There are many benefits to living in Florida, from the beautiful beaches to warm weather to fun local attractions. But, with these benefits lies stormy weather and the yearly threat of a hurricane strike. As a precaution, did you know that you could equip your garage door opener with a backup battery, so if and when the power goes out you aren’t stuck.
A backup battery is a small, 12-volt battery unit that the opener uses for power when an outage occurs. The LiftMaster® 8550W with battery backup not only allows you access to your garage when the power goes out, but allows you to control your garage door via your smart phone.
Interesting features of these batteries:
- Once there is an outage, a fully charged battery is designed to supply a door opener with 24 hours of standby power during which it can operate up to 20 full cycles.
- They recharge in 4 ½ hours.
- They can be recycled like many other types of batteries.
How to know when it’s time to change the battery?
Depending on the bettery model you use, you’ll hear a beep every 2 or 30 seconds in addition to seeing an orange or red light indicating the state of the battery. If you carefully remove the back cover of your remote you will see the battery inside.
What if I don’t choose the optional backup battery when I buy my opener?
The remaining option when power is disrupted is to open the door manually. You have to pull down on the red emergency release cord on the door opener, which disengages the trolley, manually lift the door, move your car out of the garage, then close the door and reengage the trolley by reconnecting it to the release mechanism. If you choose not to or forget to reconnect the trolley, anyone can open your garage door manually, leaving your home vulnerable.
Where can I purchase this kind of backup battery?
Just contact Banko Overhead Doors. They know garage doors better than anyone else does. Another way is to go to our showroom, our team would be happy to explain the wide range of door openers and accessories, and assist you in making the best choice.
Additional Resources on Garage Door Opener Batteries:
