Question with an electrician visit today

[Liz]

We had an electrician come to our home today to check out an issue with our electrical panel. While here, we had them replace the keypad device outside our garage door because our old one didn't work anymore. Also, we have three vehicles and two garage door openers in our cars so we had them program an additional opener (that we had) so we would have three openers for three cars.

After they left, we discovered our other two garage door openers that we had previously now no longer work. The electrician never saw or touched them, but we mentioned we had two others. We had no idea whatever they did to get the 3rd opener to work would cause the other two to not work.

Should the electrician fix this (and pay another service call?) or should we just call a garage door opener company or is there a way we can program this ourselves? FYI, I texted the electrical company because they had been texting me all morning about updates to our appointment and got no response. I didn't ask for anything. I just pointed out after they left we discovered a problem and explained what they did and what is no longer working. I didn't know what they would say, but they said nothing. Just wondering if we just live with one opener now or how you'd handle it?

 

[Lumpy1106]

I would DIY. Google/YouTube is your friend. I fixed DM's garage door opener. In that case the electric eye beam has been mis-aligned, but similar steps to test and adjust until it worked.

 

[tvguy]

Sounds like he changed the toggle switches in the actual garage door opener to match the toggle switches in the remote rather than changing the toggle switches in the remote. I suspect he had no idea you had two other remotes. Easy to fix yourself. The toggle switches on the opener need to be the same as all three remotes. I would open up the remote that works and see what the code is on the toggle switches. Open the other two remotes and set their code to the same code. A lot easier to work with the remotes than changing the codes on the actual opener since that would require a ladder.

https://www.younghouselove.com/a-tale-of-two-garage-doors/

 

[Liz]

Sounds like he changed the toggle switches in the actual garage door opener to match the toggle switches in the remote rather than changing the toggle switches in the remote. I suspect he had no idea you had two other remotes. Easy to fix yourself. The toggle switches on the opener need to be the same as all three remotes. I would open up the remote that works and see what the code is on the toggle switches. Open the other two remotes and set their code to the same code. A lot easier to work with the remotes than changing the codes on the actual opener since that would require a ladder.

https://www.younghouselove.com/a-tale-of-two-garage-doors/

Thank you so much! This sounds like something we can do!

 

[sam_gordon]

Sounds like he changed the toggle switches in the actual garage door opener to match the toggle switches in the remote rather than changing the toggle switches in the remote. I suspect he had no idea you had two other remotes. Easy to fix yourself. The toggle switches on the opener need to be the same as all three remotes. I would open up the remote that works and see what the code is on the toggle switches. Open the other two remotes and set their code to the same code. A lot easier to work with the remotes than changing the codes on the actual opener since that would require a ladder.

https://www.younghouselove.com/a-tale-of-two-garage-doors/

Just so you know, many, if not most, garage door openers don't use toggle switches any more. We still have the same garage door opener from when we got into the house 20 years ago... a basic model. No toggle switches. It's all push button programming.

@Liz, this is definitely a DIY job. You'll need a ladder (usually a small step ladder) in order to reach the "base" unit (the garage unit). Google the make & model and "programming" (ex: Craftsman Z3000 programming). You should be able to find how to ADD remotes to it. It's usually a combination of button presses, and will depend on the type of opener. My guess is the electrician "wiped" out the old remotes and they just need put back in.

If you aren't comfortable doing this, ask neighbors, family members, or friends. This should take less than 30 minutes, but will require having all remotes. If you truly can't find anyone then yes, call the electrician back out.

 

[tvguy]

Just so you know, many, if not most, garage door openers don't use toggle switches any more. We still have the same garage door opener from when we got into the house 20 years ago... a basic model. No toggle switches. It's all push button programming.

@Liz, this is definitely a DIY job. You'll need a ladder (usually a small step ladder) in order to reach the "base" unit (the garage unit). Google the make & model and "programming" (ex: Craftsman Z3000 programming). You should be able to find how to ADD remotes to it. It's usually a combination of button presses, and will depend on the type of opener. My guess is the electrician "wiped" out the old remotes and they just need put back in.

If you aren't comfortable doing this, ask neighbors, family members, or friends. This should take less than 30 minutes, but will require having all remotes. If you truly can't find anyone then yes, call the electrician back out.

Put one in my daughter's house last year and it has toggle switches. Made by Liftmaster.

 

[sam_gordon]

Put one in my daughter's house last year and it has toggle switches. Made by Liftmaster.

Still no guarantee. Best bet is to look up make/model for instructions.

 

[tvguy]

Still no guarantee. Best bet is to look up make/model for instructions.

Absolutely.

 

[_19disnA]

I would call the electrician and tell him some of your door openers no longer work. Sounds like he messed up something when getting the other device to work. If they are worked fine previously, it seems likely that something he did with this reprogramming caused a new problem. Rather then spends hours on your own guessing what is wrong, that is where I would start.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just so you know, many, if not most, garage door openers don't use toggle switches any more. We still have the same garage door opener from when we got into the house 20 years ago... a basic model. No toggle switches. It's all push button programming.

