Chamberlain garage door opener remote problem..

[mart242]

I've got a belt drive chambelain opener (with battery backup) that I bought ~2 1/2 years ago when they were on sale at HD for 250$.

For the last few months, my remotes began to act strange (it took many tries top open or close the door) but the keyless entry pad was fine. I got fed up and cleared the "remotes" from the opener. I then "added" the keyless entry pad (no problems) but have no luck adding the remotes. It's like the opener doesn't see them.. it doesn't even want to learn them. I changed the batteries in both remotes but still no luck. I unplugged the opener from the outlet (and disconnected the backup battery) but still no luck.

My first thought would be that the receiver module in the opener is fried but the keyless entry pad.. so I that means that the antenna + receiver is fine. I'd be surprised if the two remotes "died" pretty much at the same time too.

Any thoughts? :confused:

[BuildingHomes]

To get the opener into learn mode, you are only pressing the button for about half a second, correct?

[mart242]

To get the opener into learn mode, you are only pressing the button for about half a second, correct?

Yeah, I press it until the LED comes on. Same way I made it learn the keypad. I also tried the learn mode by pressing the buttons on the wall control unit (light + open I think) as per the instruction but still no luck. It doesn't want to detect the friggin remotes.

[macnut]

There is an earlier thread that BuildingHomes and I contributed to:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=676248

Since my post there, I think I have nailed it down.

I got the clue from a Homes&Garden forum discussing the very same symptoms (quite long).

The short of it is:

- as you may know, your opener works with "rolling codes" which is an enhancement, security-wise, on earlier technology that used "billions of codes"

- the hand-held remotes can appear to lose their ability to work in rolling code mode, and downgrade themselves to billions of codes

- owners assume that the batteries need replacing, but this is not the case

- the wireless keypads seem to be immune to the problem for some reason

- as you found, "re-booting" the opener power-wise doesn't help

- holding the Learn button for more than 5 seconds until it goes out, thus erasing the current active memory slots is the first useful step in fixing things, but it gets convoluted from here (as you found out)

- if you program the hand-helds first, they will configure the opener into (restricted) billions of codes mode, and then the rolling codes keypad will not be recognized/programmable

- alternatively, if you program the keypad first, it configures the opener in rolling codes mode, and then your "defective" hand-helds will not be recognized/programmable

I asked my email contact (Demetrius) at Chamberlain about this, and he did concede that they had made a batch of remotes that did this.
But he claims that was just limited to a batch with the Sears brand-name on, and happened nearly 10 years ago.
I have my doubts.
Other people surmise that the circuit boards in the hand-helds are susceptible to static discharge causing the "downgrade".
Demitrius poo-hoos that notion.

It is odd that both your hand-held remotes failed together.
(There is another theory that some other piece of equipment, such as a wireless router, or a phone, could be the culprit. Who knows?)

I had just 1 of 2 hand-helds go "bad", so I have ditched that one.

In your case, if you are definitely sure that both hand-helds are bad, you can either ditch the keypad and use the opener in billions of codes mode, or buy 2 new hand-helds and get back into full service.

The mini remotes are available on eBay for as low as $12USD each (B.I.N. price) with a reasonable shipping charge to Canada, < $5 if I remember.
correctly.

Or maybe Home Depot will come through on goodwill if your are just out of warranty.
Don't overlook any extended warranty through your credit card.

[mart242]

Thanks macnut.

I haven't had a chance to play with that in the last few days but once I'm back from vacation next week I'll go buy a new remote at home depot and see if I can add it.. :|

[astroboi]

There is an earlier thread that BuildingHomes and I contributed to:

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=676248

Since my post there, I think I have nailed it down.

I got the clue from a Homes&Garden forum discussing the very same symptoms (quite long).

The short of it is:

- as you may know, your opener works with "rolling codes" which is an enhancement, security-wise, on earlier technology that used "billions of codes"

- the hand-held remotes can appear to lose their ability to work in rolling code mode, and downgrade themselves to billions of codes

- owners assume that the batteries need replacing, but this is not the case

- the wireless keypads seem to be immune to the problem for some reason

- as you found, "re-booting" the opener power-wise doesn't help

- holding the Learn button for more than 5 seconds until it goes out, thus erasing the current active memory slots is the first useful step in fixing things, but it gets convoluted from here (as you found out)

- if you program the hand-helds first, they will configure the opener into (restricted) billions of codes mode, and then the rolling codes keypad will not be recognized/programmable

- alternatively, if you program the keypad first, it configures the opener in rolling codes mode, and then your "defective" hand-helds will not be recognized/programmable

I asked my email contact (Demetrius) at Chamberlain about this, and he did concede that they had made a batch of remotes that did this.
But he claims that was just limited to a batch with the Sears brand-name on, and happened nearly 10 years ago.
I have my doubts.
Other people surmise that the circuit boards in the hand-helds are susceptible to static discharge causing the "downgrade".
Demitrius poo-hoos that notion.

It is odd that both your hand-held remotes failed together.
(There is another theory that some other piece of equipment, such as a wireless router, or a phone, could be the culprit. Who knows?)

I had just 1 of 2 hand-helds go "bad", so I have ditched that one.

In your case, if you are definitely sure that both hand-helds are bad, you can either ditch the keypad and use the opener in billions of codes mode, or buy 2 new hand-helds and get back into full service.

The mini remotes are available on eBay for as low as $12USD each (B.I.N. price) with a reasonable shipping charge to Canada, < $5 if I remember.
correctly.

Or maybe Home Depot will come through on goodwill if your are just out of warranty.
Don't overlook any extended warranty through your credit card.

Bravo for an excellent reply!