I wish there was a way to defeat sensors on garage doors

[Geo-TH,In]

I couldn't close my pole barn door this morning when the sun is
striking one sensor.
I could move that sensor to the other side of the door, but it
was too cold this morning.

I have an old genie operator that has no sensors.
Do we have any EE's that can tell me how to wire around the
sensors?

I know if my doors have any resistance closing, they will
automatically go up.

I'm not worried about killing a kid, my youngest kid is 39.
When my kids were much younger there were a few times I wanted
to kill them but I resisted the urge, against the law.

 

[SidS]

Take sensors off and mount them face to face on one side or up above by the motor.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Yes that will work, however sensors go bad.
I want to eliminate sensors all together.
Any way to wire around sensors, eliminate them completely.
Sensors get dirty, you have a problem.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Is there a way to put some kind of blinder on it where it would shade the sun and still point at the other sensor. It's just a narrow beam of light like a Lazer.

 

[Steve@Advance]

There is a way to do it, it will vary between manufacturers.

Saw some procedures on Youtube, best I remember it was very complex, way more than I would ever consider getting into.

 

[544hydro]

Press and hold the button on the wall mounted opener and on most units that bypasses the sensors. Won t work the remote opener.

 

[DoubleO7]

Try adding a hood made of thin wall pvc pipe, etc. To the lense of the effected sensor.

 

[jniolon]

I did as Sid suggested... mine were always getting dirty or being bumped and kn ocked out of alignment.. I put sensors up on the garage door header close together

The shield is a good idea...use pvc or even toilet paper roll to direct the beam where it needs to be and shade the offending sunrays...

lots of ways to skin the cat... My units are 32 year old Craftsman units.

john

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I'll try that.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Sensors are a Royal pain in the ASK.
I want them gone

 

[Jim.ME]

(quoted from post at 11:36:30 12/04/22) Sensors are a Royal pain in the ASK.
I want them gone

Mounting the sensors face to face out of the way is the easiest way and very doubtful they will give you any trouble for years. I have a set that has been that way for I don't remember how many years and it sounds like others have similar experience with mounting them that way.

If you want them gone, you will have to research your specific opener and the circuitry changes needed to do that. I very much doubt the same thing will work for all. That should be a good project for you as it seems to fall in line with other things you have posted of accomplishing. You can always go back to manually opening doors, that eliminates sensors.

 

[AL Moyer]

Real easy George, I mounted mine up on the opener its self face each other about 10 apart, no long wire runs either !, really what's going to get caught under the door anyway ? Just my 2c's

 

[Janicholson]

An easy way is to use a plastic pipe about 3/4 inch diameter, about 4 inches long, cut off at an angle and attached to the photocell so the angle faces down. painting the inside black, or using ABS can help. This acts like a camera sun shade to limit angled entrance of light. Jim

 

[Stephen Newell]

Appears like they make it hard to do away with the sensors. Might be easier to move them back away from the door or hang them face to face on the wall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUqKwAULbYY

 

[Ultradog MN]

I'm with Al Moyer, Jim ME et al.
Mount up on the header above the door.
Leave the wires long enough to reach the floor and wrap them up with zip ties.
If you or someone ever wants them down by the floor it's a couple of dry wall screws and and lower them back down to where they're supposed to be.
10 minute job.

 

[JD Dave]

Have had that problem this time of the year when the setting sun is low at about 4:30 PM on south-facing overhead doors. I can put a large box outside the door to shade the sun and close the door. Only a problem for the very few shortest days here in NJ.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Mount them so it is at a level they are convenient to wipe off occasionally. Then put a shade over them so the sun is not affecting them. Or set a box or something to shade it.

 

[4play]

Sometimes safety equipment is a pita, but it's there for a good reason. My door did the same thing and I cut up an old license plate to shield it. The eye is even covered but has a hole for the beam to go through. I even painted it black so you wouldn't notice it if I didn't tell you.

 

[Ultradog MN]

'Sometimes safety equipment is a pita, but
it's there for a good reason.'

Good reason to who?
I will be the judge of whether it is a good
reason or not.
At our house things like sensors on garage
doors, rops and seat belts on tractors,
guards on angle grinders, safety warning
tags on extension cords and handles you
must hold down or the lawn mowe dies - to
name a few - I don't need.
If you feel safer with them and are willing
to put up with them that is okay with me.
However, I have learned to not push people
to do things my way and wish they could
learn the same.

 

[chuckthin]

I did same about 10 yrs ago

 

[Goose]

I got around the sensors on a 12'x12' overhead door on my storage building by mounting them on a rafter above the door and aimed at each other.

 

[Stephen Newell]

I have to wonder if you defeat the sensors and you sell the house and someone gets hurt could you be held liable.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

(quoted from post at 18:56:07 12/05/22) I have to wonder if you defeat the sensors and you sell the house and someone gets hurt could you be held liable.

No.

If the buyer hires a home inspector they may demand that you put the sensors back in place.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

(quoted from post at 01:14:44 12/05/22) 'Sometimes safety equipment is a pita, but
it's there for a good reason.'

Good reason to who?
I will be the judge of whether it is a good
reason or not.
At our house things like sensors on garage
doors, rops and seat belts on tractors,
guards on angle grinders, safety warning
tags on extension cords and handles you
must hold down or the lawn mowe dies - to
name a few - I don't need.
If you feel safer with them and are willing
to put up with them that is okay with me.
However, I have learned to not push people
to do things my way and wish they could
learn the same.

Isn't it wonderful then that the law only requires that the equipment be provided when it is sold? There is no police force performing spot checks to make sure it is still in place.

Of course when you have a tractor laying on top of you you might be thinking to yourself in the last few moments of agony, "Gosh I really wish I'd left the ROPS in place and wore my seat belt." Your family will also be standing around your dead body in tears, "Why oh why did he take the ROPS off?"

I don't care how "careful" or "experienced" you are or how hard you clench your butt cheeks and believe in God. It-shay still happens. Usually the ones that are the most vocal about not needing that "d*mned safety equipment" are the ones that make headlines. "I know what I'm doing" are famous last words.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Ho hum.
I have heard it all before.
'Do like I do or you will surely die and
your children will be left like leaves on a
stormy sea.
There are lots of safety nannys out there
who take great pleasure in predicting worst
case scenerios.
I often wonder what it is that makes a
safety nanny tick. Always warning people
about everything. Do they think they are
smarter than everyone else? I don't think
that about them.
I actually wonder if they lack confidence
in themselves. Like they can't see and
analyze the normal hazards of life so they
want the government or a gizmo to look
after them.
Maybe they just lack normal situational
awareness.
Or, maybe they're just afraid of
everything.
I don't know but I do think they're lacking
something.
This thread started with a question about
what a pia those photo eyes on garage doors
can be and how to defeat them.
Some day we ought to have a thread about
what a pia safety nannys are and how to
defeat them. Or at least stop their
compulsive warning every one over every
chance of a torn fingernail or sliver in
their thumb.