Last year, I replaced our up-and-over garage door with a roller-shutter version. It wasn’t new; our neighbour converted her garage so I bought her nearly-new door but that means I didn’t have a professional installer to fall back on when it stopped working recently.
The garage door control system is a Somfy Rollixo RTS and last week, we found that the door would come part way down and then stop, as though there was an obstruction. After winding it down manually one morning, Mrs W was not happy and I promised to take a look when I got home. I couldn’t find the problem – what’s more I couldn’t troubleshoot it using the manual either. What I did notice though was that, rather than the two red lights I’d expect to see for a safety-edge transmitter low battery indication, I had one red light on the control box, and one orange light on the safety-edge transmitter (which is fitted to the door curtain).
I found I could over-ride the cut-out by pressing and holding the remote control button, and set off to the Internet to find a replacement 3.6V Lithium AA battery. First mistake was not reading the Google results carefully enough and ordering a 2/3 AA battery from Farnell/Element 14. Now I can’t return it as I can’t find a courier who works with consumers and will carry Lithium batteries! In the meantime, I’ve bought the correct (AA) battery and, this morning, I swapped it over, after which I found the door operated as it should. That was a relief, as I feared that swapping over the battery would wipe some settings and require me to re-programme the door.
So, why blog about something as trivial as changing some batteries? Well, because the instruction manual is wrong and my experience might help someone else!
Thanks so much for post, this saved me an engineer call out and immense
frustration. You are so right about the manual and the incorrect description of battery failure in the edge
transmitter.
Glad it helped David!
I have a similar issue… replaced the safety edge transmitter battery. Seemed ok for a few days but now same issue again. Door won’t shut without holding down the button. Not sure anyone has more suggestions… thanks
I wish I’d found this earlier – just cost me £90 for a call out only for the bloke to swap the new replacement battery I had tried in the door transmitter with a lithium one. dammit
Very helpful – many thanks Mark! Over-ride worked :-). (though had to over-ride twice as door stopped again a few inches from the bottom). Batteries on order thanks to Amazon Prime. Got a few spare batteries too as apparently the lithium ones last on the shelf for ages.
Glad it helped you out Matt!
Somfy edge sensor is a joke,mine just has to hear rain and it stops during descent
That’s not my experience (and the UK is not exactly known for being dry) but I guess it could depend on the device – maybe yours is faulty?
I too have this issue , have people exchanged like for like with the battery or just bought a different make 3.6v lithium battery?
Pretty sure my new battery was a like-for-like replacement.
It has certainly helped me, not because I need to replace the battery but because you have told me how to manually override the door by holding the control button down. It worked. So my house is secure until the fitter can get to me. I don’t do stupid things like read manuals, of course. So thank you!
Yesterday, I drove the car out as normal, pressed the remote, and the roller door closed. Came home, pressed the remote, Nothing! Checked the trip switch on the circuit house board, checked the fuse in the plug, no lights at all on the motor box to indicate the problem, so I’m assuming the motor has burnet out?
It’s 8 months old!
I’m new to this site so if my comment is in the wrong place I’m sorry, I’ll improve in time.
Forgot to ad I also checked the fuse on the motor board, it hasn’t blown !
I have a somfy roller door which goes up correctly but only comes down part way then stops,,,,holding the down button then drives the door to its closed position,,,I have changed the lithium batteries in the safety edge strip but still does the same. Help ,,
I’ve got this issue and replacing the battery hasn’t solved it. Any other suggestions?
I’ve just had an engineer out as my roller door was stopping on way up and down He said my motor had gone. He over-rode circuit so it opens and closes now saying it’s also taken out edge sensors. Not sure if he just wants me to slash out on a new motor which costs £550!
Does anyone have the answer as to why after replacing the battery the door works OK for a while and then the fault of closing part way down happens again. I believe the lithium battery should last for several years..
Thanks so much for sharing this. Saved us hours of time figuring the issue and solution out.
If your door still stops mid-way going down (closing mode), try this (it worked in my case): fiddle about with or put slight force upwards/downwards on the transmitter located on the bottom edge of the door and the wires going out of it, until the LED light on the transmitter goes green and eventually off – mine was turning red when operating the door while closing it. Oddly enough, now when opening the door the light stays red and the LED light on the receiver box for the transmitter lights up red too, but at least the door doesn’t stop mid-way any longer. That surely is transmitter failure.
Well I have this problem,, put new battery in ,still didn’t work, phoned smofy and they talked me through a full reprogram,, worked for a day and then back to stopping 12 inches down. Phoned them back,, told nothing they can do ,,
Mine originally had the problem of coming down and stopping, had to use deadman mode to close. Suspected photo sensor and ripped seal where the photo sensors are situated. Now it has stopped coming down, it can go up and sometimes then stop. Been told motor is gone. I have replaced the control box and new sensors still same issue, so going to change motor
‘re Somfy roller garage door. Thank you for a very clear instruction. My neighbour had exactly the same problem. The manual does not explain clearly where the safety edge battery is located. After taking the cover off the main control box we couldn’t find the battery anywhere. I resorted to Google, found your blog, realised the battery was under all the cobwebs and dust
Changed the battery. At first the problem didn’t clear. Realised the door had to go thru one cycle of the process – down & up. Now everything working perfectly. Grateful thanks from from a couple of OAPs.
