Safety sensors prevent the garage door from closing on a person or an object. One sensor sends an infrared beam while the other sensor receives the infrared beam. First off, your sensors just may need to be cleaned off, so try to gently remove any dust or dirt first and see if that works. If that doesn’t work, it could be electrical. The sensors have to be aligned with each other and also have to be connected correctly to the garage door system in order to work. If an object breaks the beam/ interferes with the path of the beam, the closing garage door reverses direction.
How do I test or troubleshoot the safety reversing sensors?
The safety reversing sensors must be connected and aligned correctly before the garage door opener will move in the down direction. Typically issues with the safety sensor wiring occur because of a poor connection, incorrectly connected wires, or a short in the wire from a staple.
NOTE: If you are unable to get the door closed and the safety sensors are the issue, the garage door can be closed by pressing and holding the Door Control push bar until down travel is completed.
If both safety sensors LED lights are not lit
Security+ 2.0 garage door openers have an energy conservation feature. If the garage door opener is Security+ 2.0, try to activate the door to determine if the opener was only in sleep mode.
Inspect the wiring
- Check for incorrect wiring between the sensors and the garage door opener.
- Verify the wire connections are correct on the garage door opener. The solid white wires connect (insert) to the white terminal (2) and the white/black wires connect to the grey terminal (3).
NOTE: The amber LED on the sending sensor will glow regardless of alignment or obstruction. If the green LED on the receiving sensor is off, dim, or flickering (and the invisible light beam path is not obstructed), alignment is required.
Test the safety sensor wires. “Short wire test”
- Remove the sensors from the brackets.
- Remove the wires from the wire nuts or cut the sensor wires 12″ from the sensors.
- Strip both ends of wires from each sensor and twist like-colored wires together. Proceed with both sensors to the garage door opener motor unit.
- Remove existing wires from the white and grey terminals on the back of the operator.
- Attach or insert white wires into the white terminal and black/white striped wires into the grey terminal.
- Point the sensors at each other – if both sensors LED’s turn on, there is an issue with your wiring. Replace the wires between the opener and the sensors. If the LED’s DO NOT turn on, replace the sensors.
When a safety sensor fails, the remote won’t work and the lights on the motor unit will blink each time you press the remote control. Replace the sensors. A very easy exercise. Parts needed are safety sensors. The time required is less than 30 minutes. Tools needed: wire cutters, crimp wire nuts, and work gloves.
To replace your safety sensors follow the below simple steps;
- Wear your work gloves in order to protect your hands from any harm.
- Unplug the garage door opener or you can opt to turn off the house circuit breaker of the garage door opener.
- Remove the wing nut from the safety sensor.
- Pull the sensor from the bracket.
- Cut the wires about an inch from the safety sensor, leaving enough slack in the control wire to connect the new sensor.
- Separate the control wires on the new sensor.
- Connect the black striped safety sensor wire using the crimp wire nut.
- Connect the solid white wires in the same way.
- Slide the safety sensor into its bracket and secure it with a wire nut.
- Repeat the process for the other safety sensor.
- Plug in the garage door opener or turn on the house circuit breaker of the garage door opener.
- Align the safety sensors so that the green indicator light on the receiving sensor glows steadily.
- Place a box or similar object between the safety beams to block the sensing beam.
- Attempt to close the garage door using a remote.
- The door should stay open and the motor unit lights should blink.
- If the garage door opener closes the door with the safety sensors blocked, replace the logic board.
Warning:
Undertaking repairs or maintenance to appliances or power points can be hazardous. Should you choose to undertake repairs or maintenance you are assuming the risk of injury to you as a person and/or property. In an effort to reduce the risk, it’s advisable to use the proper tools, safety tips, and equipment that is noted in the applicable guide. One must also make sure that they follow all the instructions. Do not proceed to any step until you are confident enough that you have clearly understood all the necessary steps that need to be followed in the repair or maintenance process. Some repairs and maintenance procedures should be performed by qualified garage technicians.