Are Garage Door Wall Buttons Universal? There are wall buttons that are compatible with most major brands or in addition to existing wall buttons or wall consoles.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how garage wall buttons work and some easy steps on how you can replace a broken one or if you want an upgrade.
Are all garage door openers interchangeable?
Generally speaking, all garage door openers are interchangeable. Universal remotes and switches will work with most major brands like Chamberlain and Liftmaster, and there’s no real difference between models in terms of horsepower or features.
Here are some simple steps to follow to replace the push button on your garage door.
Step 1 – Turn off power
Before doing any work on the opener, you’ll need to use a stepladder to unplug the door opener unit, or you can turn off the circuit breaker. Make sure you check that you disconnected the correct circuit and there’s no voltage before proceeding.
Step 2 – Locate bell wire
Find the bell wire connected to the switch and find the terminal screws that the wire attaches to and loosen them. Remove the wire and wrap the ends of the wires together.
Step 3 – Remove the switch
Follow the cable to the switch and loosen the mount screws to remove the button. Remove the wires at the back and a lead from the multimeter to one of the back wires of the switch and hold the other lead to the second wire.
Step 4 – Reconnecting the wires
Set the multimeter to the side and return to the door opener. Reconnect the two wires to where they were before and tighten the screws.
Run a 22-gauge two-conductor bell wire from the opener to the switch and use insulated staples to secure the wire. Strip the wires with wire strippers and find the two terminal screws to attach the wire to.
Step 5 – Mount the switch
Place the wall switch into place and drill 1/4 inch holes into the drywall using wall anchors. Then cut off the ends of the wires and strip the insulation around the conductor. Wrap the wire about each terminal the tighten the screws.
You can then plug the opener back in or turn the power back on the breaker to test the new switch.
If the voltage and current ratings of the switch are more than the operating circuitry of the door automation, then you can use a doorbell button instead of a garage door switch.
Can I replace a garage door opener unit without changing the rails?
Manufacturers don’t have a standard size for all of their models, so even replacing your opener with the same brand as your previous one may not work with your existing rails. Most professionals recommend that you replace all your hardware instead.
How do I manually open my garage door?
You can switch your automatic opener to the manual mode, which will allow you to open and close it manually, or you can unplug the opener or turn off the circuit breaker. Removing the power from your opener may result in it not working correctly, so try using the manual mode first.
A garage door switch works much in the same way a doorbell does in that it’s a simple way of sending a signal to your garage door opener. By pressing the switch, you’re signalling to the opener, which will then either open the door if the door is currently closed or close the door if the door is currently open.
Start by pressing and holding the light button and push-button until the LED in the push button starts to blink. Then press the button on the remote control you are using or enter your key into the keypad and press enter. The lights will flash on the garage door opener when programming is complete.
A garage door wall button uses about 24 volts AC. It would be best to use a circuit with about 20 amps for the opener system as a whole which will be more than enough to power the switch.
Doorbells are not the same as garage door wall buttons, but some doorbells can be used as door switches if the voltage and current ratings are more significant than the operating circuitry of the door automation.
You can certainly replace a door wall button by yourself as long as you take the proper safety precautions. If you don’t feel comfortable attempting the repair yourself, you can always contact a professional to do it for you.
How much work is it?
It only takes a few steps to replace a garage door wall button yourself, but you’ll have to be comfortable working with the wiring. You may have to try it a few times to get the wiring correctly attached before it will work properly.
Follow the steps outlined in the above sections or look up videos to take you through the steps. It should take less than 30 minutes to replace the button.
How much would it cost to hire a professional?
The cost for a professional will depend on how much work is needed to get the wall button replaced. On average, labour costs about $65 to $85 per hour. There may also be added costs for parts and other tools used while fulfilling the job. The pricing can vary depending on which brand you use both for the button itself and what opener you have in your garage already.
