How to Bypass the Infrared Sensor in the Garage Door Opener

All motorized garage door openers come with infrared safety sensors that prevent the door from closing when there is an obstruction in its path. This is one of three different safety mechanisms on garage door openers. If your door does not close from the open position, there might be a problem with the infrared sensors, requiring you to bypass the system temporarily. The openers are designed to become inoperable if the sensors are disconnected. Bypassing the infrared sensor in the opener closes the door until you make repairs to the system.

Instructions

- 1
  Check the door opening to ensure there is nothing blocking its path. Obstructions cause the door cables to come off, creating more problems when you bypass the infrared sensors. Remove any obstructions and attempt to close the door with the garage door opener.
- 2
  Take a look at the door springs before bypassing the infrared sensors. Broken springs cause the sensor to detect too much weight as an obstruction. If the door has broken springs, contact a garage door dealer to have them replaced.
- 3
  Go to the control button on the wall once you verify there are no obstructions. Press and hold the button until the door closes fully. Once the bottom of the door meets the floor, release the wall control button.

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