Adjusting Your Garage Door Photo Eye

Today’s garage doors are outfitted with safety precautions. Some of them are part of the leading edge as the garage closes, others are infrared beams which “watch” for people or possessions to be in the garage door’s path.

Today will we talk about the photo eye that controls one type of safety protocol. For the infrared beam to work correctly, the beam must shoot straight at the other sensor and the “eye” must pick up the signal clearly. If they are out of alignment the system will believe there is an vehicle, object, person, or even a pet in the way and it will not close.

These sensors are usually installed about 6 inches off the floor.  If you can’t get your garage to close, there is a chance that the problem is the photo eye. Follow the steps below to get your garage working again.

Photo Eye Adjustment Steps

Step #1 – Knowing your enemy is the biggest part of any repair. Garage doors that will neither open or close are having more problems than misaligned photo eyes. However if your door will not close, or only closes a bit and then retracts, you might check your photo eyes. Some garage doors will not attempt to close if the beam is not hitting right, they might flash a light or make a clicking sound.

Step #2 – Clear the path around the garage door and the sensors. While you would probably notice if the car was hanging out a small item that has fallen in front of the garage door sensor will prevent it from working. In addition if someone has bumped the sensor or something has fallen on it, it will not work correctly.

Step #3 – Check the lights on the sensors. Most sensors will have LED lights installed to help you know their current condition. If one of the sensors light is not on or it is flashing you should try to adjust it. If you aim it just right it should re-establish the connection and allow your garage door to close again. Persistent problems with sensors coming out of adjustment should be looked at by qualified garage door technicians.

Step #4 – Wipe your eyes, or at least clean your sensors. It is easy for rain, dust, or dirt to get onto the lens of your sensors. Using a damp cloth you should wipe the cobwebs, dirt, or dust away from the lens and then ensure they are pointed correctly. This should help you get both LED lights to come on and indicate that they are working properly. There is also a chance that the sun shines into the sensor at certain times of day. If you suspect this, you can have a sun shade installed on your garage door sensor to overcome this problem.

Step #5 – The sensors are installed many times with pivot brackets. These brackets allow the angle of the sensors to be customized and overcome walls or tracks that are out of plumb. If your house is settling or the track has been bent the bracket can be loosened and the sensor pointed back at level to fire directly at the other sensor.

Step #6 – Photo eyes in garage doors should be mounted at exactly the same height. While they might work for a while with a slight difference in height, they will start to have problems over time and be more prone to dysfunction with normal environmental buildup on the sensors.

Step #7 – Checking the wires is the last step in DYI garage door repair. If the wires leading to your sensors are pulled loose or have been frayed you should call for some professional help. Caring for the safety system of your garage door is a job for professionals and you should invest in the safety of you and your family.

Garage Door Photo Eye Service

If you have tried these steps and haven’t been able to get your garage door working, give the experts a call. On Track Garage Door knows all brands and technology to get your garage door back on track. We can help you adjust, repair, or replace damaged photo eye safety sensors on your garage door anywhere in the Phoenix valley. Call today at 480-641-2301.