I have a Craftsman 1/2HP chain-drive opener, model 139.53615SR, about 15 years old. All of the sudden, it has started stopping intermittently when closing. It opens without issue every time. When closing, sometimes it will stop about 2/3 of the way down, sometimes it goes down uninterrupted. If it stops, I must continue pushing the opener remote and it goes down a little bit further with each push, until it finally closes fully. If I disconnect the door, and just run the opener, the behavior is the same. I've also noticed that when it stops, the light appears to blink, almost as if there's a short in the unit maybe. Any troubleshooting ideas?

1. If the garage door opener (GDO) has the safety eyes, make sure they are aligned and not loose on their brackets. An infrared disconnect will stop the motor.

2. Check wiring connections by opening the light cover and examining. Sometimes the vibration of the motor over time will work the connections loose.

3. The circuit board may be starting to go after 15 years. These can be replaced, but are rather costly and a new GDO on sale may cost as much as the board.