Garage door opener not working?

Question

I have a garage door opener that does not work when it gets cold. It worked fine all summer.
I greased everything with white lithium grease. That didnt do the trick.
When the door got stuck last, I disconnected the door and just ran the opener and the chain moved freely (opened and closed several times without issue). It seems the problem is not in the opener.
The door opens freely if I do it by hand.
What sounds like the problem here...
Does this sound like a case where I need to change the down or up force? Should I change both? Do I need to increase the force?

Answer 1

As was briefly mentioned by an earlier contributor - you need to adjust the force. If your door works freely by hand (without snagging on any obstacles) then it is safe for you to turn up the opener's up or down force (depending on which way the door doesn't seem to want to travel). Which ever force adjustment you use (up or down) only turn it up a little bit at a time so that the door doesn't push too hard and become dangerous.

If adjusting the sensitivity doesn't fix the problem then you will need to contact your local door company - the opener could have a bad logic board or RPM sensor - depending on the unit's model and brand.

Answer 2

H-m-m-m .....You've got a bit of an odd problem there, it's common to have cold weather related issues but not hot. Try adjusting the force settings on the opener to add more power. If that doesn't work it may be a circuit board issue and depending on the brand, a new opener may be warranted. Keep in mind force settings are also a safety feature so you don't want add too much power. The door should go back up when it hits a 2x4 on the floor.

Answer 3

You might want to try a lighter weight lube spray, my door opener instructions call for light oil or silicone spray once a month (ok I do it about once a year). You probably need to increase the force adjustments. Adjust each one separately when it is cold.

Answer 4

I'm with iris,
the 1st thing I would check would be batteries.
alot of times weak batteries will work under optimal conditions, but when they going gets tough they conk out on you. besides, if this is the problem it's the easiest to fix.
always rule out the simple stuff first.

Answer 5

Have you checked for blockage; etc. at the sensors?

Red Light spanning to Green light; primarily for safety. Even dust might interrupt the beam. Certainly my tash can often obstructs it.

Answer 6

Are you using a remote opener? Batteries die faster in the cold. If you keep your in the car keep it in your clove compartment to protect it from the cold.