Garage door opener problem

DWalt

DWalt

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I have a Genie screw-type garage door opener, probably close to 20 years old. It has recently been acting up on me and perhaps someone has a fix for it. Its issue is that when I open it with the remote it usually works normally. When I close it, it frequently will stop at some variable intermediate position. I press the remote button and it goes up, and I have to press the remote button again to stop it, then again to continue down. Sometimes I have to go through this little game four of five times for it to close completely. Could it be bad limit switch(es) or something else more serious? I have five remotes, and it behaves much the same with all of them. Or maybe it's just time to install a new opener.
 
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This just happened to me about a month ago. We come and go through the garage so we use the opener all the time. Started having issues similar to yours. Had to close it using only the inside wall switch and had to actually hold the switch down until the door completely closed. Believe it or not, in our case it was the security sensors (“eyes”) that were bad. Guy I called replaced them in about 20 minutes and no issues since. (Simple enough job. I could have done it myself but would have never guessed that’s what was wrong.)
 
Never had a Genie, but I have had similar issues with gate operators.

WD40 to clean the tracks. Check the tension on the chain, as they may stretch over time. Make sure you lubricate the chain. Take the chain loose to see if it opens and closes properly with no restriction first.

Next thing I always try is to reopen it, then keep pressing the close button on the remote until full close position. Remove finger from button. One operator fixed itself when that happened three to four times.

If you have sensors that will stop it, sometimes the two ends get just a little out of line. Use a string line to check.

If it were a limit switch, which can break, why would it sometimes close and sometimes not.

WD40 to clean the tracks. Check the tension on the chain, as they may stretch over time. Make sure you lubricate the chain. Take the chain loose to see if it opens and closes properly with no restriction first. Good luck.
 
A problem with my garage door has occurred several times for me. It’s always something with the reflectors.

Third time it happened, the repair guy laughed getting out of his truck, walked right to the reflectors and adjusted them. He charged $20. Volume discount I guess.
 
Our 25-year old door and opener benefit from a service appointment every couple of years. Some of the problems have resulted from loosened fasteners on the multiple door sections, some have come from wear and tear on the wheels supporting the door in the ov****ad tracks, some have resulted from accumulated dust and debris within the operating mechanisms.

After servicing by an ov****ad door technician everything functions smoothly, much more quietly, and with complete reliability. Then I thank the young man for his timely assistance and write a little check.

Another one of those things I have become accustomed to relying on others for their expertise, since my own is insufficient at times.
 
Had a problem with my garage door not closing properly. Turned out I backed my car outta the garage prematurely and bent the dang door on the way up. (Thought I heard something there....)

Sheesh! They just don't build stuff like they used to!

Messed my new car's roof up, too, goldurn car makers!

Had to call a garage door fix it guy and go find some rubbing compound for my car's roof.

Nowadays, I tell ya! It ain't right!
 
D waly,you can buy a genuine Genie carrier (black plastic thing that fits into track and attaches to curved metal arm).
They do wear out and begin to bust up inside.
It is not difficult to replace.
Unbolt track end above door and slide off old and slide on new. Hook up and engage.
Carrier is like $20 on amazon. But look for a genuine Genie product at the Genie store Amazon. Avoid clones.
This might resolve your issue. I had a kind of similar periodic burp and after my door got pried open by a burg,the carrier was replaced. Door works fine. No burps.
Old carrier was weak and brittle
 
Any chance you recently installed a led light bulb in/near the opener?
I did that several years ago and it made the opener act crazy. I put an Incandescent bulb in and problem solved.
 
I had the same issue SCHUTZ5 had... but discovered it when removing the opener to replace it.. too late at that point.. my frustration release during the demolition phase made fixing it pointless... check the plastic carrier...
 
Does your opener have an "up force" and "down force" adjustment?
the "down force" adjustment is for when door is going down and it strikes something it will reverse and go back up with minimal or no damage. You set the force so that it will not crush the object/item it strikes on the way down. like your dog or something. But.......enough down force that it will not reverse when it gets in a bind, like hardened grease or something.
 
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My previous opener was a Genie screw drive that lasted almost 30 years. I had the same issue over the years and fixed it by tightening the large nylon nut on the back of the housing. It's a safety feature that adjust the amount of force applied to the door. Set it just tight enough to reliably operate the door, but don't crank it down.

My Genie is gone, but I found this photo online.

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DWalt said:
I have a Genie screw-type garage door opener, probably close to 20 years old. It has recently been acting up on me and perhaps someone has a fix for it. Its issue is that when I open it with the remote it usually works normally. When I close it, it frequently will stop at some variable intermediate position. I press the remote button and it goes up, and I have to press the remote button again to stop it, then again to continue down. Sometimes I have to go through this little game four of five times for it to close completely. Could it be bad limit switch(es) or something else more serious? I have five remotes, and it behaves much the same with all of them. Or maybe it's just time to install a new opener.
Click to expand...

I've had Genie Screw-Drives in two different houses and prefer them. I've also dealt with intermittent stopping before fully open and closed and it turned out to be worn out stop switches on either or both ends of the track. If the little spring in the switch fails, it allows the switch arm to sag downward which can halt the door early if vibration causes it to trigger. New switches have been a quick and easy replacement. Also check that the electrical terminals for the switch wires are screwed down tightly as a loose connection could also cause this.

If the switches and terminals are OK, then check the safety sensors (electric eyes). If you don't have the sensors installed then you may need to lube the screw and door track/wheels because if the door is excessively difficult to move the opener might think something is blocking it and shut off automatically. A broken main spring on the door might also cause this but it wouldn't be an intermittent problem at that point.

Good luck.
 
DWalt said:
I have a Genie screw-type garage door opener, probably close to 20 years old. Or maybe it's just time to install a new opener.
Click to expand...

The life time of consumer products is 5-8 years, You've had more than two lifetimes from your unit. Just replace it.
 
I've had the same issue and checked all the related parts,sensors and batteries.

The problem persisted so I found some YouTube videos which covered various repairs.

I removed the unit and went over the circuit board with a magnifying glass.

There it was a cracked solder joint on the board. I believe it was on a power coil but it does not really matter.

I resoldered the crack,installed and it has worked ever since.

Just something to look for as most these units are similar mine being a Craftsman.

Bruce
 
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