# Which Garage Door Opener?



## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Wanting to install one in my garage. Have a a double garage door 16x7 that is brand new and balanced. Looking at brands from big box stores (genie, chamberlain) and what's on amazon (sommer) but wanting to know if there are some other brands I should be looking at? 

Will be doing install myself, but from what i've read it should be relatively easy. 

Anyone?

Regards,
d_rek


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

I had genie on my doors when I lived down state and they never gave me any problems other than one getting hit by lightening. I have chamberlain here and it has been up 9 years with no problem and was easy to put up and adjust. I saw the other dy that you should not use led bulbs i them as it does something to the codes in the door. I don't know if it is true or not and I don't know if it is in all brands. I would like to know for sure


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## JUSTCATCHINUM (Feb 19, 2004)

I have a Liftmaster belt drive battery backup from Menards on a 16x7 insulated door. I have it set up with the WiFi app. Have used it for for about 6 years as our main entrance/exit from the house. Over the years I have used others but IF I ever need to replace this one, it would be another Liftmaster. I used them at work on commercial doors that were opened and closed many time during the day without an issue for years. They are fairly easy to install yourself.


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## HORNSnHOOKS (Mar 25, 2017)

I’ve had good luck with both liftmaster and chamberlain which I thought at one time made liftmaster. Either way 15 years on liftmaster and 10 on chamberlain which non probs. I do prefer the belt drive on my barn door which is a chamberlain 16x9 which is a heavy commercial haas door


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## caseyj (Apr 8, 2001)

Make sure your garage door is braced properly. Some doors required an optional kit to handle the grabbing effect of the opener.


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## brigeton (Feb 12, 2004)

Scout 2 said:


> I had genie on my doors when I lived down state and they never gave me any problems other than one getting hit by lightening. I have chamberlain here and it has been up 9 years with no problem and was easy to put up and adjust. I saw the other dy that you should not use led bulbs i them as it does something to the codes in the door. I don't know if it is true or not and I don't know if it is in all brands. I would like to know for sure


I have a couple of 20 year old Stanley openers. I have heard about no LEDs too. I have them in my Stanley openers and they work fine.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Not sure why an LED would cause issues with any adjacent electronics. It's not like the LED can talk to the other circuitry that it's connected to, unless it's related to voltage draw. But that seems unlikely.


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## Radar420 (Oct 7, 2004)

Scout 2 said:


> I had genie on my doors when I lived down state and they never gave me any problems other than one getting hit by lightening. I have chamberlain here and it has been up 9 years with no problem and was easy to put up and adjust. I saw the other dy that you should not use led bulbs i them as it does something to the codes in the door. I don't know if it is true or not and I don't know if it is in all brands. I would like to know for sure


I install low voltage outdoor lighting and the LEDs we use in our fixtures will interfere with Chamberlain garage door openers. I think this is a problem with mostly older Chamberlain models as they sell new control panels for their garage door openers. From what I understand, LEDs and Chamberlain operate with overlapping radio frequencies causing interference (other garage door openers operate in a different RF range). I've installed 1000s of LED lamps and only ran across the problem twice, both with Chamberlain.

http://support.chamberlain.com/arti...cy-interference-1480438299400#RF_interference


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

3 Chaimberlains here for 4 years and no problems. One chain drive and two belts.
I have had LED bulbs in them for 2 of those years and have not encountered a problem.

One reason a LED may cause a problem is because of frequencies emitted from them. I know fluorescent lights can cause problems with phones.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

FREEPOP said:


> 3 Chaimberlains here for 4 years and no problems. One chain drive and two belts.
> I have had LED bulbs in them for 2 of those years and have not encountered a problem.
> 
> One reason a LED may cause a problem is because of frequencies emitted from them. I know fluorescent lights can cause problems with phones.


Interesting. I did not know that.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

https://blog.1000bulbs.com/home/stopping-fluorescent-ballast-emi


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

No matter the brand, comparing types of drives, the belt driven models seem much quieter.
Using Slick Stuff on wheels and hinges, other moving parts, works like a charm too...
No build up like grease does.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

jimp said:


> No matter the brand, comparing types of drives, the belt driven models seem much quieter.
> Using Slick Stuff on wheels and hinges, other moving parts, works like a charm too...
> No build up like grease does.


Also works great on your ice fishing sled


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## Rudi's Dad (May 4, 2004)

So who is making screw type openers these days? I looked at a site or two and none were offered. Dont know if it was just that they didnt carry or werent available.


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## jstfish48162 (Mar 8, 2003)

Rudi's Dad said:


> So who is making screw type openers these days? I looked at a site or two and none were offered. Dont know if it was just that they didnt carry or werent available.


Screw drive openers are very noisy and more expensive to repair (if the screw rail gets bent).
Chamberlain( mother company)makes Liftmaster and Craftsman. Chamberlain is a better quality of opener than Genie.
Sommer is OK, but a little more difficult to install....I have installed several Sommers, and they work fine, just not a fan.
I wouldn’t put a Genie in my ex-wife’s house.....nuf said there.
I would recommend Liftmaster Model 8550 belt drive, battery backup and WiFi. Very quiet, dependable and very little maintenance.


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## Rudi's Dad (May 4, 2004)

Odd, I had a chain drive Chamberlain in my old house, got a screw drive Genie in the one Im in now (about 17yrs), and the screw drive is more quiet and dependable (so far). Its on a double sized door too. Maybe Im just lucky.


