Sun radiation affecting garage door?

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arnies

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#311429 15-Jan-2024 08:55

I've got an old chamberlain MLR-750 garage door, which runs on a single 433.92MHz according to the manual (https://www.waverleygaragedoors.com.au/instruction-manuals/Merlin%20MLR750.pdf).

On sunny days when the sunlight is hitting the garage we find our remote controls are very intermittent. Sometimes they don't work unless directly under the antenna. I suspect radiation from the sun + every other RF interfererence you get these days is causing issues.

I emailed a garage company and of course they are trying to sell me a full unit for $1k.

I think i could get a tri-band receiver like https://www.gomerlin.co.nz/product/3-channel-universal-receiver/ for $150 and wire it up. It's still in the 433mhz range though.

Has anyone had a problem like this?

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#3181937 15-Jan-2024 08:59

Did you try replacing the batteries in the remote?

Don't waste $150 on a universal receiver. You can for under $10 buy a receiver and a few remotes from AliExpress and just wire them up to the terminals for the wall button (in parallel if you use both). You need to provide it with power, which may add a little to the cost.

arnies

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#3181938 15-Jan-2024 09:00

The remote is not the issue. New remotes and new batteries.

fearandloathing

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#3182057 15-Jan-2024 10:25

Do you have any wifi devices close to the receiver

richms

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#3182058 15-Jan-2024 10:25

Its the 433MHz band and the junk wideband sensitive regenerative receivers that they use in these things to cope with remotes that drift.

Anything on the band near it will deafen the receiver as it increases the level for the comparator to detect the wanted signal to the point that you have to be almost touching it.

When I looked into this for a friend who had problems with their relic of an opener, my SDR showed some noise on the band that was almost constantly there. Not enough of a radio guru to be able to see anymore but they just automated the door with a cheap tuya based relay to be able to control it from their phones as the opener was on its last legs and was going to get replaced.

Richard rich.ms

Varkk

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#3182063 15-Jan-2024 10:42

You say it is when the sun is hitting the garage. Is it possible it is a heat related issue. Are you able to cool the unit down with some airflow or something and test it?

prat33k

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#3182068 15-Jan-2024 10:51

Or you could get a $30 Shelly device and open the garage from your mobile phone!

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robjg63

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#3182130 15-Jan-2024 11:19

Trying to eliminate overheating and making sure you have new batteries in the remote would certainly be a first step.

If both remotes (you have more than one?) are not working then its the opener or interference.

But rather than buying universal remotes, you could look at a wifi based solution.

Do you have wifi coverage as far as your garage?

If so, something like this https://tradedepot.co.nz/tdx-wifi-garage-door-opener/ ($49) would work.

(you can find cheaper units like this on Temu/Aliexpress etc but the Tradedepot unit is quite well priced IMHO).

The unit would use something like a USB power supply (Not sure that comes in the box, but you can buy them anywhere) and has a couple of wires that just connect to the 2 screws on the opener unit that your wall switch currently uses.

You would install it and connect it to your home wifi.

Then just install their app on your phone and connect up.

They have a sensor that you install as part of the kit, so you can check remotely if your door is open or closed and get alerts on your phone when the door is opened or closed if you want.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

traderstu

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#3182218 15-Jan-2024 14:19

I was very disappointed with the range of our remotes in our new build - Dominator openers. The front bumper of the car was nearly touching the door before the remote would work. I soldered a wire onto the antenna wire (actually a twisted pair from some Cat6 cable - just what I had lying around) and extended it down the length of the centre track. The remotes now work from about 45m away.

Could be worth a try.

arnies

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#3182220 15-Jan-2024 14:23

Varkk:

You say it is when the sun is hitting the garage. Is it possible it is a heat related issue. Are you able to cool the unit down with some airflow or something and test it?

I don't think so, because it operates completely fine when i press the button indoors and when i get close enough it works.

The range just seems very reduced. But i'll keep this in mind and do some testing next time it happens.

WellyGeek

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#3182269 15-Jan-2024 17:34

It is working at close range tends to suggest a dodgy RF front end of the receiver in the garage unit that plays up when heated. It could be just intermittent connections due to heat expansion. If you are confident just take the unit apart and start tracing potential faults starting from:

Antenna wire connecting to circuit board
all the front end components (of the RF amp) to see if there is any potential dry joints

If all the connections and joints looks OK then it is a component level failure (when heated up) of the front end amp is likely.

Oblivian

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#3182325 15-Jan-2024 18:11

Wireless weather stations mear? They get solar during the day also transit on that band. And more data when it has to deal with uv etc?...

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mattwnz

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#3182330 15-Jan-2024 18:32

traderstu:

I was very disappointed with the range of our remotes in our new build - Dominator openers. The front bumper of the car was nearly touching the door before the remote would work. I soldered a wire onto the antenna wire (actually a twisted pair from some Cat6 cable - just what I had lying around) and extended it down the length of the centre track. The remotes now work from about 45m away.

Could be worth a try.

That doesn't' sound right. Mine would work down the road and it is their newer openers.

traderstu

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#3182505 16-Jan-2024 08:05

mattwnz:

traderstu:

I was very disappointed with the range of our remotes in our new build - Dominator openers. The front bumper of the car was nearly touching the door before the remote would work. I soldered a wire onto the antenna wire (actually a twisted pair from some Cat6 cable - just what I had lying around) and extended it down the length of the centre track. The remotes now work from about 45m away.

Could be worth a try.

That doesn't' sound right. Mine would work down the road and it is their newer openers.

Well, I guess it's a case of YMMV. All I know is we have 2 openers, 4 remotes, all with the same problem. The cynic in me thought it was a "feature", designed to limit the risk of accidently squishing small kids and animals.

MadEngineer

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#3183183 17-Jan-2024 17:37

On the interference front, any large businesses or sports grounds nearby?

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

mattwnz

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#3183185 17-Jan-2024 17:54

traderstu:

Well, I guess it's a case of YMMV. All I know is we have 2 openers, 4 remotes, all with the same problem. The cynic in me thought it was a "feature", designed to limit the risk of accidently squishing small kids and animals.

I just tested the range on my parents. They have 3 Dominator doors and openers installed about 3 years ago and all of those will open from down the street using the keyfob opners, so also have a long range. It sounds like it could be an issue with the main receiving unit.