remote receiver for garage roller door not receiving

I have a maintenance/repair problem as follows...

A couple of years ago I purchased a home which has a B&D Roller Door fitted to the garage (installed 1994) with a MPC-2 transmitter/receiver, which appears to have stopped responding to the remote controls. This also
happened approx a year ago and I reset the remote transmitter codes to the reveiver and that solved the problem. This time it has not worked. The motor still works fine (door opens and closes from the hard-wired controller inside the garage).

I called B&D Roller Doors and was told they no longer stock parts for that model. I may need to replace the whole controller/receiver and get new transmitters to suit.

I am expecting a call back from B&D to arrange an appointment for a free measure and quote (although I am sure I'd only need a new controller and remotes, not an entire new roller door and motor as well).

I was wondering if anyone had come across the same problem and what my options were. An internet search has provided me with some companies that provide replacement controller/receiver/transmitters and I have contacted them...

The original receiver cost over $500 back in 1994 (as per previous home-owner's paperwork) and I'd like to keep costs to an absolute minimum after recently paying a deposit for a window roller shutter for my baby son's bedroom (noisy neighbours with a sensor-light that goes on and off constantly every night!).

Depending on what you find is the actual problem, you can always buy the cheapest B&D system available at Bunnings for $395. Use the transmitter/reciever & remotes and keep the balance as spares or swap over the whole unit?

It may be a cheaper option, not by much though, but regardless it's cheaper than the $500 that was paid back in 1994? If it's only the remote, then they are about $50 each....

Good Luck!

I am 99% sure it's the receiver built into the hard-wired controller - I press the "code set" button on the receiver then when I press the transmitter button for 5 seconds (2 seconds is enough) it should automatically change from "code set" mode to "normal" mode. This isn't happening, and both remotes have been affected at the same time, indicating it's not a flat battery in the remotes (yes, I did change one to make sure). I tried several different channels on the transmitters, but that didn't make any difference either.

I pulled the controller apart and there doesn't appear to be any blown components, and the antenna is still connected to the PCB.

Try again but with the transmitter very close to the receiver's PCB (about an inch away). Tell us how it goes.

I had an issue with my doors last year. Had 2 new remote panel lifts fitted, and a couple of months later they refused to work off the remote.
Tried reprogramming, resetting, power on & off etc - nothing worked.
Rang B&D for a warranty call out.

Turns out a nearby neighbour had one of those cheap wireless doorbells. The rubber button shrinks in the heat, holds the button down, the doorbell only rings once - so the owner doesn't know it's constantly on, and the transmitter sits there merrily flooding the immediate neighbourhood with 433mhz signal, effectively obliterating anything else from working near it, as the receivers think it's stray signal (as it's the wrong code) & refuse to operate.

We found the suspect doorbell, spoke to the neighbour, popped the button off the wall and removed it's batteries, and then I pressed my remote, and up went the doors.....as per normal.

The B&D bloke actually demonstrated it to the neighbour - using the ******* doorbell, and the one he keeps in his van for that purpose! We couldn't believe it.

So basically my advice is to find out what frequency it runs at - older ones are generally 27MHz, and newer ones are 433Mhz. If yous is a 433, then look around for nearby signal - doorbells, baby monitors, kids with handheld radios, local amateur radio buffs etc. The old AM CB radios can also interfere with the 27MHz ones too,

If you suspect interference, shield the receiver with metal - alfoil will do it, and get your remote close to it & try it. If it now works, then local interference is your issue.

I was playing with the transmitters last night while standing right in front of the receiver. I even unwound the antenna from the steel power conduit. Range is usually at least the length of my driveway (a good 30m+). I wonder how far any new transmitter might work? I expect the regulations for EMF & radio transmission would be alot more strict now than they were 15 or so years ago. I might even need to pay a visit to my neighbours as far as two doors up, and even in the street behind (seeing as the garage is towards the rear of my block), and ask them if they have recently installed any new remote-control device (it wouldn't necessarily need to be a doorbell). The frequency my transmitters operate at is 318MHz - I've never heard of anything else using that frequency!

