Garage Door Opener Specs

[Dave Sveden]

I am trying to pre-position some angle iron supports for future garage door openers. I'd like to do this now prior to insulating and drywalling to avoid climbing up in the attic area later to put in the supports. Is there a standard dimension from the header over the door for most new garage door openers that would allow me to do this or is every opener unique? I'm not sure which opener I will eventually get. If anyone has a manufacturer/model they would like to recommend I'd appreciate it. Perhaps someone has some pros/cons to some of the obvious options: Chain vs. Screw drive, minimum recommended horsepower, etc. The opener would be used on a wood, single-car door.
Thanks, D.S.

[Wgoodrich]

Measure from finished floor of garage to approximately the middle of your garage door header. Add approximately 2'6" to 3' to that measurment and then measure that distance from the header wall to where you should install a GDO receptacle that is not GFI protected. Do this on each overhead door you have. Then from the door into your house if attached or to the exit human door to the outside if detached install a door bell wire with about 6 insulated door bell wires in that or those cables. This installs you garage door opener remote controller at you human door inside the walls to each door opener you may end up installing. Bring this or these door bell wires out of the ceiling along side the GDO receptacle so the are about 2' long coiled hanging below the GDO receptacle.

As for braces, normally you have angle bars that come with the GDO when you buy it. These angle bars can be nicked on one side so they will bend and lay flat to the angle bar and the garage ceiling then you use a small leg bolt screwing to a small hole drilled into the edge of your ceiling joist. You don't have to go into the attic if you don't want. My door openers have hung for 22 years surface mounted as discribed.

If you wish to rough in angles to hang door openers again measure as above and screw two angle bars to the two ceiling joists straddling your GDO receptacle. Then you can bend the angle bars to match the GDO upon installation.

Good Luck

Wg

[Dave Sveden]

Wg,
Why do you recommend 6 wire bell cable? Just curious. Most GDOs I've installed just need 2 wires for the wall switch, so even if you had two GDOs controlled from the same location you'd only need 4. Are there more features/options available that may need more wire?
D.S.

[Wgoodrich]

Yes there is many features with Door openers depending on which GDO you buy. Many have controls for outside lights and inside lights etc. The transmitter is often in your car that will not only open your garage door but will remotely turn on your porch lights or flood lights or inside garage lights through radio signals to the receiver at the human door then communicated to that GDO through those low voltage signal wires to operate relays within the GDO to control those other periphial lighting choices. That was the reason to advise the extra low voltage wires.

I have my GDO wired so that when I drive into the drive and open the door from my truck a flood light at the peak of my roof shining on the parking lot area also lights for security reasons if I ever find another female that wants to join forces with me. Doubt I would be attacked but living in the country a woman would feel safer if they light the parking area as the doors open for security reasons. It was easily done by the extra lowvoltage wiring from the human door to the GDO.

Hope this helps

Wg