Chamberlin Liftmaster LA400 Gate Opener Repair: Part 1
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- Опубліковано 5 тра 2019
- This video is an in depth instructional video and the diagnostic and repair of Chamberlin Lift-masters LA400 Gate Operator. It shows test procedures and maintenance repairs of the arm or actuator assembly.
Be sure to catch Part two for the completed repair.
If you like the video, please comment, like and share with your friends and subscribe so you receive the latest videos! Thanks all!
Diagnostic Tools used in this video:
Fluke 88v Digital Multimeter
www.fluke.com/en-us/product/e...
Powerprobe III
www.powerprobe.com/product-co...
Suppliers for parts:
Gatehouse Supplies
www.gatehousesupplies.com
Amazon
www.amazon.com
Thanks for this! Our lift master gate arm was freezing up and throwing a bunch of codes. The lock mechanism was seized up and just seeing how to disassemble it with a t25 was enough for me to free up the mechanism and get the thing working again. Couldn’t have done it without this video! Thank you!
I'm glad it helped!
This series of videos are extremely useful in helping to diagnose potential issues in the Liftmaster LA400 operating system. I have watched them several times and even played back and taken notes on parts of them. On the lighter side, I can certainly relate to some of the producer's comments such as only using one screw to secure the cover on his control panel because he has had to go into it so many times, and his experience at the end of the final video of forgetting to remove a temporary strap on the gate to keep the dog in after all of the other technical technical issues had been solved. Thanks for producing your series of instructional videos.
You're very welcome! And Thank You!
These things were designed by Satan but thanks to your videos I've been able to get mine running and keep it that way. The latest problem was the damned motor housing was full of water! How does that even happen? Taking it apart and leaving it in the sun to dry got me operational again. Guess I'll run a bead of caulk around the seams.
I do believe there is supposed to be a spaghetti seal around the housing to help keep the water out...
Thank you very much. Great detail and camera angles!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for posting this. I was able to replace the gear kit with no problems! Now I need to replace the rubber seal/green ring at the end of the arm. Hopefully, I can just find the part and not replace the entire arm! Thanks again!
Glad it helped
Thank you for posting this.
Welcome!
Great detail - appreciate the information.
Thank you sir!
Great video and well done. Lots of good info and details. Here's my latest scenario with my LA400DC system installed in March of 2018. The gate opens very slowly for the first 3/4 of travel and then finishes the last 25% of travel at normal speed. I monitored the voltage to the motor at the circuit board connector during the opening sequence and observed a very low voltage of only 6 vdc during the initial 3/4 of opening travel and then the voltage climbed up to 24 vdc during the last 25% of travel and the gate finished opening at normal speed. Now, what's even more intriguing is once the gate has opened fully, it will not close. Attempting to close the gate produces a 93 error code. Monitoring motor voltage at the circuit board connector during the close attempt shows zero vdc. I checked both batteries and they both measured 13.8 vdc. Additionally, these batteries are less than one year old as I replaced them recently as part of a previous problem with the gate where it would not close but that turned out to be corrosion across the pins on the external, push-to-reset switch. Any thoughts / suggestions on my latest problem where the gate is very, very slow to open (6 vdc) for the most part then finishes at normal speed (and 24 vdc) but will not close and produces the 93 error code when attempting to do so. Thanks.
I'd say for sure that you need to get that voltage up. Its way too low like maybe the transformer isn't working to charge the batteries. It may not have enough battery left after opening to close the gate...
@@IrocinZ Thanks for your response. It turned out to be a bad circuit board. The 93 error code seems erroneous as this is the second board to throw that error code and in neither case was there a problem with the actuator. Both cases it was a bad circuit board.
@Audrey Bella My gates are doing the same thing after the horrible storm and electrical outages here in California. Did your new circuit board end up fixing your problem entirely since you last posted 4 weeks ago? I look forward to your response. Thank you! And THANK YOU @Irocin Z for the excellent videos! 😊
@@SuperDylanWorldMy gate has now been down over a year because the last storm we had took the board out again, and the transformer, and the batteries...etc
@@SuperDylanWorld Yes, a new circuit board resolved the issue. However, I had to purchase a second, new board because the first replacement new board I received was bad out of stock (also with 93 error code). The second new replacement board functioned properly in all regards and my gate is once again, fully functional. These boards have a very poor reliability. I have now had a total of SIX boards in my five year old system. The only other problem I have encountered is corrosion on the terminals of the push-to-reset button on the side of the board housing. The corrosion shorted out the system. Removing the corrosion returned the system to normal operation. Other than that, all of my (numerous) gate system malfunctions / failures have been a result of a faulty circuit board. I also installed dedicated grounding rods for the gate system main power supply and for the circuit board itself to better protect against lightning strikes.
Love this, just a pity your not always on target with the focus of your camera
I'm a one man show. Would love to have a head cam, but can't afford it right now...
Very helpful viedo appreciate your time
Thanks alot! I'm glad it helped out...
Thanks for the video. Perfect timing as my operator just starting acting up. Mine intermittently stops for obstruction even though the setting is set to maximum. I plan on doing exactly what you did but mine is a dual arm operator. I have two rebuild kits on order. FYI, the switches are not dip switches. Dip (dual inline pack) switches are usually changed using a pen or small screw driver. The switches that are in this actuator are mechanical limit switches. Just constructive feedback. :) Great video. Waiting for part two.
Your're absolutely correct. I don't know why I had dip switches on my mind...lol. Thanks for you comment! I greatly appreciate it!
I would be interested to hear if your rebuild worked and any lessons you can share. I am having the same problem. My operator keeps stopping every 1 foot. Code 94 can't be cleared. It happened after a power outage in my area. I assume the unit got a power surge and fried something. I want to know how to fix the issue.
Very helpful video
Thank you 22:36
Glad it was helpful!
Hey there, I am trying to make my LA400 "smart" now that MyQ has removed their API. I am using the SBC to open and close the gate but need limits on when it is open and when it is closed. I was hoping to use the Yellow as Common, White as Closed, and Brown as Open but am not having any luck. Green seems to read the door being open but intermittently. Do you have any insight on which wire colors would lead to which reading of Open and Closed? Thanks!
When I opened up my arm the outer sliding part where that connects, there is a bunch of chewed up black plastic
That's no bueno! I'd be looking for evidence of where it came from. Things that I would inspect are the locking mechanism that puts the arm in gear, the gears themselves, and inside the actual arm.
Oddly enough I also have a fluke 88v and that same power probe.
Awesome video and I learned a lot but apparently my tube had been slightly dented which was causing it to think it was hitting something.
Thats great! Thanks for watchimg!
Thank you for the fuse answer. I decided to take my arm apart and all 3 switches were good and the motors ran in both forward and reverse.(I have double gates.) My question is what type of grease would you use for the gears living in a cold climate? Also one arm has what looks like lithium grease (not white lithium) and the other arm's grease is all dark brown? (Heat issue?)
I would use any wheelbearing synthetic grease. The darkness just comes from wear and heat...
Thank you for this. Does the shaft that slides out/in for gate need to be lubricated as well?
Not sure, but I would use a light oil like Marvel Mystery Oil or white lithium grease
I haven't found any information about maintaining the arms. Should they be greased occasionally? If so how often and with what method?
You don't want to grease the outside as it will attract dirt and plug up the seals. It has a bronze bushing on the inside of the body. The only thing you really need to check is the threaded rod and the gears themselves
this video is great. thank you soo much for making it - the other official liftmaster help videos are so lame for rpm reversal :( .
