I installed the new capacitor (unmounted, hanging loose) in my overhead door legacy garage door opener. In the photograph, notice in the right, the green ground wire hanging vertical. It attaches to the lower cover which is not installed. Can I safely run a test of the opener with the ground wire unattached?

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Plugged it in, no joy. A light comes on the unit when I press the remote, nothing happens when I press the button on the wall....

That wire just grounds the cover when attached. You're fine with it hanging for testing.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Sounds like new opener time. Pull the emergency cord and see if it runs the shuttle back and forth. If it does, the door may be jammed.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

The Legacy unit provides some self-diagnostic capability via the safety sensor red and green lights. You can find the Owner's Manual online if you don't have one.

__________________
When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

I decided to screw everything back together, although two screws are missing from the back light panel (time to take a trip to the hardware store).

It still would not work and then IT HIT ME LIKE A TON OF BRICKS!! I had placed the wall switch in the "locked" position. I moved the wall switch to the "unlocked" position and KABAM! ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO!!

BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!!!!!

A special thank you to everyone who offered suggestions and advice. Even if it is moral support, every bit helps! this forum ROCKS!!!!

So...a few hours of my time plus $8 for a new capacitor. saved a few bux over calling the garage guys plus learned a few things; that garage must be 180 degrees.....I think I sweated off ten pounds today.....

One of my neighbors just spent $85 on a service call to find that out.

__________________
When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.

DIYers (that includes me), always always need to check and double check their work. In the heat of the battle (my garage feels like 180 degrees during the day), it is easy to miss the obvious. I was hyperfocused on the opener itself and had forgotten I had set the switch to the "locked" position.

IMHO, garage doors and openers are bit more complex than they appear.......

Find out what service they called, and never use them if the only problem was it was in locked position.
A reputable one should just ask is there power, is there something blocking a sensor, was a sensor jarred, was it switched to lock, etc.

Then who pays for the service truck and the guy? Would you forgo getting paid if you were the service guy?

To which the customer replies " What do you think I am stupid? Just come and fix the %$#@%$#@% garage door !!! "

Who here has gone through tech support asking if your computer is plugged in, did you turn it on?

People generally call for service for one of two situations:

1. The customer doesn't have time to deal with the problem and needs it resolved pronto.

2. The customer isn't knowledgeable about the problem and needs the help and expertise of a service technician.

If the service company makes clear upon initial contact that a service fee applies then the customer has no cause to b*tch and moan. It cost $$$$ to roll a truck out to their house.

In my life, I've noticed that when I choose to DIY, it generally takes 2 - 4 times longer to perform the service than if I had simply called a technician. This is because:

1. I am not a trained garage door technician.

2. I don't perform garage door repairs 4 - 6 times daily, thus my inexperience slows me down.

Sometimes I do it to save money, sometimes I do it to prove to myself I can perform the repair and sometimes I do it because I have been on the receiving end of extremely poor service. That said, if there is a time crunch or I don't have the tools and/or parts I simply go to yelp.com and the BBB website to check out a few service providers. I try and locate providers with six or more five star ratings.

The modern ones are pretty complex with the automatic limits, crush prevention circuits, auto-reverse, rolling code transmitters, electric eyes, timers, etc. I think for the amount of things they have to do and the small amount of money they sell for new they're surprisingly reliable.

I'm still running a 1970 Overhead Door 100 in this house. When you push the button it engages a relay that's held until the door reaches the limit, then is mechanically disconnected by a lever. When the switch is engaged the next time, the relay engages reversed and the motor runs the other way. Unbelievably simple and still running without repair nearly 50 years later. Just don't let your kid, dog, or car under the door, there's no auto-stop and you can't reverse direction until the door is fully up or fully down!

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)