Owners with a garage may face an unpleasant problem. The latter is that the door to the car room stops closing. In this case, the sensor signals a malfunction with a yellow light. In this case, experts offer several effective ways to fix the breakdown, so you should not panic. The article will discuss in detail the options for how to return the garage door to working condition.
What should I do if the indicator on the door sensor is yellow?
A user experiencing this issue should be aware that a yellow glow indicates that the safety sensors are not properly aligned. The garage door will not work to close. First of all, experts recommend wiping the lenses on each element and adjusting them so that they match with each other.
Gate sensors are usually installed at a low height from the floor. They should be directed towards each other. The devices work like photocells, giving signals in the form of an infrared beam that is not visible to the human eye. When the user presses the button on the remote control responsible for closing the sash, a signal is sent to the elements. The sensors work as a security system that checks whether there is any object or people on the way at the gate. If the beam passes unhindered, then closing is performed. If the signal is interrupted, the gate will remain open. Such a situation can be caused by both an object or a person, as well as a failure of the electronic elements themselves.
The main sign of a sensor malfunction is the appearance of a yellow indication at the time of an attempt to close the garage door. Sometimes the gate tries to move into place, but the process is interrupted, and they return to the open position again.
Lens cleaning
Given the proximity of the control sensors to the ground, the elements are prone to contamination. Therefore, the first step for the user is to clean the lenses on both sides of the gate. The latter can get technical substances (grease, oil, etc.), soot, dust, sand and much more.
Cleaning is done with a damp paper towel. If the dirt is not rubbed off, then you can use mild cleaning products without abrasive. The main thing is that the chemistry does not leave stains and does not damage the device.
Sensor alignment
Displacement of sensors that prevent gates from closing is one of the most likely causes of leaf failure. Both elements should be directed strictly to each other, at the same angle.
The device responsible for the safety of users and the safety of property is mounted to the opening with a bracket. To loosen the fastener, just use a screwdriver. By loosening the lock, the sensor can be adjusted. It must be configured as required by the rules for using the device. After adjustment, the bracket must be tightened again so that the sensor does not go astray from mechanical stress, vibration or other factors.
Sometimes the user can do without a tool. Some models are held in place with wing nuts. The latter are easy to unscrew and tighten by hand.
What to do if the sensor adjustment did not help?
If the user carefully wiped the lenses of the sensors, adjusted them, and this did not have a positive effect, then there is a possibility of failure of the devices or lack of power. In the latter case, the assumptions are verified by a careful examination of the wires. First, you should pay attention to the tightness of the cable connection with the sensors, and then check other areas for deformations.
Often the cause of the lack of power is the pulling / compression of the wire, loose contact with burning, or a kink in the cable. All this can lead to a short circuit.
If an independent inspection did not lead to the detection of a wiring fault, then the user should contact a professional. The electrician will pay attention to the weak points of the system, ring the cables and check the health of the sensors. In the case of a user who does not have such skills, tampering with the electrical network can be a dangerous undertaking.
Cleaning the space between IR emitters
The reason for the failure of the gate may be an object caught in the path of the infrared beam. The owner can, out of forgetfulness, leave a box between the sensors or lean something against the side of the opening. In such a situation, the signal will be interrupted, and the leaf will remain in the open position.
This option is preferable, because the operability of security elements is easy to restore. The user should carefully inspect the installation site of the electronic safety components and make sure that nothing interferes with their functioning.
How to replace sensors on garage doors?
The procedure directly depends on the model of the garage door. At the same time, the owner does not always remember this, and documents may be lost. Therefore, one option would be to call a specialized company. As a rule, the technical support number is located on the control unit. If there is none, you can see the markings located on the elements of the system. According to them, a search for the corresponding company is carried out via the Internet.
One way or another, even the user needs to know the procedure for replacing sensors. Therefore, in the absence of positive results in the process of initial work on the malfunction and the yellow glow of the indicator, the owner will have to think about buying new devices. This process should also be approached consciously, taking into account previous experience of use. It is likely that the sensors have failed due to excessive loads, exposure to aggressive substances or harsh weather conditions. The main thing is to make sure that the new devices will be compatible with the gate opener.
Installation with wiring replacement is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Wiring from the sensors to the device responsible for opening the sash.
- Mounting the cable to the wall and ceiling using special brackets.
- Stripping the insulation on the wires (11 mm is enough) and connecting them. At this stage, it is important not to mix up the colors.
- Fixing the wires in the terminal block of the gate opener. To do this, press the tab with the tip of a screwdriver or other sharp object.
When mounting new sensors, the user must ensure that the device bracket does not obstruct the lens.
If the wiring is not re-wired, and the sensors are of the same model or are fully compatible with the old ones, then the installation is limited to disconnecting the wires from the failed devices, dismantling them and correctly connecting the new safety elements.
In order not to confuse the wiring diagram, you need to follow the user manual that comes with a specific type of garage door system. The documents have designations for the colors of the wires and the order in which they are connected. When installing devices similar to those that failed, the user is strongly advised to photograph the connections and use the resulting materials for restoration work.
Do I need to service the elements of the garage door system?
The drive system at the entrance to the garage must be checked regularly. The owner is advised not only to try to open and close the sash, but also to carry out other actions. These include:
- checking the wear of the door components (carriage, sprocket, etc.) for wear and oxidation of components;
- checking the correctness of the gate stop at the end points;
- Cleaning drive surfaces and sensors from dirt.
The above works are planned and should be carried out at least once a year. So you can extend the performance of the system and be sure that the service life declared by the manufacturer will not only be reached, but also exceeded.