How do i identify the broken parts - whether its the gear box or motor or board. When i manually push the gate, I hear a slight rattling noise from the unit and definitely feel the resistance. Should i just grease the gears with white lithium grease? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the kind words! If you haven't disengaged the gate and you're trying to push it open with some clattering, then the gears are slipping internally in the arm. I would then recommend getting s gear kit and procede
@@IrocinZ I feel this resistance + noise when the gate is disengaged. Without disengaging, i can't move the gate. I have tried to lubricate all the hinges/nuts/bolts of the gate. :( Still makes that noise and is hard to push/pull when disengaged.
@TheManchit With the gate disengaged, you should feel a bit of resistance as the arm is a threaded and it spins the gear for the arm to move in and out....
I just found this video, Thank You! My LA400 is 16'ish years old and now it is opening and closing so so slow. It won't open or close by itself, you have to give it a push then it will go ahead and open or close. I'm thinking motor and or rpm switch, what do you think? Really dont want to sink another $1500.00 on a new system but it has run great for the 16 or so years I have had it. I live in South Lousisana and figured it would have crapped out by now due to humidity and heat.......
For me, its the lightning that takes mine out. but I would replace the batteries and put a motor kit in it to start. Cheaper than a new system for sure.. I just bought a new system. I'm glad you like the video!
Thank you for posting such a clear and helpful video. I was able to change out my gear yesterday thanks to you. Unfortunately, after changing, I started to get error 93. When I disengage the arm, there is quite a bit of resistance when I pull and push the arm. Is there something I may have done wrong that makes it hard for the arm to move? I am now thinking that this might be a motor problem and it just doesn't have the strength anymore. What do you think?
You must have the newer LA400 board if it gives you a 93 code. Not sure what that one is. Just Looked it up and there is a good video put out buy Liftmaster. Check it out: ua-cam.com/video/mrnCIUJuCzc/v-deo.html Hope this helps
Mr Irocin Z,
OK so yesterday I checked my motor and everything is good there. The gear install was successful as well. The resistance seem to be coming from the arm. I checked the screw drive to see if it was bent and it looks good to me other than having a little give. I greased it and the "piston" section as well. There does seem to be a good amount of give in the arm section and when it run it makes a circular motion before stalling out. Does this mean anything to you? I'm determined to fix this thing on my own! I appreciate your inspiration and help.
@@dvex2258 Almost sounds like the arm is bent. There is a possibility that the motor is worn out and has high resistance. If it draws too much amperage, it will get hot and stall. I would measure the resistance across the blue and red wire and see what you get. I have another video of me replacing the motor on mine and how to check it.
@D Vex, did you end up fixing your gate? If so, what was the problem? Anything you can offer is greatly appreciated as my gates are doing the same thing now after the horrible storms and electrical outages here in California recently 😢
One of my LA400 motors is experiencing severe resistance mechanically to moving. The arm will extend and contract when in manual mode (black switch on top of motor rotated 180 degrees) but it takes inordinate effort. When I opened up the case and inspected things it appears insects have set up shop in the long shaft entering through the weep hole. Do you have a video showing how to open up and spruce up this area? Thank you for any advice you can give. Vic
I do not. What I have on that system is posted.
Great videos! I've learned a lot! I replaced the motor and gear successfully, but now my screw arm may need replacement. The housing for the arm screws off easily but does not stay secured. When I run the LA400, the screw start pushing the arm assembly out of the main housing instead of extending the arm. Any ideas? I haven't been able to find a screw/arm unit replacement part online. Thanks for your guidance!
If you're trying to make it work with the top off, it will push it out. It has to have top on to hold everything in place.
@@IrocinZ Thanks. I basically removed everything to get the arm and piston back into position and put it all together again. The piston is completely frozen. I've removed it from the screw and am trying to "soak" it in oil but I don't think I'll have much luck. I think if I can get a piston replacement, I can get it working. Do you have a part number for a piston or any other advice? I appreciate your help!
@@BardillApps You'll have to go to www.gatehousesupplies.com and see if they list one. They're a great place to get parts for the LA400
@@IrocinZ Thanks for replies and advice! I appreciate your help! www.gatecrafters.com is another great source. I "slathered" oil inside the piston as well as on the outside of the arms, put it back together, and it actually worked about 18 hours later after a long soak! I had to reset the open/close limits and slightly increase the force, but it is now fully functional! I estimate that I saved about $1,460 versus calling a gate repair company! Thanks for the great video!!!
@@BardillApps You're more than welcome. I was in the same delima with my opener and refused to pay for someone to fix it for me. I'm glad it helped!!
I just stumbled on this video due to searching for LA4000. Good video by the way. I was looking at parts lists for the arm assembly and they have a kit with 3x ATV fuses. One 20 amp is for the control board and they have 2x15 amp fuses for the arms. Did you happen to see any fuses in the arm when you took one apart? I have the same LA400 but have double gates.
No. There are no fuses in the arm itself.
@@IrocinZ Thank you for the fuse answer. I decided to take my arm apart and all 3 switches were good and the motors ran in both forward and reverse.(I have double gates.) My question is what type of grease would you use for the gears living in a cold climate? Also one arm has what looks like lithium grease (not white lithium) and the other arm's grease is all brown? (Heat issue?)
I have a la400 that is giving a #93 code but there is no obstruction and photo eye is OK.
I replaced batteries and board. I took the arm motor out to check it. When I apply power to the motor from the transformer to the motor leads (as you did) the motor runs a little then stops, runs then stops etc. Is the motor bad or what? THX
I used a car battery, as the transformer won't support that kind of amperage and will short cycle the motor. Transformer is only there to charge the batteries...
@@IrocinZ I believe the rpm sensor is not working. The entire motor will have to be replaced, - correct?
@@oldpop33527 yes, the rpm sensor is part of the motor.
I've just watched all of your videos, they are VERY helpful and I'm confident to get it working again. I'm getting the RPM reversal error. Before I go and replace the motor, one of the comments you had was that maybe the arm bottomed out, how do you resolve this? It looks like someone else did and solved their problem.
Alot of times it's just a travel adjustment to make sure the arm is not over extending or over retracting. That can be done with the settings
@@IrocinZ Ok, so is there a way to test the RPM sensor, if bad do you have to replace the motor? I tested the motor (both ways) and the 3 switches per your guidance (all good), I've got a new board, but I'm still getting no action (nothing) using the buttons, again my error is the RPM reversal error. Your help is greatly appreciated!!
Any help please?
@@daveplummer6439 The only way that I know to test an RPM sensor is with a DVOM set to AC frequency. It should be the green wire coming g out of the motor. Connect your positive there and negative to the motor case and manually power the motor forward or reverse. You should see some sort of number. Chamberlin is pretty hush hush on giving details about their products because they don't want the consumers to work on it. I would make another video on just that but I don't want to touch mine since it's working....lol. Sorry for the delayed answer
Getting code 32 linear arm issue, all wires connected correctly any suggestions or help would be great!
What model of gate operator do you have?
Great video and very detailed. I have the same opener and periodically the gate closes, then opens back up about 10 feet and stops. I have to reset both limits to get it to work right again. I have replaced the brain board, but it still does it. I'm guessing the limit switches are messing up, but when it happens, it stops the exact same place every time. It seems like with a loose wire or malfunctioning limit switch, it would open to different spots each time, but it's the same every time. I'm going to just spend the $$ and get an entire new arm and see if that'll fix it. I don't know what else it can be. Any guesses?
You can buy just the harness which includes the limit switches, but there may be some internal worn components in the arm that would warrant a full replacement. Sounds like you did what I would've done....
@@IrocinZ Thanks. You're always great help! I ordered a new arm and harness, since it could be something in the harness as well. So we'll see what happens. With the help of your videos, I'll tear down the old arm and see what's up with it.
