[Shop-talk] garage door opener problmes

[David Scheidt]

We've got a Sears garage door opener that's gone tits up.  It starts
to turn the motor, moves a little bit, then gives up, flashing the
light socket.  The photo eyes have the lights lit they're supposed to,
and the one that's supposed to go out when the beam is blocked goes
out when the beam is blocked.  It opened fine this morning, and then
didn't close.  When I went to look at it about noon, it went up and
down (without the door trolley connected) a couple times.  I
reconnected the trolley, and it didn't move at all.  I pulled the cord
to disconnect the trolley, and it didn't work.  It moved a foot or
two, and then stopped, blinking the light.  I disconnected the chain
-- the chain tension seems much higher than the opener (identical
model, though newer) on the other door in the garage.  I've had
problems with this opener before; a couple winters ago, I had to
adjust the force screws when the temperature changed.  I'm wondering
if it's worth trying to figure out what's wrong, and then fix, or if
it's just time to get a new opener (It's 13  years old, according to
the sticker, and gets used 4 or 5 times a day.)


-- 
David Scheidt
dmscheidt at gmail.com