Quantcast
LED Light Bulb Interfering with Garage Door Opener? - Beyond.ca - Car Forums
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 28

Thread: LED Light Bulb Interfering with Garage Door Opener?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    2,093
    Rep Power
    43

    Default LED Light Bulb Interfering with Garage Door Opener?

    So the past few weeks my Chamberlain garage door opener has been quite finicky. Works intermittently, and most of the time i have to slide the opener button off the visor and move around in the car or even reverse back and forth until i can find a sweet spot to catch the signal. As you can imagine this is a major piss off when you back out of the garage trying to leave your house. I had it completely chalked up as a failed receiver logic board, so this morning was searching around where i could find a replacement receiver board instead of changing out the whole opener. As i was looking around, came across this youtube video:


    Then it dawned on me.... a few weeks ago the light burnt out, and i popped two new LED light bulbs in and that's right around when it started acting up. I did kind of correlate the timing, but i figured i might have bumped the board or something while i was changing the bulb. never would i have imagined the bulbs themselves interfering with the signal.

    Tonight i'm going to try and find some incandescent lights to use in there instead of LEDs (hope i can find an old one or buy one somewhere) and crossing fingers this will fix the problem.

    anyways, wanted to share this in case anyone else runs into this problem before they rip their hair out. also curious if this has actually happened to anyone else? Funny thing is there is nothing on Chamberlain's troubleshooting website that i could find about it... very lucky to have come across that youtube video otherwise i'd have wasted my time swapping out the receiver logic board.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Upstairs
    My Ride
    Natural Gas.
    Posts
    13,332
    Rep Power
    100

    Default

    Let us know if that fixes your issue. It's a good tip.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    calgary
    My Ride
    The SHBARUS
    Posts
    2,091
    Rep Power
    26

    Default

    Slightly related regarding the signal to control the garage door opener, it was chamberlain as well.

    Last year when I was setting up the myq for my old garage door opener I couldn’t get them to pair for whatever reason. I was almost at the point to give up. Took the myq down from the ceiling and tried again one last time and it worked. Apparently I had the thing too close to the garage door opener. I did follow the instruction and it shows the recommended distance, it’s still too close I guess. Finally installed it may be a foot away and it’s good. If anyone runs into similar problem, that may be the cause.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    golfR
    Posts
    457
    Rep Power
    18

    Default

    The manual of my chamberlain specifically says do not use LED light bulbs as it can interfere with with signals.
    Not a guarantee but it can happen.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    calgary
    Posts
    1,749
    Rep Power
    17

    Default

    Very interesting, apparently the drivers on some LED bulbs emit electromagnetic interference. I would try going to a more expensive bulb if it’s a cheapo. I replaced mine with Feits I believe and haven’t had any issues.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    2,977
    Rep Power
    22

    Default

    Incandescents are still available, they're just called heavy duty or rough duty or such to get around the rules.
    Will fuck off, again.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Beaumont
    My Ride
    Touareg, Cayenne, 944s
    Posts
    717
    Rep Power
    29

    Default

    I've had this happen. It's especially bad with dimmer LEDs. I replaced an incandescent bulb in a lamp with a dimmable LED right above the garage in the bonus room and had no end of trouble with the remotes until going back to a regular bulb. It seems especially bad when the dimmer is on the lowest setting and the light seems off, but it's still getting a small voltage.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Secret City, Alberta
    My Ride
    2018 Civic Si coupe
    Posts
    656
    Rep Power
    36

    Default

    I have a CFL bulb in mine, zero issues, but those are getting hard to find too. I was thinking of replacing it with an LED bulb but not anymore thanks to this

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Edmonton
    My Ride
    2020 Genesis G70
    Posts
    989
    Rep Power
    20

    Default

    Great post! One of the bulbs in my garage door just burnt out and I was planning on replacing both with LED. Looks like I will stay old school now. Thanks for saving a major headache!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    2,093
    Rep Power
    43

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by J-hop View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    Very interesting, apparently the drivers on some LED bulbs emit electromagnetic interference. I would try going to a more expensive bulb if it’s a cheapo. I replaced mine with Feits I believe and haven’t had any issues.
    Brand is philips so would think they are decent quality.