My Somfy door has the same problems, plus the alarm constantly goes off if it is windy.
Nightmare. New battery does not solve the problem, and there is no mention of the alarm in the manual, so that I could consider disconnecting it. I’m at my wits end with this. Any ideas out there, please?
I have a similar problem I have replaced the battery and found the battery had totally discharged after one month, I have replaced the battery again and checked the cable connections and found the white cable had a bad connection so I have remade the connection and now it is on test so I advise people with this fault to check the battery voltage and check the cable connections in the door edge transmitter.
Mine has been like this for nearly 18month, replacing batteries Avery 6-8 weeks. (Depending on useage) something is draining the battery imo, so do I stump up £100 for a new safety edge, I will double check all the wires to see if their is a bad connection and check the Voltage in the battery that is only 6 weeks old,
We have 2 somfy roller Garage doors Installed new March 2016 and I have experienced all of the above issues in the past 2 years.
I always press close or hold until closed then back fully open and the red light goes out.
As we regularly use these doors I’ve probably reset them this Way 20 times now.
Great thread and great to see it isn’t just us with this issue. Luckily hasn’t cost a penny since fitted.just reset. We have had heavy rain yesterday and had the red light problem today so there maybe a link there?
Mark, thank you so much for this tip about replacing the 3.6 volt battery. I had exactly the same issue – door would roll down about a third of the way and stop. Would only continue if you held your finger on the down button. Changed the battery and problem solved – for the cost of the battery (about £7 including postage)
Hi Mark. Bit of a surprise stumbling across this post! I’m just about to change our up-and-over door for a roller shutter with Somfy controller and was researching the hell out of the subject before pulling the trigger.
Two questions – do you know if your door has an Optical Safety Edge (OSE) or Electrical Safety Edge (ESE)? I’m trying to work out which is more reliable. Secondly, do you have a magnet at the bottom of the guide channel next to the Safety Edge transmitter? It seems to make a difference to battery consumption.
Hi Steve – small world! I honestly don’t know – we bought our door from a neighbour when they bricked up their garage so it was what it was! If it helps, the safety edge seems to work on the basis of hitting something on the way down, feeling resistance, and then rolling back up a short way… ^MW
Just ordered and changed the battery and saved myself £100.
I have a 3 car garage with double and single door with two SOMFY controllers each with their own XSE transmitter (only 2 months old) . I’m now told I can’t operate the doors at the same time because the transmitters will interfere with each other and need to be 7 metres apart . I find this really strange since from the installation manual each controller has to “learn” the existence of its associated transmitter . So am I being feed bull**** ?
My somfy door came down on the bonnet of my car and just stayed there,when I pressed the button for it to go up,it went up but kept going and came out of the tracks ,unfolded,and then flopped down on the bonnet dinting it in a number of places.I have got the door back in the tracks but it is out of sequence.I phoned Crocodile doors who installed it ,they wanted £295 plus vat to come out.No chance! Robbers.
I would appreciate any help.Thanks.
Try repairing the safety edge transmitter:
Press the ‘Prog’ button on the Rollixo RTS front panel until the LED above the Prog button lights up RED.
Press the ‘PROG’ button on the safety edge transmitter for approximately 4 seconds until the ‘Prog’ LED on
the Rollixo RTS controller flashes and then goes out.
Having similar issues. Door goes all the way up but stops at the same positions when closing. Getting the Safety Edge light on the control panel, but not the low battery. Not sure about the amber light on the edge transmitter though.
If I program the edge transmitter, it starts working but only for about a day, then goes back to it’s original problems. I tested the 3.6v battery, and the reading was 3.4v so that should be enough for it to keep working, right? I’ve bought 2 new batteries just in case though, see if that works at all.
Other than that, I’m all out of ideas. If it isn’t the battery… then God only knows what it could be.
Most my problems are now sorted… The cause on door was a faulty motor which was replaced under warranty . The other door was incorrect installation of the magnetic sensors. They need to be a close a possible to the channel edge . I think some installers use screws that are too which could foul the channel , so they set it back too far. To be safe I had my installer use double backed sticky tape , so no danger of screws protruding into the channel.
It was explained to me that when the door passes the magnets that the strip edge is deactivated so it doesn’t auto return, also the alarm is deactivated/activated to prevent door movement by the wind causing the alarm to be set off.
I still get the problem with both door going down at the same time , interfering with each other when they pass the sensors. Apparently this a known issue , and is working as designed/expected.
I am now fighting getting CONNEXION working…. it works with garage doors but struggling with my GATE using a SOMFY Standard Receiver which doesn’t seem to be properly recognised by the hub. Integration with SAMSUNG SMARTTHINGS and ALEXA is another challenge I’m working on :) .
My door came down half way and tripped the breaker,wound it down then informed the installer this was after switching power back on and trying again ,installer came used winder to get in garage ,after they checked it said water had got into panel and damaged it ,they said it was my fault because of garage was damp and water had got in ,they just happened to have a replacement, which worked ,had door for nine months cost me 400 pounds,they took the old unit with them ,could not check or go near due to self isolating ,in the instructions it says ip20 which is not waterproof ,I find this very strange seeing it ts going into garages that get damp ,if thisis the fact why aren’t they put into a waterproof box for protection ,or made to ip65 ,buyer beware
Hello I am facing similar issue , door opens ok but coming down stops after slight movement. On the slate safety edge I opened and there is no AA batteries it has round button type batteries. 4 of them . Is this an old model , just need some one advise on this please. Am I looking at right part.
