Only 1/4 horse motor?
#1
12-14-2017, 04:50 PM
Only 1/4 horse motor?
Just love to see these TV do it yourself shows where they install the super 2 horsepower garage heavy duty opener. That will really work well, don't even need the door opener springs anymore. For starters if you have a door and a person can barely open it, how do you expect an opener to, even a 2HP (or the biggest made?). But that seems how they all do it.
As strange as it may sound a door should almost be balanced when opening. Placing enough tension on the springs and allowing those to do the lifting instead, not the door opener. My point being a 1/4 HP motor/opener is all that's required for most installations, equates about the same power as say 2 fingers to lift door open. Even old heavy doors with good spring tension will go up way smoothly. Don't be around if a spring happens to snap though, with any amount of tension at all. Recall had one break and drop on the floor right next to the Buick. Sounded like a rifle shot, never touched the car. Nope, don't throw away those safety wires.
If opener is in service, unlatch it and see how easy the door will lift manually by hand. If it goes up really hard you need a larger HP motor for opener. Kidding, but ive had my doors so that they actually travel up on their own with springs tension after closing (now that's counterbalanced). Maybe a teeny too much tension?
Thinking of things to put here is all I'm up to. Oh wait, and then there's this How Much Horsepower Does My Garage Door Opener Need? (not selling these). Now I have 2 single 9' wide heavy garage doors and my two (1/4HP) openers have lasted 30 years so far. Don't believe maybe not everything you read?
I also noticed it appears the 1/4 HP opener isn't even made anymore, 1/3HP seems to be the lowest rating now lmao. All doors these days have the photo eye safety installation also. Seems to be redundant if the door's pressure sensitive adjustment is set right to reverse direction when door contact at any height is made. I.E. pulling car out as door is coming down (wife's accomplishment). Trouble there is, too many kids have been crushed from never checking this feature to see if it actually is working...... So as with everything, all pay the price now for ignorance back when, the do it yourselfer.
As strange as it may sound a door should almost be balanced when opening. Placing enough tension on the springs and allowing those to do the lifting instead, not the door opener. My point being a 1/4 HP motor/opener is all that's required for most installations, equates about the same power as say 2 fingers to lift door open. Even old heavy doors with good spring tension will go up way smoothly. Don't be around if a spring happens to snap though, with any amount of tension at all. Recall had one break and drop on the floor right next to the Buick. Sounded like a rifle shot, never touched the car. Nope, don't throw away those safety wires.
If opener is in service, unlatch it and see how easy the door will lift manually by hand. If it goes up really hard you need a larger HP motor for opener. Kidding, but ive had my doors so that they actually travel up on their own with springs tension after closing (now that's counterbalanced). Maybe a teeny too much tension?
Thinking of things to put here is all I'm up to. Oh wait, and then there's this How Much Horsepower Does My Garage Door Opener Need? (not selling these). Now I have 2 single 9' wide heavy garage doors and my two (1/4HP) openers have lasted 30 years so far. Don't believe maybe not everything you read?
I also noticed it appears the 1/4 HP opener isn't even made anymore, 1/3HP seems to be the lowest rating now lmao. All doors these days have the photo eye safety installation also. Seems to be redundant if the door's pressure sensitive adjustment is set right to reverse direction when door contact at any height is made. I.E. pulling car out as door is coming down (wife's accomplishment). Trouble there is, too many kids have been crushed from never checking this feature to see if it actually is working...... So as with everything, all pay the price now for ignorance back when, the do it yourselfer.
Last edited by Rich B.; 12-19-2017 at 04:11 AM. Reason: Writing a novelette?
#2
05-01-2018, 10:58 PM
Our appartment underground garage has a pretty big insulated door. The opener gets pretty heavy usage all day long.. it’s goes up and down fairly slow so most people duck under when there is just enough clearance. Some have hit it as the bottom section has been replaced a number of times.
last summer I was coming in with my Fiberglas 41 ****** streetrod. I always wait until it is fully up. Well it was just about all the way up and the chain broke. I saw it and fortunately I had not moved as the big door slammed down smashing the lower panel. I’d hate to think of the damage it would have caused.. a hood is over $1000 not counting paint.
if it hit my 77 el Camino SS it would have probably totaled the car as replacement body parts are almost non existent. I would probably have had to try and buy a parts car. The same goes for my 94 Buick RoadMaster Estate Wagon. They are hard to find in non rusted hulks.
Fortunately I have all of them insured for agreed value which is higher than market or purchased price.
My son’s spring broke and the chain came apart on his and slammed the door down wrecking most of the door. His home owners insurance coved it. The new opener has a heavier chain. Not sure of the Hp but it looks bigger to lift the new insulated door.
last summer I was coming in with my Fiberglas 41 ****** streetrod. I always wait until it is fully up. Well it was just about all the way up and the chain broke. I saw it and fortunately I had not moved as the big door slammed down smashing the lower panel. I’d hate to think of the damage it would have caused.. a hood is over $1000 not counting paint.
if it hit my 77 el Camino SS it would have probably totaled the car as replacement body parts are almost non existent. I would probably have had to try and buy a parts car. The same goes for my 94 Buick RoadMaster Estate Wagon. They are hard to find in non rusted hulks.
Fortunately I have all of them insured for agreed value which is higher than market or purchased price.
My son’s spring broke and the chain came apart on his and slammed the door down wrecking most of the door. His home owners insurance coved it. The new opener has a heavier chain. Not sure of the Hp but it looks bigger to lift the new insulated door.
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