    Anyways, Home Depot has a very small collection of incandescents. Grabbed a 2 pack that is specifically marketed for garage door openers (vibration-resistant) for about $6 and threw em on. So far so good, remote button worked first try as it should.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    calgary
    Posts
    1,749
    Rep Power
    17

    Default

    I double checked today, bulb I’m running in mine is a feit 60w equivalent (part number 280-16-28). Garage door opener is a linear, bulb is on the front antenna sticks up from the rear. Zero issues (been running it for a year)

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Pallet Town
    Posts
    809
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    They also still sell appliance rated bulbs. You can't put a LED or CFL in an oven.
    0.5 gram microsd delivered by 12,000 pound combustion vehicle and driver.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Upstairs
    My Ride
    Natural Gas.
    Posts
    13,332
    Rep Power
    100

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ZenOps View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    You can't put a LED or CFL in an oven.
    don't tell me what I can't do!
    Name:  as5HjpJ.gif
Views: 430
Size:  674.2 KB
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Cowtown
    My Ride
    N54B30O1
    Posts
    129
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    I recently had LED christmas lights put up and now my garage door openers only work at very close range -- i.e. 10-20' from the door, versus 150' away before. FWIW.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Elbonia
    My Ride
    Jeep of Theseus
    Posts
    6,827
    Rep Power
    48

    Default

    I just installed 10 of the T8 LED bulbs in my shop and discovered the same issue - no door remotes work if the lights are on.

    I consider this a feature, not a bug - now nobody can randomly open the door while I'm working and let the warm air out!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Cochrane, AB
    My Ride
    Trucks
    Posts
    2,114
    Rep Power
    43

    Default

    What I’m taking from this thread is never buy a POS Chamberlain door opener. Talk about a failure in engineering.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    65
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    I also had issue with my garage opener range as well, did a bunch of research on it as I literally had to be on the pad to open garage door. Also had LED bulb, I flipped back to CFL but didn't notice much difference so kept LED. I thought maybe my neighbours had some wifi device interfering with signals. I checked my wifi device but nothing changed. I even had my homelink replaced on my Mercedes thinking it was faulty (they swapped the whole mirror). I found a youtube vid of extending the garage opener antenna https://youtu.be/ZrIMhHTW0kk

    I decided to try that myself and it made a huge difference. I had some spare speaker wire so used that instead as extension. You can see in my pic I looped it around in the front of garage above garage door.

    Name:  Annotation 2018-12-09 110919.jpg
Views: 392
Size:  45.0 KB
    Name:  IMG_3447.jpg
Views: 390
Size:  46.9 KB

    I installed the Chamberlain MyQ garage opener after my wire extension. I was a little apprehensive initially about purchasing it as it might mess with my range again but my paranoia of not closing the garage door at night or driving away got the better of me.. so far range has not been affected. I never did find the root cause of why my range suck but just glad it's resolved as it drove me nuts when the issue occurred.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    BoostLand
    My Ride
    something green
    Posts
    1,931
    Rep Power
    28

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Darell_n View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    What I’m taking from this thread is never buy a POS Chamberlain door opener. Talk about a failure in engineering.
    Unfortunately they make a lot of the different door openers. I have the commercial grade liftmasters in my garage, and even they fell victim to LED interference. I was up on my extension ladder for 2 hours one night trying to get the remotes tied to the openers with no luck. The next day I went out to try again, and it all worked, the only difference was all the lighting was turned off in the garage.

    Here is a list of approved bulbs.


    https://www.garaga.com/ca/blog/which...ge-door-opener
    Too loud for Aspen

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    calgary
    Posts
    1,749
    Rep Power
    17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    I just installed 10 of the T8 LED bulbs in my shop and discovered the same issue - no door remotes work if the lights are on.

    I consider this a feature, not a bug - now nobody can randomly open the door while I'm working and let the warm air out!
    I have 4 LED bars pretty close to my opener and no issues?


    Quote Originally Posted by Darell_n View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    What I’m taking from this thread is never buy a POS Chamberlain door opener. Talk about a failure in engineering.
    ^this, I was going to ‘upgrade’ to a chamberlain smart opener. Guess not!! I’ll stick with my linear

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Elbonia
    My Ride
    Jeep of Theseus
    Posts
    6,827
    Rep Power
    48

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by J-hop View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    I have 4 LED bars pretty close to my opener and no issues?
    I have a Chamberlain opener, and they seem to be more affected by LEDs than other openers. Your non-Chamberlain opener may not be affected the same way.

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Raising my garage door- garage door advice

    By craigcd in forum Home and Garden
    Replies: 17
    Latest Threads: 04-01-2018, 09:17 AM
  2. Replies: 3
    Latest Threads: 02-25-2018, 05:54 PM
  3. is discussing your new job w/ old co-worker consider interfering,enticing,soliciting?

    By jmc in forum Society / Law / Current Events / Politics
    Replies: 7
    Latest Threads: 08-13-2014, 03:34 PM
  4. HID's Interfering with Satelite radio?

    By CelicaST-162 in forum In Car Entertainment / Electronics
    Replies: 11
    Latest Threads: 10-27-2007, 11:57 PM
  5. Remote Start Transmitter Interfering with Factory Transmitter?!

    By Davetronz in forum In Car Entertainment / Electronics
    Replies: 2
    Latest Threads: 11-09-2003, 09:59 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •