V8 Beast Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 I was wondering if anyone has had to deal with this or could point me in the right direction. My garage has some kind of wierd short where it will randomly open by itself. After that happens it has to be unplugged and plugged back in before it will work. I have not been able to pin point it so now I have to unplug my garage everytime I leave so it doesnt go up while Im at work, or sleep. Any ideas what it could be or how to fix it before I replace it? I called a few places but they only wanted to sell me new ones. The worst part is its impossible for me to duplicate. Randomly it will just go up out of the blue. The last time it was a month before it happened again. P.S. The warranty has expired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copperhead Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 start at one end of the wire and go to the other end, wiggling it until it does it. Along the way you may just happen across a bare spot grounding out or something stupid. If all else fails just run new wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8 Beast Posted January 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 start at one end of the wire and go to the other end, wiggling it until it does it. Along the way you may just happen across a bare spot grounding out or something stupid. If all else fails just run new wiring. Checked all the wiring with no luck. There are wires that somehow tell the garage when its all the way down or up. Considering I removed all of the wires but them at one point I was kind of sure it was that. Last time I tried to replace the wires the garage kept trying to pull the door up more even though it was all the way up. I finally got it to stop and thought it was fixed, but then it opened on its own a few weeks later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck531 Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 I'm assuming it has the sensors on the bottom? Maybe one of those is messed up. I know our garage door won't go down if the sun is hitting the right sensor right about 9 am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nurkvinny Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Verify sensors are aimed well and make sure no snow is packed between bottom of door and garage. Then try backing off the "down" setting screw half a turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedfocus1647545489 Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 As mentioned above, start with the safety sensors and work up. I just replaced mine a few weeks ago because of similar issues. Mine would randomly not close and blink the light as though something was blocking the safety sensors. I made sure they were properly aligned and free of debris but it would still only close about 1/4 of the time. I ran new wire down to the sensors to no avail. I then jumpered the terminals where the sensors attach to the opener and found that it would still only close sporadically. I determined it must be a problem with the circuit board inside the opener itself. I found a few boards to fit my model on eBay for about $80. A new one that was nicer than mine was only about $150. So I bought a new opener and swapped the opener and sensors and it works fine again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImUrOBGYN Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 I'm assuming it has the sensors on the bottom? Maybe one of those is messed up. I know our garage door won't go down if the sun is hitting the right sensor right about 9 am Verify sensors are aimed well and make sure no snow is packed between bottom of door and garage. Then try backing off the "down" setting screw half a turn. Since you say you've checked the wiring, I'd go with the two above but I'll add this... It could very well be the garage opener in the garage. I was having issues with my garage opening and closing on it's own, too. I realized the roof had a leak and water was leaking behind the wall and getting in behind the garage door opener in the garage and actuating the damn door without being pushed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 you could also try to reprogram the system and replace the batterys in the openers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spam Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 I bet its the pad to open and shut it. Randomly not opening its much different than randomly not closing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAWDAD Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Reprogram with new security code. Usually there are 10 differant swithes in the opener. Try a new setting, maybe another electronic device in the neighborhood is on the same frequency and causing this. Look at your owners manual for instructions how to reset it. It's free to try this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokin5s Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 you could also try to reprogram the system and replace the batterys in the openers. +1 I bet someone on ur block's transmitter is using ur security key Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KillJoy Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Both our's, and my Parents started doing this. We just ended up replacing the Openers themselves. KillJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTQ B4U Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Chamberlin Brand FTW. Our old one went out with simliar simptoms. Circuit board. They just don't make shit like they used to. My parents opener is about 35 yrs old and works perfectly. The remote is the size of an iphone and 4" thick, but it works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8 Beast Posted January 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 When I removed all the wires that removed the outside keypad and indoor button, and the door sensors. That was when I knew I had found the problem but it still went up later on. I thought is was the neighbors too. I read online this wouldnt cause the need to power cycle it for the hard wired button to work. I reset it anyway and it happened the next week while I was in bed (3am ftl). Looks like its time for a new unit Based on what Im hearing the circuit board probably messed up due to a thunderstorm or moisture or something. Thanks guys.. Just wanted to make sure I wasnt missing anything. Im just going to replace the entire thing, door and all. I tried to be smart and manually lock it. The opener kept pulling until it bent the garage door. Considering its suppose to stop when resisted I know something wierd is happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Jones Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 I had the same thing happen. Nothing like the alarm randomly going off @ 3:30 and an open garage door. Turns out I had a shorted wire from the inside wall button that normally opens/closes it. It was running on top of the main shaft/ drive and vibrated through eventually. Little tape and everything is good as new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brent1976 Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 The photo eyes will only reverse it if it is moving, they have no control after it stops moving. Try reprogramming your transmitters. If it has dip switches, just change a couple in your transmitter, and change the ones in the opener to match. If it says intellicode or security+, there will be a button under the light cover, hold it down until the led light goes out, that clears the memory, then push the button quick, then push the button on your transmitter 3 times. If it is a craftsman/liftmaster/chamberlain, the light will blink. If it is genie the opener will open/close the door. There was a guy in town here who lived next to a guy with ham radios, that could open and close his door, it took about 5 trips out before they figured out what was happening. Sometimes remote controlled cars/airplanes will do it, but I doubt that's going on at 3am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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