Know how to hot-wire a garage door opener?

Colonel Panic

Colonel Panic

Well-known member
My opener is an older Craftsman.

I want to be able to activate it while standing on a ladder right next to it and I no longer have a remote. Can I just short across the low-voltage terminals coming from the receiver on the wall?

I need to do some mechanical repair and don't want to buy a new remote if I will need to buy a whole new opener anyway.

Of course I plan on setting up and overcranking my HPX170 in case those terminals are not "low voltage"- Should make for some interesting footy.

Any help would be appreciated. Winter is coming. :crybaby:
 
Yeah, well, if you can get your hands on a service manual, a schematic, I think I can help you with that.

If you want it done correctly. :)
 
Most motorized garage doors have a disconnect that just detaches the gearing from the pull. Then you can open and close it by hand, just like a regular non-powered door.

Although you should probably go ahead with the ladder-and-short thing if you think you might get some fun footage out of it.
 
Yeah, but where's the fun in that?

Just to emphasize...
Can I just short across the low-voltage terminals coming from the receiver on the wall?
Click to expand...

No. Don't even try it. Never short out anything. It needs to be done properly.
 
I've already got the chain drive disconnected from the door, but I still need to have the motor turn on it's own power.

Gord- All jokes aside, maybe "short" was the wrong wording. I thought maybe the wires just allowed a circuit to close to activate the motor.

Anyway, I would never try something like that unless I was sure the camera was rolling.
 
If it's a switch (i.e. push button or toggle), you can simply short or connect the wires together briefly. It is equivalent to pushing the button.

If it's a reciever (whatever that means), it may be more complicated. This implies that it receives a signal from your remote or something and then transpmits to the opener.

If it is just bell wire running to the motor, connect away.

Legal disclaimer: Any advice given in this column should be accepted with caution and a grain of salt. Please alert the appropraiate emergency personnel prior to proceeding.
 
Yeah, cool. I'd just need to see some kind of a schematic since I'm not there hands on.

The motor itself doesn't sound like a big deal, but again, I need to see something before I could tell you what to do.
 
Do you know what wires on the terminal strip were the mounted push button points? jump across them. Most, if not all systems using hardwire buttons, use a normally open button. Closing the contact points activates the motor.
 
There are different wires for different terminals; usually positive negative (Black White or Red White)

One set of wires is for your safety eyes and the other for your wall mount.

Incidentally, simply touching the two wires together should activate the opener.

-

Question

When the door is in manual, is it easy to lift or does it feel heavy. It should be able to lift with one hand and not fall to the ground when you let go.

=

EDIT

There are tons of manuals online by the way

Also, if you have safety eyes, if they are not wired properly, the door will not go down.
 
Just to clarify-

1. The door is disconnected from the chain/track.
2. It is an older system with a two button receiver on the wall.
3. There is a thin twin wire coming from the receiver going to two terminals on the back of the opener.
4. No safety features in place.
5. It worked last year (it has not been in use since then)
6. All moving parts in the opener turn freely.
7. I know- I'm a cheap bastard.

I basically need to find out if the problem is in the receiver, the wire or the opener.
 
Two button-hardwired: in parallel. Jump them to open/close. Momentary contact.

Chances are: wires oxidized/loose/ or disconnected. re strip and reconnect. Pop each button and look at the termination points.
 
1) It's not a receiver, it's a switch. Possibly it has a lock function.

2) Push the button. If it works, you're good.

3) If not, jump the wires at the switch/receiver. If it works, the switch is bad or the lock is on.

4) If it doesn't work, jump the terminals at the opener. If it works, the wire is
bad. Run new wire and retest.

5. If it doesn't work by jumping the terminals at the opener, the opener is bad (or locked). Buy a new opener.

LH
Garage Door Opener Surgeon
 
30v.....ehh. Just don't taste the wires. Me, I can tell you the difference between 30, 45, 110, 220, 277 and 480V (not to mention 21.5 KV) just by the effect it had on me when I get zapped. I wanted to say "30v???? suck it up, wimpy butt" but not a responsible response.

Me and lhryshko are telling you the same thing, but from different angles.
 
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