How to bypass garage door sensors

We all know how important a garage door is. Since we use it every day, it may become harder to operate as time passes. Once it doesn’t move properly, there might be a problem with the garage door sensors. Fortunately, there’s a way you can still use your garage door. It is to bypass the garage door sensors. Thus, we’ll tell you how to do it. Read further below.

What garage door sensors do?

Garage door safety sensors are responsible for safe operation. They detect any objects in the path to signal the garage door to stay open or close all the way. Because of this feature, a garage door is safe to use.

However, they become a problem when the garage door suddenly reverses for no reason. The sensors might be misaligned, dirty, or have loose garage door sensor wires. Hence, make sure to check them to be in good condition.

How do garage door sensors work?

All garage doors must have sensors. This was implemented way back in 1993, and ever since homeowners have been enjoying the safe automatic operation due to the presence of the sensors.

Furthermore, garage door opener sensors work through infrared light coming from the photo eyes. They are located at the bottom part of the garage door, and each acts as a sending and receiving unit.

The infrared light emitted from the photo-eyes should align to see if any objects are in the line of sight. If one of them is misaligned, the sensor sends a signal to the garage door to reverse.

Once this problem occurs, it would not be easy to use the garage door. Hence, we will discuss determining lousy garage door sensors in the next section.

How do I know if the sensors are working?

Now that your garage door is acting up, you might have probably guessed that the sensors are the culprit. To ensure you have the right hunch, these are the signs if the garage door sensors are in bad condition:

1. open the garage door

Place an object between the two sensors. Doing this will let you test if the photo eyes can see the object. Then, push the remote to close the garage door. It should stay open once it detects the object. If the door crushes the object, then there’s something wrong. Or if you haven’t placed anything, and the garage door suddenly reverses, it’s another sign that the sensors are faulty.

2. check the alignment

The photo-eyes show the garage door sensor yellow or green when it’s on. However, when they are red, they are misaligned. If you know how to adjust garage door sensors already, then do it. Tighten the screw to correct the position of the sensors. Then, operate the garage door once again.

3. clean the sensors

Get another object and place it again in front of the sensors. Then, close the garage door. If it still closes after adjusting the sensors, wipe the dirt from the sensors. The dirt could be interrupting the sensor’s functionality.

4. check the wiring

Also, check if the garage door sensor wires are loosening. If they do, attach them back to the sensors. Then, test the garage door once again. If the problem still exists with the sensors, then it’s time for you to know how to trick garage door sensors.

easy steps on how to bypass garage door sensors

There will come the point in time when it’s difficult to access the garage doors. Ultimately, we need to bypass the garage door sensors. Fortunately, bypassing garage doors involves easy steps. Make sure to follow the steps below to carry them out successfully:

disengaging garage door sensors

First, disengage the sensor from the power outlet. Unplugging the garage door will allow you to access it manually.

pull the manual release cord

After disconnecting the power, pull the release cord located at the back of the garage door motor. Pulling the manual release cord will disconnect the cable from the door trolley.

Manually Open and Close the Garage Door

In short, manually operating the garage door is the best way to bypass garage doors. While you’re still waiting for the professional to look at your sensors, you can manually operate the garage door in the meantime.

Other Ways to Bypass Garage Doors

If you don’t want to manually operate the garage door, there are other ways to bypass the sensors.

adjust the sensors

This is a hack that’s often recommended when bypassing garage door sensors. To start, cut the wires from the sensors and remove them entirely from the garage door.

To snip the wires, use a wire cutter. Make sure to cut close, which is about half an inch from the garage door sensor.

Then, rewire them to the garage door opener. Then, mount the sensors and use electrical tape to face each other.

Readjusting the sensors will prompt the garage door opener to work. In this way, the openers will assume that the sensors are aligned.

However, this procedure involves several risks. There might be cases when the garage door still closes even if there’s an object in the way. Nevertheless, it’s better to try doing this drastic step than doing nothing.

Test the Garage Door

Whether you’ve switched the garage door to manual mode or adjusted the sensors, it’s time to test the garage door. Simply use one cycle of operation to see if the door is working or not. Even without new sensors, your garage door should be working fine.

If all else fails: Replace the Sensors.

If the test doesn’t work, the last option will replace the old sensors. The sensors could be damaged beyond repair. Hence, replacing will be the best option. You can always contact a reliable garage door repair expert to assist you.

the takeaway

That’s it. Now that you’ve finally bypassed the garage door sensors, you should be able to use your garage door once again. You can operate the door manually or adjust the sensors depending on your preference.

On the other hand, if you don’t want the hassle of doing all these steps, ask help from a professional. In this way, they can check the garage door’s condition and provide the best solution for the problem.

How to Bypass Garage Door Sensors