[net.consumers] Garage Door Opener Problem

halle@hou2b.UUCP (J.HALLE) (03/04/85)

I am having a problem with my year-old Sears opener.  When it starts upwards,
it goes about four inches and stops.  When I hit the button again, it goes
back down and up to the same spot, or perhaps a little higher.  Finally,
on the third or fourth try (usually) it goes up all the way.  A similar problem
occurs going down.  It goes about a foot then stops.  The second try is usally
enough to get it down.

The cold weather seems to be the aggravating factor.  It works (nearly) fine
when it is warm and is worse when it is cold.  The problem started when it
got below freezing and stayed there in December or January.

The door itself seems to work OK.  It doesn't seem to be binding.  I have
tried increasing the up force, decreasing it, and adjusting the chain tension
both tighter and looser.  Nothing seems to work.  The only time it works right
in cold weather is immediately after it was used.  Once I get it up and down
successfully, it works OK if I run it again immediately.  But 5 minutes later
it is back to its old tricks.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or do I need to bring it in to the service
shop?  All guesses greatfully accepted.  Thanks in advance.

Jeff Halle			hou2b!halle

rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) (03/04/85)

[]
I would try WD-20 on everything in sight. Sounds like it is friction inside the
motor, but you can't get at that. Just in case, WD-20 wioll lubricate anything 
that needs it and wash off any too heavy grease.

-- 

"It's the thought, if any, that counts!"  Dick Grantges  hound!rfg

ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (03/06/85)

> I am having a problem with my year-old Sears opener.  When it starts upwards,
> it goes about four inches and stops.  When I hit the button again, it goes
> back down and up to the same spot, or perhaps a little higher.  Finally,
> on the third or fourth try (usually) it goes up all the way.  A similar problem
> occurs going down.  It goes about a foot then stops.  The second try is usally
> enough to get it down.
> 
In the garage door openers my parents had, there is a gizmo that measures
when the door is jammed, which serves the purpose of stopping the door
when it is shutting on something and keeps the motor from burning out
trying to pull a door with a broken spring or jammed track.  Perhaps
this needs adjusting.  My parents had that problem, the door would stop
closing before it got anywhere near the bottom of it's travel.

-Ron