I've got a Motorlift opener bought from Screwfix a few yrs ago - not sure of the model though, it might be bigger than the one shown.
I also fitted a Clopay sectional door which I got from B&Q. Together they work well, but the spring tension in the door gear means that it's light as a feather anyway. All the opener has to do is pull the door back along a track and push is shut again. I think it's a bit more complicated with 'normal' UK up & over doors.
I don't know what's happened to Clopay in the UK, B&Q have stopped selling them and there used to be a distributor in Manchester, but there's no mention of them now. Yet they seem to be pretty well the standard garage door in the US.
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Do you just need an opener ? If so the Chamberlain units are great and not noisy. If you need a new door as well IIRC B&Q are doing a sectional door with built in Somfy motor and R/C for around £380. Often these doors cost more than that on their own (i.e. with no motor) and this one comes built into it's own metal frame which simply secures to the brickwork opening or wood frame. I've seen 2 sizes available but won't quote them 'cos I'm not sure. Check the B&Q website if you're interested. HTH.
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I've got a Henderson Screwdrive on an 8 foot wide door, and it's OK, but I wouldn't have one from choice ~ it was there when I bought the property. It doesn't exactly wake up the whole street, but it's not quiet either. It relies on the fact that it is a screw drive to keep the door shut ~ there is no separate lock. In fact, having a separate lock might be risky ~ according to the previous owner if the door can't move when you press the button, it just wrecks the drive mechanism. Similarly, if your car is outside and is too close to the door as it is opening. I don't know whether this is true, however. If there is anything preventing it from shutting completely (such as your foot!) it automatically reverses and opens again. One day mine kept doing this, but I assume that it was because it was too finely adjusted and that the problem was caused by grit on the ground under the door ~ I swept the floor and the problem hasn't recurred. When I've worked up the nerve, I'll try to re-adjust it ~ if it goes wrong and I have to disconnect the door from the drive mechanism (there is provision for this) then the door will effectively have no lock. The screw drive has to be regularly lubricated, and I've found that excess lubricant drops off ~ onto my car if it's in the garage.
Like any other powered mechanism, it's OK when it is working correctly.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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P.S. It's an up and over door.
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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I cannot comment on the Screwfix products, but be aware that some of the cheap own brand products are pretty cheap and nasty, many sourced in China. Under powered, and whilst may work well when new, have a limited lifespan and may prove impossible to find spares. The older chain driven American models are almost indestructable, many are still ok after 15 yrs with zero attention. Low tech, cams and microswitches makes them maintainable for all time.
The modern Hormann products are not cheap, but of better quality than most others and seem to have a good back up service. They provide sophisticated self training operation with complex electronics.
The best advice to anyone self fitting is to ensure that that the manual door is working smoothly and is balanced properly before fitting an automation. Canopy doors (the cheaper type of door fitted by many developers) require a special bow arm or adaptor (often at extra cost) to ensure the motor drive can open / close at its limits, to provide a lift and push type of motion.
An automation is NOT a cure-all for a door that is difficult to operate manually!
Make sure that trips are set up correctly and push buttons installed as per manufacturers instructions. Safety is a real issue it is easy to amputate fingers with thoughtless operation of an incorrectly place push button. Children are particularly at risk.
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pmh (was peter)
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The Screwfix opener is a Chamberlain product and I'm told they've been around for many years.
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The older chain driven American models arealmost indestructable, many are still ok after 15 yrs with zero attention. Low tech, cams and microswitches makes them maintainable for all time.
I echo that. My brother has had the same one in his house in the USA for well over 20 years.
Some apartment blocks in the USA have the whole ground floor as a garage and can be used by 30 or more cars. The huge doors are operated by a flimsy looking chain drive opener that looks the same size as my small domestic model. However, despite the useage they get, they never seem to give problems.
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