Why Did This Liftmaster Gate Opener Fail?

[@paulputnam2305]

Can’t wait to see the results!

[@BradWillingham-j5m]

Hey Steve, it was great talking to you today on tech support. Greatly enjoying your videos. Thanks for telling me about your channel.

[@10swatkins]

Thanks, you too!

[@dane9175]

I'm glad you took yours apart that means I don't have to take mine apart let's see what's inside 🤔

[@user-oi8tg3dq7t]

Good Morning Steve and hi from Nacogdoches. Another interesting video.

[@10swatkins]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@walterplummer3808]

Very nice piece of equipment. I was surprised the screw looked dry. No lube at all? Thanks for showing us.

[@10swatkins]

It would just get trash and dirt caked up there....

[@Danjr948]

Wouldn't the next step be to put a meter on the micro-switch and check it.

[@10swatkins]

IT's not the switch.... the lever moves a plunger stop the stop was not releasing for some reason and the screw could not turn and free spin...

[@johnb5519]

Interesting to see the inside of one of those. Are they double start threads? I was thinking maybe the switch or circuit board, but if it's not working with the manual control, it's puzzling.

[@10swatkins]

The electric part works ok... it's the mechanical part that would not release the motor from the shaft by pulling out a part from a notch in the shaft. Try as I might I could not release it in the field but it works fine in the shop...

[@johnb5519]

@@10swatkins That's strange. Good luck with it.

[@myronalexander3093]

It may be a problem of friction between the nut and the screw. Even with the screw disengaged from the motor, you're applying a lateral force where the conversion to rotation is affected by friction. That screw looks very dirty/rusted and that may be your problem.

[@10swatkins]

Sorry good theory but not the case :) Even older ones look worse and work well.. Something would not let it release the plunger from the indent on the shaft...

[@myronalexander3093]

@@10swatkins Maybe it's the TV repairman problem 😁 TV exhibits some consistent fault. Repairman arrives but finds the TV working perfectly. When repairman leaves, fault returns.

[@10swatkins]

@@myronalexander3093 For once when I arrived it was jammed up :) I tried a lot of things to get it to release, when it's on a gate there is a lot of leverage and the screw turn very easily when unlocked... Something was jammed and when I took it to the shop it worked,,, Just the oposite :)

[@hlogoma]

Hi Steve ... I am looking to place a gate that opens remotely across the entrance to our parking lot which is about 30 feet wide ... do you have any suggestions? (about 4 feet high)

[@10swatkins]

30 feet is a long way for a single gate to travel and open in a timely manner... It's done all the time mostly with sliding gates to reduce the amount of space a swinging gate uses... IF you have the space I would put in a double gate that each side slides to the side... Gate opens in half the time then and people don't rush it and hit is so often... Once I made a 8" pipe "fence" across a lot opening that was about 75 feet wide... The 8" top rail was supported by 8" pipes into the ground every 12 feet... The opening was 24 feet and I made special rollers that fit INSIDE the 8" top rail and allowed a 4x4 square metal rail to store inside the pipe when open and extend 12' out of the pipe to close the opening.... Had no room for a sliding gate and they did not want it to look like a fortress with a gate...

[@hlogoma]

@@10swatkins Thanks for you reply ... will it be okay to get back to you for more detail?

[@ÁREAJ27]

olá amigo Steve!!!Muito bom trabalho e interessante,acompanhando!!! Boa sorte sempre!!!

[@10swatkins]

Thank you my friend

[@ÁREAJ27]

Eu que agradeço amigo@@10swatkins obrigado pela atenção!!!Abraço

[@bomberpanda]

I do wonder if these are better built than the Apollo you show hanging in the last video. Because you have a pile of broken ones right there. It seems to me like all of these arms are going to require some maintenance at one point or another. All it takes is one small thing to come out of alignment and then it will stop working. A lot of these them seems to be peoples inability to troubleshoot them, and instead just replace them with a new product. It would be great to know what’s failing on those Apollo gate openers you were replacing. I have a pair of mighty mule openers there around 15 years old. They have required three rev counters, and one motor. So about $50 in parts over 15 years. Almost all of these things are dead simple. Moisture is definitely the killer of the mighty mule. I have installed one Apollo 1600 and had no issues with it. I don’t know how well sealed against water intrusion they are. The open design of the box is certainly a weakness. I think I would like to try one of these left masters given your praises. I just wish there was more definitive information out there on why what is better than another?

[@10swatkins]

The control box and motherboards of the Liftmasters are sealed and keep moisture and bugs out... Apollo boxes had wet cell batteries that sit beside the wires and circuit boards and off gas and corrode wiring... Liftmaster have sealed batteries... LA400 has the same design arm as a Apollo, Tube in tube. 500 uses a drive screw and carriage system... AND is 24 volt... More powerful motors and, I think, better arm drive... Apollos use contacts that you can adjust in the arm for position control, they get corroded. Also they are 12 volt..... You can adjust positions with some of the Apollo mother boards but in my experience they fail more often that liftmaster boards... ALL gate motors fail sometimes, water, wear and tear, electrical storms and people forcing and running into gates will kill everything eventually... I just have fewer problems and less call backs with anything but liftmasters...

[@BitCounter]

Looks like it needs the shaft greased up.

[@irritantno9]

Doorking baby!!!!

[@10swatkins]

Not a chance. :) These suckers are tough and dependable....

[@irritantno9]

@@10swatkins 😂