How Much Power For Garage Door Opener

Horsepower is really just a starting point for garage door openers.

How much power for garage door opener.

Door from a dead stop. At lowe s we carry three main types. At 500 watts the power needed is just over 4 amps. This size opener is the most popular out of the three and is recommended for single or double garage doors with average weight ex.

It is the cheapest of the three and least power. If you have a sectional double car garage door a 1 2 horsepower motor should be sufficient but a higher power model will operate with less effort and less wear and tear on the motor. Most garage door openers use from 350 to 600 watts with the average at about 500 watts. Garage door openers typically range from 1 3 to over 1 horsepower.

While it s best to check the manual for specifics generally a single garage door opener needs only 15 amps while up 2 or 3 will need 20 amps. Ratings ranging from 1 2 horsepower to 1 1 2 horsepower are typical for residential models. One car garages with steel doors only need a 1 2 horsepower garage door opener. Many people believe more horsepower is better and in a majority of cases that is true but not always.

So 500 watts 120 volts 4 17 amps. The most popular out of the three choices this opener works best with single and double garage doors that have an average weight such as a carriage style door. How much power does a garage door opener use. Again this opener will only be efficient when the door is properly balanced and an opener with more horsepower will last longer.

Oversized large and heavy doors will need an opener with horsepower ex. It s ideal for a detached garage where noise isn t a concern. The door can be heavy but usually uses counterweights or springs so that the motor isn t lifting a 300 lbs. Garage door openers are designed to replace the human force to open and close a garage door and if your garage door is properly balanced then it should only be lifting 8 10 pounds.

Since amps x volts watts then watts volts amps. A garage door opener has a radio receiver garage lights and a motor to lift the garage door. Doors between eight and 12 feet in width are no problem. Heavier or one piece doors may require higher horsepower openers.

Garages with carriage doors should opt for 1 hp garage door openers or higher. And the number of openers can cause this number to vary. Two car garages or one car garages with insulated or wooden doors need at least a 3 4 horsepower garage door opener. It s the medium option in both price and power so it works for a large number of households.

It is the second cheapest of the three with medium power. Look for an opener that has the horsepower necessary for your garage door size based on size and weight.