Hello All , I am having the same problem , shutter not going down but stops after few seconds , press remote again it will start and stop again after few seconds. I opened the safety slate and was expecting to see 2 AA batteries but only see round button type cells which are 4 in number. Should I try and change them just don’t want to spend money on batteries if not required. Please any one can advise. Regards Mike
@MIKE, do you get the Safety Edge light on the panel when it stops? If yes, then it’s a safety edge issue and likely battery related (sorry, can’t advise on the button types; mine is recent and has the AA-sized batteries). But if not, it could be the door binding in the channel, stalling the motor.
Hi Smorgo , thanks for your response, Just changed the button or coin cells and still having the same issue. I can override by continuously holding the remote button when gate goes down and no problem with that. I have recently placed motion detector lights next to door , could there be an issue with interference from it. Any suggestions any advice . Is there a way to check if slate is working and no issues with it. There is also one LED on slate which is not glowing as well , could this be the issue ?
You have the electrical ESE senser, using 4x CR2032 batteres. see:-
http://rollixo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Rollixo-RTS-User-Guide.pdf
Hey. Just thought I would share my experience with a similar challenge!
Our door would go fully up with a single press of the button, but required the button held down to fully close. Else it would stop with the obstruction light coming on.
I tinkered with it a couple of years ago. Replaced the edge transmitter battery etc. But basically gave up and put up with it.
This week I decided to have another go. I found two things. First, the magnet at the bottom had been installed too far from the edge. Approx 30mm from the transmitter with the door closed. I belive the magnet turns off the transmitter and thus prevents the battery draining. So I fixed that.
The door would then work perfectly. But every time I put the lid back on the edge transmitter, I noticed the red light would come on. That’s light on the edge transmitter itself. After much messing I realised the rubber seal wouldn’t seat properly and was holding down the PROG button on the edge transmitter!
So I chopped a bit off to give the prog button some space. It now works just fine.
Might help someone else I hope.
Thanks for all you previous notes BTW. Great help.
Andy
Hi everyone, try this, it worked for me when I had exactly the same problem with the door intermittently stopping when closing.
I spoke with my fitter who advised that sometimes water or dirt gets into the seal at the bottom of the door which is why engineers replace them. He told me to check this, I’ve just manipulated the full length of the the seal by squeezing it with my fingers and as I was doing it the sensor on the bottom of the door turned green and in one push on the control unit it closed for the first time in months with no cost to me.
Not sure how long this will last but I’ll keep you posted.
Good luck with yours.
Very helpful site this, thanks.
Now can I ask if anyone knows how to set the up/down limits on the Panel ?
The panel get wet due to an ingress of rain, I brought it in the house for a few days to dry out, and hoped it would work after it had.
It did, with the exception of two things. The limit has been lost on the Down operation, and the Down button on the control Panel won’t work. On the remotes we have full control, up/down/stop,
except the limiter still needs resetting for down operation.
I am really surprised that although we had this from new, the instructions supplied only tells you how to pair the remotes. Any other setting, like the ones I am looking for, forget it. Not a word.
I phoned Sompy and asked them how to do this, they told me to ask my installer !!!
Not at all helpful.
Help would be really apricated.
Sorry, that should read ‘The Panel got became wet due to an ingress of water’
Dam ! I’ve done it again, I give up, you know what I was trying to say!
Got the same problems & getting really cheesed off. Would never use Somfy again or recommend and they are no help. Door fitted 2016, no problems for 2 years but then it started. Seems to happen when the weather is damp. Had to use deadman thumb last winter. Fitters were coming out but then we went in to lockdown. It then started working during the good weather but reverted to getting stuck last November. Next door neighbour also got the same company to install his garage door but he now too is leaving his cars out at night because they cannot sort it. I rang the fitters who ignored calls for 2 months but then I caught them at the neighbours house. They swapped the battery and it worked but I pointed out that I had swapped the battery numerous times. How can the first battery last two years and subsequent batteries last a month? The battery they put in has now stopped working again after a month. The company that fitted our garage door have told me they are losing so much business as they are basically going round repairing previously fitted garage doors with Somfy electrics. Sorry state of affairs that you pay the tariff you asked for a product that is obviously sub-standard. As I say, would never recommend!
I’ve had the same problem and have just solved it. I pushed the white, green and brown wire further into the white connectors with a screwdriver, thus making sure that the contacts were cutting through the cable sheaths, and immediately the led light turned green.
It’s therefore all down to how well these wires are pressed into the triple contact connectors!
Good luck everyone as this should solve all those problems.
please help???? i knocked the sticky backed magnit off the bottom of the door when sweeping the floor. the alarm blasted at me, now if i switch on its only the alarm blasting at me. i have rung the supplier of the door and no help what so ever.
shirley
@shirley,
Have you reattached the magnet?
At least temporarily, you could take the cover off the control panel and deactivate the alarm feature. I’m assuming (maybe incorrectly) that you have the Rollixo RTS panel. If so, see page 12 of this installation document to see where the switch is.
https://rollerdoorstore.co.uk/images/guide_downloads/rollixo_rts_installation_guide.pdf
Hello , had same issue after putting in new drainage channels. Took out tarmac underneath the door , door dropped and set off alarm . Reset alarm and carried on working giving it no further thought . When I went to operate door problems as above , would open ok on closing would stop part way down with the safety edge alarm lit .Operated fine manually.Checked everything! Reset door limits , turned off and back on again (IT expert) reprogrammed you name it. I eventually lowered door to set position , pressed the programme button on control panel until lit , pressed and held programme button on transmitter until lit , went through connection process and green light on transmitter lit , hey bingo , now working again . When I went through above procedure with door in any other position , safety edge alarm would reset but door would stop again when operated bringing up alarm again. Hope this is of help to someone else.
Hello, I had a similar problem to the rest of you – door rolling up alright but stopping on the way down. I changed the remote controller battery which didn’t help. I replaced the AA lithium battery in the safety edge unit with an AA lithium I bought from Homebase – the only one they stocked. This didn’t help either so I emailed the original installer. He got back to me immediately and asked me to check the voltage of the AA lithium. This wasn’t easy as it wasn’t on the packet but (in the tiniest writing ever) it was on the battery – 1.5. The installer explained I needed a 3.6 and advised me where I could get one online. I’m sure most of you are more observant than me and spotted you needed the 3.6 before buying – but just in case! I doubt I’m the first person to make this mistake.
Thanks for this info, I had similar problem replaced the battery and all working again! However my biggest issue with the safety edge is that it’s not waterproof – surprising given its placed at the bottom of a garage door!
Has anybody figured out if there anyway to 1) make it waterproof or 2) move it up from the bottom of the door – maybe extending the cables? The reason is that we live near the river and water occasionally comes under the door.
Hi folks – I share the same frustration as the rest of you with Somfy. The installer who fitted our garage door praised Somfy as the best at the time of fitting but now does not want to try and fix the problem but replace it with a new system costing over £500. I wonder if replacing the Safety Edge Transmitter would be one option, if I could get one. I have replaced the cell batteries in the Safety Edge but this has not made any difference. Oh well, may just have to keep over-riding the system, but in the meantime will try some of the suggestions given. Cheers.
William, did you manage to get a spare Safety Edge Transmitter ? Seems Somfy don’t want to sell them direct and nowhere seems to stock them ?
For me it was the tiny wires inside that go off into the door. They connect to the circuit board with push down connectors, with one of them not pushed down correctly so not making contact between the wire and connector. I used a small screwdriver to push the wire in further.
I have just had a similar problem where the roller door kept stopping when closing. The controller light that flashed indicated that the OSE connector was not transmitting to the controller. Also it would not pair. I was about to order a new OSE PCB when I discovered that you can run a diagnostic check using SW2 on the OSE PCB. I ran this test which seemed to reset the OSE. I then was able to pair with the controller and all is working fine now.
To run the test / reset do the following:-
Open the OSE transmitter housing. Press button SW2 until LED 1 lights up permanently red.
The OSE is operating correctly when LED 1 lights up green then LED 2 lights up permanently green for 8 seconds.
More detailed information can be found in the manual – Page 21 – here:
http://rollixo.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Rollixo-RTS-Installation-Guide.pdf
I hope this helps someone?
Here is the short fix:
1) Remove Somfy cover
2) Perform battery test and replace battery if necessary or unsure (use 3.6V AA not 1.5V AA).
3) Press button 1(program) LH side of Somfy (looks like little cube with central rubber button) for 3 seconds and immediately Led 1 (the normal one you see through the cover) lights green, hit the rubber safety edge on the bottom of the door upwards – hard (as though the bottom of the door has hit an object). If you have left it too long the green will go to red and you will have to repeat step 3 again.
4) Test door operation.
5) Replace cover.
My garage door will go up about 6 inches ever other press but won’t come down ive changed batteries in sensor reprogrammed it nothing when I press down on control panel I get a click nothing happens is it the motor foing my head in when it did work it was getting slower and slower going up
hi, is it possible to just take the white,grey,green wires out of the two connector blocks in the transmitter and then connect them to each ? so the door will close in one touch..
does anyone have the instructions on how to replace the safety seal on the bottom of the door ?
Having looked through the above I have a new problem…. Door goes up but to get it down I have to wind it manually. Any help/website gratefully received!
I have had the same problem with Cells discharging over about 6 months. I’m going to look at the suggestions on these comments to see if that fixes it.
For reference if you have a AA 3.6V cell I have found this source reliable. https://www.batterystation.co.uk/tadiran-sl-760-aa-3-6v-lithium-thionyl-chloride-battery-1-pack
Those are the ones I’ve used previously. Think I got the last one on Amazon but available from various electronics suppliers too.
My garage roller doors have Somfy safety edge transmitters and a control panel like the one in the picture above. It was installed about 10 years ago. No problems until recently when one of the doors stopped about 6″ down. The installer suggested disconnecting the power and letting it reset itself because the warning lights which had appeared weren’t consistent with his copy of a manual! This worked for a few weeks. After a recurrence I fiddled about and realised I’d sort of ‘deprogrammed’ one of the black fobs that controls the doors so I looked up how to ‘re-pair’ it using the PROG button and, again, it worked OK for a few weeks. It’s just started to stop again after lowering about 6″. It was still descending using the over-ride. However the battery light was on, and the red light came on on the safety edge transmitter when it was not working so I was going to change the batteries. However since the last operation of the over-ride it seems to be working fine.
One other thing – I’m not sure the safety edge transmitter is working properly. I seem to recall in the early days that if I set it to close and forgot something in the garage I only had to touch the bottom of the descending door to stop it. For a long while it’s just carried on descending and only stops when there’s a hard obstacle.
I was getting a red light on the Safety Edge Transmitter and the red and yellow warnings on the main unit – as per the manual. My SET holds one AA size battery – a TADIRAN SL-760S 3.6v. Got it from Amazon and have just fitted it. Seems to be working fine now.
Hi. Interesting Blog. Pleased I’m not the only one having problems. After doing much research about a recent problem I discovered a fault with my OSE transmitter and it seems to think it’s the optical safety edge sensor causing the problem. I’ve purchased a new set of sensors but these seem to be compatible with the newer XSE transmitter. I decided to dispense with the transmitter and use a wired setup which the new sensors would work with. The problem is I need to clear the existing safety edge transmitter from the receiver.and I can’t do this as it appears the programming buttons have been locked! I’ve tried to unlock them by following the locking procedure again as I read somewhere it should toggle the unlocked/locked mode but this doesn’t work. Does anyone know how to re-enable the programming mode? Thanks
Anyone able to help with a problem I have
Door goes up no problem but sometime it will not lock & drops to about halfway. Down most of the time .sometimes it works as it should
It has only started doing this in the last 4 months the door has worked very well for over 10 years
When it drops if I push the remote it normally goes back up & drops again. I just wind it up by hand.
When closing it does not always lock I then just wind it to lock .
Anyone able to help as to how the locking mechanism works on a Somfy motor
Thanks for any help
This site has been a great help, thank you. I thought I’d never get to the bottom of just why, after a long run of faultless operation, my Alluguard roller door, controlled by the Somfy RTS Control panel, working in conjunction with an ESE transmitter, kept stopping at the DOWN command on the control panel. Even worse if I tried that with a remote. The door would stop part way down, and I needed to hold the down button in on the control panel to complete the total down movement.
So, after studying the user manual, and cross referring it with the fault indicator lamps on the Control panel, I tried various things. The clue to all this was the little orange battery low warning indicator light on the main panel. This came up quite frequently, together with the steady red of the Safety Edge warning lamp. I removed the battery from the transmitter and tested it with a multimeter. It showed 3.53V, so I discounted the battery as the cause of the fault, and continued with various resets etc. No joy. I then decided to give Somfy themselves a call, and ended up speaking with a French man, somewhere most likely in the middle of his country, in a loud workshop and music in the background. His recommendation was to contact a dealer near me….In the meantime, I’d filled out an online fault reporting form to Somfy, and lo and behold I received an email reply to my request for help, asking me to call the Somfy line, but this time choose Option 3. I did, and was connected to “Andrew”, whom, after listening to my observations, suggested I replace the transmitter battery – which I’d ruled out as the probable culprit in all this. He told me that while the battery might show 3.53V on my tester, it might be nowhere near that under load. He was absolutely right. New battery – the AA type 3.6V lithium type. No problems now. Somfy….0113 391 3030 Option 3….
Wanted to add to this thread as it seems to have become the accidental place for this or similar faults for Somfy Rollixo RTS and I’ve made some progress with my own fault where the roller will go up fine but would stop when closing, notably with the safety edge light being red on the main receiver and with a red light on the transmitter…..its been occurring now for a number of months and I’ve tried various tests including the battery change.
I started to wonder if it was indeed the optical safety edge itself, the floor is concrete and is not entirely smooth across the whole floor width and I was curious whether the rubber encasing the safety edge remained deformed after opening and caused the safety edge to believe there was an obstacle. I found that by squeezing the rubber safety edge strip from either sides caused the red light on the transmitter to go out suggesting this was the problem.
With this in mind and knowing that by lowing the garage door back down fully will once again deform the rubber edge, Ive been allowing the door to just ‘kiss’ the floor before hitting the remote button again to stop it from fully putting all the weight back on the rubber strip. And its worked….the rubber doesnt deform so the door has been closing correctly. This however is not a full solution as I would prefer the door to close without me manually stopping it as it ‘kisses’ the floor but havent figured out how to solve this yet….any suggestions appreciated!
I have the same problem of battery discharhing quickly. I do not think magnet switches off the unit completeley but it tells the unit that it reached its limit. One of my theory is wind! I suspect garage door vibrates/moves due to wind and this causes transmitter to wake up (not sure if it has motion sensor or edge pressure sensor is doing this). These frequent wake ups drains the battery. I have also seen suggestion regarding pushing edge sensor wires and I wonder if they are causing this wake up or module not sleeping at a low consumption state. I have not checked my connections yet but I will. I have gone through 2 batteries and I am bored of paying this extra money. If I get three rechargeable AAs then I can connect them in series (1.2V each) and wire it to the module and velcro battery pack to the door. And recharge when discharged ;)
Tested my safety edge over the weekend;gave it a sharp bang to right hand side;;all seemed good;door stopped and retracted slightly;;came to open door today;would only come down few inches each time ;safety edge light on controller(red) and transmitter showing red;tried all the usual;reset;battery etc etc;;turned out I cut the cable to the optical unit(green sensor in each end of safety strip);;I removed optical sensor and withdrew the cable from the transmitter(pulled through door extrusions)simply reconnected green/white/brown;reinserted into newly cut slot in safety edge;;;green light;;all good
We have a very similar issue. The 2 light on the control box is constantly lit, and the door goes up ok but you have to hold the fob button to get it down and it stops a couple of times on the way.
We’ve changed the edge sensor battery with a normal AA battery, but that’s not fixed it. Do we need a “not normal” one?
Sorry for the delayed response Bob but I think you’ll need a “not normal” AA – a High Energy Lithium one from Tadiran or similar. They are 3.6V not 1.5V like a “normal” AA.
My safety edge light is red.
Door will go up but either panel or remote needs to be held to go down.
However I don’t have any safety edge transmitter that takes batteries to change. I have a hard rectangular wired box (about the size of a choc box cable connector) on the bottom slat which goes to a curly cord in the control unit.
Not got a clue how to proceed or why my install is so different with no safety edge transmitter?
Tony, a wired safety edge was an option that I think has been largely superceded by the later wireless versions. It’s a simple enough device and shouldn’t have any batteries of its own. Most likely, it is faulty. Despite the curly cable, years of movement can cause them to fail. I think Sommer safety edges are fairly common. It just acts as a switch, so virtually any wired safety edge should suffice.
I’d like to thank everyone for their contributions. Really helpful although fairly bad reflection on Somfy that so many of us had the same problem.
My problem: Door opens OK and then stops at 6 inches and needs to be overridden like so many others.
My supplier wanted to replace the whole of the bottom of the door – he warned me it would be expensive. He seemed to not really understand the problem and was going for the “nuclear option” I felt!
What worked for me: New battery followed by Steve’s suggestion of 29.11.20 ie
“Press the ‘Prog’ button on the Rollixo RTS front panel until the LED above the Prog button lights up RED.
Press the ‘PROG’ button on the safety edge transmitter for approximately 4 seconds until the ‘Prog’ LED on
the Rollixo RTS controller flashes and then goes out. ”
Thanks everyone
I have the same problem as Tony with the same battery less edge transmitter, can you suggest a suitable replacement and supplier
Brilliant tread this. The best side of the internet right hear! For those that are struggling to find a new Safety Edge Transmitter but couldn’t find one to buy, this is pretty much only one I could find (other than the optical sensor at the bottom of this post):
Somfy Rollixo XSE Transmitter
Stock Code: SOXSET
OEM Part No: 1782774
£95.26
https://www.hopkinsfittings.co.uk/Catalogue/3rd-Department/Somfy/Somfy-Controls/Somfy-Rollixo-XSE-Transmiter-SOXSET
I don’t 100% know if this is the correct one for what you need so worth calling them to check—but thought I’d post it in case it was useful. They have a lot of spare parts listed for Somfy. I’m hoping I don’t need one but thought I’d look (plenty of suggestions still to try based on the posts above!). Website says available on back order: 3-5 days. Seems to be the only place that remotely sells them online in the UK after quite a bit of looking.
I also found a place in France that sells both this and the optical version here (thanks Google /Chrome Translate!): https://www.expert-domotique.com/717034-pros-portes-de-garage-somfy-portes-de-garage-enroulables?id_category=717034&n=51 (full list of parts) but they don’t seem to ship to the UK. But you could ask nicely or use a freight forwarder like https://www.easy-delivery.com/en/ (not sure the delivery cost though).
They have the one I mentioned above in stock here: https://www.expert-domotique.com/pros-portes-de-garage-somfy-portes-de-garage-enroulables/9558512-somfy-emetteur-xse-so-1782774.html
—–
These are the details for the optical version:
“Somfy optical safety edge transmitter (so 1781245)
Reference SO1781245
Optical safety edge transmitter. No magnet to position. Immediate length adjustment without specific tools. Optimized stock and site management: only 3 references to cover all door lengths.
replaced by 1782774” (which is the one above which required the magnet)
https://www.expert-domotique.com/pros-portes-de-garage-enroulable-somfy-systemes-barres-palpeuses-sans-fil-pour-rollixo/10470293-somfy-emetteur-barre-palpeuse-optique-so-1781245.html
I have two Somy doors as well as gates. I installed photocells as I found if I had my van in working on it it would close on it. If pressed and wouldn’t stop. I also had to change the battery been in years.
A recent fault with my Crocodile roller door stopping about 10 inches down on closure with a protective edge warning on the main controller was similar to some of the experiences above. Following an engineer’s visit his first comment was “Where’s your top magnet?”. I had to admit that I was never aware of an upper magnet being fitted however on fitting a magnet opposite the protective edge transmitter, at the fully open point, the door now works perfectly with no warnings on the controller and a steady green LED on the edge transmitter (whilst in transit). Fitting of both upper and lower magnets seems to have fixed the problem. It was explained to me that that, on closing, the edge transmitter had no reference and therefore went into the fault mode.
Hi I just changed the XSE Transmitter on my roller door after having the same issues with it opening up with no problem but stopping every 6″ or so on the way down.
I got the part for roughly £60 including delivery from a supplier in the UK, link below.
https://rollerdooruk.online/product/somfy-xse-bottom-slat-transmitter/
I feel like I have a slightly different issue as my roller door is used outside and is exposed to the elements so when i changed the XSE I noticed the old one had signs of water ingress which made me think this was the problem, however after changing it I still have the same issue, has anyone ever removed the Safety Edge and do you really need one on the door apart from the obvious reasons i suppose?
Any additional advise would be great, thanks all for the posts on here and for anybody that replies to my question.
Hi
Can someone send me what battery I need and tell me where to put it? I have the problem where it does t go down unless I hold the button
Thanks
Hi I have a Rollixo RTS which seems dead. There are no lights on the panel at all. The batteries in the fobs are ok and the LEDs light on the fobs when pressed. I have also tested the safety edge transmitter battery which seem ok as well at 3.64v. There is mains power to the panel but as stated no lights on at all and there are no diagnostic steps in the manual for this condition. Does anybody have any guidance on what to try next.
Mark HUGE thank you for taking the time to post this – correct battery purchased and fitted and garage door now working!
Glad it helped you out Samantha – and thanks for letting me know it was worth it!
I’ve had an irritating problem with the door dropping few inches, stopping – up with next press all the way – very similar to others on this blog which I’ve read with interest. However, I couldn’t see any obviously wrong, no lights illuminating, which made a solution more difficult to identify. So, I just cleaned everything even though the runner seemed fine, the sensor by the floor, even wiped the battery in the transmitter – hey presto all works. Not sure why, but very pleased. Took me a total of 30 minutes. Thank you
Discovered this page when roller door stopped going down all the way and had the two warning lights on the controller indicating sensor battery failure. Scoured a number of shops for replacement lithium battery with no luck. Ordered 4 Energizer AA Lithium batteries off Amazon with much expectation, only to be disappointed when this didn’t fix the problem either :-( No lights on the sensor controller… ah the Energizer batteries are still only 1.5V! The good news is I’ve done the old trick of rubbing the old battery between my hands and blowing on it and this has restored normal door operation for the time being. Other good news is that I now have 4 Energizer lithium batteries to use as I want. Bad news is I still need to find a 3.6V AA battery :-/
This problem can be resolved by replacing 3.6v battery. Then wiggling the thin wires on the safety edge transmitter because the connections are poor problem solved !!!
Hi Graham, a 3.6V AA battery is available on Amazon (I also linked to one at Farnell in the original blog post). I bought one recently and then found I already had a spare. Mine seems to last a couple of years but I guess it will depend on door usage.
Hi All
Same issues as above! Doors driving me insane tried everything their not good doors really, think its the safety Bar that’s the problem?
Can the safety bar be by passed? ie can I disconnect the wires to the battery on the door and then jumper the cable between the two push on connecters.
I know its there for a reason, but really
Hi, found this by accident as I am one of the Rollixa wandering dead souls looking for a solution. My alarm started going off intermittently as well as the symptoms stated about bringing the thing down again. I think I’ve got a hard wired unit so the battery issue is moot, but I did notice this year that a lot of spiders had congregated around the doors. No idea why – I haven’t done anything to them, in fact I don’t even bother them much in the shed. Nevertheless, I wondered whether this could have some impact on the “beam” that runs throught that rubber tube. Is it open ended? In which case, spiders (from Mars or even your back garden) could easily get in there and eventually create havoc? Any thoughts on that at all?
It’s possible, I guess (and a did chuckle at the David Bowie reference there), but my experience has been that I have to change the battery in the safety edge transmitter every time it starts playing up. You say yours is hard-wired but how does that work with a rolling door? (My control unit is plugged into the mains, but there’s still a battery for the safety edge).
Hello
I have a roller door with Somfy rollixo rts and after heavy rain last week, opened garage door with remote but then it died completely and had to wind door down by hand!
Checked fuse in plug and fuse in unit but no good so took circuit board out and there were signs of water ingress so its been in airing cupboard for 2 days then refitted but still dead as a dodo!
Can or should I get a replacement unit please?
I have a sensor with 4 CR 2032, 3V type lithium batteries how do you replace batteries I have tied not enough room to remove old batteries in unit ,
somfy 4 CR 2032, 3V type lithium batteries I have tried to replace but can not get old batteries out
I cannot even find a battery in mine. Where is the battery located?
Hi Martin – sorry for the delayed response. The battery that I’ve changed a few times now is in the back of the unit that’s attached to the bottom of the door. You have to unscrew it and take the back off. Mark
This blog has been great to read as indeed we are all suffering from a roller door that fails to close whilst showing a red light on the main unit. Ours occurs after water ingress in the rubber seal. Having removed the end sensors and running a piece of wire with a piece of cloth firmly attached to it twice to dry out the rubber. This then allows it all to function again. We had tried all the battery and wire checks – and my husband is an electrician so it had to be the sensors as the transmitter was functioning. Good luck in trying to solve your issues.
Glad I read the last post to see where the battery was. Your article is extremely helpful and like everyone else I can only thank you.
Thanks Alan – glad it helped!
Hi all,
I’m experiencing a related problem. Garage door has been working fine for ages, but over the weekend a fault has developed. Initially it appeared it something up with the battery in the safety edge which I replaced, but now the door will only close when holding down the button. The box has the safety edge red light permanently lit, but no other lights are on or flashing. I’ve tried a variety of batteries and the problem remains.
Thank you for this blog and all it’s participants. Our somfy door stopped working and was in a push and hold to operate going down.
Found the post from 2 July 2021, hit the strip with a hammer… It was the 15th of 18 options we thought might work from the blog… and it has worked!
Also a thank you to my neighbour who put in many patient hours researching, making notes, found the solution and implemented it.
I summarised all the fixes from this whole thread for those who don’t want to read it all.
1. Replacing the battery in the safety edge transmitter:
– Locate the safety edge transmitter, which is usually attached to the bottom of the garage door.
– Unscrew the cover and remove the old battery.
– Replace with a new 3.6V lithium AA battery. Do not use a standard 1.5V AA battery, as it will not provide enough voltage.
– Brands like Tadiran or Energizer make the correct type of battery.
– Dispose of the old battery properly and replace the transmitter cover.
2. Checking and fixing wiring connections in the safety edge transmitter:
– Unscrew the cover of the safety edge transmitter.
– Locate the wiring connections, which are usually push-down or screw-in connectors.
– Check that each wire is securely connected and not loose.
– If a wire seems loose, use a small flathead screwdriver to push it further into the connector.
– Ensure the wires are not frayed or damaged. If they are, you may need to strip back the insulation and reconnect the wire.
3. Reprogramming the safety edge transmitter:
– Locate the “Prog” button on your main garage door control panel.
– Press and hold the “Prog” button until the LED above it lights up red.
– Go to your safety edge transmitter and find its “Prog” button.
– Press and hold the transmitter’s “Prog” button for about 4 seconds.
– Watch the LED on the main control panel. It should flash and then go out, indicating a successful pairing.
4. Manipulating the rubber safety edge:
– For minor issues, simply squeezing the rubber safety edge firmly along its length may resolve the problem.
– If the door is stopping due to moisture, use a wire with a cloth attached to run through the inside of the rubber edge to dry it out.
– For more stubborn issues, hit the rubber edge sharply in an upward direction. This can sometimes reset the sensor.
– Test the door afterwards to see if the problem is resolved.
5. Checking and adjusting door magnets:
– Locate the magnets at the top and bottom of your garage door track.
– The bottom magnet should be positioned close to the safety edge transmitter when the door is closed.
– The top magnet should be directly across from the transmitter when the door is fully open.
– Adjust the position of the magnets if they are misaligned or too far from the transmitter.
– Make sure the magnets are securely attached and not loose.
6. Running the diagnostic test on the safety edge transmitter (for Rollixo RTS systems):
– Open the cover of the safety edge transmitter.
– Locate the SW2 button on the circuit board.
– Press and hold SW2 until LED1 lights up red.
– Release SW2 and observe LED1. It should turn green.
– Then, LED2 should light up green and stay on for about 8 seconds.
– If both LEDs light up as described, the transmitter is functioning correctly.
– If the LEDs do not light up as described or you get a different light pattern, there may be an issue with the transmitter.
7. Replacing the entire safety edge transmitter:
– If you’ve tried replacing the battery, checking wiring, and reprogramming the transmitter but the issue persists, the transmitter may need to be replaced.
– Purchase a new safety edge transmitter compatible with your specific garage door system.
– Disconnect the wiring from the old transmitter and connect it to the new one.
– Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for programming the new transmitter to your system.
– Test the door operation to ensure the new transmitter is working correctly.
8. Troubleshooting wired safety edge systems:
– Wired safety edges do not have batteries, but they can still fail due to wiring issues or physical damage.
– Check the wiring connecting the safety edge to the main control panel for any signs of damage, fraying, or loose connections.
– Pay special attention to the coiled cable, as it can wear out over time due to repeated movement.
– If the wiring appears damaged or the issue persists, you may need to replace the entire wired safety edge.
– Consult your garage door system’s manual or contact a professional for specific instructions on replacing a wired safety edge.
9. Dealing with water damage to the main control panel:
– If you suspect water has gotten into the main control panel, disconnect the power supply immediately.
– Remove the control panel from the wall and open its casing.
– If you see signs of moisture, use a hair dryer on a low setting or place the control panel in a warm, dry place (like an airing cupboard) for several days to thoroughly dry it out.
– Once dry, reassemble the control panel and test the door operation.
– If the control panel still does not work, the internal circuitry may be damaged. You might need to replace the circuit board or the entire control panel.
– If you are unsure or uncomfortable with this process, consult a professional garage door technician.
Remember to always prioritize safety when working on your garage door. If you are uncertain about any step or encounter issues not covered here, it’s best to contact a professional for assistance.
Thanks for taking the time to summarise this, Sam. All the best, Mark
Excellent summary Sam. What I’d like to figure out is how to fully waterproof the unit, I still cannot understand why Somfy don’t make them IP66+ ! I’ve been looking for a waterproof housing for the circuit board but I cannot find one thin enough. Anyone got any great ideas ? Reason being is my street floods with the river, so after a few spring tides my door transmitter is frazzled!