I've bought a new property and the garage door has a remote opener (Wickes heavy duty garage door opener model 203004). I guess it's fairly old. I've found a sheet of fitting instructions (think IKEA assembly) but no written details.
The unit makes all the right noises when operated by the remote, but it won't open and close the door. It consists of a motor unit and a channel containing a loop of chain linked to an arm attached to the door. There's a mechanism to latch/unlatch the arm to the chain. It doesn't appear to latch. If I partly open the door manually then it will operate.
I suspect the latching mechanism needs a 'learning' sequence to tell it when the door is fully shut and fully open, but without written instructions I can't figure it out. I can't ask the previous property owner, he's dead.
A question: It's possible to lock the door shut, but it would have to be unlocked for the opener to operate. What's the point of the opener if you have to get out of the car to lock and unlock the door?
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>> It's possible to lock the door shut, but it would have to be unlocked for the opener to operate. What's the point of the opener if you have to get out of the car to lock and unlock the door?
Went out for the afternoon or the week?
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There's a forum for everything these days.
www.gateguide.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=270
Obviously the particular thread isn't helpful, but it seems like the forum might be.
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This is for the 206204 but it also mentions the 203004 so there are good chances that the mechanism is the same.
manuals.easygates.co.uk/wickes-206204-manual/
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This description is basically my dads garage door. It does all of the above!
Sometimes you need to press the button several times before it opens, it makes all the noise but just doesn’t open. Other times it does.
Sometimes it locks itself on closure. Other times it doesn’t.
I remember investing an hour in it at one point trying to get to the bottom of it and gave up!
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Try simple thinks first - cleaning track, lubricate chain, lubricate any pivot points, ensure electrical connections tight, ensure latch mechanism is operating properly and smoothly.
This may (or may not) fix it but is (a) fairly simple, (b) requires limited technical knowledge or tools, (c) won't take very long to do, (d) won't cost very much.
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I'm thinking of replacing my garage door with an electric roller door which I can get for £895 fully fitted by Garolla.
Any thoughts on whether they're worth the bother or a potential PITA?
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Neighbour had one installed just after lockdown ended. It takes at least a minute to open or close which would annoy me. It was installed as a security measure (operated by keyswitch not remote) because he has his single garage kitted out as a gym.
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I have an electric up-and-over door while next door (the house that I caretake) has a roller door. The roller door has been brilliant. Guests can park as close to the door as they dare but I can still dodge in and out to get stuff. The door got a bit noisy in year 4 which I cured by oiling the guide wheels and spraying the massive coil springs above the door with WD40 (lasted a couple of months) and then motorbike chain lube (still quiet). £895 fitted sounds good value.
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>> I have an electric up-and-over door while next door (the house that I caretake) has
>> a roller door. The roller door has been brilliant. Guests can park as close to
>> the door as they dare but I can still dodge in and out to get
>> stuff.
>>
That's the reason I want a roller door. We have an up and over at the moment (Manual) and with two cars on the drive it frees up a lot of space if one of them can move closer to the door.
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"That's the reason I want a roller door. We have an up and over at the moment (Manual) and with two cars on the drive it frees up a lot of space if one of them can move closer to the door."
I like my up and over for the very reason. When I'm away I park it a mm from the garage door. You'll have to nick the car before you can nick my lawn mower.
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>> I like my up and over for the very reason. When I'm away I park
>> it a mm from the garage door. You'll have to nick the car before you
>> can nick my lawn mower.
>>
That’s not nice.
I wouldn’t leave my missus in the garage...
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Not that I have one, but friends who do have commented that, depending how a roller door is mounted, you can gain a few inches extra width compared to an up and over door which might or might not be helpful. And you can also drive in forwards and open the boot (hatch/estate) without any risk of it clouting the mechanism. I think they look smarter as well in most locations.
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I changed my up and over door nine years ago when I changed my car, otherwise it would barely get in the garage. I had a Hormann sectional door fitted and it has been brilliant. Never had a problem with it and I only had to replace the battery in the remotes this year.
Getting the sectional door gave me an extra ten inches width at the entrance, as wooden uprights that held the up and over mechanism were removed. Thus, it was bare brick each side of the entrance.
www.hormann.co.uk/home-owners-and-renovators/dealer-finder/
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>> A question: It's possible to lock the door shut, but it would have to be
>> unlocked for the opener to operate. What's the point of the opener if you have
>> to get out of the car to lock and unlock the door?
>>
The door opener may have been fitted retrospectively to an existing up-and-over door.
If the door opens after you 'help' it, that points to inadvertent use of the opener while the door was locked, stripping the latching gubbins on part of the opening belt. Depends on the door as to whether the belt can be repositioned or whether it needs replacement.
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>> The door opener may have been fitted retrospectively to an existing up-and-over door.
>>
>> If the door opens after you 'help' it, that points to inadvertent use of the
>> opener while the door was locked, stripping the latching gubbins on part of the opening
>> belt. Depends on the door as to whether the belt can be repositioned or whether
>> it needs replacement.
>>
So what you're saying is the chain driven by the motor will lock the door when the latch is engaged. That makes sense as I couldn't open the door with the opener. When I arrived at the house, the garage door was partly open and I was told the house clearance mob had trouble with the garage door. Wouldn't surprise me if they bust it, as a fridge/freezer that should have left was also gone. I had to free off the door lock and mechanism.
Plenty of other work to be done before I sort this and I'm capable of opening it manually.
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I'm saying that's how all the motorised doors that I've encountered work. The up-and-over in our new build was installed with a motor, but unlatched, so a normal door lock could be used. When we got power to the site, the door was latched to the belt and I removed the cable-operated lock.
A satisfied Hormann customer here.
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>> There's a mechanism
>> to latch/unlatch the arm to the chain. It doesn't appear to latch. If I partly
>> open the door manually then it will operate.
>>
>> I suspect the latching mechanism needs a 'learning' sequence to tell it when the door
>> is fully shut and fully open,
Ours - a Clopay (pretty well the standard one used in the US) sectional door and Chamberlain door opener - stays engaged all the time. There''s a red toggle to pull to release it in case the power goes off.
As for locking, I was a bit miffed that the door came with the hole for handle already on the outside - the one I'd seen (I got it from B&Q many yearsa go) wasn't drilled. I fitted the lock and locking bars but they're held open with screws to stop them inadvertantly locking the door. Must admit I've never tried, but I believe the door can't be opened manually unless the opener is unlatched.
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I’ve a 20’ double garage, previously fitted with two 7’ up n overs. About 5 years ago, myself and a builder pal knocked out the central supporting pillar, put in a long overhead steel, and replaced with a 15’ ( possibly longer) insulated sectional door.
The old metal up n overs let in cold draughts, leaves, mices etc
The new sectional has a deep rubber rand on the bottom preventing this....in your case maybe a roller rather than sectional is ok, but on wider doors the roller variety tend to rattle, a lot, in high winds as they don’t have the rigidity of an insulated sectional door. This eventually leads to a failure according to lots of reviews I read.
Obviously roller shutter doors on industrial buildings are more sturdy
I should have replaced the 7’ twins 20 years ago !
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Garage door opener - henry k
