Garage door opening by itself

If the problem still occurs after you follow Dealgate's suggestion to clear the codes and reprogram the remotes, I wouldn't rule out the wall pushbutton or its wiring. I don't mean any security keypad mounted outside but the internal button, especially if the opener is Alliance/Chamberlain/Liftmaster/Sears Kenmore and uses the same wiring for both the button and the optical safety sensor. Because the wiring is shared, the opener distinguishes the signal from each source through different DC voltage levels. Try disconnecting the wires temporarily at the opener, but remember that won't let you close the door the normal way because the optical sensors have to be connected to do that, but maybe it can still be closed if you hold down the remote button continuously.

On that note, you might want to try disconnecting the safety sensor. I know many openers will still function with the sensor disconnected (especially older ones), but some may not. I wouldn't be a bad idea to test that the safety sensor and auto reverse on a 2x4 (see manual) function as expected. I've also seen openers where the door binds up mechanically enough that it auto reverses and the owner drives off oblivious (clearly not your problem).

If the safety sensor and wired button are disconnected and the remotes deprogrammed, the only way it would open is if something is very wrong with circuit board in the opener. Surge protectors are always a good idea on garage door openers!

Clear the codes. My guess is that a neighbor is using a remote with the same code as you. This happened to my sister.

Quote from teenbean : Clear the codes. My guess is that a neighbor is using a remote with the same code as you. This happened to my sister.

Its rolling code as i stated. 1 in a billion for a neighbor to have the same code. Its not the old dipswitch technology.

Heres an update. I took my 3 remotes and wireless keypad batteries out. Damn door opened at 3:40 this morning. I woke at 4 and shut it. It opened again at 4:30 and I again went and shut it but this time I unscrewed the motion sensor light bulb. Nearly 12 hours later it has yet to open itself so we shall see.

This is the device I'm talking about:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003QKS4...B003QKS4Z4

It was screwed into one of these which my garage door opener plugs into. I really aught to get an electrician out and add a proper plug but thats a different issue.

Quote from nizzy1115 : Its rolling code as i stated. 1 in a billion for a neighbor to have the same code. Its not the old dipswitch technology. Heres an update. I took my 3 remotes and wireless keypad batteries out. Damn door opened at 3:40 this morning. I woke at 4 and shut it. It opened again at 4:30 and I again went and shut it but this time I unscrewed the motion sensor light bulb. Nearly 12 hours later it has yet to open itself so we shall see. This is the device I'm talking about: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003QKS4...B003QKS4Z4 It was screwed into one of these which my garage door opener plugs into. I really aught to get an electrician out and add a proper plug but thats a different issue.

Explaining in greater detail what you meant with about the motion light and how things are connected helps a lot. I was meaning to ask for a better explanation of what you meant. It's possible that em interference from the motion sensor and or a CFL bulb could adversely effect the opener. A proper outlet for the opener to plug into is worthwhile. Without a ground connection, the opener may not function properly and won't be shielded either. Getting a proper outlet for the opener that isn't controlled by a switch could be a little bit of a pain depending on the construction, worst case you use conduit. As a stop gap, find the breaker and turn off power, take the light apart to verify if a ground connection is available construction 1950's and earlier might not. If you have a ground connection, swap the light out for one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-2...reId=10051

The reason I advocate erasing all transmitters over removing batteries is that if you do that no rf transmitter should open the door. Also realize, some opener transmitters without dip switches aren't actually rolling code (~'91-94).

Quote from nizzy1115 : Heres an update. I took my 3 remotes and wireless keypad batteries out. Damn door opened at 3:40 this morning. I woke at 4 and shut it. It opened again at 4:30 and I again went and shut it but this time I unscrewed the motion sensor light bulb. Nearly 12 hours later it has yet to open itself so we shall see. This is the device I'm talking about: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003QKS4...B003QKS4Z4 It was screwed into one of these which my garage door opener plugs into. I really aught to get an electrician out and add a proper plug but thats a different issue.

That tells me interference from the motion sensor light socket is getting into the opener, either through the AC line, the radio receiver circuitry, or the wiring for the wall pushbutton or optical sensors (and the wiring for the external keypad, if it's not wireless). If it's through the AC line, then plugging the motion sensor light into a far away AC circuit, preferrably one on a separate circuit breaker (even better, through a choke-capacitor, or L-C, line filter, which some surge protectors have), should help. OTOH if moving the motion sensor light farther from the opener helps, then the inteference was picked up through the low voltage wiring, and maybe wrapping that wiring around toroid chokes, close to where they attach to the opener, may help. You can use either regular toroids or snap-together ones that make it easier to wind the wire through them:



The toroids should be located rather close to the opener, and they should be supported (nylon ties work) so they don't pull on the wires. The vibration from the opener motor can make wires weighted down with toroids to come loose or even crack.

Do not try to shield against interference by covering anything with aluminum foil because it's too easy to short the foil to high voltage.

I'd contact both First Alert and the garage door opener maker, both directly and by filing complaints online with the Consumer Products Safety Commission [saferproducts.gov], and indicate that you want the reports to be sent to the manufacturers. Corporate lawyers don't like reports of garage doors closing unexpectedly. Something tells me the opener wasn't made by Stanley, which tended to design its electronics better, while Chamberlain/Alliance/Liftmaster/Sears Kenmore has had problems with their openers getting spooked by false signals. When phoning the garage door opener maker (if it's a Sears Kenmore, call Chamberlain instead, 1-800-528-5880), speak with one of their electronics technicians, not an installer or general technician.

I really appreciate the replies. Both were very helpful. The opener is a lift master professional line. I think its date stamped '92 which is why i was confused about the lack of dipswitches and assumed rolling code. I still need to give it some more time to prove its not going to open, but if it doesnt then its definitely the motion censor...which is weird because i installed it last year and the door hasnt been an issue till now.