As it pertains to garage door motors, the saying ‘Local is lekker' certainly fits the bill. It doesn't matter what motor you purchase, eventually it will require a repair, and when that time comes you want to have obtained a motor with good backup support, and long-term sales of parts and spares. Cheap Chinese imports are constantly available on the market, their lower prices might be attractive, however when no spares can be found for an easy problem, it indicates investing in a whole new machine. The truth is that garage door motors have parts manufactured in China, but there are many well-established companies that assemble their motors within South Africa, and/or have offices generally in most major cities. So do your homework, or call us to find out more about the great, the bad, and the ugly.
Let's face it, we've all been left stranded for some reason or form by our friends at Eskom, and the simple truth is that load shedding is here now to keep, on and off, for the foreseeable future. So exactly what do you do to ensure you don't get trapped in or from the garage? The first option, and essential with any automated door installation, is to have an emergency release mechanism installed. An urgent situation release mechanism is mounted in to the curtain of the entranceway, with a key hole facing outwards. A steel cable is then run out of this mechanism to the motors emergency release leaver. When the power fades, you'll need to insert your key in to the mechanism, give it a perspective, and a pull, and this will subsequently pull the steel cable and release the entranceway from the motor. Although emergency release mechanisms are highly effective, they still need you to leave the comfort of your vehicle or home to be able to unlock the entranceway, and then you definitely must physically lift the entranceway by hand. This is often problematic if the entranceway is quite heavy, and when it doesn't want to stay in the open position, you'll need another person to carry the entranceway open while you move your car.
The 2nd option is to have some type of battery backup system powering your garage door motor. This lets you stay comfortable and safe in your vehicle or home, but nonetheless able to access your garage during power outages. Exactly like gate motors, your garage door motor will have to automatically switch between 220v and 24v, and have the ability to charge your batteries while 220v is on. Unfortunately not totally all motors are created to work off 24v, and all older model motors will fall under this category. Motors like the Digi 2, Gemini, Brano, Alladin, or the Pro Alpha 2000 are all 220v motors, and are therefore not suitable for 24v battery backup. Advanced UPS systems with the use of inverters can be utilized for these motors, but the trouble of these systems are far too much to warrant going this direction. So unless you have a battery, charger, auto switch, and inverter setup currently running other devices within your house, then the only other option is to purchase a fresh model 24v garage door motor.
Modern 24v motors have a higher power rating than older 220v motors, there is also built-in battery protectors, auto switch functionality, auto close option, extensive sensitivity settings, and auto charging. And of course a twelve months warranty, and most have two new remotes. Contact us today to find out more about garage door motor repair service, and to find out about our free door service when purchasing a fresh 24v battery backup motor.
Which motor do I take advantage of for which door?
The different kinds of engineers for garage doors work in other ways, so the way they open and close is very important to take into account when deciding which motor you get, and how it's set up.
Require whether vertically mounted motor such as the Digi 2, or perhaps a shaft mounted motor such as the ET Blue Roll Up Motor. As stated above, the Digi 2 cannot accommodate conventional battery backup, but it's a strong and reliable motor, and can even be used to use two roll-up doors simultaneously. Employing a strong wormdrive mechanism much such as a cork screw, this tried and tested motor has were able to outlast your competitors, and I have even stumbled upon a few that are pushing on 20 years in operation.
The shaft mounted motors can only operate one door at time, and are not suitable for large double size roll-up doors, or earliest pens stiff doors. However when combined with new doors or those in good working condition, shaft mounted motors like the ET Blue Roll Up can provide many years of battery assisted, silent, and smooth operation. An additional bonus is that this motor is sold with two very good quality remotes.
Sectional garage doors vary greatly from door to door. However, whatever the size of the entranceway, or materials used, every door should open smoothly, and without an excessive amount of effort. Steps should be taken to check the entranceway, and fix any issues before a motor is installed. This may ensure your motor isn't put under an excessive amount of strain, and will prolong it's life greatly. A variety of motors can be found for sectional garage doors, but all of them work in a similar way, unlike with roll-up doors. Selecting the very best mixture of power, compatibility, features, price, and backup support, is our specialty.
Tip up doors operate in a manner that's only a little awkward for motor installation. The motor shaft needs to be hung at an angle, sloping towards the ground. This enables for the natural action of the entranceway while opening and closing, and ensures a clean operation. A few of the older tip up doors operate with counter-weight mechanisms, rather than the more contemporary spring setup. These counter-weight doors can't be automated, as the entranceway needs to be pulled/pushed at different angles through its operation. It is however, possible to upgrade the entranceway to a spring mechanism, and then automate the entranceway as usual.
