Garage door opener gremlins...

microswitches are only good for xxx number of arcing and flexing cycles.

 

Can't argue with that...I was originally thinking dirt/spiders/moisture (its been super humid here) on a circuit board, but it doesn't have one, and the opener was actually pretty clean inside then once opened up.
I have an old meter that tests caps...need to find it...or just buy a new cap, since a lil one like that should be low money.

 

I highly doubt that the cap could be the issue. I imagine that it is for the motor, electrolytic (start) or dielectric (run) and it appears that the motor is working, correct ?

 

Yeah the motor is working fine...the cap replacement would be because I heard it hissing after operating the door a time or two... and the cap was warmer than I thought it would be after that too...it looks and smells fine, but I'm thinking it might not be long for this world...

 

I didn't read the whole thread and this has probably already been brought up and/or already tried, but clean/resurface all the contactors on your limit switches real good. Like take them apart/blow down/sand or file/brakleen/dielectric grease application kinda real good.

 

22 years ago when we moved into the house there was an older garage door opener on one of the doors. I live pretty close to Bradley International Airport, airplane to tower communication was able to trigger the door opener (RF Interference). Needless to say I replaced it with a modern digital unit

 

What provides the signal to initiate open and close ?
Caps drying out in a power supply for a t/r could cause a low voltage condition that might trigger a false read command to open or close.
There has to be a logic board of some sort if it has a remote. I would be checking it for bad connections possibly from age and/or vibration. And dried out caps. Sometimes you get lucky and they've gassed and are split open - visibly failed.
If it is opening and closing repeatedly that kinda indicates the microswitches are fine.

 

In my case I believe it was an analog signal from the remote that triggered the opener,possibly dried out caps causing a frequency shift or wider band in the receiver?


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Remote control module has been completely removed...wires coming from the buttons on the wall, completely removed, at the opener. So all the normal signals to operate are out of the equation.
My "bear trap" was still set when I left for work this morning, first time it hasn't moved overnight since Sunday night...

 

Kinda depends on the cap's function in the circuit. Removing spikes/ripple. Helping to control a voltage, etc, etc.

 

Cap is part of a tuned LC (inductance/capacitance) circuit, a coil and capacitor in parallel, if the caps value changes the center frequency of the LC circuit shifts. Old school analog tuning. Nowadays it’s all done solid state and digital. Capacitors do more than just clean up ripple. In a/c to d/c power supplies the big caps on the output supply instantaneous “capacity” much
Like an accumulator on a hydraulic system or a well tank on your water system.


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hence the included etc., etc..

 

Interested to see soliton to this puzzle

 

Well, its been a day and a half since there's been any unordered movement...I really think the contacts on the starter/reverser relay were welding...and I also think I am going to replace that capacitor, it was already suspect with the light hissing, and getting prematurely warm/hot (IMO) and a bad cap could certainly cause issues with the contacts too sooo...now to find a reasonably priced cap...the supposed OEM replacement cap is almost $25, looks like there are equivalent spec caps out there for more like $10.
I haven't had any luck finding a replacement relay...I can't find any numbers on it and haven't found anything even remotely like it either...maybe the newly filed/cleaned contacts will be fine with a new cap...

 

Ok, I found some relay numbers on top under a light coat of dust...looks like a VERY obsolete part, can't even find any NOS anywhere...its a Midtex 48-34Q100, there was one on ebay a couple months back, too much money to be worth foolin with though, IMO.
This is an interesting relay...its what changes the rotation on the motor.
In this position the one contact is NC

After the relay activates once, it ratchets to this position, which has that 1st contact NO, then when you activate again, the second contact makes...rinse, repeat.

 

Yes

 

Nah...seems to be working fine now after the filing session the other night
I'm gonna test that cap, but leaning toward spending $10 on a new one of those though...