@Liz, this is definitely a DIY job. You'll need a ladder (usually a small step ladder) in order to reach the "base" unit (the garage unit). Google the make & model and "programming" (ex: Craftsman Z3000 programming). You should be able to find how to ADD remotes to it. It's usually a combination of button presses, and will depend on the type of opener. My guess is the electrician "wiped" out the old remotes and they just need put back in.

If you aren't comfortable doing this, ask neighbors, family members, or friends. This should take less than 30 minutes, but will require having all remotes. If you truly can't find anyone then yes, call the electrician back out.

Agreed.

 

[sam_gordon]

I would call the electrician and tell him some of your door openers no longer work. Sounds like he messed up something when getting the other device to work. If they are worked fine previously, it seems likely that something he did with this reprogramming caused a new problem. Rather then spends hours on your own guessing what is wrong, that is where I would start.

It might take an hour (at most two) to do the research and get things going vs waiting days(?) to get an electrician back out, and possibly having to pay for the time.

 

[kdonnel]

My guess is you have a rolling code garage door opener.

As part of the new install the electrician cleared any existing openers. Since you mentioned the original openers the electrician should have ensured they continued to work.

It will take about 20 seconds per device to get them to work. There is a learn button on the head unit for the opener. That button is pressed and then the handheld opener button is pressed two to three times.

The electrician will come do it and will do it for free if they are at all honest.

But is is something you could do or maybe a neighbor could help with.

 

[Stratman50th]

On many of them you climb up to the motor unit, push a "learn" button, then press the open button on the remote.
Others you press the opener then the wired wall unit.

 

[hertamaniac]

I'm not sure it applies in this situation, but I had Homelink on my 2011 Kia Optima (base model) and it worked fine. Fast forward to present day and I have a new Acura with the upgraded technology package that doesn't come with Homelink. I'm bummed as that remote sitting on my visor feels so 80'ish.

 

[kdonnel]

I'm not sure it applies in this situation, but I had Homelink on my 2011 Kia Optima (base model) and it worked fine. Fast forward to present day and I have a new Acura with the upgraded technology package that doesn't come with Homelink. I'm bummed as that remote sitting on my visor feels so 80'ish.

Honda likes to gate keep Homelink behind higher trim levels.

I bought a 2006 Honda Accord EX that did NOT come with homelink. You had to buy a 2006 Honda Accord EX V6 to get homelink.

The wiring harness was in place for homelink but the part was VIN controlled. Honda would only let you purchase it if you provided a VIN for a car that came with homelink. I went through the mall parking lot and found a 2006 Honda Accord EX V6 with the same gray interior I had and took a picture of the VIN. Then used that VIN to order the part. It took about 5 minutes to install it and have been using homelink in that car since.

 

[GreatLakes]

My guess is you have a rolling code garage door opener.

As part of the new install the electrician cleared any existing openers. Since you mentioned the original openers the electrician should have ensured they continued to work.

It will take about 20 seconds per device to get them to work. There is a learn button on the head unit for the opener. That button is pressed and then the handheld opener button is pressed two to three times.

The electrician will come do it and will do it for free if they are at all honest.

But is is something you could do or maybe a neighbor could help with.

This is what I thought as well. With mine I have two options, I can just add or clear and add. I bet they cleared and added. I don't think it is worth contacting them, a little Google will fix it for you. Electricians are also not garage door experts so I wouldn't even think it is on them. It would have been on you to ensure all openers work after new ones are added since it is no uncommon for old openers to need to be re-added after any maintenance.

 

[hertamaniac]

Honda likes to gate keep Homelink behind higher trim levels.

I bought a 2006 Honda Accord EX that did NOT come with homelink. You had to buy a 2006 Honda Accord EX V6 to get homelink.

The wiring harness was in place for homelink but the part was VIN controlled. Honda would only let you purchase it if you provided a VIN for a car that came with homelink. I went through the mall parking lot and found a 2006 Honda Accord EX V6 with the same gray interior I had and took a picture of the VIN. Then used that VIN to order the part. It took about 5 minutes to install it and have been using homelink in that car since.

I think that Bluetooth/WiFi has become so prominent with the garage door motor manufacturers, that the vehicle manufacturers have reduced the cost to have HomeLink as standard or even an option on higher-trim levels. I have the highest-level trim on my Acura and it's not available.

 

[kdonnel]

I think that Bluetooth/WiFi has become so prominent with the garage door motor manufacturers, that the vehicle manufacturers have reduced the cost to have HomeLink as standard or even an option on higher-trim levels. I have the highest-level trim on my Acura and it's not available.

Seems shortsighted to forget about the tens of millions of non wifi openers.

For my Chevy Bolt I was able to buy a generic 3rd party module and install it. Almost looks like it came from the factory.

 

[hertamaniac]

Seems shortsighted to forget about the tens of millions of non wifi openers.

For my Chevy Bolt I was able to buy a generic 3rd party module and install it. Almost looks like it came from the factory.

I just got a new Chamberlain garage opener installed this past January. It came with HomeLink and no Bluetooth or WiFi functionality. They provided a single remote with the ability to purchase additional ones for the millions of users that don't have either system.