When a motor is due
Warranties give one yardstick, because openers are rated in cycles as well as years. Dominator's run from 5 years or 10,000 cycles on its Select to 7 years or 30,000 cycles on its Smart Pro, whichever comes first.
Beyond that, the reasons are practical: faults that keep coming back, no battery backup or phone control when you want them, or remotes that have become hard to replace.
Have the door checked as part of the job
A new motor won't cure a door that is out of balance. If the door is stiff by hand, Dominator's advice is to contact a dealer, since an opener is meant to stand in for your effort, not to overpower a heavy door. Ask the door specialist to check the springs before the new motor goes up.
Openers the makers list in New Zealand
| For sectional and tilt doors | For roller doors | |
|---|---|---|
| Dominator | Select, Secure, Smart and Smart Pro | Excel |
| Merlin | Commander Ultimate, Platinum II, Extreme II, Elite and Essential | SilentDrive Essential, SilentDrive Elite and WeatherDrive |
Matching the new motor to the door
Weight decides the model more than anything: 235kg is the limit for Dominator's Smart and Secure, and 300kg for its Smart Pro. Garador's home openers, the Genius HD, Genius, Precision and Reflex, come with DC motors and battery backup and solar charging options, Garador says.
Merlin says its openers are meant to be professionally installed, while those sold under its sister brand Chamberlain are designed for DIY installation. Whichever you choose, the door has to be balanced first.
Remotes, phone control and the power point
New openers come with their own remotes. Dominator includes two Tri-Tran+ Premium remotes and a wall-mounted remote, and Garador's home openers use TrioCode 128 multi-frequency remotes.
Phone control changes the safety rules. Dominator's manual says safety beams must be fitted if a smart device can run the door while it is out of sight, so adding an app to a door with no beams means adding beams too.
A power point that is already in the right place is one less job. A new one, or hard wiring, is for a licensed electrician, who gives you a Certificate of Compliance.
The door is still under tension
Dominator's manual warns that the door, its springs, brackets and hardware are under extreme tension and can cause serious injury. Leave them alone while the old motor is off, and never release the opener with the door up if the springs may be weak.
What you can do, and what to leave
You can
- Note the old opener's brand and model
- Look for a power point near where the motor sits
- Decide whether you want phone control or battery backup
- Learn the monthly reversing test once the new motor is in
Leave to a door specialist
- Taking down the old motor and fitting the new one
- Setting travel limits and closing force
- Coding the remotes
- Safety beams
- Any new wiring, by a licensed electrician
What we would do
Ask the door specialist to run the reversing test with you before they leave: a block of timber about 40mm high under the door, which should make it stop and go back up. Then you know how to repeat it every month, as Dominator's manual asks.