chain drive garage door opener
 

Neighbor complaining of a rattling noise. Didn't take more
than a moment to determine chain is slack on his GDO.
Simple fix -- end of story.

But, got me wondering as to the potential downside of a
"slack" chain -- beyond the noise and *eventual* wear
on it and the drive bar from that rubbing.

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...

chain drive garage door opener
 

On Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 10:04:46 AM UTC-6, Don Y wrote:

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...

There's a spring in the door-capture mechanism that cushions excess tension.

chain drive garage door opener
 

On 2/4/2016 8:04 AM, Don Y wrote:
Neighbor complaining of a rattling noise. Didn't take more
than a moment to determine chain is slack on his GDO.
Simple fix -- end of story.

But, got me wondering as to the potential downside of a
"slack" chain -- beyond the noise and *eventual* wear
on it and the drive bar from that rubbing.

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...
If it's like my door opener, which has a slack chain about every three
months, there is an adjustment screw on the back of the motor/gear box.
Climb up there and tighten the chain.

I have not yet found a way to keep the adjustment from moving and
slacking the chain.

Paul

chain drive garage door opener
 

On 2/4/2016 10:47 AM, Paul Drahn wrote:
On 2/4/2016 8:04 AM, Don Y wrote:
Neighbor complaining of a rattling noise. Didn't take more
than a moment to determine chain is slack on his GDO.
Simple fix -- end of story.

But, got me wondering as to the potential downside of a
"slack" chain -- beyond the noise and *eventual* wear
on it and the drive bar from that rubbing.

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...
If it's like my door opener, which has a slack chain about every three months,
there is an adjustment screw on the back of the motor/gear box. Climb up there
and tighten the chain.

I have not yet found a way to keep the adjustment from moving and slacking the
chain.

This adjustment is in series with the chain -- i.e., the attachment of the
chain is via a variable length (threaded rod) member; shorten it and the
chain is effectively tightened. *It* doesn't "move" (with wear).

I'm just curious as to the downside of a slack chain (assuming it is not
excessive)

chain drive garage door opener
 

On 2/4/2016 10:08 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 2/4/2016 10:47 AM, Paul Drahn wrote:
On 2/4/2016 8:04 AM, Don Y wrote:
Neighbor complaining of a rattling noise. Didn't take more
than a moment to determine chain is slack on his GDO.
Simple fix -- end of story.

But, got me wondering as to the potential downside of a
"slack" chain -- beyond the noise and *eventual* wear
on it and the drive bar from that rubbing.

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...
If it's like my door opener, which has a slack chain about every three
months,
there is an adjustment screw on the back of the motor/gear box. Climb
up there
and tighten the chain.

I have not yet found a way to keep the adjustment from moving and
slacking the
chain.

This adjustment is in series with the chain -- i.e., the attachment of the
chain is via a variable length (threaded rod) member; shorten it and the
chain is effectively tightened. *It* doesn't "move" (with wear).

I'm just curious as to the downside of a slack chain (assuming it is not
excessive)

The downside is it wears the paint on the front of the door!

Paul

chain drive garage door opener
 

On 2/4/2016 11:23 AM, Paul Drahn wrote:
On 2/4/2016 10:08 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 2/4/2016 10:47 AM, Paul Drahn wrote:
On 2/4/2016 8:04 AM, Don Y wrote:
Neighbor complaining of a rattling noise. Didn't take more
than a moment to determine chain is slack on his GDO.
Simple fix -- end of story.

But, got me wondering as to the potential downside of a
"slack" chain -- beyond the noise and *eventual* wear
on it and the drive bar from that rubbing.

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...
If it's like my door opener, which has a slack chain about every three
months,
there is an adjustment screw on the back of the motor/gear box. Climb
up there
and tighten the chain.

I have not yet found a way to keep the adjustment from moving and
slacking the
chain.

This adjustment is in series with the chain -- i.e., the attachment of the
chain is via a variable length (threaded rod) member; shorten it and the
chain is effectively tightened. *It* doesn't "move" (with wear).

I'm just curious as to the downside of a slack chain (assuming it is not
excessive)

The downside is it wears the paint on the front of the door!

It would have to be *really* loose to sag that much!

chain drive garage door opener
 

Paul Drahn wrote:
On 2/4/2016 10:08 AM, Don Y wrote:
On 2/4/2016 10:47 AM, Paul Drahn wrote:
On 2/4/2016 8:04 AM, Don Y wrote:
Neighbor complaining of a rattling noise. Didn't take more
than a moment to determine chain is slack on his GDO.
Simple fix -- end of story.

But, got me wondering as to the potential downside of a
"slack" chain -- beyond the noise and *eventual* wear
on it and the drive bar from that rubbing.

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...
If it's like my door opener, which has a slack chain about every three
months,
there is an adjustment screw on the back of the motor/gear box. Climb
up there
and tighten the chain.

I have not yet found a way to keep the adjustment from moving and
slacking the
chain.

On some you can move chain sprocket.


This adjustment is in series with the chain -- i.e., the attachment of
the
chain is via a variable length (threaded rod) member; shorten it and the
chain is effectively tightened. *It* doesn't "move" (with wear).

I'm just curious as to the downside of a slack chain (assuming it is not
excessive)

The downside is it wears the paint on the front of the door!

Paul

chain drive garage door opener
 

On Thu, 04 Feb 2016 09:04:19 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

Neighbor complaining of a rattling noise. Didn't take more
than a moment to determine chain is slack on his GDO.
Simple fix -- end of story.

But, got me wondering as to the potential downside of a
"slack" chain -- beyond the noise and *eventual* wear
on it and the drive bar from that rubbing.

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...

Which I why I've always bought Genie screw drives. My oldest one
lasted about 35 years of near daily use. Only repair was to replace
the engagement teeth ($10) once.

chain drive garage door opener
 

On 2/5/2016 5:37 PM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Thu, 04 Feb 2016 09:04:19 -0700, Don Y
wrote:

Neighbor complaining of a rattling noise. Didn't take more
than a moment to determine chain is slack on his GDO.
Simple fix -- end of story.

But, got me wondering as to the potential downside of a
"slack" chain -- beyond the noise and *eventual* wear
on it and the drive bar from that rubbing.

OTOH, a *taut* chain is a recipe for premature wear in
the mechanism...

Which I why I've always bought Genie screw drives. My oldest one
lasted about 35 years of near daily use. Only repair was to replace
the engagement teeth ($10) once.

Screw drive openers hae minimum size requirements placed on the
garage! I bought one for my BinL as a gift. It sat in an unopened box
until long after they sold their condo: couldn't *cut* the screw to
make it fit in the space they had available (a chain drive would
have been relatively easy to alter).