Installing solar powered garage door opener is a bright step toward the “go-green” movement. Generally, garage door openers consume less power, only 5 – 8 watts every hour in standby mode. Such a small amount of energy can easily be fulfilled by solar.  

Solar garage door openers are smart enough to save energy bills. These eco-friendly openers add an eye-catchy shine to your curb appeal. In fact, they are an awesome way to minimize the carbon footprint of your garage door.

So, many homeowners wonder, are solar garage door opener systems worth the price? I researched it and consulted experts. Continue reading to learn more.

What is a Solar Powered Garage Door Opener?

The working mechanism of solar openers is the same as the regular ones. The key difference is how they are powered. Regular openers are plugged into an electrical socket. But solar ones are powered by solar panels installed on your home’s roof. This is an environment-friendly way of using your garage. 

The other name for a solar opener system is an automatic gate. These openers open and close manually. Also, operating them is straightforward. You can use your smart devices to operate solar garage gates.

Is a Solar Powered Garage Door Opener Worth It?

The biggest benefit of solar power garage door openers is they are utility bill savers. Besides, they offer many advantages, making them worth the price.

No Carbon Emission

Solar garage openers don’t consume additional electricity like normal garage door openers when operating. 

As a result, your house’s emission of harmful gasses like carbon is reduced. At the same time, they use minimal energy, letting you save electricity bills in the long run.  

Operates in the Blackouts

Typical openers use home electricity to operate. So, in the blackouts, they stop working. But solar openers work 24X7, regardless of blackouts and severe weather conditions.

They operate the door using solar technology. It means you won’t have to worry about parking your vehicle in the garage during power outages. In fact, it will give you peace of mind that the opener will not stop operating due to an electrical problem.

Shiny and Bright Day is Unnecessary

Many homeowners think solar-powered openers fail to operate on cloudy and gloomy days. But it is a misconception. 

Solar technology evolved a lot over the last few years. Thus, a solar system can gather and absorb energy from minimal sunlight. So, a shiny or bright day is not always necessary to power a solar powered opener system. 

In a nutshell, solar garage door openers can operate under any circumstances.

Utility Cost Saver

With a solar opener system, your home will be energy-efficient. A professionally installed system will let you save 40% on energy costs.

How to Tell If My Garage Door Opener is Compatible with Solar System?

If you want to install solar technology in your current garage door opener, it is important to know whether it is compatible with the solar system. 

In this case, you will need to know if your garage door opener is a newer or older model. 

Next, check the motor type of your garage door opener. For this, remove the motor back located at the back of your garage door opener. 

If you notice 3-numbered terminals in the motor, be sure it is a direct or DC current opener. On the other hand, if the motor has a single-phase terminal, it is an alternating or AC current opener. 

Solar technology is compatible with the DC system. But you can’t use it with an AC system.

You can also check the compatibility by looking at the harness. If the garage door opener features a wiring harness, it can be used with solar technology.

However, if you need more confidence with the above methods, it would always be best to consult a garage door installation professional. The professional will check the compatibility and help you in the installation process.

How to Install a Solar-Powered Garage Door Opener?

The installation process is pretty simple. Follow the below steps meticulously to complete the installation yourself.

Required Items:

• A solar panel
• 12V solar charge controller
• An inverter
• Batteries
• Brackets

Step 01: Mount the Bracket

Solar-powered garage door opener kit features a bracket where you will have to install the solar panels. 

Mount the bracket on the roof following an angle so that your solar panels can absorb the maximum sunlight.

Then install the solar panel carefully on the bracket.

Step 02: Connecting the Cables

Once the installation is done, connect the garage door opener with a cable. Strip the wire and connect it to the low-voltage cable. Finally, use wire caps to secure the cables. 

Step 03: Connecting and Testing

Put the batteries in a safe place. Then connect the wires to the batteries. Then check the connection.

After completing all connections, remove the plug. Then the system needs a reset. 

If the garage door opener performs perfectly after connecting to the batteries, follow the next step. 

But, in the case the opener doesn’t give the expected performance, redo all connections.

Step 04: Connecting the Door Opener to the Solar Panel

When all connections are correctly completed, clip a 2nd cable from the solar battery. Connect 

it to the control unit of the door opener. Make sure to join the correct wires. 

The battery will get charged with the help of the new line from the solar panel’s controller. 

Step 05: Checking All Connection

In this step, you will have to check all connections. But before that, the battery needs to be charged 100%. Then, check whether the garage door can be opened or closed easily. If yes, the system is installed correctly. 

FAQ

Final Words

Hopefully, this comprehensive guide removes all your confusion about solar-powered garage door opener.

This is a great choice in your garage since it saves utility bills and performance in a power outage. At the same time, it reduces the carbon footprint of your house. 

Many users are looking for options to integrate their garage door openers into a solar system. Happily, new models come with solar compatibility.