@@terryjones8360 Easy job! You shouldn't have any issues...Good luck!
@@IrocinZ Got the new arm. It was just over $500 with shipping from Gatecrafters. I installed it and so far it's working perfectly. I ordered a harness as well but didn't need it, the new arm came with one attached, along with all new hardware. I took the old arm apart and I think new limit switches would fix it. I hooked up 12 volts and the arm moves back and forth every time, so I think one of the limit switches is bad. I may replace them all and see if that'll fix it. If so, I'll have an extra arm as the gears and everything else look fine. Thanks for the help and encouragement!
@@terryjones8360 Fantastic!
It appears that the replacement motor for the LA400 with rpm sensor is the exact same 24 VDC motor for the LA500. Can you validate that this is true? Liftmaster wants to sell the entire arm/actuator and does not list the motor separately but the two motors appear identical. Is there a difference between the LA400DC and the LA500DC motors or can the LA400 actuator motor work on the LA500 actuator?
I cannot validate that, but it probably does interchange.
Hello, My lift master LA400 sometimes does not open or close all the way. Sometimes it would leave a 4 inch gap when closed, sometimes it would close all the way. Sometimes it would slam when closing. No matter how many times I’ve set the open and closing position. It’s like as if it forgets it’s opening and closing positions. Any ideas what the problem could be?
Either a bad board or the limit switches in the arm. They are part of the internal harness of the arm
Hey sr i just talk to the lift master people and they diagnosed a bad rpm sensor and told me to replace both arms is there a way to replace that with out having to replace the whole unit
Have you priced those arms??? You can test those to see if it is producing a signal, and can service the internal parts of the arm, which is sooo much cheaper. In one of my videos, I show you how to bench test the arm. Basically, if the motor is producing a signal, the board is bad. Trust me, they would love to sell you those arms....
Irocin Z so the motor are running is working but once i star setting limits it gets stuck in that mode
@@jeanpaulrodriguez3367 Mine is doing the same thing right now because it got shorted from EMI due to a close proximity lightning strike. These things do not like voltage spikes of any sort. This will be my fourth board in three years....
Irocin Z so the only way to fix it is replacing the mother board or do you recommend anything else
In my case, yes. On yours, since I can't be there and do the process of elimination, my best guess would be the board. Something you can try...Your operator is set up for dual arms correct? Change the switch setting for single operation and test each arm individually. See if it will let you set the limits then. If one works, and the other doesn't, then you just nailed down which arm has the problem. Its not likely you would have both arms fail at the same times. The blue blocks the wires are screwed into will unplug which makes it easy. Just make sure the wire colors are in the same location. gatehousesupplies.com/a2-41aswg-438sa-motor-with-limit-switch-harness/ That link is a motor Kit with switch harness for the LA400 arm. Website above is where I get most of my parts for my gate.
I wonder how close this is electrically to the Liftmaster LA400DCS?
Actually those switches are referred to as Micro Switches which was a brand name I know.
The original two black drive gears are nylon/plastic? I don't see how these could have a rating of 850lbs.?
Not sure...
@@DandyDon1 There was one brass gear and if I remember correctly, the other one was nylon.
What about if it blinks 5 times??
Five blinks means RPM reversal. Possible causes are an obstructed arm, maybe bottomed out. It could be a bad RPM sensor or maybe there is too much current being pulled from the board...
It bottomed out it’s back working THANKS ALOT
A little slow in presentation which could be fixed with a decent video editor, but REALLY good info overall! Thanks!
Lol...I am the editor, but thanks. Still learning and growing....
New motor is about 265 bucks and the gear assembly is about 65 bucks.... new motor is 408 dollars.... unless you have a bunch of time on your hands, kinda not worth it.
At the time I posted this video, the whole arm was about $1200 for that Model of arm. So yeah, it was worth it to rebuild it
@@IrocinZ That's what I figured. Prices have come down significantly.