My electric gate remote control no longer works, what should I do?

The remote control of your electric gate does not work or does not work from a distance? Like any electronic device, it happens that during your use, the remote control breaks down. Many factors can be responsible: battery at the end of its life, recording bug or bad state of the circuit… They can be more or less easy to repair. And some checks and manipulations can be easily done on your own. So let's find out together what to do if an electric gate remote control no longer works?

It is first of all useful to find the origin of the fault in order to be able to better repair it. This is what we will see at first. Then we will see all the solutions to find a remote control and a functional electric gate.

Electric gate remote control that no longer works: Find the source of the fault

Note: The tips and manipulations that we will see in this article are generic. Some brands (Somfy, Avidsen, Nice, Cam etc), may have particular installations and therefore different procedures. Consult the instructions for use If in doubt. 

When you meet a problem with your electric gate remote control and that it no longer works correctly, as a first step it is essential to find the origin of the failure. Therefore, by targeting the fault, you will be able to resolve it more effectively. Indeed, when the electric gate no longer responds to the remote control, several factors may be at the origin:

• la batteries of the remote control weak or HS
• un bad condition the circuit of the remote control or the receiver at the level of the gate which causes a less powerful or non-existent signal
• un programming malfunction of the remote control in the software of the receiver which causes a desynchronization
• a faulty remote control or receiver

Check the internal status of the remote control and the receiver

The first instinct to have when your electric gate remote control no longer works is replace the old battery with a new one. This is all the more true if the LED no longer lights up because this means that it is no longer powered.

Also be aware that if your electric gate remote control no longer works from a distance and that you must therefore approach the receiver for it to be detected, the battery is probably too low to operate normally. In fact, batteries that are not completely worn out but weak will have reduced power and therefore less signal range. If this is the case, then also try to replace the old battery with a new one.

If the manipulation did not work, then you will need check the internal status of the remote control. To do this, open the remote control cover to access the circuit and then carry out the following checks:

Be aware of the risk of electric shock. Be sure to remove the battery from the remote control and turn off the power to the receiver when handling them. 

• Clean the circuit and the remote control components of the electric gate if they are dusty or dirty. To do this, use a soft cloth or cotton swab dipped in alcohol and then very gently rub the circuit board. Also check if the receiver at the gate is dirty (dust, spiders etc). If so, clean it with a cloth as well.

• Check if the component at the remote control signal transmission button is not damaged (broken, unhooked or that it remains stuck). If the button is unhooked, it will have to be soldered back. If it gets stuck, you can try to peel it off without forcing it.

• Check for humidity and condensation on the remote control and receiver as this may reduce the signal range or cause a total failure. If there are bluish or whitish spots on the circuit and / or on the battery terminals of the remote control, it means that they have been oxidized. In this case, you can try to gently polish the spots and / or terminals with a fine sandpaper. Also avoid storing your remote in a humid or too hot place as this will damage the electrical components. Finally, make sure the receiver is protected from moisture to prevent oxidation.

Read also: My Velux remote control no longer works, what should I do? 

Find the cause of the malfunction

If the gate no longer responds to your remote control and that the previous checks did not identify a problem, the dysfunction can then come from a invisible hardware failure or an fault in the signal transmission between the gate and the remote control (bug or malfunction in the registration process).

Here is two manipulations to try to identify the problem :

1 / Test if the motor of your electric gate works. If the gate has a manual control on the motor unit, activate it. If the gate opens, the fault is the transmission of information between the remote control and the gate. You can then follow our troubleshooting steps in the second part of our article. If the gate does not open with the manual control, then the fault is most likely with the motor and not with the remote control. Then call the after-sales service of your electric gate brand.

2 / Test the transmission signal from the remote control to the electric gate receiver. To do this, use another compatible remote control. If you don't have a compatible remote available (which you borrow from loved ones or by purchasing one), then proceed directly to the troubleshooting steps below. Using the compatible remote control, test whether it operates your electric gate. If so, your old remote is the cause. It will therefore be necessary to attempt to reprogram it to the receiver or replace it if the manipulation does not work. If the remote control did not activate the gate, the receiver or the garage motor is probably faulty. Then contact the customer service of your portal brand.