After a search on the net I have discovered a device supposedly manufactured by B&D (although they were not aware of the device when I contacted them for more information about it!) which plugs into the two pins on the back of MPC2 controller/receiver, and comes with 1 or 2 of it's own remotes (operating on 433MHz frequency instead of 318MHz the original MPC2 controller/receiver uses). The model number is MPC-202 (same as MPC-201, but with two remotes). I have ordered one from the shop, and for about 1/3 the price B&D quoted me to install a new controller/receiver (which included a motor, which I don't want, as mine still works fine), I'll have a working automatic garage door soon...

The shop said that so long as the button on the hard-wired controller works, then their device will work too, so I assume it must send it's signal back to the controller through the two connecting pins where it plugs into the back of the controller. I measured the voltage on the pins and it was 10VAC and/or 5VDC - too much for me to be game enough to short the pins out and see if that operates the door

On my ones, the hardwired buttons are simply a NO switch - press it & they short the 2 wires, which obviously short out the 2 pins.
I was quite surprised, as I expected some sort of coded pulse or better security.

The reason you have a low voltage across the pins is that it is used to feed the light on the illuminated button models.

So basically what you are getting is a remote control switch - that closes momentarily when you press the remote - the same sort of thing can be bought in Jaycar & the like too.

Our B and D roller door in our rental recently played up and the cheapest solution on calling the service company is replace the motor and remotes. Nothing is made to repair! Lucky we are renting and passed this on to the real estate agent.

The MPC-202 arrived today and a 30 second read of the instructions and the same time again to plug it in and program the remotes, and I have a working remote-controlled garage door again.

Very pleased that I saved myself a few hundred bucks, but disappointed with B&D after-sales service (even though I didn't purchase the original roller-door) with them trying to sell me something which was alot more than was necessary to achieve the same result.

I'll let B&D know the product I used was perfect for my needs, but I can't see them referring potential customers to someone else just so the customer saves a heap of money.

At least this thread now exists to help other people which might come across the same problem (hey, it even comes up using google).

Well Done Installation Inspector!
Glad to hear it worked out well in the end....
Good information for anyone in a similar situation.

Great news....I've got a door opener playing up at the moment so will have to investigate...you must have put the mozz on....

B&D got back to me regarding my comments to them about recommending the device I purchased - they do sell them, but do not recommend them as they have had several occasions where the device has not solved the problem for the customer.

I would expect the customer's entire control unit or motor must've failed for this device not to work. As I think I mentioned before - Magic Key assured me that if the button on the hard-wired control unit works, then the additional remote transmitter device I bought will also work.

Hi guys. I had a B&D door fitted here in Scotland. It has an MPC2 remote. Your posts have been most useful. My problem is I can't open the MPC2 !!! I have removed the bottom screw, and can see a seam, but I can't prise it apart. Is there any technique for doing this, or just brute force? Many thanks in anticipation. Allan

I remember it was difficult to open it, and I can't even remember if I got the cover completely off. There is a screw behind the "warranty" sticker, and then there are alot of clips inside which make it difficult to pry open. I used a knife to go between the two halves of the cover, then a screwdriver. You almost need 3 hads to do it as no sooner do you get one side apart and start on the other side, the first side snaps shut again!

So happy to have found this post. B&D were no help and told me I'd need a totally new everything@ $750. No way can I afford that amount. I looked up the conversion kit currently $130 with 2 remotes. I'll report back if it solves my problem. It'll be one less broken thing in my house

Edited to add: Thank you Installation Inspector

Update: ordered the same kit via Retro remotes for $80 including express postage instead of the $130 kit.
I'm so excited and can't wait till it gets here.

Happy Happy Happy? For the first time in nearly 4 years I can open my garage door by remote!