Garage door sensors are safety devices that prevent the door from closing on people, pets or objects in the doorway. The sensors are located above the floor at each side of the door opening and generate a low-voltage beam that completes the electrical circuit when the door is activated. Garage doors may display a variety of symptoms when the sensors need attention. In most cases you can troubleshoot the system and correct the cause of problems. Before you begin, make sure the electrical cord from the opener is plugged in and the electrical circuit is active.
If your door won’t close, it is likely that something is either covering one side of the sensor unit or has caused one side or the other to move off-center. In either case, the light beam cannot travel cleanly and in a straight line from the transmitter to the receiver. Below are some basic steps through which you can fix garage door sensors on your own.
- Remove any debris, dust or cobwebs from the electric-eye lenses on each sensor with a clean rag. Cycle the garage door through the opening and closing actions using the control on the garage wall or the remote unit from a vehicle. If the door does not close completely without hesitation, proceed with adjusting the sensors.
- Loosen the small nuts that hold each sensor to the L-brackets with a small adjustable wrench. Loosen the nuts just enough so the sensors remain facing each other and can be moved by hand.
- Adjust each sensor in small increment by hand until the green or red power-indicator lights on each are illuminated. This indicates the electric eyes are aligned and the circuit is complete. Tighten the nuts on each sensor.
- Cycle the garage door open and closed as before. If it does not close completely and without hesitation, proceed to troubleshoot the electrical circuit.
- Raise the garage door using the control button on the garage wall or the remote control unit from a vehicle. Inspect each sensor to make sure the green or red power-indicator lights are illuminated.
- Stand a stepladder at the area of the garage door opener unit. Unplug the power cord from the outlet at the ceiling. Remove the cover at the back of the unit. Identify the connection terminals where the ends of the low-voltage senor wires attach. Reattach a loose wire to the appropriate terminal. Tighten the terminal screw with a small screwdriver. Plug in the power cord and observe the lights on the sensors. If both lights are not illuminated, proceed to the next step.
- Inspect the double-strand insulated low-voltage wires from each sensor to the back of the garage door opener. Use the stepladder to inspect the wires near the upper part of a wall and at the ceiling. If no damage is noted, one or both sensors must be replaced. Proceed to the following steps if any wires are bare, burned or broken in one or more places.
- Loosen the terminal screws that connect the faulty wires at the back of the overhead unit. Start at the ceiling and pull the wires out of the insulated fasteners at the ceiling, walls and along the side of the door opening to the sensor. Disconnect the ends of the wires from the terminals on the sensor.
- Determine the length of a replacement wire using the faulty wire. Cut a piece of new double-strand insulated low-voltage wire to length with electrical pliers. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation off the both strands at one end. Attach the ends to the appropriate terminals on the sensor.
- Start just above the sensor. Feed the opposite end of the wire through the fasteners at the side of the door, the wall and the ceiling. Strip the ends of the wires as before. Connect the wires to the appropriate terminals and tighten the screws. Plug in the power cord to the opener unit.
Contact a professional if troubleshooting or wire replacement does not correct problems with the door closing properly. Do not work on electrical or low-voltage circuits unless the power cord is unplugged or the appropriate breaker is turned off at the electrical panel.
To be safe and lower risks, it is best to hire a professional garage door specialist. The specialist can determine and address the problems of your garage door and propose a feasible solution. Feel free to contact us any time for help. Call Yuval at (215) 805-9209 or visit SecureGarages.com – don’t forget our Awesome Amazon Local Deal! Garage adjustment, reconditioning + safety inspection. and for another $34 we will replace up to 8 rollers! Mention Code: Secure4Sure10 to get another 10% off your order!
