Garage Door Beam Sensor Alignment

Tie a string long enough to span the width of the garage door around the bracket on one side so that the string will line up with the sensor lens.

Garage door beam sensor alignment.

The working of these sensors is quite simple. It is a beneficial device if you have kids or pets in your house. Give your garage door opener a try. Garage door sensors work by shooting a beam of infrared light across the entrance of your garage to the sensor on the other side.

As long as the beam isn t interrupted the door will open or close normally. The sensors are normally about 4 inches above the ground. These are located slightly above the ground on both the right and left sides of the garage doors. Using a level check that the string is level.

In this video i show you how to realign your garage door sensors so that the garage door can function properly. If the beam of light is interrupted while the garage door is closing the door will stop and rise back up. This system allows them to detect obstructions like your car or a kid on a bike. 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.

The same mechanism kicks in when other objects are placed near the door too. Pull the string taut and tie to the other bracket in the same position. For example 6 75 inches. If the lights on the sensors are lit it probably means that there is another reason that your garage door isn t closing.

In general garage door sensors block the door from closing if there is an object nearby. It operates on a low voltage beam which completed the switch when the door is in running condition. On most brands of garage door sensors the led light on each sensor will not light up unless the sensors are aligned. This precaution ensures that the door doesn t close when your car is in the doorway.

The infrared beam from the garage door opener sensors isn t able to be seen by human eyes. To realign them adjust the sensor that seems misaligned and wait for the led lights to light up. If you have a laser level you can use it instead of a string to align your garage door. Do both garage sensors need to be green.

One of the sensors directs a beam toward the other. Garage door sensors utilize a photo eye sensor and a beam of infrared light that goes between the two units. The units are placed near the ground on either side of the garage door. Sensor path make sure nothing is obstructing the sensor beam.

Once you have finished doing this you should see a beam. If an object interrupts the beam the sensor breaks the circuit preventing the door from closing. Proper height for a garage door sensor is 4 to 6 inches 10 2 to 15 2 cm. If not adjust one or both of the sensors to bring the string up to level.