Tandem Operation of Two Garage Doors

© 2003 Door & Access Systems
Publish Date: Winter 2003
Author: Tom Wadsworth
Page 66

TECHNICAL TIPS

Tandem Operation of Two Garage Doors

A two-car garage sometimes has two one-car garage doors. Usually, these two doors are operated separately with two separate garage door openers.

This is typical and useful. It allows the homeowner to operate one door while the other door remains closed.

However, a homeowner may occasionally want to operate both doors in tandem by using a single garage door opener to operate both doors simultaneously. DASMA does not support this type of door operation.

The primary reason relates to UL 325, the standard for safety for garage door openers. UL 325 does not include any provisions for operating a door in tandem. Consequently, the important entrapment protections of UL 325 have not been verified for this unique kind of operation.

That’s not the only reason to avoid tandem operation. For example, variations in the performance of each door and variations in counterbalance systems may contribute to a shortened life of the door opener.

But there’s more. DASMA's Operator & Electronics Division Technical Committee has created a one-page Technical Data Sheet (TDS) on this topic. You can read or print TDS #361 at www.dasma.com.

Under “Publications,” just click on “Tech Data Sheets.” You’ll find TDS #361 grouped with several other Technical Data Sheets relating to operators and electronics.