Chamberlain Garage Door Opener! Lasted Longer Than the Garage Door!
Written: Aug 15 '08 (Updated Aug 15 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Whisper Quiet! Lasting a long time, lifetime belt and motor warranty.
Cons: Keypad was sticky, missed a part in the original package.
The Bottom Line: High quality, great price, installing can be a chore. Whisper Drive is whisper quiet. If its noisy, it could be the door, not the opener.
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| JBduckling's Full Review: Chamberlain 1/2hp Whisper Drive Garage Door Opener |
We needed a new garage door! I blamed my boys for playing ball against it and breaking it, I was wrong! Then I blamed a car hitting it and leaving, again I was wrong. After building our house twelve years ago, the door was broken and according to the three bids, it needed to be replaced, cannot be fixed. As the contracted who won the bid to replace the door said, "Your old garage door was a POS." It was bargain-basement cheap and we were fortunate to get twelve years of wear form it. I felt we needed to replace the garage door opener, too, as it was rattling, rocking, shaking. The contractor said, "No need to replace the door opener, it's a Chamberlain!" Seems like the cheap garage door was causing the noise, not the opener. Now, opening the door is "Whisper" quiet!
Chamberlain manufactures not only the Whisper Drive but also some door openers for Sears Craftsman and also Lift Master models. Our model of the Whisper Drive has a 1/2 horse power premium belt drive garage door opener and motor, with plenty of power for our 8 foot door. If you have a real heavy door with windows and other needs, you might go to a 3/4 hp. The belt drive allows for a quieter motor with plenty of power. This is really nice as we have rooms above our garage, and sometimes the boys are sleeping when it needs to be opened. Thank goodness for Whisper Drive!
Also included in the under $200 set are two electric eyes safety devices, which prevent the door from closing on kids, toys, cars, pets. The infrared light will not allow the door to close if there is any interference. These fragile pieces have not caused us any mechanical problems nor needed any replacement. Also included are two three button remote transmitters for your cars. These are not battery hogs, plus can open the door from about a half a block away, powerful! With the remotes there is hi-tech anti-burglary coding for safety and security, which helps piece of mind.
There is also a keyless entry system keypad, which we located outside of the door. The battery needs replacement with more frequency and we have had problems with the keypad. Also included is a multi-function wall control panel, which glows in the dark for easy button pushing! It also locks the door, turns on the lights, and opens the door, all from inside. Chamberlain also has a lifetime motor and belt warranty which I hope we never use. The rails are a very solid structural steel.
When we installed the Chamberlain, it took a little less than two hours, and we had our uncle, a mechanical genius helping us. It is not a beginner project. We were missing a plastic part and my uncle made one out of steel. I was ready to take the parts back in the box for replacement but my uncle saved the day. With the solid, high quality garage door in place, the Whisper Drive is truly a quiet whisper drive!
Other factors, for most doors, the 1/2 horsepower motor is plenty. If you have an oversized or heavier door with windows, you might want to consider the 3/4 hp model. Also, our door is a 7' door, and Chamberlain charges more for the 8' extension, which seems to me to be a rip-off. With the new door, the rattles are gone, the chunking is non-existent and it really runs smooth.
The quality of quiet is important as we have bedrooms above our garage. Now it is peaceful! There are two 100 watt lights on the unit, giving off more light than needed. The belt drive is extremely quiet. The door repairman adjusted the unit slightly, and now it is good as new! Hopefully, lasting as long as the new door. The box weighs about 40 pounds, heavy to drag around when installing. The Whisper Drive meets all federal frequency standards and the simple add on of an insulated motor box adds to more quiet operation. Chamberlain claims this is the quietest door opener around, I agree and I recommend highly!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
JBduckling
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Location: The Great State of Wisconsin
Reviews written: 393
Trusted by: 172 members
About Me:
The boys have Mommy's good looks. There's a resemblance between me and cat. Poor Kitty!
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