What should I do if the handheld transmitter doesn’t work?

Your door/gate remains closed? Quick troubleshooting tips

There are many possible causes if your otherwise reliable handheld transmitter isn’t working as it usually does and your garage door or yard gate suddenly won’t open or close. Often, you simply need to replace the battery of the handheld transmitter. We will explain step by step what you can do.

Mode of operation: How to open the door/gate with a handheld transmitter

On, for example, a garage door, the garage door operator is controlled via radio from a handheld transmitter. Inside the garage door operator, there is a radio receiver. When activated, the handheld transmitter sends a signal with a radio code to the radio receiver in the garage door operator. If the radio receiver recognises the radio code, the garage door operator initiates the closing or opening process.

To prevent neighbours being able to open each other’s garage doors, every handheld transmitter is coordinated with the radio receiver in the door operator. This process takes place during programming of the handheld transmitter. Thanks to 128-bit AES encryption and the Rollingcode process from SOMMER, interception of the radio code by third parties is pointless, as each code can only be used once.

Check the battery: Does the LED light up?

You can check whether the battery in your handheld transmitter is flat by pressing a button. If you press the button and the LED on the hand-held transmitter does not light up as it normally does, you need to replace the battery of the handheld transmitter. Most handheld transmitters use a button cell battery. Button cells for handheld transmitters can be purchased from retailers. If you replace the battery and the handheld transmitter still doesn’t work, it is defective. Contact your dealer if your handheld transmitter is defective.

How do I replace the battery on a handheld transmitter from SOMMER?

In the following brief instructions, we show you how to replace the battery of your Pearl or Classic handheld transmitter from SOMMER in a few easy steps.

Replacing the battery of a handheld transmitter from the Pearl series

Using a Phillips screwdriver, unscrew the screw on the lower housing section.

Lift off the upper section of the housing.

Remove the battery and insert a new battery of type CR2032 in the same position. Check for the correct polarity (+/-)!

Note: Before assembly, check whether the LED lights up when you press a button. If the LED does not light up, the battery is installed incorrectly or is flat.

Replace the upper housing section. Make sure that the lower housing section is hooked into the upper section.

Carefully close the housing.

Turn in the screw on the lower housing section again. You have now successfully replaced the battery of your handheld transmitter.

Replacing the battery on the handheld transmitter "Classic" (# 4020V000)

Pull out sliding section (D). When it reaches the stop, press slightly on the plastic housing to push past the retaining clip.

Remove the battery (F) and insert a new battery of type CR2032 in the same position. Check for the correct polarity (+/-)!

Note: Before assembly, check whether the LED lights up when you press a button. If the LED does not light up, the battery is installed incorrectly or is flat.

Insert sliding section (D) into stainless steel case (E), pressing downwards (G) as you do so.

Push sliding section and stainless steel case together. You have now successfully replaced the battery of your handheld transmitter.

Video: Replacing the battery on a Classic handheld transmitter

Does the door or gate operator react to radio signals from the handheld transmitter?

If the LED on the radio transmitter lights up when you press a button but the door or gate operator does not react, there are various possible causes. Check the following to locate the fault.

Has the handheld transmitter been activated several times by mistake?

If a button on a handheld transmitter has been pressed several times outside the reception range, the operator may no longer accept the Rollingcode for security reasons. For comparison, simply press a button on the handheld transmitter at least twice, until the door or gate operator starts up.

Has the handheld transmitter been programmed?

Check whether the handheld transmitter has been programmed to the door or gate operator. On the control unit of the door or gate operator, there is a Radio LED. This LED must light up when a button on the handheld transmitter is pressed. The Radio LED is labelled. You can find further information in the installation instructions for your product.

Reprogramming a handheld transmitter

You can find detailed step-by-step instructions and videos in the section Programming a handheld transmitter to a SOMMER garage door operator. To programme your handheld transmitter to an operator of a different type, please follow the original installation instructions for your product. In our Download area, you will find all installation and operating instructions for programming a remote control from SOMMER.

The operator does not open or close the door/gate

If the garage door or yard gate still does not move when you activate your handheld transmitter, there may be a fault in the door or gate operator. Faults can have many causes.

Please note that work on the electrical system and live parts must be performed by a trained electrician.

For example, an obstacle or a defective photocell can cause the garage door or yard gate to malfunction. It is also possible that the operator was unlocked by the emergency release mechanism. Another possible cause of a fault is an interruption in the voltage supply, e.g. due to a power failure. A mechanical defect in the door or gate or the operator cannot be ruled out, either.

Possible reasons why the door/gate does not move:

• No power supply to the operator
• Photocell is triggered or defective
• Gate has detected an obstacle
• Mechanical defect in the door/gate or the operator

You can find further possible causes in the original installation instructions for your operator, in the Chapter Troubleshooting.

Installation and Operating Manuals

Please see the installation and operating instructions for your handheld transmitter, door or gate operator for details of product-specific troubleshooting measures.

Purchase original handheld transmitters from SOMMER

You can purchase handheld transmitters from SOMMER in our online shop. Note the radio frequency of your garage door operator, which you can find on the label of the operator or in the Installation and Operating Manual.