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adbsball · Jan 21, 2008, 12:07 PM

I have a Crafstman 1/2 HP garage door opener in my garage that is a little over 5 years old. The problem I have been having during the past couple winters is that when the temperature gets frigid cold (usually anything below 30 degrees F) my garage door only opens about 10 inches and then stops. I usually have to open and close the garage door 5-10 times before the door opens. Sometimes it takes many more tries. The problem is not the door itself, it opens just fine manually (I've had to do it on occasion to get to work on time). I have heard of using some sort of lubricant that withstand freezing temperatures as well as tightening the main screw that cranks the chain. Again, this problem ONLY occurs when it's well below freezing. Please help! Thanks in advance.

ballengerb1 · Jan 21, 2008, 03:52 PM

Sounds to me that the lub that is already there may be getting too thick from the cold. Could you describ this screw for me? "the main screw that cranks the chain. There is a sprocket that drives the chain and there is a screw that pushes the sprocket further back to tighten the chain, is that what you are describing? Try spraying the sprocket with WD 40 and the same with the sprocket at the header end of the track.

adbsball · Jan 23, 2008, 01:42 PM

I'm guessing that I have to take the garage door opener apart (lift off the cover completely) to get to the screw. I will do that tonight and let you know what the screw looks like, but I will also spray the screw drive to see if that works as well. That makes sense that that is the problem since it only occurs in the extreme cold. Thanks so much for the help and I will keep you posted.

ballengerb1 · Jan 23, 2008, 03:14 PM

The adjustment screw is on top of the unit usually sticking staright back away from the door. You don't need to remove the cover but you do need to get your eye level with the top of the unit to see it. Good luck.

adbsball · Jan 24, 2008, 09:06 AM

Thank you for your help! I would not have known where to look. I really appreciate your input in regards to this matter. I will let you know if I have any success in the next day or so. Thanks again!

Jayfore · Jan 31, 2008, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by adbsball

Thank you for your help! I would not have known where to look. I really appreciate your input in regards to this matter. I will let you know if I have any success in the next day or so. Thanks again!

Any results? Our opener started displaying this same behavior a week or so ago (will only move a couple of inches, then gives up), when it got ridiculously cold. Has never happened before, and I've been in the house since 2001. I have a Stanley chain drive unit. I know it's not anything with the door itself or the sensors, because when I pull the release to detach the door from the lifter, the things will STILL not move -- so it's something with the opener itself. Also, it warmed a little bit the other day, and of course the opener worked fine. Chilled back down that night, and then the door would not go back down... So it's definitely tied to the cold.

ballengerb1 · Feb 1, 2008, 11:01 AM

"when I pull the release to detach the door from the lifter, the things will STILL not move" this could mean your springs are broken or slipped. Howeever sonce the door works better when it warms up I don't think this is your issue. If the door is very hard to open when disconnected from the track then the opener has nothing to do with the problem. I think you may have misunderstood. It coulk also be the lubrication on the track wheels.

Jayfore · Feb 1, 2008, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

"when I pull the release to detach the door from the lifter, the things will STILL not move" this could mean your springs are broken or slipped. Howeever sonce the door works better when it warms up I don't think this is your issue. If the door is very hard to open when disconnected from the track then the opener has nothing to do with the problem. I think you may have misunderstood. It coulk also be the lubrication on the track wheels.

No, what I'm saying is that the opener (the chain, etc.) still will not move when I disengage the door itself. I will pull the door down manually and then press the button for the opener to put the door down -- when I do this, the opener should move the chain, as if it were moving down the door... But it doesn't go for more than a second or so. I provided this information to show that it's not a door or door track issue, but rather an issue with the opener itself. The obstruction detection beams are clean and show that there is no problem, so it's got to be something with the opener, its gears, chain, something like that.

Now that it's not so bone chilling today, I will have to see if I can open things up a little and take a look.

ballengerb1 · Feb 1, 2008, 11:16 AM

Thanks for the explanation, I did misunderstand part of your description. Are there travel adjustment screws on the top of the motor unit?

Jayfore · Feb 1, 2008, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Thanks for the explanation, I did misunderstand part of your description. Are there travel adjustment screws on the top of the motor unit?

Not sure, but I can check when I open the thing up. Why do you ask this? Would the screws' adjustment affect cold weather vs. warm weather operation?

ballengerb1 · Feb 1, 2008, 11:28 AM

Before I forget the screws are usually on the back of a Stanley not the top. Some adjustments crews adjust the travel but many also adjust the sensitivity of the unit. I would look for the screws and make small adjustments to see if you can make it less sensitive.

Jayfore · Feb 1, 2008, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Before I forget the screws are usually on the back of a Stanley not the top. Some adjustments crews adjust the travel but many also adjust the sensitivity of the unit. I would look for the screws and make small adjustments to see if you can make it less sensitive.

Gotcha... There were a couple of knobs that I could twist to make it more powerful, etc. I played with those initially, and there was no change in the performance.

BTW, I just went out to look at it, and of course, since the temperature is more mild today, the opener is working perfectly.

Msfan · Dec 24, 2009, 08:41 PM

I have a Stanley garage door opener that will not work when the temps get in the 30's as well. I have tried all that you have tried and something else. My garage is not heated or insulated so the electronics in the opener won't work correctly. I have built a little housing for the opener and put a 250watt heat lap at the top of the opener to keep it warm and it works. Occasionally I do have to hit it twice to get it up but it beats having to hand do it. I hope this helps you.