Garage door help

[CAROLINA CUMMINS]

Hey guys,



Thought ya'll could help me with my garage door opener, it's having issues. It operates the door on my shop here at the house. About 20'w x 12'h. It's worked perfectly for about 20 yr, so I guess it's done it's dues, but now it's all the way up, and when you press down, the solenoid sticks until it kicks the reset on the operator. I climbed up there and checked the motor, it's not locked up and all the chains, and bearings turn freely. Googled the company and the model, but not finding much? any garage door specialists out there?? Thanks



Steven

 

[icman95]

Is there a small rope with a handle on the end hanging down from where the door is connected to the lift system? If so, you can pull it to unlatch the door from the lifter and that way you'll at least be able to shut the door by hand while you figure out the opener. I'm just not sure how easy it will be to control the doward slide with one that big. I wish I could be of more help on the technical side, by I've never had to repair mine, so I'm not too familiar with it.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Not much on garage door openers but have worked on a couple. There are limit switches that stops the opener in full open and full closed positions.

they may also reverse the motor????? bg

 

[CAROLINA CUMMINS]

hey guys thanks, for the replies.



It's something in the motor or the electrical end of it. The switches that stop the up/downward movement are ok, it's stopped all the way up now. If you try to roll it down, the solenoid for that operation hangs until the reset switch kicks.



Not sure how heavy it is, gonna try that later. :-laf



Sorry, the opener is a Automatic Doorman. Model MCB; bout a 1/2 hp motor

 

[p-Bar]

try setting the sensitivity higher for the up down

 

[2-ND TIME]

Hmmmmm I don't know on these two, This is where it is nice just to have a look but I suspect that the starting windings poles are worn enough that it isn't giving a phase shift for the motor? Hence just mumms till it draws too much current? See if there is a screw there and adjust is alittle at a time to see if that works? Or I didn't suppose that it has a half orange size metal cover on the side of the motor for if it does it is likely an dead capacitor, if so mark the wire colours. Look for the ( Capacitance of it) and see if you can get another one? Capacitor start and run are better motors.

 

[rbattelle]

The first thing I'd do is pull the cord and manually shut the door. Then push the button and see if the motor runs the door-pull bracket down the track as though it were closing the door.

The act of closing the door manually will give you a feel for how much resistance is in it. As long as the door spring is still attached and functional the door won't be heavy at all - most of the weight is borne by the spring.

A few years ago my door started throwing the cables that connect it to the spring. I carefully regreased the entire door and haven't had a single bit of trouble with it since. It's been about 3 years now.

Ryan

 

[CAROLINA CUMMINS]

Hey guys, thanks for the replies,



I'm just operating it manually for right now, that big a door is a little heavy opening it, but no biggie. I'll work on the operator later on, I got some stuff in there to work on right now and don't want to be dropping stuff from 13' on it.



Thanks, Steven.

 

[sarj]

check your open and closed limits electrically with a meter with the wires disconnected. Label them before disconnecting them. Sometimes there's an electrical interlock between the two; one has to be closed while the other is open. Otherwise you may just have some residual magnetism on the control relay armatures... that's the little flat piece of metal that gets sucked in when the relay gets energized. Throw a meter across the coil to see if it's energized when you are running it up or down, and make sure the voltage drops to zero when the limit switch opens. If it does, and the relay stays in, you either have some pitted contacts on the relay which you can file, or the armature (the flat piece of metal that gets sucked in when the relay is energized) has developed some residual magnetism. Take a couple pieces of paper and slip it between the coil and the armature, and that usually cures the residual magnetism most of the time. I'm assuming parts aren't available to replace the coil.



I've been running the same chain driven opener for over 30 years and it runs P-B with a little love. The new openers are junk in comparison.

 

[sweeda]

check the drive gear for play it sounds like the shaft has to much play. years of use can wear on the armature and cause it to bind when trying to move the door down( it takes more force to lower the door than to raise it). The spring makes it easier to open and stops it from slamming shut. so there is more of a load on the down motion than up. If it's got a noticable gap when moving the shaft than call a professional to install a new unit. I put my own in twice before(in my normal 7' garage door) and would not attempt it 13' up. I HATE being on a ladder. Good Luck!

 

[hcole]

The motor has a rotating switch that operates a stationary switch on the end bell opposite the shaft end. I would guess that you have finally wore the contacts out on the stationary switch. This switch is designed to open the starting winding on the motor when it gets up to 3/4 speed. If the contacts aren't closed on start up, you only have one winding (running) energized and it will trip the overload. You can take the motor off and have it repaired for approximately 40-50 bucks at a motor shop. Make sure that you tie off your door so it will not move when you take the motor off, and then you won't have to reset your limit switches.