garage door opener... need to increase opperating distance

[bigfarmerdave]

We've got a two stall garage with two separate remotes. One remote works at probably 100 feet from the house. The other remote doesn't open the door until you are sitting directly in front of the garage with the nose of the car just feet from the garage. I would like to increase the operating distance of the "lazy" remote. I know this may be frowned on by the FCC but I live out in the country and wouldn't think I'd have any real negative impact on anyone. I've not had the remote apart so I haven't seen the guts of it at all. I'm assuming that there is a transistor tied to the output? Can you simply bump up the voltage that transistor is tied to or is there more to it than that?

 

[3v0]

Maybe the lazy remote is defective. Replace it.

I would think that a longer/better antenna on the garage door opener reciever would be the easiers way to get more range for openers.

 

[audioguru]

I think the "lazy" one has a dead battery or was dropped.

 

[Rolf]

We've got a two stall garage with two separate remotes. One remote works at probably 100 feet from the house. The other remote doesn't open the door until you are sitting directly in front of the garage with the nose of the car just feet from the garage. I would like to increase the operating distance of the "lazy" remote. I know this may be frowned on by the FCC but I live out in the country and wouldn't think I'd have any real negative impact on anyone. I've not had the remote apart so I haven't seen the guts of it at all. I'm assuming that there is a transistor tied to the output? Can you simply bump up the voltage that transistor is tied to or is there more to it than that?

Have fixed that problem many times on older ones. Maybe the newer ones are similar. Open it up and locate a little coil with a powdered iron core in it, find a non metallic tool that fits the slot, a little carving on a tooth pick might make a suitable tool.
Go to the place of maximum range plus a few feet, adjust it slightly one direction (not over one half turn) or the other until door opens, remember the direction, then move a little further away and repeat the process. You should be able to increase the operating distance by 50%.

 

[zener]

I attached a 75 0hm cable with a wire nut to the opener antenna and brought it out through the header of my garage door approx 6"and stripped it about 1".It works great.