a safety, but it also turns
the lights in the opener on when you break the beam by walking by.
Which is nice if you have the garage door open and walk in from the
outside at night.

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
"Steve Barker" writes:
you need(ed) to reverse the two sensors. I don't remember which is
which,
but one color or the other is not supposed to be in the sun if possible.
That's another reason they work great mounted on the ceiling above the
unit
a foot apart.

Can you explain that? I do not see the reasoning of putting them on the
ceiling if they can't sense something blocking the door opening.

That feature was designed to avoid injuring children by the door lowering on
them. Disabling it could set the owner up for a law suit.





Steve

Some people just won't learn until the $#!+ hits the fan.

Rich
http://www.garagedoorpartsllc.com



"Jack S" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
"Steve Barker" writes:
you need(ed) to reverse the two sensors. I don't remember which is
which,
but one color or the other is not supposed to be in the sun if possible.
That's another reason they work great mounted on the ceiling above the
unit
a foot apart.

Can you explain that? I do not see the reasoning of putting them on the
ceiling if they can't sense something blocking the door opening.

That feature was designed to avoid injuring children by the door lowering
on them. Disabling it could set the owner up for a law suit.





Steve

On Thu, 26 Apr 2007 04:30:14 +0000 (UTC), (Dave
Martindale) wrote:

"Steve Barker" writes:
you need(ed) to reverse the two sensors.

Either that or reverse the sun.

I don't remember which is which,
but one color or the other is not supposed to be in the sun if possible.
That's another reason they work great mounted on the ceiling above the unit
a foot apart.

Though that placement doesn't do a very good job of detecting objects
blocking the doorway, which is the whole point of having those sensors.

It's good at detecting bats.

Dave