Q&A for How to Disable a Garage Door Sensor

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Do garage door sensors have different colored lights on them?

Aasim

Top Answerer

Yes, they do. Green means that there is nothing blocking the path. Amber or red means that there is something blocking the path and someone tried to close the door.

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Question

What do I do when one sensor is lit green and the other sensor is not lit?

Community Answer

This could occur when the transmitter is working (lit green) but the receiver is not getting a signal (hence not lit). This could be because they are not aligned or there is something blocking the path between them. You can try bringing them closer together to see, or perhaps clean them. It is also possible they are broken or not installed properly.

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Question

Can I bypass the sensors needed to close the garage door?

Community Answer

Yes; however, you will need some additional electronics to do so. For the Craftsman 1/2 HP garage door opener I have, I'd need a signal generator that sends a pattern of 6-millisecond-long 6-volt pulses, followed by no signal for 0.5 milliseconds. This needs to match the signal the sensors send so the garage door works normally. This will vary by model, and it requires an oscilloscope to verify. It may be easier to just tape the sensors together so nothing gets in the sensor's path.

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Question

Would installing a countdown timer be a good idea so that when the sunlight hits the sensor, I can simply turn the timer to five or six minutes and time out back to normal?

Community Answer

"Good ideas" are subjective, so instead a comparison: Most openers (without obstruction) will close all the way if you hold the button until they are closed instead of pressing it. Also, you may be able to move the sensors back from the door opening to avoid the sun. Alternatively, you could bypass the sensor for five or six minutes by getting a signal generator to match the pulses produced by the sensor, and connect it to a relay or similar switch controlled by a timing circuit so that the switch is only activated for the time you desire. Depending on your available tools and electrical skill, it may be less time consuming to just move the sensors back or hold the button.

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Question

Can I bypass the garage door sensor by simply cutting it out and twisting the 2 wires together?

Community Answer

Generally no, as they are sending a pulsed signal. A direct connection will continuously send the voltage (6V or similar) across.

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What do I do when one light is bright green and the other one is blinking red?

Community Answer

That is telling you that the sensors are not aligned. They have to “see” each other to send the signal to the power head. Try looking at each one for debris or insects on the lenses. Try bending the mounting brackets to point them at each other.

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