Programming a new Craftsman Garage Door Opener

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I will start by saying thank you in advance for the help and guidance and that I have searched numerous websites and still cannot find the answers. I also made a visit to my local Sears store and they were not able to help me. I was told based on the 3 button design of my remote I had a 7 or 9 slider pin model garage door opener at home.

I am attempting to program a new remote for my grandmother who has a Craftsman Garage Door Opener. It is misplaced frequently so having a spare seems prudent. The model number of the garage door opener itself is 139.655000 and it at least 20 years old if not older.( I found a pdf of the manual online which is how I know the receiver and remote have been replaced.) It would appear the wall mounted transmitting unit failed and it was replaced with a Craftsman Universal Receiver Model # 139.53755. It has a green LED light but does not have the green learn button that is referenced in the Craftsman Owner's Manuals that I have found on line. All of these manuals reference and show a picture of a SRT button which is not on the back or sides of the universal receiver. I took it apart and it does not have the 7 or 9 slider pins that are found in the older models. A newer style remote (the only one I have) with a green LED light has a model # 139.53779. I also took the remote apart just to make sure it did not have the slider pins inside of it.

My question is how do I program the new remote to work with this system?

The only thought I have at this point is there is a hole on the side of the Universal Receiver that looks like some sort of reset button. I am leery of trying this to see what happens as the safest way for my grandmother to enter and exit the house is through the inner door to the garage and then out the overhead garage door.

Thanks again for sharing your guidance and wisdom.
 
Normally the "learn" feature is depressing a button on the head unit which might have a blinking led. Then, while that is blinking you would depress the door button on the remote and the blink would turn to a steady light. Some older models did have dip switches and you would just place them all in identical matching positions on head and remote.

BTW, upon re-read of your post, there would not be a learn button on the remote, only the head unit. And, to avoid confusion, the wall units are nowadays just remotes screwed down to the wall with a battery in them. Always use a fresh alkaline battery too.
 
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I'd suggest scrapping those older, less secure, and not as good a range Billion Code remote/receiver combo and just replace it.

It's a relatively inexpensive proposition
Don't forget, with the newer frequencies, you have many more choice of remote. There's car keyfob profile one's, A keypad, If her car has homelink, Use that. Or just the plain 1 big button remote.
A new 315mhz Security+ plug in receiver
Ebay listing And a new one button 371LM, Your only controlling one door right? Ebay listing
 
Dave 180, thanks for the reply. The head unit only has a red manual reset button on it and there are no LED lights on the head unit. Plus the manual for the head unit makes no mention of using the reset button on the head unit for programming remotes.

The universal receiver model that I have is similar to ones that I can find a manual for and those are shown to have the learn button on the back of the receiver and not on the head unit.

I emailed with Sears support this morning and all they can tell me is a replacement remote is not available for the part number I have provided however I can find remotes with my current model number on the Sears website in addition to a number of 3rd party sellers. They did not answer my question about how to program the remote or reprogram my current remote.

One would not think this would be so complicated.
Thanks again for your help.
 
michaelluscher thanks for the response. It may come down to replacing the receiver unit and getting new remotes. I sent follow up questions to Sears and got a new response with new info that is some contradictory to the initial response. From the info provided I was able to find a table at Sears.com that showed a LiftMaster opener 81.LM as a compatible option but is has to be programmed.

I was also provided a link to a Sear product much like the one you referenced in your post that appears to be a new receiver unit that will work with the new remotes.

It is only controlling one door. There is a second door with a new opener and receiver that is about 7 years old. We are set in our ways and want to use the door she has used for the last 60 plus years. Makes me wonder what would happen if I replaced the old receiver with a newer one if that would create problems for the other door and opener.

Thanks again.
 
The red button is the programming button, there were several different versions over the years that all looked the same but worked with incompatible remotes. There were the dip switches as you mentioned, and red, green and purple program buttons.

They sell a universal remote called Clicker at Home Depot/Lowe's that will work with all of them.

If you're trying to get the original Craftsman remote, you need to purchase the correct one based on the color of your programming button. As of a few years ago, they still sold them at Sears.

They are rebadged LiftMasters, so if you find a store that stocks LM you can purchase one of those as well.
 
dishdude thank you.

So if the red button is the programming button then how does one program the remotes? I went back and reread the owners manual I downloaded last night and there is no mention of the red button on the head unit being a program button. It is referred to as the manual reset switch. My apologies for the all questions, I just want to avoid the opener not working for an extended period of time. I do not care what remote is used as long as the button on the wall and the remote she leaves the house with work. I will look on line for the the Clicker at Home Depot.
 
I did some reading on the Liftmaster/Chamberlin website and the pictures/instructions they show for the different colored reset buttons do not look like the button and wire configuration I have on the back of the Craftsman head unit. I will call them in the morning to see what they have to say. It does appear they offer a new receiver/remote package that seems very similar to what is int the garage now and if the manual is correct the smart button is located on the back of the receiver and not the head unit.
 
That red button is the programming button. Press it and you have 15 sec to press and hold the button on the remote you want to enroll. If successful, the 60 watt bulb will blink and the door will open or close. If you're trying to program in a remote made for a green or purple button, it won't work.

2010-02-25_204410_98670_f520.jpg
 
I really wonder if Sear's tech support or lack thereof is just an attempt to have you abandon the remote issue entirely and just buy a brand new opener w/remotes from them.

In the future, if it comes to it, go to HD or Menards and buy a Chamberlain. I recently bought a new replacement remote for my 8-9 year old unit and had it programmed and in the car in about 3 minutes.
 
Dishdude, thanks for the response and the pic. Unfortunately the head unit I have looks nothing like the one in the pic. The unit I have I would guess to be at least 25 years old and the force up/down adjusters are on the sides of the unit. I did not have time to call Chamberlin today to see what they recommended. Hopefully tomorrow.

Many thanks to all the posted and offered their guidance and advice.
 
Originally Posted By: dave180
I really wonder if Sear's tech support or lack thereof is just an attempt to have you abandon the remote issue entirely and just buy a brand new opener w/remotes from them.

In the future, if it comes to it, go to HD or Menards and buy a Chamberlain. I recently bought a new replacement remote for my 8-9 year old unit and had it programmed and in the car in about 3 minutes.


Agreed that the lack of tech support is frustrating and it does seem the simpler answer from Sears tech support is to buy a new one instead of fixing the old one. Sign of the times I guess.
 
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