Garage Door Opener Lights Dont Work No More

[4lti7ude]

Hey I have a Craftsman 1/2 H.R. Garage Door Opener.
It has two lights which turn on when the garage is opened or closed and can be turned on from the door switch.
One day one of the lights died, and soon enough the second one died out.

But now when I replaced the bulbs the lights dont work.
Any ideas on how to fix this? (And yes the bulbs are the right watts)

[dj_rice]

Did you screw them in correctly...

[4lti7ude]

Originally posted by dj_rice
Did you screw them in correctly...

Yup, even tried out the bulbs.
They both work.
I dont think theres a fuse in the opener is there?

[Sky]

Happened to me but its not a craftsman. It was damn annoying but I left it the way it was for like a year or two. One day I got pissed so got some new bulbs, screwed it in and played with it then voila!

No idea why it didn't work then but I would blame it on the contacts. The connections is a little flaky though like it would not work if I touch it or move it. Play with it cuz it would suck if you need to replace the whole thing. Good Luck.

[4lti7ude]

Originally posted by Sky
Happened to me but its not a craftsman. It was damn annoying but I left it the way it was for like a year or two. One day I got pissed so got some new bulbs, screwed it in and played with it then voila!

No idea why it didn't work then but I would blame it on the contacts. The connections is a little flaky though like it would not work if I touch it or move it. Play with it cuz it would suck if you need to replace the whole thing. Good Luck.

Wiggled the lights a bit.
Even checked the Watts on them again.
The garage uses 75W Max.
And the lights are the new efficient lights that are all curly which are marked as 14W.

[nonlinear]

those mini flourescent bulbs don't work well with some switches, e.g. dimmer switches. i don't know if garage door openers are somehow 'weird' like that, but try using regular light bulbs and see if those work...

[2EFNFAST]

THose curly light bulbs blow; use regular ones.

Alternatively, be like me and just leave it burnt out :D

[Eleanor]

Apparently your english skills don't work anymore either. :poosie:

[Mibz]

I replaced the bulbs on my Craftsman 1/2hp with the curly ones and they work fine so I doubt it's a bulb issue.

[nonlinear]

well, i would at least try with regular bulbs.

i just installed a new ceiling fan, and in the instructions it warned against using energy saving bulbs with dimmer switches

[topmade]

I think I have the same opener and problem as you. Bulbs don't work once in a while so I have to wiggle them around and they will work, but they go off all the time now. I also the standard bulbs and not the flourescent ones. It's got to be the contacts or a loose connection inside, I'll probably crack it open this weekend to try to fix.

[Kloubek]

Sounds like a short. It would not be a fuse, since one fuse would likely control both bulbs.

[4lti7ude]

Thanks everyone I got it to work.
It just cant seem to use the new energy efficient lights but the oldschool yellow bulbs work in it.

[sillysod]

in the back of the socket is a brass tab. chances are you need to bend that tab because it isn't contacting the back of the lamp correctly.

Make sure that the the power is off and then use a pick or something to pull up on the tab.


B.T.W. if you have a cock please don't call compact flourescent lamps "curly lamps", it sounds like something my mother in law would say.

[Heff]

Originally posted by sillysod
in the back of the socket is a brass tab. chances are you need to bend that tab because it isn't contacting the back of the lamp correctly.

Make sure that the the power is off and then use a pick or something to pull up on the tab.


B.T.W. if you have a cock please don't call compact flourescent lamps "curly lamps", it sounds like something my mother in law would say.

Trip the breaker that runs the circuit to the opener first if possible. You can get a really nice 'nip' from these sockets if you're not careful.