Garage door remote help please

[SARLDO 0]

For the past couple of days, my remote garage door openers (x3) will not open the door from greater than 2-3 feet away from the motor. I disconnected the sensor and wall switch wiring to try and rule out interference and the remotes worked from a good 30 feet away (door didn't move but light flashed because sensors disconnected). Hooked it all back up and lost range again.

Has anybody else encountered this issue and what did you/can I do to fix it?

BTW - I did not introduce any new electronics that could be causing this, it just started out of the blue.

HELP! My wife is getting tired of having to work around having no remote to the door and I have run out of ideas.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[IanHarrop 42]

Buy a new remote? They are typically not expensive...

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[piisfish 140]

did you try changing the batteries ?

That's where my technical help ends

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[SARLDO 0]

All three remotes communicated with the opener from 30' away as evidenced by the flashing indicator light (error code due to sensors disconnected). The light didn't flash when wiring was reconnected and unit did not work until each remote was tried from within 2-3 feet. I don't think it's the batteries.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[wayneflorida 0]

I deal with boatlift remotes. Sometimes the receiver boards inside the unit go bad. I don't know if it is a replaceable part on your unit. If three controls all quit at the same time I would think that something in the motor unit is broken.

[sickandtwisted 0]

Check the antenna on the opener. That small wire that most use can break due to repeated vibrations (the same reason garage door opener light bulbs have a thicker filament & still go out more often.) The antenna wire must be a certain length (determined by the frequency.)

Skymama stalker #69!!!!

[regulator 0]

I agree with the above poster regarding the antenna. I have a homelink system in my car. I programmed the car with the signal from my remote and I found that my signal increased by about 15-20 feet when I started using homelink.

[SARLDO 0]

Thanks. I'll tear into it tonight and see if the antenna is broken (it is still firmly attached as far as I can tell from the exterior of the unit). Still curious though why the remotes worked from 30' but only if I disconnected the hard wiring for the wall switch and optical sensors. Perhaps there is enough interference there to disrupt the signal if the antenna is broken

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[regulator 0]

The antenna doesn't necessarily have to be broken in order for it to attenuate its signal. I worked in telecom for 15 years and I've been to the top of many a cell tower and seen small cracks in cabling that allowed moisture in and affected signal coverage. If you have a digital volt meter I would suggest checking the wiring outputs to see if they are sending the proper voltage from the receiver as well.

[Brains 2]

If you don't have kids in the house, wire around the sensors and your remotes should work again right?

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[SARLDO 0]

That's a thought...

I'm going to look at the antenna again then try to isolate all the electronics in my house to see if something is giving off too much RF energy and jamming me. If I don't find anythiing, $75.00 to replace the logic board as a last resort.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[lowapproach 0]

I agree that it is probably the antenna. I had a similar problem and the fix for me was easy. I took a thick barrelled screw driver and coiled the antenna wire around the barrel so that it looked like a spring. Once you pull that barrel out from the center of the coil, extend the length of the "spring" antenna a little bit.

This worked great for me and gave me the best range I have had.

[SARLDO 0]

Interresting fix - I'll try too.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[sickandtwisted 0]

Also try a jumper wire on the safety sensors. If that works, then replace the wires on the safety sensors. Also check the alignment of the sensors. I had sensors (years ago) that did not work because at certain times of the year, sunlight went directly into the sensor. When the door got high enough for the light to shine in, the door stopped. I moved the sensor further inside the door & the problem went away.

Skymama stalker #69!!!!

[Belgian_Draft 0]

Mine is voice activated.
"Honey, would you get out and open the garage door please? Thank you

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.

[SARLDO 0]

Quote

Mine is voice activated.
"Honey, would you get out and open the garage door please? Thank you

Mine is too now, except i'm getting tires of walking through the house to open the door.

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[SARLDO 0]

Quote

Also try a jumper wire on the safety sensors. If that works, then replace the wires on the safety sensors. Also check the alignment of the sensors. I had sensors (years ago) that did not work because at certain times of the year, sunlight went directly into the sensor. When the door got high enough for the light to shine in, the door stopped. I moved the sensor further inside the door & the problem went away.

I'm not sure that the sensors could be the issue as the wall switch works every time and I have solid indicator lights on the transmitter and receiver and no codes for them on the fault LED. Worth a quick try anyway I guess. Thanks!

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" ~Samuel Clemens

MB#4300
Dudeist Skydiver #68

[Nightingale 0]

Every time mine's done that, it's been the battery. Sounds like you checked that, though, so I'm out of ideas beyond buy another clicker and try that before replacing system parts.

[Belgian_Draft 0]

Quote

Quote

Mine is voice activated.
"Honey, would you get out and open the garage door please? Thank you

Mine is too now, except i'm getting tires of walking through the house to open the door.

If it still doesn't open tomorrow, try yelling louder.
"HONEY...WOULD YOU PLEASE OPEN THE %&*#%^ GARAGE DOOR??"
Then get ready to duck.

HAMMER:
Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a
kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the
object we are trying to hit.