Garage door opener playing up?

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xyeovillian

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#223722 14-Oct-2017 16:51

I have a problem with my garage door motor its a B&D Controll-A-Door4 the motor is working and the chain is moving on the cog on top of the motor but it doesn't have any effect on the door opening or closing fully will start to open then just slip part way.

timmmay

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#1883448 14-Oct-2017 16:55

There are garage door specialists around. Fred Chapman in Wellington for example. When mine played up it was cheapest to get a whole new garage door opening system from the hardware store, install it myself, then have someone come and do a check it was all done ok.

andrewNZ

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#1883487 14-Oct-2017 17:39

Door openers have a release mechanism that allows you to open them with no power. It's usually a red cord coming from where the door links to the chain. It sounds like this is slipping out due to wear or just isn't engaged properly.

Look at the profile of the mechanism part on the chain, they normally have sloping/tapered ends to act as ramps, and a piece in the center with square ends to prevent the catch sliping out (a bit like this )

If someone has pulled the cord, try pushing the door open most of the way then activate the opener, as the catch comes past it will usually engage.

Fred99

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#1883523 14-Oct-2017 18:08

Assuming it's not just the torpedo on the chain not locking in as mentioned by AndrewNZ above, then those units have an internal nylon reduction gear to drive the shaft with the sprocket on it from the motor. These wear then slip under load - but usually make a fair bit of noise from the slipping/graunching gears when that happens - and the OP doesn't mention this.

To check, turn power off, remove lamp cover, then screws holding the outer case on. Plug in (don't stick your fingers in there - there's exposed 230v mains) and operate with the remote. At a guess, when you pull the cover off, there'll be a pile of nylon dust/grindings on the bottom of the case. You then should be able to see what's going on. Be careful removing the cover, IIRC as you remove it then it gets very close to the control circuit board in the rear - and you don't want to wreck that.

You might be able to get parts, but be warned that there were several different versions of this unit, and the gears aren't interchangeable between those versions.