Edit ArticleHow to Align Garage Door Sensors Garage door sensors protect your family, possessions and pets by not allowing the heavy garage door to close if there is anything in the glide path. They do this by using an electric eye sensor that crosses the doorway. If the sensor doesn't receive the beam emitted by its opposite number, the door won't close. This seems like a clever device until the components come out of alignment -- meaning the door won't close at all. Fortunately, it's not difficult to realign the sensors and put things back into working order. Turn off the power to your sensors by tripping the fuse for your garage. You'll find this in your home's breaker box. You won't actually be working with the electrical wiring, but it's always best to be safe when working with electricity. Loosen the screws that mount each of your garage door sensors. Slide each garage door sensor downward so it is as low as possible without unscrewing the mounting brackets.
Tie a string to one sensor so that, if pulled across the garage doorway, it will run across the center of the sensor. Run the string across the garage doorway and tie to the opposite sensor. Lay a level so the bottom runs along the string. Check that the line of the string is level. If the line of the string isn't level, adjust 1 or both garage door sensors by sliding the mounting bracket upward. Continue until the sensors are once again level. Tighten the screws to secure the garage door sensors in their new position. Confirm that the string is level before finishing. Finish by removing the string and turning the power to your garage back on. Show more unanswered questions If you have a laser level, you can use it instead of a string to align your garage door. In this case, you will set up the level aligned with one sensor, then adjust the opposite sensor until the beam of your laser level is hitting the sensor. Proper height for a garage door sensor is 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 cm).
Higher than that can miss many low-lying objects, including pets. Lower is easy to stand above with a foot on either side. If your garage door sensors are outside of this range, remove them entirely from the garage door frame and install, leveled, inside the safe zone.How do I align my safety reversing sensors? The LEDs on both the sending and receiving sensors will glow steadily when the wiring connections and alignment are correct. The amber LED on the sending sensor will glow regardless of alignment or obstruction. If the green LED on the receiving sensor is off, dim, or flickering (and the invisible light beam path is not obstructed), alignment is required. Note: On the older safety sensors both LED lights are green. The receiving sensor is the sensor that the green light goes out when you pass your hand in front of the sensor. The sending sensor stays solid. NOTE: If you are unable to get the door closed and the safety sensors are the issue, the garage door can be closed by pressing and holding the door control push bar until down travel is completed.
How to test or troubleshoot the safety reversing sensors How can I tell the difference between the sending and receiving safety sensors? Safety Reversing Sensors Installation Instructions How should I position my safety reversing sensors when I am installing two garage door openers? How do I install my safety reversing sensors in a pre-wired garage?The photo eye of a garage door is a safety feature. The photo eye of an automatic-opening garage door is a safety feature. If the photo eye senses an obstruction, it stops the door from closing and potentially prevents damage or injury to a vehicle, person or pet in the path of the door. The photo eye consists of two sensors, one on either side of the garage door, about 6 inches above the ground. One of the sensors directs a beam toward the other; if an object interrupts the beam, the sensor breaks the circuit, preventing the door from closing. The sensors are delicate and can easily become misaligned. If your garage door is not working correctly, it may be an indication that the photo eye requires adjustment.
Evaluate the problem you are having with the garage door. If the garage door goes up but does not close, or only partially closes then reopens, this is an indication that the photo eye needs adjustment. The door might also make a clicking sound, or the garage light might flash a few times. Check to make sure nothing stored near the garage doorway is obstructing the sensors. They are very sensitive, and even quite small things in their path can initiate the circuit breaking action. Locate the photo eye sensors and see if each of them has a lit LED light. If the LED light is lit on one sensor, but unlit or only flickering on the other, one of them may have gotten bumped. Try adjusting the unlit sensor by manipulating it slightly with your hand. If the light comes back on, the door should work properly again. Check the sensors to see if they are dirty. Clean the units, carefully wiping the lenses free of dirt, dust or cobwebs with a damp cloth. Wipe them dry with a clean cloth. Once they are clean, try adjusting the sensors again so that each lens directly faces the lens opposite, to see if both LED lights come on.
Make small adjustments to the pivot bracket supporting one of the sensors by loosening the screws and bolts that secure it. Slightly move the bracket in and out and up and down until the LED light comes on, then tighten the screws and bolts. Check to see whether the sensors are mounted at the same height. If they are not, you or your garage door technician should remount them. Examine the wires leading to the photo eyes. If a wire has become twisted with something stored in the garage, carefully free it. If you detect wire damage, or if the door will not work even after you have tried adjusting the sensors, contact a garage door repair company. Things You Will Need Cleaning cloths Tip References Mount Garage Doors: TroubleshootingPrecision Overhead Garage Door Service: Safety and Security in Your GarageWayne Dalton: Photoelectric Safety Sensors Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionHow do I test or troubleshoot the safety reversing sensors? The safety reversing sensors must be connected and aligned correctly before the garage door opener will move in the down direction.
Typically issues with the safety sensor wiring occur because of a poor connection, incorrectly connected wires, or a short in the wire from a staple. NOTE: If you are unable to get the door closed and the safety sensors are the issue, the garage door can be closed by pressing and holding the Door Control push bar until down travel is completed. If both safety sensor LED lights are not lit Security+ 2.0 garage door openers have an energy conservation feature. If the garage door opener is Security+ 2.0, have the customer activate the door to determine if the opener was only in sleep mode. See Security+ 2.0 energy conservation feature Check for incorrect wiring between the sensors and the garage door opener. Verify the wire connections are correct on the garage door opener. The solid white wires connect (insert) to the white terminal (2) and the white/black wires connect to the grey terminal (3). NOTE: The amber LED on the sending sensor will glow regardless of alignment or obstruction.
If the green LED on the receiving sensor is off, dim, or flickering (and the invisible light beam path is not obstructed), alignment is required. See How do I align my safety reversing sensors? Test the safety sensor wires. Remove the sensors from the brackets. Remove the wires from the wire nuts or cut the sensor wires 12" from the sensors. Strip both ends of wires from each sensor and twist like colored wires together. Proceed with both sensors to the garage door opener motor unit. Remove existing wires from the white and grey terminals on the back of the operator. Attach or insert white wires into the white terminal and black/white striped wires into the grey terminal. Point the sensors at each other - if both sensor LED's turn on, there is an issue with your wiring. Replace the wires between the opener and the sensors. If the LED’s DO NOT turn on, replace the sensors. Note: If after replacing the sensors, the LED's still do not light, replace the logic board.