Note: For the second test, be sure to use a remote control compatible with your electric gate and to program it to the receiver before handling. 

Solutions to repair a gate remote control that no longer works

In the event that you have concluded that the fault is due to a malfunction in the signal transmission between the gate and the remote control and not from a hardware failure; or else that you have failed to determine the cause of the malfunction, then follow our troubleshooting tips in this section.

Note: If you have concluded that the receiver or the gate remote control no longer works due to a hardware failure, then continue to the last part of the article. 

Electrical restart of transmitter and receiver

When your electric gate remote control no longer works, try restart electrically both devices. The electrical restart indeed makes it possible to restart their system and thus, to remove the bugs which can cause the dysfunction. For that, proceed as following :

1. Remove the battery from the gate remote control
2. Switch off the power supply at the gate receiver for 1 minute. Depending on how the receiver is installed, you can either disconnect the receiver from its power supply if the outlet is accessible, or cut off the power to the receiver at your circuit breaker.
3. Turn the power back on to the receiver and reinsert the battery into the remote.

Note: If your gate model cannot easily turn off power to the receiver, then proceed to the next troubleshooting step to avoid damaging it.  

Register the gate remote control

When the your gate remote control no longer works or does not work when it is first installed, the problem very often stems from a poor or loss of signal transmission between the gate and the remote control. Indeed, it happens that the receiver does not correctly detect the transmitted signal or that following a bug, the remote control is deprogrammed from the receiver. Programming (or also called registration) on your remote control is intended to secure your equipment by uniquely linking an electric gate to a remote control.

Depending on the make and model of your remote control and your electric gate, the registration procedure will be different. You will find how to program the remote control in the instructions for use. If you have lost it, be aware that some brands offer user manuals for their products directly online on their site. You can also contact their after-sales service to obtain the procedure. Finally, be aware that as a general rule, the registration procedure is the following :

1 / When using your electric gate remote control for the first time:

1. Power the box and the gate motor
2. As soon as possible (maximum 30 seconds), insert the batteries into the remote control
3. Enter the code in the receiver and / or press the memorization button on the receiver. The LED will start to flash.
4. At less than 30 cm, point the front of the remote control towards the receiver and then press the button on the remote control until the flashing stops.

2 / If the remote control no longer works after several uses:

1. Press the memorization button and / or enter the code on your remote control. The indicator light starts blinking.
2. Aim the front of the remote control within 30cm of the receiver.
3. Then keep the button on the remote control pressed until the flashing stops.

Note: When your electric gate remote control no longer works after several uses, a reset is sometimes necessary before having to reprogram the remote control. If this applies to you, then you will find the procedure in the user manual. 

Replace the electric gate remote control

When your gate remote control still does not work after the previous manipulations, it is most certainly defective following a component or power failure.

If your remote control is under warranty, contact customer service for the brand of your gate (Somfy, Hormann, Cam, FAAC etc). If your remote is not no longer under warranty, then you will need buy a new electric gate remote control. For this, 3 possibilities are available to you:

• Get the identical model on your electric gate remote control. You will find the model number on the back of most remote controls. Its main advantage is that you can rest assured that the remote control is compatible with the receiver.

• Get a compatible remote control. It can also be called a copious or universal remote control. The advantage here is that these types of remotes are cheaper and easier to find. Indeed, if the model of your remote control is old, it sometimes happens that it is no longer available for sale. Check that the copying remote control is compatible with the brand and the receiver of your electric gate and that your current remote control can be copied. If in doubt, seek help from the customer service department of your portal brand or a store that sells such remotes.

• Buy one additional receiver to be connected to the motorization of your electric gate. This can be used primarily if you cannot find a similar or compatible remote control model with the receiver.

Note: As we have seen previously, and although it is rarer, the malfunction of the gate can also come from its receiver or from its motor. If the new remote control does not work and you have checked its compatibility, your receiver or gate motor will need to be repaired. To do this, use the brand of your portal or a specialized repair service.