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## jstfish48162 (Mar 8, 2003)

Could be.
I’m not a fan of Genie.
Just my opinion 
Glad you are having great luck with yours.


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## Rudi's Dad (May 4, 2004)

If youre still watchin this, what if anything do you put on the "screw" for lube?


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## jstfish48162 (Mar 8, 2003)

Most of the noise from the older Chamberlain/ Craftsman/Liftmaster openers was from the light covers.
The older one I had in my garage had same issue....took off light covers and most noise was gone.


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## jstfish48162 (Mar 8, 2003)

White grease
Run a bead down the length of the screw.....run door a couple times and make sure you remove any excess so it doesn’t fall on your door


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

jstfish48162 said:


> Screw drive openers are very noisy and more expensive to repair (if the screw rail gets bent).
> Chamberlain( mother company)makes Liftmaster and Craftsman. Chamberlain is a better quality of opener than Genie.
> Sommer is OK, but a little more difficult to install....I have installed several Sommers, and they work fine, just not a fan.
> I wouldn’t put a Genie in my ex-wife’s house.....nuf said there.
> I would recommend Liftmaster Model 8550 belt drive, battery backup and WiFi. Very quiet, dependable and very little maintenance.


Thanks for the feedback. Any issues with the battery backup? I have read a few reviews saying the battery backup is unnecessary and is a headache when the battery dies and has to be replaced because it is a special battery.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

Battery back up? Unless you're like me and don't always carry a house key coming home when the powers out can be a son of gun! LOL!

BTW - I have a 20 year old Craftsman/Chamberlain 1/2 hp chain drive on a similar size door as yours. Other than an occasional light bulb I have had to change the plastic gears on the sprocket shaft a couple of times but I think the wear and tear on them was from when the door freezes to the floor now and again.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Burksee said:


> Battery back up? Unless you're like me and don't always carry a house key coming home when the powers out can be a son of gun! LOL!


Put these on your house and never have to carry a key again.
You can also put in temporary access numbers for service people to let themselves in.
It runs off a 9 volt battery and ours is probably 3 years old and still working on the same battery.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Honestly I might try to buy one without battery backup and wi-fi connectivity.

IMO connected homes are dumber than those that aren't. Maybe in 10 years they will be better than they are but if my internet goes out I certainly don't want to be able to not use my garage door opener.

As for the battery backup i'm mostly concerned that all the battery backups in the units use a proprietary battery from the manufacturer (at least the liftmaster does). What happens when in 5 years the battery fails and I have to get a new one but oops... manufacturer no longer makes that particular battery for my opener? It's a special manufacturer order part. If it was something I could buy off-the-shelf at the hardware store i'd be less leery of it.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

FREEPOP said:


> Put these on your house and never have to carry a key again.
> You can also put in temporary access numbers for service people to let themselves in.
> It runs off a 9 volt battery and ours is probably 3 years old and still working on the same battery.


I think your talking about a remote key pad? We've got one, uses a 9v battery as mentioned. The problem is when the power goes out nothing electrical works. They have garage door openers like sump pumps that will run off a remote battery in the event of a power outage.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

d_rek said:


> Honestly I might try to buy one without battery backup and wi-fi connectivity.
> 
> IMO connected homes are dumber than those that aren't. Maybe in 10 years they will be better than they are but if my internet goes out I certainly don't want to be able to not use my garage door opener.
> 
> As for the battery backup i'm mostly concerned that all the battery backups in the units use a proprietary battery from the manufacturer (at least the liftmaster does). What happens when in 5 years the battery fails and I have to get a new one but oops... manufacturer no longer makes that particular battery for my opener? It's a special manufacturer order part. If it was something I could buy off-the-shelf at the hardware store i'd be less leery of it.


99% of all batteries in stuff like this can be found on the internet, and most of the time very reasonably priced. I even found one to rebuild my 15 year old Coleman jump box!


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Burksee said:


> I think your talking about a remote key pad? We've got one, uses a 9v battery as mentioned. The problem is when the power goes out nothing electrical works. They have garage door openers like sump pumps that will run off a remote battery in the event of a power outage.


Yes it's a backup for the opener motor for when the power goes out.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Burksee said:


> I think your talking about a remote key pad? We've got one, uses a 9v battery as mentioned. The problem is when the power goes out nothing electrical works. They have garage door openers like sump pumps that will run off a remote battery in the event of a power outage.


No this is for the service door on the pole barn and for the house/garage doors.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

FREEPOP said:


> No this is for the service door on the pole barn and for the house/garage doors.


Thanks! Will have to do some googling and find one!


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## jstfish48162 (Mar 8, 2003)

The battery backup is great when the power goes out.

BUT.....always carry a house key because the opener will not open the door when (not if) you have a spring break. Or have a hide-a-key somewhere on the property.

I have many customers that have found that out the hard way.


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## jstfish48162 (Mar 8, 2003)

d_rek said:


> Thanks for the feedback. Any issues with the battery backup? I have read a few reviews saying the battery backup is unnecessary and is a headache when the battery dies and has to be replaced because it is a special battery.


The battery usually lasts 3-5 years....then you will have an annoying audible tone letting you know something is bad. You would either replace the battery ($65 at our shop) or just unplug the battery and use your opener without it.


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## JUSTCATCHINUM (Feb 19, 2004)

I replaced mine at about 5 years. Cost about $25. Easy change out.


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## bucko12pt (Dec 9, 2004)

Linear openers. 

https://www.linearproaccess.com/garage-door-openers/residential-garage-door-openers/


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